Product Details
FORMERLY THE PROPERTY OF JOSE PARDAL
COGSWELL & HARRISON
A .450 / .400 NITRO EXPRESS ROTARY-UNDERLEVER HAMMER DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 40783,
25in. nitro barrels with matt sight rib, to folding leaf sights with silver-inlaid sight lines, ramp-mounted bead foresight, Jones patent rotary-underlever, carved percussion fences, rebounding back-action locks, border engraving, retaining virtually full re-blacked finish overall, 14 1/2in. figured pistolgrip stock with sling swivels, fluted horn pistolgrip-cap and including 1in. ventilated rubber recoil pad, beavertail fore-end (slight cracks at edges), weight 11lb.
Provenance: José Pardal was one of the very last big game hunters to operate in the former Portuguese East Africa, now known as Mozambique, before colonial rule was over-thrown by a communist backed military junta in 1975. Blood-letting was rife in the country following the coup, but Pardal managed to escape with his family and returned to Portugal.
It was after his return to his native country that he wrote a book entitled "Elephant Hunting in Portuguese East Africa" which was published by Safari Press and may now be considered a rare tome. In it, Pardal clearly establishes himself as a gentleman hunter who firmly recognises the dignity and power of his chosen quarry, and his respect for nature is transparent in the pages.
A copy of his book forms part of this lot and the Cogswell & Harrison rifle is both written about and illustrated. The book is in fine order with gilt-embossed end-boards and spine and contains 285 pages of memoirs together with a large number of photographs.
Estimate £2,500-3,500
S1