Product Details
MADE FOR MOHAMMED NADIR SHAH, KING OF AFGHANISTAN
W.W. GREENER
A FINE, PRESENTATION GRADE 16-BORE FACILE PRINCEPS EJECTOR, serial no. 68130,
28in. nitro barrels, rib gold-inlaid in gothic script 'W.W. GREENER. 40. PALL MALL. LONDON.' and deeply carved at the breech ends with bold acanthus scrollwork on a matt background, 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. imp. cyl. and 3/4 choke, left tube with partially repaired dent, scroll-back treble-grip action with shoulders, automatic side safety with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' detail and carved with a partridge in flight, rolled-edge triggerguard, the action and furniture deeply carved in relief with bold stylised floral motifs on a matt background and interspersed with scenes of pointer, the underside with a mallard in flight, the toplever carved with pigeon and a fire-breathing lion, retaining much original colour-hardening and finish, the makers name inlaid in gold on the shoulders, the triggerguard gold inlaid with script relating to Mohammed Nadir Shah, the stock set with a gold escutcheon bearing the arms of the Afghan Royal family, 14 3/4in. well-figured stock with horn drop points and buttplate, the chequering with ornate borders, the fore-end with gold-washed ejector mechanism, horn finial and Deeley & Edge patent release catch, weight 6lb. 1oz.
Provenance: This presentation grade Greener was completed in 1923 for Mohammed Nadir Khan who was to become Shah, or King of Afghanistan.
Nadir Khan was born April 1883 in India into the Qereqlu clan of the Afshars, a semi-nomadic tribe of Afghanis. His family were in exile and it was not until he was eighteen that the family returned to Afghanistan at the request of the British. He was appointed a General in Amanullah Khan's monarchy, a position engineered by the British in order to undermine Khan's power and elevate Nadir Khan's standing. Suspicion was aroused and Nadir was sent to Paris as Afghan Ambassador whilst his brother was sent to Moscow as Cultural Attaché both these appointments were, in effect, a further form of exile. During his time in Paris, Nadir Khan forged closer links with Britain and offered numerous schemes to topple the then Afghan government and monarchy. So it was that he returned to India, formed several armies with British support and marched into Afghanistan to seize the throne. In October 1929 he had sacked the city of Kabul and declared himself King after having Habibullah Kalakani assassinated.
Whilst he forged some strong relationships with foreign powers Nadir Shah, as he had become, was not a popular ruler domestically in many ways. In a display on un-abashed nepotism, he appointed members of his family to key roles in the new cabinet and thus the country became a Royal oligarchy rather than a true monocracy. He was to rule until November 1933 when he was assassinated by a teenager whose family were supposed to have had close links to the former ruler Amanullah Khan and had been waiting some time for revenge.
The throne was then passed to Nadir Shah's son, Mohammed Zadir Shah, who also took possession of the Greener 16-bore. He was to reign until 1973 and lived a further 34 years after that having seen many changes in his country's ongoing state of flux. The shotgun was given by the king to the vendor's grandfather and has remained with his family ever since.
Estimate £15,000-20,000
THE ABOVE LOT WILL REQUIRE THE BUYER TO PRODUCE A RELEVANT BRITISH SHOTGUN CERTIFICATE OR REGISTERED FIREARMS DEALER LICENCE BEFORE IT MAY BE RELEASED.