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**PRESTIGIOUS MAKER**GUN REFERENCED IN THE BOOK HOLLAND & HOLLAND BY DALLAS**1858-1860 Victorian English, Harris Holland 98 New Bond Street London Large 6 Bore, Double Barrelled Muzzle Loading ‘Live Pigeon Competition’ Percussion Sporting Shotgun. - 22458 1870 Holland & Holland did not exist. In fact, it would be six years before the firm’s founder, Harris Holland, was to take in his nephew Henry and create the iconic brand which now graces London’s Bruton Street. Harris Holland was a was a good shot with both rifle and shotgun, regularly competing in live-pigeon competitions at Hornsey Wood Tavern. He appears to have gained enough kudos among fellow shooters for them to start asking him to get them guns and rifles like the ones he used so successfully himself. Seeing a clear business opportunity, Harris ordered guns made to his specification. 98 New Bond Street London was Harris Holland’s address from 1858. His nephew Henry Holland joined him in 1876, when Holland & Holland became the company style. It was not until 1893 that Holland & Holland built their factory on Harrow Road London. This is a best quality double barrel muzzle loading shotgun by Harris Holland made at his 98 New Bond Street Address. This actual gun features in Donald Dallas’s book page 10 ‘Holland & Holland The Royal Gunmaker The Complete History’ where images of its action are illustrated and the author comments “A typical Harris Holland big bore live pigeon muzzle loader. The gun is 6 bore with no serial number, barrel’s engraved H. Holland 98 New Bond Street helps date it to 1858-1860. The barrels are 34” long with Platinum plugs. The front action locks with flat hammers are engraved in flowing scripts and are of good quality. There is no provision for ram rod, the fore end ending in a horn finial. There is only one double 6 bore listed in the number books for this period number 652 built in 1858 and this could be this gun. In the early period although guns were given a serial number in records under order such numbers were often not engraved” (a photocopy image of the cover of Dallas’ book, photo copies of the book illustrations of the action and author comments accompany the piece and are illustrated in the images). The shotgun has all the features of the gun described in the book, correctly without serial number. The gun has best quality tooled foliate decoration to the action and trigger guard with pineapple finial and steel butt plate tang. The fore stock and wrist have finely chequered grip panels. The original undamaged Walnut fore stock’s polished horn end cap correctly has no provision for ram rod. The underside of the all original Walnut shoulder stock is inlaid with void white metal escutcheon. It has platinum plugs at the breech. Its 34” brown twist barrels have a centre rib signed ‘H. Harris 98 New Bond Street London’ (49 ½” overall). The smooth bores have just light staining consistent with age and light use. The rib has a brass bead fore sight at the muzzle and a shallow groove in the top of the action acts as a rear sight. Both action plates are signed ‘Holland’. The actions work crisply. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique muzzle loading percussion shotgun no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22458
£4,450.00
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