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Home / Community home / News / Top picks from Bonhams’ Spor...

Top picks from Bonhams’ Sporting Guns auction - 25th November 2021

This November, Bonhams Knightsbridge will present sales of Antique Arms, Armour and Modern Sporting Guns, each featuring the very best of their categories. Commencing on 24 November, the auction of Antique Arms of Armour includes highlights such as a fine Lloyd's Trafalgar Sword, a very rare German wheel-lock superimposed load pistol, and a 'Maximilian' full armour from circa 1520. The Sporting Guns, Rifles and Vintage Firearms sale takes place on Thursday 25 November, 11 am, with a wide array of lots including rifles, military arms and best English guns, along with taxidermy and ephemera. Here, Senior Specialist in Modern Sporting Guns at Bonhams, William Threlfall, highlights six lots of interest.

 

Lot 548:

A pair of Beretta 20-bore 687EELL Diamond Pigeon single-trigger over and under ejector guns - £3,000-5,000

 

 

Weights 5lb. 15oz., 13¼in. pulls (12¾in. stocks), 29½in. barrels, approx. ¼ & cyl. (No. 1) and approx. ¼ & I.C. choke (No. 2), 3in. chambers, Italian nitro proof.

Game scene engraved by the Bottega Giovanelli, these ever-popular Italian guns are a firm favourite with shooters around the world. This pair have long barrels and high quality figuring on the stocks.

 

Lot 546:

A Holloway & Naughton 20-bore single-trigger over and under ejector gun - £20,000-30,000
 

 

Weight 6lb. 4½oz., 14½ in. stock, 28in. barrels, approx. ¼ & I.C. chokes, 2¾in. chambers, Birmingham nitro proof.

The first new production Holloway & Naughton over and under gun, completed in 2000 and masterfully engraved by Brian Wiseman with immaculate game scenes on each side. 

 

Lot 545:

A Marocchi-engraved Abbiatico & Salvinelli 12-bore single-trigger side-plated round-bodied over and under ejector gun

 

 

Weight 8lb. 1½oz., 14½in. stock, 30in. barrels, Teague chokes, 2¾in. chambers, Italian nitro proof

With immaculate engraving, this gun by Abbiatico & Salvinelli, also known as FAMARS, comes with a full set of Teague chokes and a choke key. It has a rare configuration with side-plates and a round-bodied action, while maintaining the detachable trigger mechanism that they are well-known for. 

 

Lot 428:

A rare .22 (L.R.) 'FAL' semi-automatic rifle by IMBEL

 

 

Weight 10lb. 3½oz., 23in. barrel, 14½in. stock, London nitro proof

This semi-automatic rifle by Brazilian firm IMBEL is the stuff of legends! Built as a training rifle and well-known for its rarity as well as its cost, this built-as-.22 rifle is the folding para-stock variant and remains in very good condition. 

 

Lot 413:

A rare 13mm 'Tank-Gewehr' bolt-action anti-tank rifle by Mauser

 

 

Weight 36lb., 14¼in. stock, 38in. barrel

Another rare rifle, from a different era, this is one example of the first portable purpose-built anti-tank rifles. Designed as a response to British tanks in 1918, the German Empire produced approximately 16,000 of these before the end of the war. 

 

Lot 507:

A fine chiselled and relief-engraved 12-bore self-opening sidelock ejector gun by J.Purdey & Sons

 

 

Weight 6lb. 9½oz., 15½in. stock, 28in. barrels, approx. ¼ & ½ chokes, 2¾in. chambers, London nitro proof   

This beautiful sidelock gun, with later signed custom engraving from the Belgian masters, Philippe Grifnée and Rene Delcour, is a real showpiece and should impress at any shooting venue. With deep relief foliate-scrollwork and grotesque creatures, it brings a more modern style to a traditional side by side gun.

 


 

The auction is accessible to browse online and its preview will be open to the public throughout 21-25 November. The Sporting Guns department has grown significantly in recent years to become one of the global leaders in this field; contact the team today to find out more about the sale.