.577 Howdah Pistol Outfit
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90038
Fine Condition .577 DB Howdah Pistol With Case and Accessories, Once belonging to Maharaja Rana:
English 1888. SN 8207. A cased 25 bore (.577 center-fire) DB breech-loading, under-lever (1) Howdah Pistol by Charles Lancaster, No. 8207, for 1888. The pistol is fitted with 17.5 cm browned, twist, Damascus barrels signed in full along the center rib. Each barrel rifled with ten shallow grooves. Border engraved case-hardened action with long slender tang decorated with foliate scrollwork. Back action locks, hammers, tapering under-lever and mounts all engraved en-suite. Trigger guard with serial number: 8207. Both hammers held at half cock by blued safety bolts. Nicely figured and checkered English walnut stock in two parts. The removable fore-end, held by a captive side nail, has a triangular dark horn tip. The ovoidal butt-cap has a lanyard ring for attaching its original lanyard made from plaited black cord and with blued clip. The pistol is housed in its original lined and fitted leather case with a full, complete complement of accessories including a brass bullet mould stamped .577 and “Greenfield London.” A brass case crimping tool stamped .577 and “G. & J.W. Hawksley.” Five, extremely rare, case-hardened cartridge re-loading tools, and a glass oil bottle. The interior of the lid still with its original Charles Lancaster trade label of the period (2,3). Barrels stamped with London black powder proof marks.
Charles Lancaster is recorded as working at 151 New Bond Street and 2 Little Bruton Street, London between 1868 and 1871, and again between 1882 and 1900.
The Charles Lancaster manufacturing records confirm the pistol’s specifications and that it was built to order on Feb 1888 for the Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Rana, the Prime Minister of Nepal (1885-1901) (Fig. 1,2). Condition: Excellent. The gun is in incredible, well maintained condition with bright shiny bores. As new overall. Very strong mainspring pressure on each of the locks. Mechanics are perfect. Provenance: Bonham’s Knightsbridge; Sale: 24229; Lot: 322; 17 MAY, 2017.
Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Rana, (The Prime Minister of Nepal (1885-1901)).
Curator's Footnotes: • This pistol is section 5 in the UK. • This pistol is firearms exempt in the US. (US Gun Control Act of 1968.) • No English nitro proof marks. Used between 1896-1904. • Dimensions of the .577 Snider cartridge: [www.loaddata.com] Bibliography: 1. The Henry Jones under-lever mechanism was issued UK patent #2040 on SEP 7, 1859. 2. Blackmore, H. (1986) A Dictonary of London Gunmakers, 1350-1850, Phaidon, Christie's, Oxford. ISBN [0-7148-8021-3] p. 149. 3. Heer, Eugene (1978) Der Neue Stockel , Vol 1, p. 678. Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH; Schwabisch Hall.
Fine Condition .577 DB Howdah Pistol With Case and Accessories, Once belonging to Maharaja Rana:
English 1888. SN 8207. A cased 25 bore (.577 center-fire) DB breech-loading, under-lever (1) Howdah Pistol by Charles Lancaster, No. 8207, for 1888. The pistol is fitted with 17.5 cm browned, twist, Damascus barrels signed in full along the center rib. Each barrel rifled with ten shallow grooves. Border engraved case-hardened action with long slender tang decorated with foliate scrollwork. Back action locks, hammers, tapering under-lever and mounts all engraved en-suite. Trigger guard with serial number: 8207. Both hammers held at half cock by blued safety bolts. Nicely figured and checkered English walnut stock in two parts. The removable fore-end, held by a captive side nail, has a triangular dark horn tip. The ovoidal butt-cap has a lanyard ring for attaching its original lanyard made from plaited black cord and with blued clip. The pistol is housed in its original lined and fitted leather case with a full, complete complement of accessories including a brass bullet mould stamped .577 and “Greenfield London.” A brass case crimping tool stamped .577 and “G. & J.W. Hawksley.” Five, extremely rare, case-hardened cartridge re-loading tools, and a glass oil bottle. The interior of the lid still with its original Charles Lancaster trade label of the period (2,3). Barrels stamped with London black powder proof marks.
Charles Lancaster is recorded as working at 151 New Bond Street and 2 Little Bruton Street, London between 1868 and 1871, and again between 1882 and 1900.
The Charles Lancaster manufacturing records confirm the pistol’s specifications and that it was built to order on Feb 1888 for the Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Rana, the Prime Minister of Nepal (1885-1901) (Fig. 1,2). Condition: Excellent. The gun is in incredible, well maintained condition with bright shiny bores. As new overall. Very strong mainspring pressure on each of the locks. Mechanics are perfect. Provenance: Bonham’s Knightsbridge; Sale: 24229; Lot: 322; 17 MAY, 2017.
Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Rana, (The Prime Minister of Nepal (1885-1901)).
Curator's Footnotes: • This pistol is section 5 in the UK. • This pistol is firearms exempt in the US. (US Gun Control Act of 1968.) • No English nitro proof marks. Used between 1896-1904. • Dimensions of the .577 Snider cartridge: [www.loaddata.com] Bibliography: 1. The Henry Jones under-lever mechanism was issued UK patent #2040 on SEP 7, 1859. 2. Blackmore, H. (1986) A Dictonary of London Gunmakers, 1350-1850, Phaidon, Christie's, Oxford. ISBN [0-7148-8021-3] p. 149. 3. Heer, Eugene (1978) Der Neue Stockel , Vol 1, p. 678. Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH; Schwabisch Hall.
Fig. 1: Lancaster Manufacturing records confirm the pistol's specifications, manufature date, and recipient Maharaja Rana.
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Fig. 2: The Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Rana (b Dec 10, 1852-d Mar 5, 1901).
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