Product Details
MADE FOR THE MAHARAJA OF COOCH BEHAR
HOLLAND & HOLLAND
A VERY RARE PAIR OF .500 / 465 (3 1/4IN.) NITRO EXPRESS 'ROYAL' SIDELOCK NON-EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLES, serial no. 19114 / 5,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels, matt sight ribs gold-inlaid '1' and '2' at the breech ends, open sights with two folding leaf sights, marked 100, 200 and 300, ramp-mounted bead fore-sights with flip-up moonsights, treble-grip actions with hidden third bites, removable striker discs, elongated top straps, automatic safeties with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' details, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, the fences deeply carved in high relief with floral designs and masks of the Green Man, the actions, lockplates and furniture with bold scrolling acanthus of art nouveau style, the undersides with roundels engraved 'CHARGE 75 GRAINS CORDITE .465. CASE 3 1/4 INCHES', 14 1/4in. replacement pistolgrip stocks with cheekpieces, engraved steel pistolgrip-caps (with traps), sling swivels and including 7/8in. new rubber recoil pads, fore-ends with grip catch release levers, light repairs to fore-end wood No.1 and No.2 with replacement fore-end wood (chequering refreshed), weight 10lb. 3oz. (No.1) and 10lb. 8oz. (No.2), rifle No.1 together with a single leather case
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that these rifles were completed as a pair in September 1907 for the Maharaja of Cooch Behar.
Colonel H.H. Maharaja 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: Both rifles have recently undergone a full strip, clean and service, the barrels have been reblued and the woodwork sympathetically refinished by J.P. Daeschler (Gunmakers) who have also provided us with sighting targets for both rifles, shot at 100 yards with Kynoch .480 Gr. Solid ammunition, please see website for details.
Please note if this Lot is not sold on the day, the pair will be immediately re-offered individually as Lots 1220A and 1220B
Please click HERE to view Terms & Conditions.
Estimate £24,000-28,000
S1 - Sold as a Section 1 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act