Product Details
AUG. FRANCOTTE
A FINE SEVERIN-ENGRAVED .458 LOTT SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 91143,
26 7/8in. nitro reproved chopperlump barrels (in 2012, from .458 Win. Mag.) with matt sight rib, open sights and ramp-mounted bead fore-sight, the breech end with telescopic sight claw mount bases, tubes engraved 'AUG. FRANCOTTE. BREVETE - LIEGE', large treble-grip action with acanthus engraved side-bolsters, hidden third bite, removable striker discs, elongated top strap, manual safety, cocking-indicators, set front trigger, fine border and acanthus scroll engraving, the triggerplate signed 'Severin', bright finish overall, 15 3/8in. boldly-figured pistolgrip stock (repaired at head), engraved steel pistolgrip-cap (with trap), including 1/2in. leather covered recoil pad, fore-end with finely engraved grip catch release lever, weight 11lb. 11oz.
Provenance: This and the the following Lot were commissioned by the vendor expressly for a safari to Africa in 1978 and they are accompanied by a letter recounting the story. The translation reads as follows:
"During 1978 to 1979, the vendor, his brother and sister-in-law journeyed to the Republic of Central Africa to embark on a safari.
"The guns he took with him were specially made for this safari and each rifle needed to be regulated under the critical eye of the purchaser; 3 rounds of ammunition within a 2in. group at 100m.
"The party flew out via Paris to Tschad Bangui, the capital where they were greeted by the head of the Hunting Association. During their first dinner they were informed that due to terrible rainfall it was unlikely that they would be able to travel to the Haut Chinko area, close to the Sudanese border, which was the designated area for the safari.
"They asked if it would be possible to hire an aeroplane, but were informed that there were only three privately owned aircraft in the republic, all owned by the Emperor himself. The first, a Caravelle, which was used solely by the Emperor's wife for her weekly trips to Paris. The second, a turbo prop, which he used for inspecting his country, and finally a DC3. After successful negotiations with the Emperor (a former highly decorated master sergeant in the French Colonial Troops) they were allowed to use the DC3 for the entire trip.
"The safari was a huge success and they brought back with them in the DC3 the tusks from four elephants, each weighing a minimum of 50lbs each.
"More importantly these hard-playing hunters managed to force the Emperor to make them Dukes of the Central African Republic for a small fee of $10,000 per head. However, just before the ceremony was to take place, they decided to leave the African Republic without the injection of 'blue blood'."
Other Notes: There are images relating to the safari shown on the online catalogue.
Estimate £15,000-18,000
S1