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Exceptional Beautifully Relief Engraved Edgar Strempel Custom Built Side by Side Two Barrel Set Shot

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Shotguns Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Exceptional Beautifully Relief Engraved Edgar Strempel Custom Built Side by Side Two Barrel Set Shot
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Exceptional Beautifully Relief Engraved Edgar Strempel Custom Built Side by Side Two Barrel Set Shotgun Using Holland & Holland Side Locks

This example was manufactured in early 1955 and has game scenes relief engraved on the lock plates with tight floral scroll covering almost all of the receiver, trigger guard and forearm hardware. The left lock plate shows a fox ambushing six ducks in a highly detailed marshy area. The right lock plate shows a dog pointing at four grouse with two rabbits running away in a highly detailed forest scene. The top of each 7 pin lock plate is engraved "ORIG. HOLLAND-HOLLAND" and there is a cocking indicator. The fences have side clips and are deep relief engraved with a floral motif. There is a 1 1/2 inch wedge of tight floral scroll engraved at the breech end of each barrel. It is difficult to imagine the amount of work that went into engraving this shotgun. The 31 inch barrel set is stamped with the matching serial number "3119/1", is choked .043/.045, has 2 3/4 inch chambers with ejectors, is stamped with the date code "255", is stamped with the type of steel "BOHLER ANTINIT", is engraved "E. STREMPEL, SUHL", is engraved in Cyrillic that translates to "Kudrin", has Nitro proofs along with "Crown/W", "Crown/U" and "Crown/N" proofmarks. The 27 inch barrel set has the same markings and proof marks with the matching serial number "3119/2", is choked .022/.032 and has 2 3/4 inch chambers with ejectors. Mounted on a nicely figured multi-point checkered walnut forearm with horn forend tip insert and a straight grip stock with "Geco" marked red rubber recoil pad. Length of pull is 14 7/8 inches, drop at comb is 1 3/8 inches, drop at heel is 2 3/8 inches and there is an 1/8 inch of toe out. Edgar Strempel was capable of extremely high quality workmanship as he was contracted to make a rifle for Hermann Goering (pictured in the book "Suhl, Heimat Der Buechsenmacher" by Hans Juergen Fritze) and later when the Soviets were in control of that part of Germany, he made guns for the Soviet leaders. The consignor's notes state that Edgar Strempel employed and/or worked closely with 2 of the most famous European engravers- Karl Kolb and Richard Schilling, the well known and sought after locksmith Guido Kessel and the best actioner August Wuelfing. The stock was made by Ernst and Karl Roell. Walter Schilling was the metal finisher/bluer. The consignor's notes also state that this shotgun was probably made for Nikolai Bulganin who became Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR in 1955. Somehow this shotgun came into possession of Leonid Brezhnev after he became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1964. This shotgun was possibly confiscated from Bulganin after he fell into disgrace and was excluded from the Central Communist Party. Brezhnev then made a gift of this shotgun to the then President of the Soviet Armenian Republic, Anton Kochinyan during a state visit to Armenia In 1969. 2 3/4 inch chambers, bore diameter: R- .722 L- .722, bore constriction: R- .044 L- .044, min. bbl thickness: R- .040 L- .040, length of pull: 14 7/8 inches, drop at comb: 1 7/16 inches, drop at heel: 2 9/16 inches, cast-off: 3/16inches, weight: 8lbs 2oz.

Manufacture: Holland & Holland Ltd
Model: SxS
BBL: 27/31 inch solid rib
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 12
Finish: blue/coin
Grips:
Serial Number: 3119

Excellent, 98% plus of the original blue finish remains with some scattered minor scratches and wear. The coin finished components have a silvery patina with a few scattered minor spots of oxidation. The wood is very good with scattered scratches, dings and a repaired sliver on the left front of the forearm. The recoil pad is hard and deteriorating. Mechanically excellent. A high quality and beautiful shotgun where more research could prove interesting!