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LOT 3308
Finely Engraved Rajput Gunesh Brunswick Style Rifle with Gold Inlaid Borders with Case - NSN,
69 cal., 30 inch octagon bbl., brown/heat blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This rare belted rifle was
manufactured in Ulwur (modernly spelled Alwar) in what is now the Indian State of Rajasthan circa 1860
during the British Raj. Ulwur was once the capital of the princely state of Ulwur ruled by Rajputs until it
joined India in 1949. Belted balls were first designed in the 1830s, and the belted British Brunswick upon
which this rifle is based proved to be more accurate at long ranges than the Baker Rifle it replaced. The top
of the Damascus barrel at the breech reads “GUNESH. GUNMAKER ULWUR- “ and the lock plate is marked
“GUNESH”. The lock plate, hammer, and upper tang have scroll engraving with gold filled borders. A dog
with a small animal in its mouth is on the lock plate just ahead of the hammer which has an animal design
with gold filled eyes. The trigger guard is engraved with a bird scene, and another engraved bird is visible ahead
of the screw on the upper tang. The buttplate features complementary engraving.
LOT 3307
Rare Cased Historic Silver Mounted Engraved Samuel & Charles Smith Percussion
Double Rifle with Hallmarks for 1846 - Serial no. 5510, 65 cal., 26 1/2 inch solid rib
bbl., brown/casehardened/silver finish, walnut stock. This highly attractive double rifle was
manufactured in circa 1846 by the famous Smith brothers who are regarded by many as being
among the best London gunmakers of the period. It features
unusual hexadecagonal browned Damascus barrels with a
flat rib fitted with a dovetailed blade front sight and four-leaf
rear sight graduated out to 200 yards, and “SAML. & C. SMITH.
PRINCES STREET LEICESTER SQRE. LONDON” signed on top at the
breech. The casehardened patent breeches have platinum plugs
and “Imperial caps” nipples, and the rib section is engraved “SMITH’S
PATENT” within a platinum inlaid border. Samuel Smith patented
the “Imperial caps” and corresponding nipples and hammers in
1830 (patent no. 5978). The underside of the barrels are marked with
the serial number and London proof marks, and the serial number is
repeated on the breech plug hooks, forend, and heel
extension. The casehardened standing breech has
fine scroll engraving. The flat casehardened locks are
each signed “SAML. & C. SMITH/PRINCES ST. LONDON”
and have fine scroll engraving and the distinctive Smith
hammer with screw retained nose for “Imperial” caps. The
mounts are silver with finely detailed engraving, including game, and
London hallmarks on the trigger guard tang and buttplate, including the “L”
date code for 1846 and a “J.P.M” silversmith’s marks.
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