Purdey - Rare Lightweight 2-inch Self-Opening Sidelock Pair - Formerly The Property of His Highness The Maharaja of Nawanagar, circa 1935, no's 24801/24802, 12 bores, 2" chambers, original fluid steel 28" nitro proved chopperlump barrels and proved 7/8 oz., sunken ribs engraved "J. Purdey & Sons, Audley House, South Audley Street, London, England" and "1" and "2", the bottom ribs gold-inlaid "2" Case", choked .009 IC (1/4 choke) and .009 IC (1/4 choke) in both guns, 14 3/4" LOP figured stocks with checkered butts for both guns, 1 1/2" DAC in both, no. 1 gun 2 3/8" DAH and no. 2 gun 2" DAH (meaning the consecutive pair were built to be shot individually for different types of shooting gun no. 1 for pass shooting and gun no. 2 for driven shooting), slight 1/16" cast off in both guns, 5 lbs. 6 oz. for both guns, small frame self-opening actions finely engraved in the Purdey house pattern English scroll and rose bouquets and with "J. Purdey & Sons" on both sides and "J. Purdey & Sons, London, England" on bottom, ejectors, double triggers, straight grips, vacant stock ovals, automatic safeties with "Safe" in gold, disc set strikers, cocking indicators, guns engraved "1" and "2" in the typical places on top levers, ribs, and forends but not in gold. All in original Purdey oak and leather case with maker's label and charge card, with canvas and leather case cover, with all accessories including: rosewood cleaning rod with detachable handle, cleaning accessories, Purdey snap caps, Purdey oil bottle, ivory striker box with extra strikers, case keys. Both the top of the gun case and the top of the case cover with the Maharaja's initials. Excellent condition guns with gun no 1 having no case color remaining but gun no. 2 having some color remaining on sides of action, one small edge chip on one forend, some thinning of black on trigger guards, minor handling marks in stocks from use. Bore diameters .732 on both guns, min. wall thickness gun no. 1 .020 and .018 and gun no. 2 .022 and .022.  The Maharaja was both knighted and married the year these guns were completed for him - what a fine pair to honor such occasions.  Purdey made very few 2-inch lightweight guns and even fewer pairs possibly less than 10.  The last known pair to come to market was sold for $120,000.

Provenance: Purdey has confirmed from their records that this pair of shotguns were completed in November 1935 with 28" barrels and 2" chambers for His Highness the Maharaja of Nawanagar.  Lt. General Mharaja Jam Sri Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji was born Sept. 18th 1895.  He was schooled first in India and then in England at Malvern College before being commissioned into the British Army as a second lieutenant in 1919.  He came out of the army in 1931 holding the rank of captain but received several honorary ranks from the Indian Army which culminated in 197 when he became a Lieutenant General.  He was adopted by his uncle, the well-known first class cricket player, Maharaja K.S. Ranjitsinhji as so became his heir. He became Maharaja of the 13-gun Princely state on his uncle's death in 1933 and continued the policies of moderate reform and development.  He was knighted in 1935 and was also married in 1935.  He was President of the Chamber of Princes from 1937 until 1944.  Upholding the family cricketing traditions, he headed the Boad of Control for Cricket in India for two years and was a member of several prominent clubs.  During World War II, Sir Digvijaysinhji served on several cabinets and councils including the Imperial War Cabinet, National Defense Council and Pacific War Council.  However he is best remembered for the altruism he showed to the many Poles whyo fled to his state.  They had been released by Russia following the invasion by Germany in the hope they would form an army and fight with Russia.  Their thinking was a little naive however considering Russia had been using the Poles as forced laborers in Siberia.  Instead, the freed Poles fled south in an exodus that brought many of them to the state of Nawanagar.  Here they were welcomed by the Maharaja and housed in camps with medical and schooling facilities.  After the war, Sir Digvijaysinhji was the Deputy Leader of the Indian delegation to the UN and chaired both the UN Administration Tribunal and the UN Negotiating Comittee on Korean Rehabilitation following the Korean War.  Sir Digvijaysinhji died in 1966 after ruling for 33 years.  He was succeeded by his only son Y.S. Shatrusalyasinhji, a first-class cricketer who played for several Gujarati teams.