Bourjaily: T.R.’s Fox For Sale

Earlier this year, we reported on the auction at James D. Julia, Inc., of Nash Buckingham’s Super Fox shotgun, “Bo-Whoop.”

In October, Julia will auction off an even more famous Fox: the F-Grade A.H. Fox 12 gauge Theodore Roosevelt took with him on his epic year-long African safari in 1909. In his account of the trip, “African Game Trails” Roosevelt wrote: “I have a Fox number 12 Shotgun; no better gun was ever made.” Fox used that quote in ads to sell guns for years and years.

Wes Dillon of Juia’s assures me there’s no question this is Roosevelt’s Fox. The gun stayed in his family until 1974 when they sold it to a Fox collector named Tom Kidd, who transferred the gun to the current owner – who prefers to remain unnamed — in 2000. It will be auctioned on October 4-5 of this year.

Not only does the winning bidder get the most famous Fox shotgun ever made, it comes with extras: an outboard motor T.R. used in South America; the cleaning rod for his Holland and Holland double, assorted other tools and the whole thing is wrapped up in a pair of Roosevelt’s pajamas.

Roosevelt’s H&H double rifle previously sold for $550,000 and many think this shotgun will easily bring more.