The buttplate of this classic percussion double barrel shotgun is inscribed "THIS GUN BELONGED TO/his Royal Highness/the Prince Consort/AND WAS GIVEN TO/Henry Lawley/by Queen Victoria/12 JUNE 1862." Prince Albert (1819-1861) was the devoted and beloved husband of Queen Victoria. Though he officially held little power, he was very influential during his life largely due to his influence on the Queen. He was keenly interested in the sciences and inventions and was very involved in the first World's Fair, the famous The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations held in 1851 and better known as the Great Exhibition or Crystal Palace Exhibition. He was also an avid hunter. He died just under 6 months before this presentation on December 14, 1862, from complications of typhoid. Following his death, Queen Victoria wore black in mourning for the rest of her life. Henry Lawley is identified as one of Albert's physicians in an included description for the gun which also notes that Trulock & Harriss were exhibitors at the First World's Fair in London in 1851 and that this may have been a gift to the Prince Consort by Queen Victoria herself for his birthday in 1862 while they were in Dublin visiting Prince Albert Edward. Lawley's status as one of Albert's physicians could not be confirmed; however, the Royal Calendar for 1862 lists Henry Lawley as a "Page of the Presence./First Class," and earlier calendars from the 1850s confirm the same. In that position, he would have worked in the royal household attending to the guests of Queen Victoria and would have also been present when she held council. A piece of gold lace in an envelope noting it as from the Prince Consort's trousers is also included along with clippings from 1902 relating to the trees planted at the Flemish Farm in Windsor Great Park in memory of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. The browned Damascus barrels are signed "TRULOCK & HARRISS, 9 DAWSON ST. DUBLIN" on the concave rib which also has a bead front sight and scroll engraving at the breech end. The serial number, "5881," is marked on the bottom of the barrels and breech plugs along with the lower tang. The breech plugs have floral engraved platinum plugs, dual platinum bands, and a grotesque mask on the rib. The locks are signed "TRULOCK/& HARRISS" and have birds and scroll engraving. A pointer scene is on the trigger guard bow, and the balance of the furniture is primarily scroll engraved. The long trigger plate tangs form a nearly seamless band from the ramrod entrypipe to the back of the wrist. The wedge and wrist escutcheons are silver. The nicely figured and varnished stock has checkering with molded borders on the forend and wrist and 14 5/8 inch length of pull. The case contains a silver caper engraved with Prince Albert's coat of arms and labeled as such, a brown leather sling, brown leather bound Sykes patent powder flask with tip-up measure, brown leather shot flask marked "BRAZIER" on the spout, oil bottle, charger, mainspring vice, modern pin punch, and cap tin. Provenance: The Richard P. Mellon Collection

Fine with 85% of the period refinished brown and casehardened finish, natural aged patina on the silver, 85% of the blue finish on the buttplate, 25% of the original blue finish on the remaining furniture with areas faded to smooth brown patina, crisp engraving and markings, and minor age and handling related wear. The stock is very fine and has crisp checkering, some small dings and light scratches, and minor edge wear. Mechanically excellent. The case is very good with cracks and chips in the lid, mild wear on the lining, and some loose dividers, and the accessories are very good. There is an attractive aged patina on the engraved silver capper. This is a classic Irish percussion double barrel shotgun inscribed as owned by the Prince Consort and subsequently presented by Queen Victoria just six months after his death.