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AN IMPORTANT SILVER MOUNTED 20-BORE FLINTLOCK REPEATING GUN AND BAYONET FROM THE PERSONAL ARMOURY OF
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Description
AN IMPORTANT SILVER MOUNTED 20-BORE FLINTLOCK REPEATING GUN AND BAYONET FROM THE PERSONAL ARMOURY OF TIPU SULTAN, DATED AH 1200 or 1785, 38.5inch sighted three-stage barrel decorated in gold for half of its length with eight panels of bubri or tiger stripe interspersed with bands of scrolling vines and flower heads and dated AH 1200 or 1785, further marked with the place of manufacture the Haydarnagar Armoury and The devoted servant Sayyid Da'ud, the white metal foresight surrounded by a band of scrolling vines and flower heads, border and foliate engraved lock, in the French manner, decorated with a gold band to the step and with date and manufacture details in gold to match those on the barrel, stepped and chiselled cock decorated with scrolling foliage and flower heads and finished in gold, the self priming pan and steel also decorated to match, the 21-shot repeating breech mechanism based on the Lorenzoni or Chelembron system is finished in gilt and chased with scrolling foliage, retains two of the three loading chamber covers, one lattice pierced the other engraved, the carved wooden stock with silver side plate and butt plate, the former with, the former with the rack number 82 in Perso-Arabic and chased with flowers and vines, the latter decorated to match and containing a sprung trap for the bayonet, this released by a push button decorated as a flower head, the remainder of the stock well carved with foliage about the barrel tang and inlaid with scrolling silver wire, the back of the wrist also inlaid with scrolling silver wire in the form of a stylised tiger's mask, the remaining portion of the silver trigger guard decorated to match and with the rack number 82 in Perso-Arabic, complete with its companion bayonet stored in the butt, the socket decorated profusely with gold bubri design and carrying the same date and manufacturing details.See pages 45-48, The Firearms of Tipu Sultan 1783-1799 by Robin Wigington for a virtually identical gun. Please also see item RCIN 90673 in the Royal Collection for another.See page 33 for a reference to the small socket bayonets or "sangin" which were stored in the butts of some of Tipu Sultan's guns.The wooden fore-end and the forward magazine with the Tiger's mask are lacking from the Thomas Hart gun and the underside of the stock appears to have been struck by a musket or pistol ball which has removed part of the trigger guard and the supplementary mechanism release trigger This damage has left the gun with the cock locked in the firing position.Unlike other Tipu Sultan guns this one exhibits clear signs of having been badly damaged in its past andbearing in mind that the rest of the items of Major Thomas Hart's have all remained in general good order one can only conclude that the gun was in this condition when acquired by the Major. Furthermore, one could surmise that because the virtually identical examples of this gun that exist are in excellent order and were taken from the armoury that, in all probability, this gun came from the same rack in the armoury but rather than being taken directly from the rack after the fall of Seringapatam it appears to have been collected from the battlefield. The above opinion is compounded by the fact that the bayonet has been ripped along the socket channel a process that has been caused by the bayonet being forced backwards along the barrel and over the locking stud either when the gun was dropped, possibly when Tipu was wounded in the right side of his head, or when thrust. The important fact here is that the bayonet was fixed as opposed to being stored in the butt as it would have been in the armoury.Please also observe the tiny gold Haidar mark or H in Arabic that appears at the back of the breech on all three of the upper barrel flats. This mark also appears on the blades of three of the swords in this collection and denotes their presence in Tipu's personal armoury. From the Tipu Sultan collection acquired by Major Thomas Hart after the siege of Seringapatam.
