Product Details
HOLLAND & HOLLAND
A FINE PAIR OF 12-BORE 'ROYAL BREVIS' SELF-OPENING HAND-DETACHABLE SIDELOCK EJECTORS, serial no. 31063 / 4, with extra barrels,
26 1/2in. nitro chopperlump barrels, ribs gold-inlaid '1' and '2', tubes engraved 'HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 98, NEW BOND STREET, LONDON.', No.2 bore measurements marginal, 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. imp. cyl. and 1/4 choke,
26 1/2in. replacement nitro chopperlump barrels (by the makers in 1982), ribs gold-inlaid '1' and '2' (No.2 rib loose), tubes engraved 'HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 33. BRUTON STREET. LONDON.', 2 3/4in. chambers, bored approx. 1/4 and 1/2 choke, toplevers gold-inlaid '1' and '2' and engraved 'HOLLAND'S EJECTOR', automatic safeties with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' details, hand-detachable lockplates, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, rolled-edge triggerguards, best bold Royal scroll engraving, retaining traces of colour-hardening, 15 1/4in. well-figured stocks including 1 1/2in. wooden extensions, slight sweep at comb, weight 6lb. 4oz. (original barrels) and 6lb. 5oz. (new barrels), No.2 ejectors require regulating with original barrels fitted, in their lightweight leather motor case with Holland & Holland gold-tooled label with Bruton Street address
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that the guns were originally completed in 1928 as Royal Brevis guns with 26 1/2in. barrels for a Mr Walker. They confirm that the guns were re-barrelled by them in 1982 and the records show the choke measurements as 1/4 and 1/2 dated 2-10-89, with the name 'Forte'.
Lord Forte, formerly Charles Forte, was born 26th November 1908 in the village of Monforte in Italy's mountainous Abruzzi region where his family had been minor landowners for centuries.
He was only three when his father moved to join an elder brother in Scotland who was engaged in the ice cream industry. Clearly the move was a success as he called his family to be with him three years later. Charles was to grow up with a love of his adopted country, but also a great sense of where he had originated. In later years he was to have the family home in Monforte restored, and contributed regularly to the annual festival of St. Anthony.
He was schooled at Alloa Academy, Dumfries College and the Mamiani School in Rome. Schooling finished, he started learning the basics of the café and catering trade in Weston-super-Mare which was followed by the family building a branch of ice cream parlours along the south coast. The foundations were already in their early stages for his future empire, but it was in 1934 that Charles opened his first establishment in the capital; a milk bar in Regent Street.
At the outbreak of the Second World War Forte still held an Italian passport, even though he had applied for naturalisation as a British subject. It was because of this that he was, to his dismay, interned on the Isle of Man for a short period. His cafés remained open though and he felt that in some small way he had contributed to the war effort by 'keeping the home fires burning'. Following the end of hostilities his expertise in the industry was recognised when he was appointed a member of the Ministry of Food to advise on best rationing procedure.
The post-war years saw his catering and hotel portfolio grow enormously, and by 1970 his company employed over 16,000 people and counted establishments such as the Café Royal, the London Waldorf and the George V hotel in Paris as flagships. However, the merger with Lord Crowther's Trust Houses group, whilst commercially an excellent match, proved to be a difficult time for Forte as the two men were at loggerheads for much of the time. The situation was brought to a climax when Forte successfully fought off a take-over bid by Allied Breweries that had Crowther's support. Equilibrium returned and Charles continued to expand his holdings and acquired, amongst others, the Lyon group and the Imperial group of hotels. This was followed by the Savoy, although Forte was never to enjoy a full hand in the running of the hotel's affairs even though his company owned 70% of the shares.
Charles Forte had been offered a peerage in 1959 from Hugh Gaitskell, whom he was close to, but he declined the honour as his views weren't of a socialist nature. However, he warmly accepted a life peerage from Margaret Thatcher in 1982 with whom he shared empathy and mutual admiration. Indeed, she was to speak with great warmth at his 80th birthday party in 1988 at Grosvenor House.
Lord Forte was a keen sportsman and hosted regular shooting parties at his Ripley Estate in Surrey. He was also an accomplished Rod, golfer and yachtsman. This pair of shotguns were passed to his daughter following his death in 2007 and she is now offering them for sale at auction.
Estimate £20,000-25,000
S2