This rifle was made for King Alfonso XIII (1886-1941) of Spain in 1904. The Spanish king was enthroned two years earlier on May 17, 1902, at the age of 16 and in 1906 married Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, the youngest granddaughter of Queen Victoria. They survived an attempted assassination when a bomb was thrown at their procession by an anarchist following their wedding ceremony, and the king faced additional plots. Like many royals, he went on hunting trips, introduced pheasant and partridge shoots to Spain, became a joint patron of the historic Royal Calpe Hunt in 1906 alongside King Edward VII, and was regarded as among the best royal marksmen in Europe in the early 20th century. Having ties to both sides of the First World War and divided public opinion on the war, Alfonso kept Spain neutral and aided prisoners of war on both sides. Spain was involved in the Rif War in Morocco in 1920-1926 to maintain its colonial rule. After a series of intrigues, he abdicated in 1931 but continued to be a fixture of royal hunts for several more years, and the country fell into civil war in 1936. The rifle features a blued barrel signed "THOMAS BLAND & SONS, 2 KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND, LONDON." and "WINNERS OF THE/1885/AMERICAN RIFLE TRIALS" and equipped with a beaded blade front sight mounted in a ramp, express rear sight with 100 yard standing notch, 200 and 300 yard folding leaves, and an 800 yard folding latter, all with platinum sight lines. A mounting block for a quick detachable scope is mounted behind the rear sight. The casehardened action is signed "T. BLAND & SONS" on the right and left and features extensive scroll and floral engraving, an automatic tang safety with a gold-inlaid "SAFE" marking, and the serial number inscribed on the lower tang. The rifle is mounted with a very nicely figured forend and pistol grip stock with checkering, dark horn forend cap, iron grip cap, blank silver escutcheon, rubber pad, and a pair of old inventory labels on the right side. The first label reads "PATRIMONIO NACIONAL/TESORO ARTISTICO/Serie B.P/No. 1774 Ano 1961/Palacio de [blank]", and the second, older label reads "Ano 1943/Serie B.P./No. 1.127." Similar tags are known on other rifles owned by Alfonso XIII, including Winchester Model 1905 and Model 1910 rifles sold by Rock Island Auction Co. in May of 2019. The labels note the rifle as "bien privado" or "private good." The Junta Superior del Tesoro Aristico National was formed in 1933 to conserve Spanish artistic works, and many Spanish works of art were placed in protected storage to prevent them from being looted during the Spanish Civil War. Provenance: King Alfonso XIII; Property of a Gentleman

Excellent with 95% pus original blue and casehardened finish, some light fading, general mild marks and scratches indicative of actual field use, and crisp markings and engraving. Aside from the repaired wrist, the stock and forearm are very fine and have crisp checkering, attractive figure, mild scratches and dings, and a deteriorated pad. Mechanically excellent. This is a beautiful example of an outstanding English sporting rifle made for King Alfonso XIII of Spain.