Author Archives: holtsauctioneers

HOLTS Muzzle Loading Day January 2023

HOLTS Muzzle loading day 2022

SEDGEFORD, NORFOLK 12th November 2021 Driven game shooting with vintage, black powder, muzzle-loaders – smoky, dirty, loud … and quite possibly the most fun you can have on a peg. Combine it with gourmet food from Tim Crowley of Crowley’s of Suffolk and it makes for a truly memorable experience.

Heard of the phrase “as safe as the Bank of England”? Well as if its strong rooms, safes, and iron bars were not enough the Bank of England went a step further in the 19th century and armed herself. Lot 510 in this auction contains a .750 percussion musket by Lacy & Co made aroundContinue reading “AS SAFE AS THE BANK OF ENGLAND”

How can you resist lot 1509 in the sale, a double barrel .410 boxlock ejector by William Evans of London no. 17667? Lovely quality, tiny, tiny gun weighing just over 4lbs., lovely condition and a tiger striped stock. Double barrel .410s are always in good demand but what makes lot 1509 a bit special isContinue reading “Just Dinky”

Lot 615 in the March auction contains a 60 bore needle fire rifle by J.W. Edge of Manchester c1860 in remarkable original condition considering that it is about one hundred and sixty years old. If you like minty pieces this is the lot for you. All its original finish is there, colour hardening, blue andContinue reading “JUST AS IT LEFT THE SHOP IN 1860”

Lot 405 in Holts’ 19th March auction is a blunderbuss by Edward North, London built around 1770. It is a straightforward blunderbuss, but not if you look at the butt. The butt is badly damaged, not due to mishandling or neglect, it has been damaged by a furious sword with a couple of deep cuts,Continue reading “VIOLENT ALTERCATION”

Lot 475 displays in all their magnificence, a very fine pair of 60 bore flintlock ivory and gilt travelling pistols c 1770 bearing the French House of Bourbon coat of arms. They were made to exhibition standards for either King Louis XV (1715-1774) or King Louis XVI (1774-1792). The French monarchs were avid collectors ofContinue reading “Revolution, War, Pillage – They Have Survived.”

Lot 1599 includes an excellent quality single-barrelled 12 bore hammer gun no. 4244 built by Westley Richards & Co. c 1872. It has a non-rebounding lock and a very fine 30” Damascus barrel. It is a very usable gun too, being nitro reproved in 2018 and a decent 14 1/8” stock, just the job forContinue reading “One Lucky Boy”

Lot 570 comprises a lovely little pair of double-barrelled percussion pocket pistols by Durs Egg, London dating from the 1830s. Just to make them even more desirable they are contained in their original case with the tiniest, cutest little three-way flask. Durs Egg was of Swiss origin and made exquisite highly individual flint guns andContinue reading “Footpads Beware”