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A hundred years ago and thereafter for decades, some of the most enthusiastic buyers buying masses of British high end firearms for their sporting armouries were the Indian princely Maharajahs and similar classes. Today it seems to be Arabs.

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I wonder what traditionalists said of the Maharajahs guns "back in the day"? No internet. No TV. Few colour photographs. Colour magazines rare. The guns exclusive to wealthy buyers only. Perhaps seen by few.

Were the Rajahs guns seen as over decorated, garish, over engraved with scroll engraving and what not?

Or hunting scenes?

My budget model WJ Jeffery almost certainly filled a Rajah's armoury, probably a loaner for guests. Plain with engraved outlined pictures of gaur bulls. I call them scratchings. With probably a 110 year old gun or so they are a bit worn. Some similar Jeffery drs in .400, like Marrakai owns I think have a leopard engraved instead. Again quite plain but very functional.

A lot of guns of the day were plain. Did these guys scoff at the what we think as beautifully engraved rifles and shotguns? I think "Yes", is the answer. "Those fancy pancy guns will never see a pheasant, the highlands, a buffalo, a swamp, the veldt or the terai ...."

I think a guest of a Rajah was very lucky to be handed a nice British double rifle on a Rajasthan Royal drive.

I remember the pleasure of being handed a WJ Jeffery 12-bore side by side by a Cornwall farmer as a paying guest at a driven pheasant shoot. Yes a plain shotgun, but a Jeffery.

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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