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25. Klassiche Auktion

AT-1220 Wien, Kagraner Platz 9  

Auction on Thursday, June 28, 2018 from 16:00  | Auction ended

Completed | Physical auction

725

Lot: 725

Pair of s/s sidelock shotguns by E. J. Churchill - London model Premiere Exhibition, 10/67, #6833 & 6834, § D

Starting price 75.000 EUR
Result:
80.000 EUR

66 cm chopperlump barrels (26"), narrowing matted Churchill type rib, ejectors,choked 1/2 & full, colour hardened action, flattened fences, self-opening bar-action pinless sidelocks, intercepting sears,cocking indicators, all engraved with deep relief chiselled foliate scroll in the style of Harry Kell, strewn with various gold inlaid birds and small game, chiselled oakleaf on the breech ends surrounded by gold inlaid ribbons, gold-washed double triggers, trigger guard rolled from both sides, as ordered by the customer without safety, nicely grained stock of walnut with shallow pistol grip, fleur-de-lis chequering, drop points, skeletonised, partially gold-washed and en-suiteengraved steel buttplate surrounding the chequered butt, 36 cm, gold-washed pistol grip cap engraved with initials „H.S“ beneath a Ottoman Royal crown, fore-end with gold-washed Anson push-rod, in its maker’s original oak and leather case with trade label, the brass furniture sumptiously engraved, on the monogram panel the same crowned initials, the number 2 in a not original oak and leather case, 3,2 kg, year of manufacture 1952, condition 2.
These guns were a late work and, for their quality, the final masterpiece of the renowned gunmaker and shooting instructor Robert Churchill (1886 - 1958), who founded his own shooting style with the special „XXV“ guns designed by him. In his biography „The Other Mr Churchill" by Macdonald Hastings, London 1963, he writes on page 305 "...how shortly before he died he had built the most luxurious pair of guns of his life for Prince Halim of Turkey." The noble customer, Prince Halim Said (1898 - 1954), was tghe son of the Ottoman Grand Vizier and cousin of King Faruq I. of Egypt. The guns, delivered in 1952 following his wishes (the page from the ledgers was kindly provided to us by E. J. Churchill), sadly have seen not much service during the last two years of his life.1966 the current owner bought them from his estate in Istanbul and also did not use them often, not least because the lack of cartridges. Two absolutely mint and unique guns which are offered for the first time to an international market.