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LOT 3598
Important and Historic Daniel Fraser & Company Double Barrel Top Lever Dangerous Game Hammer Rifle with Case and Extra Barrels - Serial no. 1735, 12 Bore cal., 26 inch bbl., black/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. Blued barrels engraved with a band of foliage at each breech and with raised matted rib engraved with a spray of scrollwork and signed “DAN L FRASER & COY. 4/LEITH ST. TERRACE/EDINBURGH” within a plain panel in front of the rear sight and with scroll engraved doll’s head extension. The rear sight of one fixed and two folding leaves graduated from “40” to “200” yards, each leaf matted, the fixed leaf with white pointer, the folding leaves each inlaid with a platinum center line. The ramp mounted front sight with short blade and blued tunnel cover. Casehardened action with carved percussion fences and blued top lever engraved “FRASER’S PATENT”. Casehardened rebounding back-action side locks each signed “DAN.L FRASER & COY.” and with blued safety catch. Casehardened trigger plate with two checkered triggers and blued trigger guard. Well figured 14 1/2 inch pistol grip stock including 1 inch leather covered recoil pad and with raised cheekpiece, checkered grip and forearm, the last fully checkered and with casehardened Rigby type lever release. Casehardened rear sling eye engraved with a star, plain blued front sling eye, and border engraved throughout. Weight: 13 lbs. 5 oz., 2 5/8 inch chambers, London black powder proof marks, proved at 11 bore. With a second set of 26 inch blacked barrels, serial number “2203”, of similar form to the first set of barrels, the rear sight graduated from “50” to “150” yards. Weight: 13 lbs. 12 oz.,
Notice the interior label identifies the recipient
2 7/8 inch chambers, London black powder proof marks, proved at 11/1 bore. In maker’s brass cornered oak and leather case, the lid with Dan.l Fraser & Co. trade label, and with accessories including two Daniel Fraser marked brass molds, one for bullet and the other for ball respectively labelled “.743” and “.752”, a Daniel Fraser marked brass crimping tool, various loading tools and cleaning accessories, and a large Hawksley oil bottle. The interior of the lid with handwritten label signed by “Montgomerie” and dated “3 MAY 1891”. Robert Archibald James Montgomerie (1855-1908) was a Royal Navy officer, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral by the end of his career. He served in numerous posts and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir as a member of the Naval Brigade during the Egyptian War of 1882, served under Lord Charles Beresford during the Gordon Relief Expedition to Khartoum in 1885 serving in the gunboat Safieh in operations above Metemneh, and conducted the blockade and bombardment of Puerto Cabello during the 1902 Venezuelan Operations. Montgomerie was a noted hunter, and a lion shot by him in East Africa was recorded in Rowland Ward’s Records of Big Game. Seymour Vandeleur makes mention of meeting Montgomerie while hunting in British East Africa in 1894 in his book “Campaigning on the Upper Nile and Niger” and specifically mentions that Montgomerie had enjoyed a successful hunt there on the Athai Plains two months previous to their meeting. It is entirely possible that Mongomerie made use of the present rifle whilst on this hunt in 1894. Montgomerie’s lion, half cased mounted by Rowland Ward, labelled as weighing 516 lbs. and having been shot on the Athai Plains, was sold by Tennents Auctioneers in England in 2011.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine as professionally restored to original configuration. Showing only the slightest collector type handling marks overall. The very fine stock has a small crack at the wrist (left side). Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Robert Allen Collection; The William J. Feldstein Collection, Feldstein’s records note that this rifle was made for Commander Montgomerie, R.N.; The Robert M. Lee Collection; Property of a Gentlem.
318 Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000
BATTLE OF TEL-EL-KEBIR DURING THE EGYPTIAN WAR OF 1882