The maker’s records confirm that this Best Quality rifle was completed on July 6, 1878 for Earl Spencer and it is described and illustrated in “Alexander Henry. Rifle Maker” by Donald Dallas, pp. 147-8. The records erroneously note this rifle as being .500 calibre. John Poyntz Spencer (1835-1910), the 5th Earl Spencer and known as the “Red Earl” due to his long red beard, resided at Spencer House in London and Althorp Park in the county of Northamptonshire. He led a distinguished political career and was a close friend of the British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. He raised the 1st (Althorp Rifles) Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps in 1859 and was a leading member of the committee which established the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom the same year (12 years earlier than its better known American namesake), the Association’s first competitive meetings being held on Wimbledon Common (close to today’s famous tennis courts) before being moved to Bisley Camp in 1890. Spencer also served on the War Office committee investigating the adoption of breech loading rifles in 1867, twice as Viceroy of Ireland and First Lord of the Admiralty from 1892 until 1895. The 5th Earl Spencer – using American-English terminology – is the maternal great-great-granduncle of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge & Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. With browned Damascus chopperlump barrels each engraved with a band of stylized foliage at the breech end. Raised flat rib with partial file cut matting, bead front sight, blued rear sight of one standing and one folding leaf graduated to “200” yards and each with platinum inlaid center line, and signed “ALEXR. HENRY. EDINBURGH AND LONDON. PATENT No. 3129/MAKER TO THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESS’ THE PRINCE OF WALES AND DUKE OF EDINBURGH”. Casehardened action with carved percussion fences and rebounding bar locks each with blued safety catch in front of the hammer and signed “ALEXR. HENRY” within a ribbon. Furniture including casehardened trigger guard and pistol grip cap with hinged trap cover. Best quality border and scroll engraving throughout. The underside of the barrels and water table with London black powder proof marks and each barrel marked “HENRY’S PATENT”. Well figured 14 1/2 inch pistol grip stock including checkered dark horn buttplate, raised cheekpiece, and checkered grip and forearm, the latter with Deeley & Edge fastener. The underside of the butt with a sling eye, the corresponding sling eye mounted beneath the barrels. Weight 8 lbs. 15 oz. Provenance: 5th Earl Spencer and The Malcolm King Collection

In very fine original condition and a fabulous example of craftsmanship of arguably Victorian Britain’s best rifle maker. The barrels retain 96% original browned finish with crisp rib signature and fine file cutting to the rib. The action retains 50% original casehardened finish with some fading in more exposed areas, and locks each retaining 90% strong original casehardened finish. The trigger guard has traces of original finish whilst the pistol grip cap retains 85% strong original casehardened finish. Engraving is crisp and clear throughout. Stock with some scattered age related storage and handling marks, checkering original and well defined with the characteristic different checkering patterns to the grip and forearm. Mechanically excellent.