THE WORLD SERIES

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Lots 473-478
AFRICA, ASIA, NORTH AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA
AND EUROPE

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HOLT'S

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SALE TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY 16TH MARCH 2006

AT KENSINGTON HOUSE, HAMMERSMITH ROAD, LONDON, W6 7DJ
A PASS FOR ENTRY MUST BE OBTAINED IN ADVANCE
PLEASE TELEPHONE: 01485 542822 FOR DETAILS

ONVIEW
lOTH MARCH 2006 - 13TH MARCH 2006
IWA SHOW, NUREMBURG, GERMANY - HALL 4 STAND 337
KENSINGTON HOUSE
Tuesday I 4th March 2006
Wednesday I 5th March 2006
Thursday l 6th March 2006

Enquiries:
Nicholas Holt
Christopher Beaumont
Howard Dixon

I O:OOam - 8:00pm
9:00am - 7:00pm
9:00am - until end of sale

Media:
Andrew Orr
Accounts:
Ron Rudd
Helen Johnson
Direct Line: 01485 545197

Administration:
Sue Furminger
Glyn Rudd
Catherine Barry

Please note the collection is sold under the normal VAT rules and VAT at 17.5% will be charged on both the
hammer price and buyer's premium
VAT may be cancelled or refunded on export if strict conditions are met. Please contact our accounts department
for details

Please note that e-mailed commission bids must be received by 6:00pm GMT the day before the sale no e-mailed commission bids will be accepted after this time
Church Farm Barns - Wolferton - Norfolk - PE3 I 6HA
Tel: 01485 542822 Fax: 01485 544463
Email: enquiries@holtandcompany.co.uk
Website: www.holtandcompany.co.uk

THE ASPREY WORLD SERIES DOUBLE RIFLES

This remarkable gun making project first began in 1985. The concept was to showcase British rifle making
craft at its very highest level by creating a set of double rifles, one for each of the six continents. Each would
be made in a calibre suited to the continent it represented and would be engraved with the quarry species and
its historical indigenous peoples.
The calibres chosen for each respective continent were:
Africa
.4 70 Nitro Express
Asia
.450 Nitro Express
North America
.375 Magnum
South America
.30-06
Australia
.303
7x64mm
Europe
It took two years of searching to find six matching walnut stock blanks that provided both the necessary
strength and aesthetic qualities required for this unique project, and having needed three years to reach the
optimum level of seasoning it was only in 1987 that the first rifle was laid down. Every rifle would require
over one thousand man hours to make, not including the fabulous engraving. The engraving alone would take
one year per rifle, a task undertaken by Italian master engraver Gianfranco Pedersoli, one of the foremost
pictorial engravers working today.
The project came to completion seventeen years after it first began, this magnificent garniture the culmination
of a combination of bold design and gun making excellence.

"/have followed the development of these guns fo r the past fifteen years and seen them all finished
individually, but it was only last year I saw them fo r the first time assembled together for the presentation to
Asprey. The result was magnificent. The realisation of so many thousands of hours of skilled work has brought
together a really stunning and unique collection."
Tony Durant-Pritchard - Asprey's Gunroom Manager

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*Lot 473

"AFRICA"
ASPREY .470 NITRO EXPRESS SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 1276,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels (London proof 1991) with scroll-engraved sight rib, gold-inlaid 'As prey' and
with the calibre, leaf sights for 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 yards with gold-inlaid sighting lines, ramp-mounted
bead foresight, heavily bolstered action with removable striker discs, articulated front trigger, rolled-edge
triggerguard, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, automatic safety, elongated top-strap, pinless lockplates, the
action, lockplates and furniture deeply carved with bold stylised acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns on a
matt background, surrounding and invading finely engraved scenes of native flora and fauna , the toplever with
the portrait of an ibex, the left lockplate with two lions and the right lockplate with African elephant, both in
savannah-like settings, the underside with native tribesmen and gold-inlaid with the maker's name, the
triggerguard with a cheetah, the triggerplate signed 'G.F. Pedersoli' and gold-inlaid with the serial number,
I 5in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, blank escutcheon, deeply carved steel heel and toe
plates, the fore-end iron engraved en-suite, with a steel pistolgrip-cap gold-inlaid with a map of the continent,
weight l llb. 1Ooz.
50,000 - 70,000