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AN IMPORTANT SILVER MOUNTED 20-BORE FLINTLOCK REPEATING GUN AND BAYONET FROM THE PERSONAL ARMOURY OF TIPU SULTAN, DATED AH 1200 or 1785, 38.5inch sighted three-stage barrel decorated in gold for half of its length with eight panels of bubri or tiger stripe interspersed with bands of scrolling vines and flower heads and dated AH 1200 or 1785, further marked with the place of manufacture the Haydarnagar Armoury and The devoted servant Sayyid Da'ud, the white metal foresight surrounded by a band of scrolling vines and flower heads, border and foliate engraved lock, in the French manner, decorated with a gold band to the step and with date and manufacture details in gold to match those on the barrel, stepped and chiselled cock decorated with scrolling foliage and flower heads and finished in gold, the self priming pan and steel also decorated to match, the 21-shot repeating breech mechanism based on the Lorenzoni or Chelembron system is finished in gilt and chased with scrolling foliage, retains two of the three loading chamber covers, one lattice pierced the other engraved, the carved wooden stock with silver side plate and butt plate, the former with, the former with the rack number 82 in Perso-Arabic and chased with flowers and vines, the latter decorated to match and containing a sprung trap for the bayonet, this released by a push button decorated as a flower head, the remainder of the stock well carved with foliage about the barrel tang and inlaid with scrolling silver wire, the back of the wrist also inlaid with scrolling silver wire in the form of a stylised tiger's mask, the remaining portion of the silver trigger guard decorated to match and with the rack number 82 in Perso-Arabic, complete with its companion bayonet stored in the butt, the socket decorated profusely with gold bubri design and carrying the same date and manufacturing details.See pages 45-48, The Firearms of Tipu Sultan 1783-1799 by Robin Wigington for a virtually identical gun. Please also see item RCIN 90673 in the Royal Collection for another.See page 33 for a reference to the small socket bayonets or "sangin" which were stored in the butts of some of Tipu Sultan's guns.The wooden fore-end and the forward magazine with the Tiger's mask are lacking from the Thomas Hart gun and the underside of the stock appears to have been struck by a musket or pistol ball which has removed part of the trigger guard and the supplementary mechanism release trigger This damage has left the gun with the cock locked in the firing position.Unlike other Tipu Sultan guns this one exhibits clear signs of having been badly damaged in its past andbearing in mind that the rest of the items of Major Thomas Hart's have all remained in general good order one can only conclude that the gun was in this condition when acquired by the Major. Furthermore, one could surmise that because the virtually identical examples of this gun that exist are in excellent order and were taken from the armoury that, in all probability, this gun came from the same rack in the armoury but rather than being taken directly from the rack after the fall of Seringapatam it appears to have been collected from the battlefield. The above opinion is compounded by the fact that the bayonet has been ripped along the socket channel a process that has been caused by the bayonet being forced backwards along the barrel and over the locking stud either when the gun was dropped, possibly when Tipu was wounded in the right side of his head, or when thrust. The important fact here is that the bayonet was fixed as opposed to being stored in the butt as it would have been in the armoury.Please also observe the tiny gold Haidar mark or H in Arabic that appears at the back of the breech on all three of the upper barrel flats. This mark also appears on the blades of three of the swords in this collection and denotes their presence in Tipu's personal armoury. From the Tipu Sultan collection acquired by Major Thomas Hart after the siege of Seringapatam.
ARMS, ARMOUR AND MILITARIA TO INCLUDE THE MAJOR THOMAS HART COLLECTION FROM THE DEFEAT OF TIPU SULTAN AND FALL OF SERINGAPATAM
Sale Date(s)
Lots: 1-8
Venue Address
Milton Hill House Hotel
Milton Hill
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX13 6AF
United Kingdom
General delivery information available from the auctioneer
Please note that shipping of antique guns outside of the UK requires the services of a specialist shipper. We recommend Par Freight who can be contacted at carrie@parfreight.com and we would strongly advise you to source a quotation before bidding.
Please contact Pack and Send - oxford@packsend.co.uk for all other shipping. Again, we advise that you source a quotation before bidding.
Collection of paid for lots is available by appointment from our Berkshire address.
Important Information
A £5,000 REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BID ON THESE 8 LOTS
Please note the auction takes place at The Milton Hill House Hotel and NOT the office.
Please ensure you comply with all laws pertaining to the ownership of Antique Arms included within this auction.
Please ensure you comply with all laws pertaining to Ivory and other protected species included within CITES legislation.
Please also note that after the auction items can be collected from our office:
39A Kingfisher Court
Hambridge Road
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 5SJ
or please contact Pack & Send on 01865260610 or by email oxford@packsend.co.uk
Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions
A £5,000 REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BID ON THESE 8 LOTS
1. All auctions are conducted under our printed conditions of sale which are available on request.
2. The following lots in this catalogue are sold as ornaments, curiosities and items of historical interest only. Any politically related items are sold purely as items of historical interest and the company does not hold with or approve of any political motivations represented by any of the said items of historical interest.
3. By agreeing to bid you also agree to comply with all laws that pertain to the ownership of antique guns and obsolete calibre guns in this country.
