Product Details
** FORMERLY THE PROPERTY OF THYS MOSTERT
HOLLAND & HOLLAND
A .375 H&H MAGNUM BOLT-MAGAZINE SPORTING RIFLE, serial no. 1876,
24 3/4in. nitro barrel engraved 'HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 98. NEW BOND STREET. LONDON.', and 'HOLLAND'S .375 MAGNUM RIMLESS CARTRIDGE' on the knox form, block-mounted open sights with folding leaf sight, ramp-mounted bead fore-sight with locking folding protector hood, matt top receiver ring, receiver (with thumb cutout) serial numbered 1876, hollow bolt knob, recoil blocks, hinged floorplate engraved '4 CARTRGS.' with push button release, figured pistolgrip stock, engraved steel pistolgrip-cap, sling swivels, 14in. pull including 7/8in. rubber recoil pad, weight 8lb. 7oz.
Provenance: The Mostert family have kindly provided us with a brief history of this rifle:
"Thys Mostert was appointed as a ranger in the Kruger National Park on 1st October 1955.
He was issued with this .375 rifle, serial no. 1876 and posted to the Shingwidzi section in the North of the park. The first patrols carried out were on horseback with a number of pack mules as vehicles were not yet issued.
In March of 1955 he was tasked to man the Leteba region because the ranger based there had been badly mauled by a leopard. The park management, in an effort to boost the general game numbers, had instituted a predator control policy. It was during one of these culling missions that a wounded leopard had feigned death and then attacked ranger Geldenhuis when he approached on foot to deliver the 'coup de grace'.
In September of 1955, ranger Mostert was shifted from the Kingfisher spruit section and given the Leteba section as a permanent base until the end of 1962. The Leteba section also housed agricultural lands and old Bull elephants breaking the fences to explore these 'greener pastures' were a common problem that had to be dealt with. One that had to be destroyed was a bull whose foot pads had been badly burned during a wild fire. Crocodiles and lions were also predators considered to influence the herbivore numbers and were regularly culled.
Following the move from Leteba to Tshokwane in 1962, his last move was down South to the Pretoriuskop section in 1967. When ranger Mostert assumed control of Pretoriuskop, there was a casual agreement whereby the rest of the camp staff were permitted to walk a 5 mile footpath every night in order to cross the park boundary and spend the late evenings at their dwellings in the tribal area alongside. One predawn morning, an unfortunate individual was returning to the camp when 5 lions pulled him off his bicycle and devoured him completely. The ranger and his companion, Sergeant Nkuna went out and tracked the lions on foot for a few hours and managed to shoot 2 of the man eaters. A significant amount of human remains was found in the stomachs and these were sealed into a small container for the family to bury.
In 1987, due to health issues, Thys Mostert retired as a ranger after 33 years of service. He was able to purchase the weapon from the Parks Board. Upon his passing, the rifle has remained in the family. As sons who also followed the conservation route, we have used the rifle in big game management extensively.
Times and careers have changed and we would like the weapon to have a new owner who will treasure and enjoy it as much as we have."
Literature: A copy of the history of the rifle including photocopied images of Ranger Mostert and some of the animals mentioned in the text is supplied with the Lot.
** Please note this item is subject to 20% VAT on the hammer price.
Please click HERE to view Terms & Conditions.
Estimate £3,000-5,000
(USD 3,887-6,478)
(EUR 3,329-5,548)
Currency exchange rates are based on various public sources, are provided for information purposes only, and are not verified as accurate.
S1 - Sold as a Section 1 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act