Product Details
FORMERLY THE PROPERTY OF H.H. the MAHARAJA of NAWANAGAR
J. PURDEY & SONS
A PAIR OF LIGHTWEIGHT 12-BORE (2IN.) SELF-OPENING SIDELOCK EJECTORS, serial no. 24801 / 2,
28in. nitro chopperlump barrels, sunken ribs engraved 'J. PURDEY & SONS. AUDLEY HOUSE. SOUTH AUDLEY STREET. LONDON. ENGLAND.' and '1' and '2', the short ribs gold-inlaid '2" CASE', 2in. chambers, bored approx. imp. cyl. and 1/4 choke, toplevers engraved '1' and '2', automatic safeties with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' details, removable striker discs, cocking-indicators, best fine bouquet and scroll engraving, No.1 gun with brushed finish, No.2 gun retaining some colour-hardened finish, 14 3/4in. figured stocks, weight 5lb. 7oz., in their brass-cornered oak and leather case with some accessories and canvas and leather outer
Provenance: The makers have kindly informed us that this pair of shotguns were completed in November 1935 with 28in. barrels and 2in. chambers for H.H. the Maharaja of Nawanagar.
Lt.-Gen. Maharaja Jam Sri Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji was born 18th September 1895. He was schooled first in India and then in England at Malvern College before being commissioned into the British Army as a second lieutenant in 1919. He came out of the army in 1931 holding the rank of captain but received several honourary ranks from the Indian Army which culminated in 1947 when he became a Lieutenant-General.
He was adopted by his uncle, the well-known first-class cricket player, Maharaja K.S. Ranjitsinhji as so became his heir. He became Maharaja of the 13-gun Princely state on his uncle's death in 1933 and continued the policies of moderate reform and development. He was knighted in 1935 and was President of the Chamber of Princes from 1937 until 1944. Upholding the family cricketing traditions, he headed the Board of Control for Cricket in India for two years, and was a member of several prominent clubs.
During the last war, Sir Digvijaysinhji served on several cabinets and councils, but is best remembered for the altruism he showed to the many Poles who fled to his state. They had been released by the Soviet Union following the invasion by Germany, in the hope that they would form an army and fight with the Soviet Army. They had been used as forced labourers in Siberia and so this thinking was, perhaps, a little naive. Instead, the freed Poles headed south in an exodus that brought many of them to the state of Nawanagar. Here they were welcomed by the Maharaja and housed in camps with medical and schooling facilities.
Sir Digvijaysinhji died in February 1966 after ruling for thirty-three years. He was succeeded by his only son, Y.S. Shatrusalyasinhji, a first-class cricketer who played for several Gujarati teams.
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Estimate £15,000-20,000
S2