Product Details
HOLLAND & HOLLAND
A .500 / 465 (3 1/4IN.) NITRO EXPRESS 'ROYAL' SIDELOCK NON-EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 19114, No.1 of the pair to Lot 1213A,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels (loose on action), matt sight rib gold-inlaid '1' at the breech end, open sights with two folding leaf sights, marked 100, 200 and 300, ramp-mounted bead fore-sight with flip-up moonsight, treble-grip action with hidden third bite, removable striker discs, elongated top strap, automatic safety with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' detail, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, the fences deeply carved in high relief with floral designs and masks of the Green Man, the action, lockplates and furniture with bold scrolling acanthus of art nouveau style, the underside with a roundel engraved 'CHARGE 75 GRAINS CORDITE .465. CASE 3 1/4 INCHES', 14 3/8in. replacement pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, engraved steel pistolgrip-cap (with trap), sling swivels and including 7/8in. ventilated rubber recoil pad, fore-end with grip catch release lever, light damage to wood, weight 10lb. 4oz., in a case
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that this gun was completed in September 1907 for the Maharajah of Cooch Behar as No.1 of a pair of rifles
Colonel H.H. Maharajah Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, GCIE, (4 October 1862 – 18 September 1911) was Maharaja of the princely state of Cooch Behar, India from 1863 till 1911.
A keen hunter, in 1908 he wrote a book 'Thirty Seven Years of Big Game Shooting in Cooch Behar, the Duars and Assam, A Rough Diary', detailing his hunting adventures between 1871 and 1907.
In the appendix, he dedicates a section specifically to his guns and rifles and towards the end he references his pair of .500 Cordite rifles by Holland & Holland which 'have never been out of order or given any trouble', earlier rating Holland & Holland "With regard to makers of rifles, I consider Messrs Holland & Holland second to none"
Other Notes: Please see late entry Lot 1213A for the No.2 rifle of the pair
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Estimate £12,000-16,000
S1 - Sold as a Section 1 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act