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No, I don't think this to be the distinctive two-lobed crown of the Russian Czar. What is left after Smyth had his name applied, points to a rather flat crown. Four pearl-adorned bands support a banded orb surmounted with a cross. If you look into
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_(heraldry)
, this type of crown was used as a symbol by many continental sovereigns, princes, dukes and so on. Many of such persons were named "H", Henry, Heinrich, Harald and so on. Most of the European nobility were related in one or several ways to Queen Victoria and other British nobility. Remember, until 1915 the House of Windsor was called House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha after the prince consort Albert.

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Kuduae makes the point that this crown doesn't appear to be the two-lobed crown of the Russian Czar. That would be consistent with the timeframe. Nicholas II became the Czar May 26, 1896. This rifle was made before that date, I would think. So if it pre-dated his coronation, the embossed crown may represent the prince's crown. The Wiki link posted by Kuduae shows the various Russian crowns. The prince's crown is very similar and does not have two lobes.



Of course this is all speculation. I don't even know the date this rifle was made. Henry serial numbers basically tell you nothing about the date.

I guess I'll try to get something out of Dixon & MacNaughton. I wish Barry Wilcox were still there, because I'm sure he would oblige.

Curl

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