doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Mystery Royal H&H

The friend of mine has found H&H Royal Ejector gun in UK. S/n 23355, circa 1903, #1 from pair. According to the story he's been told gun been rebarreled and got new stock in 1981 at H&H. The reason of the replacements was Bad Storage Conditions, but at the same time the gun is 100% case colored and got no engravings at all, just Plain Jane.
I've never heard about case colored plain Royal H&H and the price is very interesting - 15,000 UKPounds for the 100% condition Royal restored by H&H!
My thots are the following. The gun been ruined and later complitely re-done by someone, maybe by apprentices at H&H... Engravings been deleted and receiver re-case colored again. IMHO this is the only reason why the price are so low.
I didn't see photos yet. My friend is in Paris at the moment and the gun been delivered to Paris H&H Show Room and is waiting for my friend' final decision - seems they want to sell it very much.
What d'you think about it or probably someone heard about this Royal allready?

Geno, the H&H records are available, so one could find out about how the gun left the factory. I have never seen one with a plain case colored receiver, though I have seen several with a black finish and no engraving. Daryl

Geno, I've seen border engraved H&H Badminton guns, but never a Royal. I would most certainly contact H&H and pay a small fee to find out if it left the factory that way rather than paying 30K BPS and find out later on the gun was not worth the price.

Are you sure that it has no engraving at all? Are you sure it’s not just border engraved? If it is border engraved, I have one of similar age (1905). I also have the H&H catalogue from the same year. These guns were branded as plain action #2 royals. The Badminton name was not used until the 1930's I believe. I'm not surprised that they want to get rid of it but £15k is way, way too much. Look to pay no more than half that.

I agree - the plain No2 Royal is not that uncommon. The gun looks to be a good candidate as a practical gun - all new barrels and stock as wellas a nice vintage action.

£15,000 is about par when you consider that Atkin Grant & Lang are charging the same when they re-stock, re-barrel and recondition guns of their own origin for selling now.

However, bear in mind that you can still pick up a very good Holland Royal at auction for well under £10,000 even taking commission into account.

Where are these auctions located? I'll take 2 right now, no 3 Royal's 100% originally restored by maker!
You our little islander friends are good tellers!

I found three Royals at Holt's in March that were in excellent condition, one re-barrelled by Hollnd & Holland, some with original barrels. Of course, they were among lots of guns that I vetoed as unsatisfactory and unwise investments.

All sold for under £10,000. Laugh all you like Geno but if you give me £10,000 of your cash, I'll happily find you a Royal that you will struggle to find fault with.

I've seen a number of plain-finished Royals (they were all marked Royal, too). They're not common, but they are out there.

From what I understand, they're not No. 2s, either - they're Royals.

I believe No. 2s were always a step down, just like the No. 3 (later the Dominions).

OWD

I just recieved these photos. Mess on receiver flats is oil.
Case colors looks o'key, but I can't figure out what could happened to barrels to be replaced? According to record gun's been fired 20 rounds only.

I believe it's later Badminton model.