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LOT 477
Very Rare Documented Holland & Holland 10 Bore Single Barrel Rotary
Underlever Hammer Paradox Ball & Shot Gun - Serial no. 15188, 10 gauge,
28 1/8 inch flat top round bbl., blue/ casehardened finish, walnut stock. This very rare single barrel Paradox gun dating to 1898, one of only
three single barrel 10 bore Paradox guns made, is described and illustrated in David J. Baker & Roger E. Lake, “Paradox: The Story of Col. G.V. Fosbery, Holland & Holland, and The Paradox Rifled Shot and Ball Gun”, pp. 208-209. Serial number 15188 was the seventeenth 10 bore Paradox made from a total production of 101 and Holland & Holland’s Number Book notes it was shot and regulated on 8/1/98. The flat top round smoothbore barrel has the distinctive Paradox rifled choke at the muzzle, a bead sight with flip-up moon-sight, matted sighting flat, “HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 98.
NEW BOND ST. LONDON. ‘PARADOX.’ FOSBERY PATENT.” signed ahead of the dovetailed V-notch rear sight, London black powder proof marks, the serial number behind the lug, and an extractor. The casehardened rounded action has a scroll engraved tip to the underlever, engraved “CHARGE 8 DRAMS BRASS CASE 2 7/8 INCHES” on the left side, and rebounding casehardened back-action lock signed “HOLLAND & HOLLAND.” With figured walnut straight hand stock with 14 1/2 inch length of pull, including the rubber recoil pad and spacer, and checkered grip and forearm, the latter with dark horn tip. Norman R. Blank noted in his records that single barrel Paradox guns are much less common than the double barrel examples and “This one has no engraving and I believe was made for a man who couldn’t afford the more expensive double barrel types.” Norman R. Blank purchased this gun from James E. Serven circa 1956.
CONDITION: Very fine with 85% plus of the blue and casehardened finish remaining, patches of mild oxidation/pitting and scratches on the barrel, and generally minor overall wear. The wood is fine and has slightly softened checkering, scratches and bruising, and moderate deterioration of the pad. Mechanically fine. This is an extraordinarily rare Holland & Holland Paradox: one of only three single barrel 10 bore Paradox guns made!
Provenance: The James Serven Collection; The Norman R. Blank Collection. Estimate: 6,000 - 9,000