December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria

All > Firearms > Rifle-Antique > Other

Bidding

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2023

Ordered 1878 by the Maharaja of Jodhpur, Jaswant Singh II, who appears to have used them very little; these guns are recorded in the Charles Lancaster leger as ordered by the Maharaja as a pair. Jaswant succeeded his father in 1873 and led a model reign, marked by prosperity. He developed key infrastructure, introducing telegraphs, railways, and roads, as well as reorganizing state departments. He died October 11th, 1895, and was succeeded by Sardar Singh, who built the Jaswant Thada out of marble in 1899 in memory of his father; it still stands today. Browned 22" Damascus barrels with full-length matte ribs with 3 (100, 150, and 200 yds.) folding leaf express rear sights. Barrels with gold inlaid "1" and "2" near breech on ribs. Bladed front sights with silvered tips. Bottoms of barrels with proof marks. Matched numbers on gold ovals on forends and on top of steel checkered buttplate tangs, also in gold. Barrels are engraved "Charles Lancaster 151 New Bond St London" and "Patent Smooth Bore Breech Loading Rifle". Lancaster patent under lever slide and tilt actions are fitted with non-rebounding peninsula back locks. Unique to Lancaster, flat-faced breast fire hammers with tall spurs, as well as front safes. Case-colored actions and locks are engraved with exceptionally well cut varying-sized small to medium scroll within small scroll borders. Action locks are engraved "Charles Lancaster's Patent" and have "C. LANCASTER" "PATENT LONDON" in a ribbon. Case-hardened trigger guards protecting right-turned double triggers have tangs with checkered curved extensions forming pistol grips. Rifles with nicely marbled and figured European walnut buttstocks built with sharp, widely spaced checkered English straight hand grips. Stocks feature beaded shadow line right-hand cheekpieces. Stock bellies with vacant gold ovals. Forends with exceptionally well filed and fitted irons, schnable horn tips, and attach to barrels with captive side pin bolts through engraved oval steel escutcheons. Guns are housed in an oak two-gun case with round brass tablet, inlet brass corners and double hook closure. Remnants of an old label are on top with Sanskrit inscription. Interior is lined in green cloth and has large paper "CHAs. LANCASTER" label in lid along with appropriate charge card for this brace of guns. Label "Composition for Filling Shell Bullets" also on lid. Bottom section holds both rifles as well as an array of superb original accessories, including steel bullet mold casting hollow base solid and another with hollow pointing pin for "shell" bullets which also has separate funnel for casting. Both molds are engraved "Chas Lancaster Breech Loading Rifles" and with these rifles serial numbers, 4916 and 4917. Also included are two ebony and brass cleaning rods with brushes, jags, Turks heads, and mops, bullet crimper on mahogany base, spare mainsprings, mainspring vice, dusting brush, turn screw, two 84 grain powder measures, and a small leather wallet containing spare strikers and lock pins. Rifles each weigh 8 lbs. 2 oz. These rifles were displayed at the Concours d'Elegance of Fine Guns in Rock Springs, California, where they won both People's Choice Award and the Best Double Rifles. CONDITION: Excellent, with rifle "1" showing more handling and use than number "2", retaining approximately 90% original barrel brown, with many marks and light scratches. Action retains most of its original color, silvered and cleaned a bit on right side. Locks retain nearly all of their color. Trigger guard is silvered at grip. Number "2" has only a few light scratches on left side from removal of forend bolt. Action is slightly silvered on sides. Stocks of number "2" have a few minor marks and knocks to its original finish. Stock of gun "1" has an old refinish of butt over some marks. Buttplate of "1" is mostly silver. Gun number "2" has nearly all of its blue. Bores of both rifles are excellent. Actions are tight. Locks are crisp. Case retains most of its original varnish with a separated glue joint on top. Interior cloth is very fine for its age with some rubs and marks. All labels are fine with some rubs on main label. Partitions are good. Accessories are excellent. A very nice vintage set, and one of the finest of its kind. Accompanied by previous descriptions of these rifles, a copy of "The House of Marwar: The Story of Jodhpur" by Dhananajaya Singh, copy of the ledger page where these guns are mentioned, photos of Jaswant Singh II, a brief biography for same, photo of the Jaswant Thada, and a copy of "Lancaster's: The Gun House".

Item Dimensions: 33 x 13 x 4"

Bidding Current Bidding Minimum Bid: $15,000.00 Final prices include buyers premium: $28,800.00 Estimate: $30,000 - $50,000 Number Bids: 7	Auction closed on Friday, December 8, 2023.

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