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LOT 275
Very Scarce Cased Curtis’s & Harvey Gun Powder Magazines - This c. 1830s-1850s
mahogany powder magazine has a red label inside the lid reading “SUPERFINE/CYLINDER GUN-
POWDER/made by Curtis’s & Harvey,/(W.G. HARVEY Late of BATTLE)/HOUNSLOW HEATH,/AND//LONDON.”
Two powder tins with brass fittings are inside along with an old receipt and a key. Sir William Curtis and W.G. Harvey
purchased the gunpowder works at Hounslow in 1820 per the Royal Armouries which estimated a similarly marked
powder can in their collection dated to prior to 1859. “Cylinder Gun-Powder” refers to powder made using charcoal
from wood heated in iron cylinders rather than made in pits (see p. 29 of “The Science of Gunnery” by William
Greener). A similar earlier powder magazine is shown on pages 18 and
19 of “British Gunmakers: Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment, 1760-
1860” by W. Keith Neal & D.H.L. Back in their “Powder Magazines” chapter,
and this example is similar to the Samuel Nock marked powder magazine
also from Norman R. Blank’s collection sold by Rock Island Auction Co. in
December 2024.
CONDITION: Very fine with generally minor age and storage related wear.
Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,500
Sir Samuel Baker’s “Baby” rifle is actually a four bore in diameter although Baker wrote
of it as a percussion rifle firing a “half-pound percussion shell” which has long caused
it to be attributed as a two bore rifle. The indomitable hunter and explorer wrote that
he was actually afraid to fire “Baby” but that when he did, the rifle was always fatal.
Imagine what he would have thought of this monster! It appears to have never been
fired and is believed to have been purchased by Neal from the Maharaja of Jodhpur
who had an incredible arms collection.
CONDITION: Fine with a mix of 20% original finish and dark brown patina overall, aged
patina on the silver bands and inlays, minor oxidation and pitting, and general mild age
and storage related wear. The partially restored stock has beautiful flame figure, some
chips and cracks, repairs, crisp checkering, and mild marks and scratches. Mechanically
excellent. The case is poor and has deep staining, a replaced lid plaque inscribed “36”,
cracks, and other heavy storage wear. Most of the accessories are good with mild age
and storage related wear. This is certainly an impressive and imposing rifle.
Provenance: The Collection of the Maharaja of Jodhpur; W. Keith Neal;
The Norman R. Blank Collection.
Estimate: 8,000 - 13,000