The Auction report: November 2016

Holt’s Auctioneers’ recently sold a fine Mannlicher Schoenauer ‘MOD 1924’ full-stocked takedown bolt-magazine sporting rifle made by iconic gunmaker Steyr in 1943 for the late King Alfonso XIII of Spain.

With an estimate of £3500- 4500, Lot 1115 eventually sold for £6400 to an anonymous international collector. In fact, 30% of the 684 Lots sold for above their top estimate in the September auction.

Holt’s Auctioneers’ Chris Beaumont enthused that this rifle is an excellent example of the ‘quality, condition and provenance’ credo auctioneers often refer to. He added: “This particular rifle was one of the best examples of its type we’ve ever seen – hardly surprising as it was made for the Royal Household of Spain. Royal commissions will almost certainly guarantee the highest level of workmanship because repeat orders – and the possibility of obtaining a Royal Warrant (or similar status) has long been the ambition of gunmakers the world over. It’s not simply the financial gain from such orders that matters – having the Royal seal of approval is hard to match when you are promoting your wares. This rifle was sold to an international collector – who I’m pleased to say makes a point of using what he buys. This rifle won’t sit collecting dust but will be out in the field, working (albeit gently) for a living.”

Holt’s Auctioneers’ next auction in London is on Thursday 8th December. www.holtsauctioneers.com

Classic selection

Gavin Gardiner selects a few beautiful items from his next sale…

Highlights of our next auction include a magnificent pair of Holland & Holland Royal De Luxe model 12-bore selfopening sidelock ejector guns, built in 1991 and remaining little used. Estimated at between £50,000 and £70,000, this pair would cost over £250,000 if they were ordered new today! With 28-inch barrels and superb game scene engraving, these represent one of the finest modern pair of guns to have come to auction in recent years.

Elsewhere in the sale is a wonderful pair of 28-bore sidelock ejector guns by Watson Bros that were built in 2004 to commemorate the Royal palaces of England and Scotland. Engraved by Keith Thomas, they are a truly magnificent pair and are estimated at between £60,000 and £80,000.

A fine Boss & Co 12-bore over and under gun is also entered in to the auction that was completed in 1995 and remains virtually unused. With a single trigger and 28-inch rib less barrels, it is a classic specification Boss that is expected to sell for between £60,000 and £80,000.

The auction includes almost 300 lots of collector’s firearms and fine sporting guns, and has interest for all areas of collecting and will be held at Sotheby’s, 34-35 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA, on Wednesday 14th December at 2pm. www.gavingardiner.com

Hammer time

Two hammerguns formerly owned by a famed Scottish collector are to appear for auction at Holt’s…

Holt’s Auctioneers’ is selling two eye-catching hammerguns that were originally made for famous Scottish gun collector Charles Gordon.

The first, Lot 1800 with an estimate of £5000-7000, is an unusual 12-bore rotary underlever double-barrelled hammergun made in 1899 by London gunmaker James Purdey & Sons. The second, Lot 917 with an estimate of £8000-12,000, is a fine 4-bore single-barrelled rotary-underlever hammer ‘duck gun’ made by Edinburgh gunmaker John Dickson & Son.

Between 1868 and 1906 Charles Gordon ordered more than 300 new guns, rifles and pistols from the finest makers Scotland and England had to offer. According to historian Donald Dallas, Gordon “was a gentleman of substantial means, profligate in his purchase of hundreds of guns, yet very eccentric, eventually losing his estate, wealth and personal power, ending his days alone and humble, living in a small cottage on his once large estate.”

Holt’s Auctioneers’ Chris Beaumont revealed why the provenance of these Lots will command such interest from buyers: “Charles Gordon undoubtedly rates as one of the most prolific collectors the British gun trade has ever encountered. John Dickson and Son was a particular favourite of his and for some years he was responsible for between a quarter and a third of their entire output. What makes his patronage particularly extraordinary was his love of ‘obsolete’ gun designs. When the world had firmly moved into modern breech loading guns, Gordon was ordering muzzle loading guns with percussion, tubelock and even flintlock mechanisms. In the same year the Dickson 4-bore was ordered (for him an unusually contemporary piece) he redressed the balance by ordering a pair of flintlock blunderbusses… the like of which had probably not been ordered by anyone for over 80 years!”

Both guns are for sale at Holt’s Auctioneers’ next auction in London, which is on Thursday 8th December.

For more information on Charles Gordon, see Donald Dallas’ book ‘Magnificent Madness’: www.donalddallas.com., www.holtsauctioneers.com