Jabali, itīs the old trick, put a low estimate on something you KNOW will go high, gets the punters in. About 5 years ago Christies, (I think), had a pair of duelling pistols coming up which I liked the look of. These were french and SUPERB, I mean, I went to see them.They were as new but 150 years old, absolutely immaculate, the case alone was an utter work of art, the pistols would have been considered too ornate for British tastes, anyway, estimate was 10-12k GBP from memory. When I went to see them they told me some info had come up (this is about 14 days before the sale) and the initials on the gold escutcheon were Napolean Bonapartes brothersī (whom they were made for as a gift from Bony himself). Needless to say they went for far more than I would pay, 60kGBP from memory to a French museum I believe.
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Re: Holland-Woodward .256 falling-block rifle by Holland