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*Lot 474
"ASIA"
ASPREY .450 (3 l/4IN) NITRO EXPRESS SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 1275,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels with scroll-engraved sight rib, gold-inlaid 'Asprey' and with the calibre, leaf
sights for 50, 100, 150, and 200 yards with gold-inlaid sighting lines, ramp-mounted bead foresight, heavily
bolstered action with removable striker discs, articulated front trigger, rolled-edge triggerguard, gold-inlaid
cocking-indicators, automatic safety, elongated top-strap, pinless lockplates, the action, lockplates and
furniture deeply carved with bold stylised acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns on a matt background,
surrounding and invading finely engraved scenes of native flora and fauna, the toplever with the portrait of a
deer, the left lockplate with ovis in a mountainous setting, the right lockplate with a prowling tiger, the
underside depicting Marco Polo on the silk road, gold-inlaid with the maker's name, the triggerguard with a
leopard, the triggerplate signed 'G.F. Pedersoli' and gold-inlaid with the serial number, l 5in. highly-figured
pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, blank escutcheon, deeply carved steel heel and toe plates, the fore-end iron
engraved en-suite, with a steel pistolgrip-cap gold-inlaid with a map of the continent, weight 11 lb. 5oz.
40,000 - 60,000

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*Lot 475

"NORTH AMERICA"
ASPREY .375 MAGNUM (RIMLESS) SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 1274,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels (London proof 1988) with scroll-engraved sight rib, gold-inlaid 'Asprey' and
with the calibre, leaf sights for l 00, 150, 200 and 250 yards with gold-inlaid sighting lines, ramp-mounted
bead foresight, heavily bolstered action with removable striker discs, articulated front trigger, rolled-edge
triggerguard, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, automatic safety, elongated top-strap, pinless lockplates, the
action, lockplates and furniture deeply carved with bold stylised acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns on a
matt background, surrounding and invading finely engraved scenes of native flora and fauna, the toplever with
the portrait of a deer, the left lockplate with bugling rocky mountain elk in a rangy setting, the right lockplate
with prowling grizzly bears in a wooded landscape, the underside with Native American Indians hunting bison
on horseback and gold-inlaid with the maker's name, the triggerguard with a lynx, the triggerplate signed 'G.F
Pedersoli' and gold-inlaid with the serial number, 15in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, blank
escutcheon, deeply carved steel heel and toe plates, the fore-end iron engraved en-suite, with a steel pistolgripcap gold-inlaid with a map of the continent, weight lOlb. 8oz.
40,000 - 60,000

12

13

*Lot 476

"SOUTH AMERICA"
ASPREY .30-06 CALIBRE SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 1273,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels (London proof 1989) with scroll-engraved sight rib, gold-inlaid 'Asprey' and
with the calibre, leaf sights for I 00, 200, 250 and 300 yards with gold-inlaid sighting lines, ramp-mounted
bead foresight, heavily bolstered action with removable striker discs, articulated front trigger, rolled-edge
triggerguard, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, automatic safety, elongated top-strap, pinless lockplates, the
action, lockplates and furniture deeply carved with bold stylised acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns on a
matt background, surrounding and invading finely engraved scenes of native flora and fauna, the toplever with
the portrait of a white tail deer, the left lockplate with basking alligators in a swampland setting, the right
lockplate with a jaguar at rest, also in a swamp setting, the underside with a scene of a Mayan king and priests
engaging in ritual worship to the sky serpent with a backdrop of a temple pyramid, gold-inlaid with the
maker's name, the triggerguard with a puma, the triggerplate signed 'G.F. Pedersoli' and gold-inlaid with the
serial number, 15in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, blank escutcheon, deeply carved steel
heel and toe plates, the fore-end iron engraved en-suite, with a steel pistolgrip-cap gold-inlaid with a map of
the continent, weight 9lb. 8oz.
40,000 - 60,000

