BOSS GUNS
Iwas born and raised in Massachusetts, USA. My family was in the grocery business and we all used to help out in the stores during the week. But on Sundays, when the stores were closed, my dad would sneak into the empty deli section to make up a bunch of sandwiches then we’d all pile into the family car and drive north to Lake Winnipesaukee with my father’s 27ft Century Raven wooden runabout hooked up behind us. I have such happy memories of those days on the water with my family.
Back in the 60s the lake was buzzing with beautiful wooden boats of all shapes and sizes – Packards, Gar Woods, ChrisCrafts, and Centurys – so it’s no surprise that I’m still passionate about them. In 1994 I tracked down a rare 1930s Chris-craft triple cockpit that had been recovered from the bottom of a lake after more than 40 years. I drove to the middle of nowhere to have a look at it. It was in a terrible state but, crucially, everything was original. Jim Murdock at Vintage Boat Restorations reckoned he could bring it back to life and true to his word he did, delivering it back to me in 1997. It took over two years and $150,000 to get there but the end result was worth it. It looked immaculate. The Chris-craft now lives in the boathouse alongside our wooden fishing lodge on the lake.
When I’m not working or enjoying my boat my other great passion in life is sporting guns. I’ve owned lots of different guns over the years but my favourite have always come from London’s oldest established gunmaker, Boss & Co. Since 1812, Boss has only made a small number of guns annually, each bespoke, handmade by craftsmen. If you want the best it has to be a Boss. There is something very special about having a Boss gun handcrafted just for you. Like buying a Savile Row suit or a handmade pair of shoes, you can feel the quality in every element of it. There are over 150 moving parts in a gun, most of which you never see, but like the mechanism of a Swiss watch it all has to perform flawlessly year after year with precision.
When you shoot with a gun that’s been made for you, the fit and the balance are so perfect that it feels like an extension of your body. The grain of the wood, the finish of the barrels, the detail of the engraving – it’s a living work of art. It’s the same with my boat, it’s not just the beauty of the finished product that appeals to me, it’s the work and skill that has gone into making it. That’s why when the opportunity arose to buy Boss & Co in 2015 I knew I had to take it.
It’s been quite a journey from working in the family grocery stores to owning London’s most exclusive gunsmith but it all started thanks to those happy days afloat in my father’s old boat.
Arthur Demoulas: Fond memories of childhood days on his father’s boat led to an appreciation of beautifully made items that stand the test of time and bring joy to the user
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