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Apologies for this late response, got busy with other things (other guns!) and overlooked my obligation here.

The Oranson is indeed a little older than I had presumed, based on it turning up on licence in Bombay on 12th May 1925.
Thanks for the prod Steve, I should have gone straight to Nigel Brown's excellent reference! The Holloway ledger is apparently a little discontinuous around the Great War, and it looks like this particular firearm may have been put together immediately before or during the commencement of hostilities, but not completed or retailed until the war ended. According to Nigel's Volume 2, Holloway serial numbers in the 10800 range were 'manufactured' in 1918.

I am left to wonder what adventures it may have witnessed from 1918 to 1925.

Regarding the 1925 licence issued in Bombay, there is a bit of a story there. The little green canvas hard-cover booklet that contained the fold-out firearm licence and the game licence relating to this firearm were separated many years ago, however the previous owner knew of its existence and managed to track it down and reunite the two! It now reposes with the Oranson Paradox once again, as it undoubtedly did back in India between the wars. Marvelous stuff!

Here's a few photos of the licences. Hope they are big enough to read clearly. Enjoy!

I was a bit disappointed to see that tiger was not on licence. I believe a special licence was needed for 'royal game'!

Also interesting to see the other firearms that Robert Gove Esq. thought necessary for sport and/or protection in Bombay at the time: a Winchester rifle in .401 and a 7.65 pistol.

For the shooter/collector of vintage British firearms, provenance like this from the Old Country or the Colonies is pure gold. A document of this nature speaks of sport and adventure in far off lands during the height of the Raj: it just doesn't get much better!

I 'spose I had better hit the books and find out what else Mr Gove accomplished during his life! Perhaps he did put a tiger on licence later in his expatriation....

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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

Edited by CptCurl (03/06/13 09:13 PM)

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