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*Lot 477

"AUSTRALIA"
ASPREY .303 CALIBRE SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 1271,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels (London proof 1987) with scroll-engraved sight rib, gold-inlaid 'Asprey' and
with the calibre, leaf sights for 100, 150, 200 and 300 yards with gold-inlaid sighting lines, ramp-mounted
bead foresight, heavily bolstered action with removable striker discs, articulated front trigger, rolled-edge
triggerguard, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, automatic safety, elongated top-strap, pinless lockplates, the
action, lockplates and furniture deeply carved with bold stylised acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns on a
matt background, surrounding and invading finely engraved scenes of native flora and fauna, the toplever with
the portrait of a sambar deer, the left lockplate with kangaroos in a bushland setting, the right lockplate with
Asiatic buffalo at a billabong, the underside with Aboriginal hunters and gold-inlaid with the maker's name,
the triggerguard with a dingo, the triggerplate signed 'G.F. Pedersoli' and gold-inlaid with the serial number,
15in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, blank escutcheon, deeply carved steel heel and toe
plates, the fore-end iron engraved en-suite, with a steel pistolgrip-cap gold-inlaid with a map of the continent,
weight Sib. l 5oz.
40,000 - 60,000

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*Lot 478
"EUROPE"
ASPREY 7x64 CALIBRE SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 1272,
26in. nitro chopperlump barrels (London proof 1989) with scroll-engraved sight rib, gold-inlaid 'Asprey' and
with the calibre, leaf sights for 100, 200, 250 and 300 yards with gold-inlaid sighting lines, ramp-mounted
bead foresight, heavily bolstered action with removable striker discs, articulated front trigger, rolled-edge
triggerguard, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, automatic safety, elongated top-strap, pinless lockplates, the
action, lockplates and furniture deeply carved with bold stylised acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns on a
matt background, surrounding and invading finely engraved scenes of native flora and fauna, the top lever with
the portrait of a roe deer, the left lockplate with foraging wild boar in a woodland setting, the right lockplate
with barking stag and hinds in a wooded landscape, the underside with sixteenth century hunters with
crossbows, gold-inlaid with the maker's name, the triggerguard with a wild cat, the triggerplate signed 'G.F.
Pedersoli' and gold-inlaid with the serial number, 15in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with cheekpiece, blank
escutcheon, deeply carved steel heel and toe plates, the fore-end iron engraved en-suite, with a steel pistolgripcap gold-inlaid with a map of the continent, weight 9lb.
40,000 - 60,000

18

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The Gunmakers Company Charitable Trust

Trustees: RM Mitchell (Chairman), GB Archer, J Browning, N J Holt
D.Keith Neal, C Price, CJ R Purdey, R Wilkin
Secretary: Col W J Chesshyre

The Gunmakers Company Charitable Trust has been

established in order to provide financial support for
the development of craft skills and the new
technology associated with the gunmaking trade. We
believe that by helping aspiring young gunmakers,
and others associated with the trade, we will be able
to play an important role in maintaining the
reputation for excellence which British gunmaking
enjoys worldwide. In addition we will have a more
effective way of supporting welfare causes associated
with the gun trade and with specialist welfare causes
within the City of London.

Our determination to provide support in these ways

has been strengthened by the response to a
questionnaire which we recently sent to members of
the gun trade and we have received unanimous
support for our proposed initiative. We are aiming at
building up an initial fund of 1 million which will
enable us to launch our awards and grant scheme,
having attracted applicants countrywide and selected
the most appropriate training resources to meet their
special needs.

As political pressure on the field sports and gun

control grow, the next decade will be a most
important period for the gun trade and our Livery
Company and we do hope, therefore, that you will be
as generous as possible in supporting our new
Charity. Everyone who gives 1,000 or more will be
recognised as a Founder Donor, and those who can
give donations of 5,000 or more will be known as
Founder Benefactors.

We very much hope that you will feel able to help us

and any of the trustees will be glad to answer any
questions that you may have about our proposals and
recognition of your support.

HOLT'S

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A\ H lltllll l '"' 111 I nu. :\111dt n1 & l\1111111w l ' "''"'

Definitions

1. 'The Auctioneers' means Holt & Company Auctioneers

Limited of Modern and Antique Guns.
'The Auctioneers ' means the representative of Holt &
Company Auctioneers Limited of Modern and Antique
Guns conducting the sale ;
'The hammer price' means the price at which any lot is
knocked down to a buyer.
'Deliberate forgery ' means an imitation made with the
intention to deceive as to authorship, origin , age or
source, which is not so described in the catalogue and
which has a value materially less than if it had been in
accordance with the description in the catalogue.

