December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/12/2024
This artillery carbine is not a former British Army weapon, but is, instead, a contract carbine made up for the South African Transvaal (Zuid Afrikaan Republiek) prior to the Second Anglo-Boer War. It is marked “ZAR" in bold block letters, with the number “401” under the ZAR, but struck out by a series of four “O”s, on the off side of its receiver. Another number “BPD 1241” can be found on the knocksform, the barrel, and on the off side of the receiver, and this may be a Bechuanaland Police Department number, applied after 1902. There are no makers’ markings on it. This carbine was featured in a 2016 American Rifleman article, “Guns of the Boer Commandos”, and it has been displayed at numerous exhibitions for gun collecting clubs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Although this carbine has no direct provenance to McBride’s (Blake’s) Irish Transvaal Brigade (ITB), it is of the type of weapon first issued to the ITB in October, 1899. PROVENANCE: Kenneth Smith-Christmas collection. CONDITION: Barrel has been rebrowned in the period, with legends softened, and mixed with gunmetal grey about the fore band. Action very good with distension about the ZAR and BPD proofs from application of stamp. Wood with scattered handling marks, a chip missing from forearm ahead of receiver, and stock with some heavy impressions on left side. Mechanically fine, bore is good with strong rifling and some light frosting.
Model
Martini-Henry Carbine