October 30 - November 2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria, & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2018
Offered is an London 1851 Navy Second Model that features the large oval steel trigger and backstrap. Inscribed on the backstrap "1855 Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar". The carved ivory rips feature the Maharaja on the right side and his wife on the left side. Features the London address octagon barrel, roll engraved Naval battle scene cylinder, all original nipples. British proofs on left barrel flat and on each chamber of cylinder. Revolver features full or partial matching numbers on the frame, barrel, trigger guard, backstrap, cylinder, cylinder pin, loading lever and wedge. CONDITION: Barrel retains approximately 70% of the original London high polish blue factory finish, balance simply flaked mixing with soft patina. Razor sharp edges and legends. Three safety pins still protrude. Loading lever has traces of case colors, balance soft grey patina. Cylinder retains approximately 60% of the bright factory blue finish. Steel straps are basically gun metal grey. Frame retains approximately 80% original case colors, not brilliant but almost all there. Generous color on hammer. Grips have shrunk slightly, have beautiful color and incredible carvings. Bore exhibits razor sharp lands and grooves. Indexes and locks up like a new gun. Revolver comes with a copy of a story about this gun, along with pictures by Paul C. Mitchell where he discusses the grandson of the original Maharaja Rao Holkar who was still living in the palace when Paul visited. When he first viewed these revolvers, he was visiting the grandson when he first saw this Colt at the armory in the palace in Indore. Paul obtained this revolver through a friend, who was Chief of Bureau of associated press in New Dehli, who obtained the gun from Yeshwant who stated it belonged to his grandfather. Paul spent years pursuing this gun from his friend who was then working in Cuba who eventually sold it to him. Apparently the carvings of the Maharaja and the Maharani were carved by an ivory worker in the old city of Indore. He talks about a case that is no longer with the gun. Apparently the old Armorer that had been in service for the last three Maharajas inscribed the backstrap. This article will be included. The Holkar dynasty was a Hindu Maratha royal house in India. The Holkars ruled as Maratha Rajas, and later as Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the Maratha Empire until 1818. Later, their kingdom became a princely state under the protectorate of British India.
Caliber/Bore
.36 Percussion