13. Interest calculated at 2% above the base rate prevailing

at National Westminster Bank PLC shall be payable at
the Auctioneer's discretion as well as the purchase
price on any accounts not settled within 14 working
days following the sale.
14. Third party cheques will not be accepted in payment.
15.By making a bid , prospective purchasers acknowledge
acceptance of these conditions .
Conditions concerning vendors

Conditions concerning buyers

8. A buyer's premium of 17.5% (exclusive of VAT) will be

added to the hammer price of all lots sold .
9. Buyers will be required to supply to the Auctioneers
their names and addresses and if required , a deposit,
immediately after the fall of the hammer.
1O.Commission bids will be executed free of charge but
must reach the Auctioneers by 6pm on the day
preceeding the sale. Telephone commission bids must
be confirmed in writing .
11.The buyer shall not rely purely upon the catalogue
description but shall satisfy himself as to the physical
condition and the description of each lot.
12. No lot shall be removed until the purchaser has paid in
full for it and for any other lots purchased.

22.A withdrawal fee of 25% plus VAT of the lower estimate

(or reserve price, if there is one) shall be payable to the
Auctioneers for any lot withdrawn prior to sale after it
has been catalogued .
23.The vendor indemnify the Auctioneers against any claim
relating to goods sold on his/her behalf.

The Auction

2. The highest bidder shall be the buyer. In the event of

any dispute , the Auctioneer's decision shall be final.
3. The Auctioneer shall have absolute discretion to
withdraw, alter or combine with any other lot all lots
offered for sale.
4. All lots are offered subject to any reserve prices
imposed by the vendor.
5. Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of the
catalogues, the Auctioneers accept no responsibility for
any inaccuracies contained therein .
6. Lots shall be held to be at the buyer's risk from the fall
of the hammer.
7. Legal title shall not pass to the buyer until the purchase
price together with the premium has been paid in full.

21.All lots will be sold at the Auctioneer's discretion unless

written instructions to the contrary are received. Any
reserve figure placed upon a lot shall be confidential
between the vendor and the Auctioneers. In the event of
a lot failing to reach its reserve , the Auctioneers shall beentitled to a commission of 5.9% (inclusive of VAT) of
the reserve price, unless alternative charges have been
previously agreed .

16.Goods delivered to the Auctioneers shall be deemed to

be for sale by auction unless contrary instructions are
given at the time or in advance.
17.All goods will be insured by the Auctioneers whilst in
their custody or on their premises unless written
instructions to the contrary are received . The value of
the cover shall be the gross selling price of the goods,
or in the case of unsold lots or lots withdrawn before
sale, the auction value as estimated by the Auctioneers.
The premium of insurance cover shall be 1.50 (+VAT)
per 100. The minimum charge will be 1 .50 (+VAT) per
Lot.
18.The Auctioneers shall not be responsible for accidental
damage or loss unless directly caused by the
negligence of their staff.

24.A vendor who enters for sale goods which are assets of
a VAT registered business must disclose this fact to the
Auctioneers. He/she must also provide his/her
registered number and indicate whether of not he/she
intends to operate the Special Scheme for Antiques and
Works of Art.
25.The Auctioneers act as agents only and therefore
shall not be accountable to the vendor for any sum
until payment has been received from the buyer.
Forgeries

26.Should any lot prove to be a deliberate forgery, the

Auctioneers, upon receipt of written notice of this fact
within one year of the sale, shall rescind the sale or
repurchase the lot for an amount equal to the hammer
price plus premium (inclusive of VAT) , provided that:

19.The vendor authorises the Auctioneer to deduct

commission (at a minimum of 1 O per lot) and any other
proper expenses from the hammer price. He/She also
accepts the Auctioneers right to retain any premium
paid by the purchaser.

(a) The lot is returned in the same condition as at the

time of the sale;

20.The Auctioneers shall have the right to photograph and

illustrate any lot consigned for sale and to use such
photographs at their discretion. The vendor accepts
without further consultation that a charge per illustrated
lot may be made towards photographic expenses. The
charge imposed will be at the Auctioneers discretion
and will not exceed 300. No charge will be made for
any unsold lot.

(c) The general opinion of scholars and experts at the

time of the sale would have indicated that the lot
was a deliberate forgery ; or

(b) Written proof of the forgery accompanies the lot and

the buyer demonstrates to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Auctioneers that in light of the
catalogue description the lot is a deliberate forgery ;

(d) Scientific processes in existence at the time of the

sale would be established that the lot was a
deliberate forgery.
The benefit of this condition is not assignable.