Product Details
E.J. CHURCHILL
A FINE MARCUS HUNT-ENGRAVED .300 MAGNUM NITRO EXPRESS SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 10161,
24in. nitro chopperlump barrels, deeply scroll-engraved sight rib gold-inlaid with the makers name and calibre designation, open sights for 50, 100 and 200 yards with gold-inlaid sight lines, gold-washed ramp-mounted bead foresight with flip-up moonsight inset with a ruby, heavily-bolstered treble-grip action with removable striker discs, manual safety, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, chequered triggers, rolled-edge triggerguard, finely engraved with best bold stylized acanthus on a matt background, the top-strap and fore-end iron engraved en-suite, the sideplates finely engraved with a snow leopard in mountainous terrain and a wild boar in a woodland setting, lockplates and triggerplate signed 'M.A. HUNT', the triggerplate dated '03, 14 3/4in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, ivory pistolgrip-cap and 3/4in. rubber recoil pad, weight 9lbs. 2oz., in its brass-cornered elephant hide bound oak case with canvas outer and full complement of ivory-handled accessories.
Provenance: The maker's have kindly confirmed that the rifle was completed as one of a pair in 2003 to accompany Lot1209.
The gentleman who commissioned the rifles has kindly provided the following reminiscences:
"The guns were commissioned by me on the 9th January 2002 and received on 18th March 2004 - a little over the 2 years in the making. They were specially engraved by Marcus Hunt and the gold and ruby foresights were made by Edward Williams of Battle Goldsmiths, East Sussex. Mr Rowland Lane, formerly of Westley Richards, Birmingham, made the cases and the ivory tools and ivory pistol grip caps were made by Mr Mike Marsh of Derbyshire
When I decided to commission a pair of rifles to be built, I chose a .300 H & H regulated with 220 grain bullet as this was my favourite all round calibre I regarded suitable for all but the largest of game and would make an excellent boar shooting calibre. The 500 would be suitable for the elephant and lion hunting occasions such as mentioned later. I believe in as big a calibre for the dangerous game as can be happily carried under the hot African sun
I had been interested in shooting from a small child but at the age of about 14, I developed a particular liking for hunting lion by tracking on foot. However, this back-fired on me somewhat when I wounded a lion in the Danakil region of Ethiopia which resulted in my father being severely mauled. At his sensible suggestion, I made sure that I always had a double rifle of suitable calibre on such occasion's thereafter
In December of 1985, at the age of 16, I was hunting in the Mizan Teferi region of Ethiopia. We were tracking a group of bull elephant up a very steep heavily forested embankment, there was a change of wind direction, an enormous crashing of vegetation and screams of angry elephants and, from a few yards in front of me, came a young bull elephant in a state of must. He charged and gave me no option but to let him have both barrels of my fathers 45 0/400 which he had kindly lent to me for the occasion. However, this being a young bull and having very light ivory (approximately 30lbs per side), this was obviously not the elephant I was hunting for and, as the situation was one of self defence, after much bureaucracy, I was issued with another licence. The ivory was impounded by the Ethiopia Game department which happens in the event of such an occurrence. However, I was determined to secure some form of trophy as this was my first elephant, all be it not a trophy bull and shot under unexpected conditions. Therefore, we took large amounts of hide which was sent to South Africa to professional tanners (there were not available in Ethiopia at that time), with the idea that should I at some time in the future commission a very special pair of rifles, it would be most appropriate to use the skin from my first elephant for the cases. A few days later, after the re-issuing of my permit, I shot my second elephant, a splendid bull of 90lbs per side.
Being reluctant to cut into any trophy bull elephant ivory, my father gave me one of his lighter tusks shot many years earlier when hunting elephants was a much more commonplace and less bureaucratic procedure. This I handed over to Mr Marsh who made me several beautiful sets of tools. This was shot on the Tana River in Kenya circa late 30's
On the 500 double, the engraved elephant is a likeness of the famous Ahmed of Marasbit."
Estimate £40,000-60,000
S1