Enquire
Last week a huge crate containing many of the Antique guns from this auction arrived at the factory and it was suggested I photograph them 'whilst we had the opportunity' and before they were delivered to the client who was away hunting at present. 'They will make good material for the blog' I was told, whilst at the same time I was openly asking for help to do just that!
Besides being an interesting collection of rifles what aroused my interest was all the paperwork that came with the individual guns, old invoices and letters from the makers regarding the history. There is often talk when dealing guns about the investment value of certain items and here we have some physical evidence.
In my opinion the market is in a low period at the moment, a buyers market for sure. As such I believe that many of the guns which passed through Julia did not get as much as I expected. As with any auction some exceptional pieces did very well but the bulk were just so so. This has always been a strong consideration of mine when advising people about auction houses, they are not on the whole a good place to sell guns, quick perhaps also efficient, but it is the volume commission they are after, not the individual sellers best interest.
The 8g Holland & Holland Paradox was made for Nizam of Hyderabad in 1893 and from there the history is a bit murky. The letter below to a US resident in 1966 seems to put the Paradox in USA before the main armoury in Hyderabad was obtained. It could have been the Nizam didn't like it and it was returned or he disposed of in an earlier deal, after Partition and the handing in of guns to the police lines when the Maharajah's effectively lost their direct power.
We do know the owner who consigned the Paradox to auction paid $4250.00 for it, I will assume that that was probably in the same year David Winks gave him the history which was 1981. So 35 years later and with the additional cost of the restoration and Huey case the rifle achieved a price of $23,000 and I think the buyer got great value, here is provenance, make, scarcity, all the things you look for. The whole only let down by the non original Huey case.
I think we will each draw our own conclusion from these details, if we spent $4250 on a car in 1981 it would have perhaps been gone and replaced now many times, an S coupe Mustang would have cost you $5250 and unless you covered it up and kept it pristine who knows what that would be worth.
Hopefully this firearm as well as the others he had gave him much pleasure during his life and for sure his investment returned a hell of a lot more than all this electronic junk we surround ourselves with today!
For actual information about Paradox guns there is a book, one I am afraid I have never been able to tackle!
Paradox - The Story of Colonel G.V. Fosbery, Holland & Holland and The Paradox Rifled Shot and Ball Gun. Hardcover – 2010
by David J. Baker and Roger E. Lake (Author)
Larry on April 20, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Sometimes I think the providence and records that surround a gun are more interesting than the gun itself! Thank you for sharing this great looking Holland and I hope it can be used in the field once again!
Neil McVeigh on April 20, 2016 at 5:05 pm
Simon,
would love to have been in on the opening of that crate!Hopefully you will have some more gems to keep us enthralled.Fantastic to have you back posting and I can only hope some of your colleagues might help you with the "heavy lifting".
Neil
P.S.Ever consider a "wish list" for the Explora?Us afficcianados are always on the look-out for something new (like my 16 bore Trigger!).
Simon Clode on April 20, 2016 at 5:09 pm
Certainly I would welcome any suggestions that you think I could enlighten readers with. If I don't know I can find someone to help me help you find out!
Fire away! If you can email direct to the email tab it would be good as I can pick them up easier.
Simon
jonathan tomlinson on April 21, 2016 at 10:45 am
Hi Simon
Do you have any info on the wonderful top lever howdah pistol in the picture, i am guessing Holland's ?
Thank you
Jonathan
Simon Clode on April 21, 2016 at 10:53 am
I am just putting together a post on the Howdah pistols which will go up later. Thanks
Neill on April 21, 2016 at 7:08 pm
That was the question I was going to ask, so thanks to Jonathan.
What a great looking rifle, sorry Simon, I know it's not one of yours but even so it is a beauty. Paradox guns are particularly interesting, a sort of rifle come shotgun. Must admit though, in a tight spot with something angry, dangerous and with teeth, horns or tusks, a WR .500NE would be my first choice.
PS. Thanks Simon, great catalogue, really appreciated.
Erik Savoie on April 23, 2016 at 11:25 pm
Why are the .22 rimfire rounds in the photo? To show the size of the 8 bore?
Simon Clode on April 24, 2016 at 4:10 am
Purely for scale purposes. They are a familiar size to our readers and the equivalent to using a match stick in the old days.
Roy Padgett on June 29, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Brilliant pictures and backstory. I own a similar but much plainer H&H 8b Paradox No. 15243 made in 1893. I am trying to case it with the relevant accessories and would love to see the case for this one even though it is not original. I also see that the cartridges in the photos appear to be loaded with round ball rather than the paradox bullet. Is that right? I am having a couple of brass shells made up at the moment and am looking for the bullets to go with them.