4. The auctioneer reserves the right to refuse entry to our office or auction venue any member of the public.
5. The Auctioneer acts as an agent for the seller therefore your primary contact is with the seller.
6. Estimates are given as a reference only and the reserve will not be above the lower estimate.
7. Estimates do not include buyer’s premium or VAT where applicable and may be subject to change up until the auction.
8. The purchase price will be the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium of 22% plus VAT at the current rate PLUS any online bidding surcharges.
Lots purchased online with the-saleroom.com will attract an additional charge for this service please contact the-saleroom.com to verify their charges which are also subject to VAT
9. VAT: A system of (*) (**) are used to indicate items where varying rates of VAT are payable on the hammer price and the buyer’s premium, this occurs when items have been imported to the U.K.
10. In the instance of this auction nothing has been imported so lots which appear without either of the above symbols indicate that no VAT is payable on the hammer price. However VAT is payable on the buyer’s premium at the current rate.
11. The auctioneer is primarily an agent for the seller the onus is on the buyer to inspect the goods and to ascertain the condition the lots in which they are interested.
12. While every effort is made to ascertain the functionality of any mechanism this cannot be guaranteed to be in working order.
13. In specified circumstances lots misdescribed because they are deliberate forgeries may be returned and repayment made. Please note there is a four week time limit on this option.
14. If you are intending to export goods you should yourself make certain whether or not an export licence is required and whether or not there is any specific law relating to importing goods to that country e.g items containing materials such as ivory and horn etc. in line with CITES legislation. Please also ensure you comply with laws regarding the import and export of Antique Weapons.
15. Bidders must register before the auction commences and lots will be invoiced to the address indicated on the registration form.
16. Remote payment by card will necessitate the despatch of goods to the address at which that card is registered.
17. Commission bids are taken to be your maximum hammer price excluding the buyer’s premium and VAT.
18. PLEASE ensure your commission and telephone bids are registered by 5pm on the day prior to the auction.
19. You can bid live over the internet via www.the-saleroom.com but please refer to their terms and conditions relating to bidding, purchases and charges.
20. If you are paying by cheque that cheque will need to be cleared before removal of goods can be allowed.
21. Paying by debit card incurs no charge and this and Bank Transfer are our preferred methods of payment, PAYPAL, cheque and cash are accepted.
22. Maximum cash payment £5,000.
23. Please bear in mind that it would be greatly appreciated if goods could be paid for within two weeks of the auction.
24. The highest bid acknowledged by the auctioneer on the rostrum will be the buyer at that hammer price. Any dispute in this matter will be decided absolutely by the auctioneer through a reoffering of said lot or other means.
25. When bidding you agree to do so solely on your behalf and not on behalf of any third party.
26. At any stage and at our discretion a bid may be refused.
27. Title of ownership of goods will only pass to the buyer once full payment has been received.
28. Unpaid for lots:
29. After eight weeks we will take that non-payment represents a breach of contract and will proceed accordingly and or negate the sale of that or any other lots to you and or resell or offer by private treaty said lot or lots and any costs or losses will be met by yourself.
30. Third party liability: All members of the public at the venue or the offices are there at their own risk. Neither the auctioneer nor our employees or agents shall incur liability for death or personal injury (except as required by law by reason of our negligence) or similarly for the safety of the property of persons visiting prior to or at an auction.
31. Further notes for absentee bidders. All commission bids and telephone bids will be handled with the utmost professionalism but are left at your own risk and we cannot bear responsibility for the failure to execute said bids.
32. It is not uncommon for two commission bids of the same amount to be received. The company reserves the right to favour the bid first received.
33. Title and availability: The seller confirms true ownership to the auctioneer and to the buyer or is properly authorised to act on behalf of the seller and is able to transfer good and marketable title to the property free from any other claims and ultimate responsibility for ownership lies with that seller.
34. We act as agents only and any responsibility for default by either the seller or the buyer lies with them and not the auctioneer.
35. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of any description in the catalogue, both printed and online, we are here to offer advice and discuss any queries or questions you have regarding an item or description. So please ensure you are happy with all aspects of the item you are bidding on. If you are in any doubt please ask for further condition reports or do not bid.
36. Any dispensation given to a buyer or seller will be deemed to be a one off occurence and is not assumed to be an ongoing agreement.
