Product Details
HOLLAND & HOLLAND
A .577 (3IN.) NITRO EXPRESS 'ROYAL' SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 19260,
26in. nitro reproved barrels (London marked for 1984) with partially matted raised rib, replacement open sights and ramped bead fore-sight with flip-up moonsight, the rib engraved 'CALIBER .577" NITRO. 750 GR BULLET. 3IN. CASE', the tubes engraved 'HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 98. NEW BOND STREET. LONDON." and "WINNER OF ALL THE "FIELD" TRIALS. LONDON.', action with removable striker discs, manual safety with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' detail, elongated top strap, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, chequered front trigger, best fine Royal scroll engraving, the underside carved and gold-inlaid with the head of a buffalo (later), retaining some renewed colour-hardening, 14 1/4in. well-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, engraved steel pistolgrip-cap (with trap), sling swivels and including 1/2in. leather covered recoil pad, fore-end with grip-catch release lever, weight 11lb. 6oz., in a brass-cornered leather case with applied Holland & Holland trade label
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that this rifle was completed in November 1900 for 'Guinard' (Holland & Holland's French agents, Guinard & Co., based at No.14 Avenue de l'Opera, Paris) as a .577 DB h'less rifle' with 26in. steel barrels and that they subsequently resold it second hand to a 'Burrard' in 1916.
The Holland & Holland sales ledger for 1916 expands on the name 'Burrard' to confirm that is was in fact none other than Major Gerald Burrard who penned the classic gun book "The Modern Shotgun" in three volumes (1931-32) that has become a standard over the years. In 1916 Burrard was an officer serving at The Somme where he was severely wounded and as big game hunting was unlikely to be high on his priorities at this time, it is highly likely that he bought this massive calibre rifle to use against German snipers with armour plate that the standard .303 service rifle could not penetrate. Interestingly, a number of rifles with serial numbers either side of 19620 are noted as having being requisitioned by the Ministry of Munitions
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Estimate £30,000-40,000
S1 - Sold as a Section 1 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act