Marketed as the “Royal”, this is the final incarnation of the iconic Holland & Holland rook rifle. The rifled barrel is signed “HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 98. NEW BOND ST. LONDON” and “WINNERS OF ALL THE ‘FIELD’ RIFLE TRIALS. 295 SEMI SMOOTH BORE” on the sides of the partially matted top flat and has a bead front sight, a three-leaf rear sight (one standing, two folding) graduated to 150 yards with platinum inlaid center lines, and a non-selective ejector. The rifle barrel and water table are struck with London single definitive proof marks. The Damascus shotgun barrel is serial numbered 11091 and is engraved “HOLLAND & HOLLAND. 98. NEW BOND STREET LONDON.” It has a bead front sight and Birmingham black powder proof marks. The action is signed “HOLLAND & HOLLAND” within a ribbon and has a removable firing pin bushing, and an automatic safety with gold inlaid “SAFE.” It has classic English border and scroll engraving. The underside of the barrels have import marks. The figured semi-pistol grip stock has a scroll engraved casehardened pistol grip cap, a raised cheekpiece, checkered grip and forearm, dark horn forearm cap, and blank silver oval escutcheon on the under side of the butt. 14 1/2 inch length of pull. Shot barrel measurements: proved at 35 (.510 inches), measuring .512 inches. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection

Very good. The rook barrel retains 95% blued finish. The 32 bore barrel retain nearly all of its rebrowned finish and has had the Holland & Holland added fairly recently. The action retains 40% original faded casehardened finish. The toplever retains 80% blued finish, and the trigger guard and floorplate each have traces of original blued finish. The engraving is clear throughout. The wood is good with generally well-defined checkering, some bruising and minor chips within the checkered panels, scattered age related storage and handling marks and bruises, repaired crack in the forearm, and a repair on one side of the horn cap. Mechanically very good.