This auction has ended. View lot details
You may also be interested in
Lot 466
A Fine Cased Scottish .451 Alexander Henry Patent Percussion Sporting And Target RifleBy Alexr. Henry, 12 St. Andrew St., Edinburgh, No. 985, Circa 1865
26 November 2014, 10:30 GMT
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £10,625 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Arms and Armour specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Client Services (UK)
Shipping (UK)
A Fine Cased Scottish .451 Alexander Henry Patent Percussion Sporting And Target Rifle
By Alexr. Henry, 12 St. Andrew St., Edinburgh, No. 985, Circa 1865
By Alexr. Henry, 12 St. Andrew St., Edinburgh, No. 985, Circa 1865
With browned octagonal barrel of decorative twist pattern signed in full along the top flat at the breech and rifled with seven grooves, engraved 'Patent No. 350 Gauge 451' in front of sprung folding-leaf back-sights from 200 to 400 yards, each leaf with slender platinum line, and matted beyond to the windage adjustable fore-sight (incomplete), foliate scroll engraved case-hardened breech with engraved platinum plug, foliate scroll engraved case-hardened tang and border engraved flat lock signed in gothic script, dolphin hammers en suite and with blued safety-catch in front, the interior of the lock engraved 'Joseph Brazier Ashes', stamped with his initials and retaining virtually all the original burnished and case-hardened finish, highly figured half-stock with chequered pistol-grip and fore-end, the former with foliate engraved case-hardened ovoidal cap with hinged circular butt-trap cover decorated with a flower-head, the latter with horn fore-end cap, foliate scroll engraved steel mounts comprising hinged circular case-hardened patch-box cover, russet butt-plate retaining traces of original blueing, blued serial numbered trigger-guard, and case-hardened trigger-plate with pineapple-shaped finial, chequered trigger, gold escutcheon engraved with owner's monogram, and vacant shield-shaped gold escutcheon in front of the patch-box cover, sling mounts, mount for a target sight behind the barrel tang, later ramrod, and retaining much of its original finish: in original oak case fitted and lined in pigskin (minor scuffing and staining) with accessories (some missing) including its cased set of blued target sights, nickel-mounted powder-flask with sprung fliptop and bag-shaped body covered in black leather, extra interchangeable nozzle, brass bullet mould, signed circular brass cap-dispenser, calibrated Vernier sight, turned hardwood boxes, brass loading rod, and patch-cutter, the interior of the lid with maker's illustrated trade label, the exterior (some scratching, keyhole escutcheon missing) with vacant shield-shaped brass escutcheon
82.2 cm. barrel
82.2 cm. barrel
Footnotes
Recorded in the maker's records as 'Best single rifle 33 No. 530 Patent' (referring to the maker's patent for rifling of 1860)
Alexander Henry was born in 1828, and served his apprenticeship with T.E. Mortimer of Edinburgh, rising to become foreman of the factory before setting up in business on his own in 1853 at 12 South Street. He was a prolific inventor, with most of his innovations concerning the advancement of rifle design. His heptagonal rifling, patented in 1860, was used by the British Army for the Martini-Henry, and his falling-block design was adopted by several other countries. He continued to invent and was granted various patents throughout the 1870s, and eventually died in 1894. The business continued until 1902 when Alexander Martin succeeded to the business