The first Invincible, SN 200000, is a 12-ga. 32" barrel straight grip gun. The second, SN 230329, is a 16-ga. 26" barrel gun with a ball grip with scalloped 'clamshell' carving on the ball; the third, SN 233565, is a 12-ga. 28" barrel with straight grip stock.
The 16 ga. was indeed found on the top shelf of a clothes closet in a mansion on Long Island after the house was sold and subsequently closed on; apparently the angle of view from the floor of the closet prevented the gun in its oak & leather case from being seen during the frequent walk-thrus during the showing and sale of the house.
The 'gone missing' Invincible, SN 233565, was in fact built for a wealthy publisher, partly in the desire to prove that a superior grade American side-by-side could compete in elegance and finish to the best that Great Britain and Europe had to offer at the time. (I think he proved his point). This gun, still in the same family of the original purchaser, surfaced with much fanfare and was auctioned off several years ago.
This gun was restocked by the Del Gregos, with carving done by Bob Runge and checkering finished by Remington Custom Shop artisans (Leo Bala?). The original stock, which accompanied the gun at auction, had been broken through the wrist. Many wild tales surrounded this story; some said the shooter crippled a rabbit and, being either out of shells or 'overly frugal', tried to brain the bunny, breaking the stock. Another story had the gun laying on the ground while the sportsman backed over it, thinking it was safely stowed in the trunk. The truth came out when the family rendered the gun for auction: the original owner's son had loaned the gun to his nephew on a shooting trip to Great Britain. Coming off a bank in a snipe bog in Ireland, the boy lost his footing and fell backwards; in an attempt to protect the gun he tucked the stock under his elbow and held the muzzles high. Before his elbow hit the ground, the toe of stock struck it first, breaking it through the wrist.
All three Invincibles were eventually brought together by magazine publisher Bob Peterson, who loaned all three in sort of 'perpetual exhibit' to the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA. They reside there now, side by side in their display case, for all to enjoy. If you ever get the chance to view them, don't miss it.
|