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LOT 577
Exceptional Cased Pair of Factory Engraved Holland & Holland Model
De Luxe Over/Under Ejector Shotguns
-A) Holland & Holland Model De Luxe Shotgun - Serial no. 51288, 12 gauge, 29 inch solid rib bbl., blue/casehardened/gold finish, walnut stock. Holland & Holland has been a standout in English fine gunmaking for nearly 200 years, and has never strayed from their path, creating some of the finest pieces of firearms art ever built. This outstanding set
is a true embodiment of the master works built by Holland & Holland and shows off all of the facets that set them apart from nearly every other company in the trade. The gun shows blued steel barrels with a single nickel bead sight on the matted flat solid rib which is signed “HOLLAND & HOLLAND, LONDON.” The barrels show 2011 dated London nitro proofs and denote 2 3/4 inch chambers (with automatic ejectors). Each barrel has a small gold inlaid “1” on the underside of the barrels below the forend. The chokes are thin walled Briley tubes with diffusion/improved cylinder installed, diffusion being a lesser known invention of Briley’s, designed to put slight spin on the shot allowing it to disperse more quickly, thus lending itself to a more open pattern for close shooting. The casehardened assisted opening hand detachable sidelock action displays exquisite and highly attractive broad floral scrollwork over a matted background and surrounding gold inlaid “HOLLAND & HOLLAND” signature banners on either side. The underside of the action
is marked “MODEL/DE LUXE” and the scroll continues onto the other small parts of the gun including the toplever, the rolled edge triggerguard, and both tangs. Along with the attractive scrollwork the toplever is marked with a gold inlaid “1” and the lower tang has the serial number inlaid in the same fine gold. In true Holland & Holland fashion the gun shows fine details that most may never even see, the internals of both lockplates are serialized and feature nitre blue screws and beautifully engraved bridals.