A .30 (HOLLAND'S SUPER) MAUSER SPORTING RIFLE BY HOLLAND & HOLLAND, NO. 35125

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THE PROPERTY OF M.C.A. LYELL, Esq. The name of Malcolm Lyell is known to a very great number of people in the world of game shooting. Firstly, there are those who will remember him as a Director of Westley Richards & Co. Ltd., and manager of their famous shop at 23 Conduit Street in London. Secondly, and probably even more widely, as Managing Director of Holland & Holland Ltd. (and subsidiary companies) following the amalgamation of the two great gunmakers in June 1960. He continued in this post until 1984, and as a director of the company up until 1989. On leaving Holland & Holland in 1989 he was invited to join the board of Westley Richards & Co. as a non-executive director. This afforded him particular pleasure as he had first joined Westley Richards as a young man in 1948 and retained fond memories of the firm and his time with them. As he recalls with great pleasure 'the wheel had turned full circle'. He has often been spoken of as a man possessed of a passion for quality and elegance. As Managing Director of Holland & Holland he was well placed to give practical effect to this side of his character. In consequence, sets of guns began to appear at intervals from 1968 onwards. None of these magnificent sets were made to order but only sold on final completion. Malcolm Lyell was not only at the centre of highest quality gunmaking throughout his business career but, in the field, a polished performer with the finished product. A fine shot with the rifle, he secured on the King of Afghanistan's shoot near Kabul, in 1962, the least attainable of wild goats, a Markhor. The rugged terrain demanded a shot at 400 yards and the bullet flew true to aim. The horns measured 33ins., Rowland Ward set up the head, and the rifle was a Holland & Holland .244 Magnum. The following rifle has insulating tape wound around the upper barrel - a recognition of the rocks in the high mountains where, in April 1971, and at an elevation of 16,005 ft. in North Sikkim, Malcolm Lyell took a Blue Sheep.

Details

A .30 (HOLLAND'S SUPER) MAUSER SPORTING RIFLE BY HOLLAND & HOLLAND, NO. 35125
The receiver with matt-top receiver-ring, Oberndorf Mauser action, engraved and colour-hardened recoil-block, tang and flag safeties, hinged magazine-floorplate, blued finish, highly-figured stock with pistolgrip, colour-hardened pistolgrip-cap (with trap), cheek-piece, Monte Carlo comb and leather-covered recoil-pad, sling-swivels, barrel with block-mounted open-sights and ramp-mounted bead-foresight with fold-away protector, the receiver mounted with a Redfield 3x-9x telescopic-sight in quickly-detachable mounts
Weight 8lb. 11½oz. (with telescope), 14 1/8in. pull, 24¾in. barrel, nitro proof

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Sale room notice

This rifle has the serial number 3555 and it was completed circa 1964

Lot Essay

The makers have kindly confirmed that the rifle was completed in 1948

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