拍品 118
118
A PRESENTATION 7 X 65(R)/20-BORE (2¾IN) DOPPELBÜCHS-DRILLING BY GEBRÜDER MERKEL, No. 19150, the two 7 x 65(R) rifled barrels over the 20-bore (2¾in.) smooth-bore short barrel, non-ejector, manual side-safe, bolstered scroll-back treble-grip action-body with matt detonating and side-clips, the top-strap mounted with the rifle/short-barrel selector-switch, cocking-indicators, best relief-engraving of scenes of the hunt, the whole surrounded and invaded by oak leaves and acorns on a matt ground, brushed bright finish overall, horn triggerguard, well-figured stock with semi-pistolgrip, cheekpiece and butt-plate, the butt inset with an enamelled red Soviet Star on a sunburst ground, sling-swivels, the Böhler-steel barrels with matt sight-rib, open-sight and ramp-mounted bead-foresight with fold-away moon-sight, the sight-rib with recessed presentation inscription 'RAKOSI MATYAS', the breech-end mounted with a Zeiss Diatal-Z 4 x 32 telescopic-sight in quickly-detachable mounts

細節
A PRESENTATION 7 X 65(R)/20-BORE (2¾IN) DOPPELBÜCHS-DRILLING BY GEBRÜDER MERKEL, No. 19150, the two 7 x 65(R) rifled barrels over the 20-bore (2¾in.) smooth-bore short barrel, non-ejector, manual side-safe, bolstered scroll-back treble-grip action-body with matt detonating and side-clips, the top-strap mounted with the rifle/short-barrel selector-switch, cocking-indicators, best relief-engraving of scenes of the hunt, the whole surrounded and invaded by oak leaves and acorns on a matt ground, brushed bright finish overall, horn triggerguard, well-figured stock with semi-pistolgrip, cheekpiece and butt-plate, the butt inset with an enamelled red Soviet Star on a sunburst ground, sling-swivels, the Böhler-steel barrels with matt sight-rib, open-sight and ramp-mounted bead-foresight with fold-away moon-sight, the sight-rib with recessed presentation inscription 'RAKOSI MATYAS', the breech-end mounted with a Zeiss Diatal-Z 4 x 32 telescopic-sight in quickly-detachable mounts
Weight 8lb. 14oz. (with telescope), 13 7/8in. pull, 24¾in. barrels, approx. 7/8 choke, 2¾in. chamber, nitro proof

拍品專文

Rákosi Matyas (1892-1971) was the Stalinist General Secretary of the Hungarian Workers' (Communist) Party from 1948-1956. In order to remain the undisputed leader he ordered many arrests and large scale purges, annihilating every actual or potential opposition both within and outside the party. After the death of Stalin in 1953, Moscow's destalinization policy lead Rákosi's dismissal in 1956. The new soviet leadership tried to placate the insurgent movements against the communist system in Hungary and Poland, but these measures failed and the anti-communist revolution started in October. This was crushed by the Red Army tanks and Rákosi fled to the USSR where he lived in exile until his death in 1971.

Rákosi was a passionate big game hunter and this drilling Merkel was a personal gift to him by one of the soviet leaders, probably Leonid Breshnev who himself was a keen hunter and often invited Rákosi to join big game parties in his presedential reserves.

The present owner bought this weapon in Moscow in 1976 from the Rákosi family