Holland & Holland have kindly confirmed that the gun was completed circa 1881 for Lord Lonsdale

The Scott & Baker 1878 patent involves an unusual cocking mechanism in which a notched and slanted cocking-piece running in the bar of the action connects with a bar on the flats of the barrels. As the barrels drop down on opening, the bar on the barrels pulls the cocking-piece forward which in turn pulls the hammers to full cock. This patent is more normally associated with double-barrelled guns

The 5th Earl of Lonsdale (1857-1944), nick-named the Yellow Earl because his carriages were painted yellow and his servants attired in livery of the same colour, earned in the course of his long life the reputation of 'England's Greatest Sportsman'. Amongst a wide variety of interests he loved fox hunting, shooting, horse racing, boxing and beautiful women. He spent money in vast quantities on his sports and interests and entertained on a regal scale. Notably he smoked 'Lonsdale' cigars of impressive size and gave his name to the famous belt, the winning of which became the greatest ambition of an English boxer. Fox hunting was a particular passion at one stage of his life and he became a famous, if highly contentious, Master of the Quorn, and later, the Cottesmore