PERTHSHIRE, SCOTLAND.- A gun built for Scottish Politician, the Rt. Hon Richard Haldane, who was noted for forming the Territorial Army in 1907 sold for £15,600, yesterday in Gavin Gardiner Ltd’s annual auction of Fine Modern and Vintage Sporting Guns, which was held in association with Sotheby's at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland.

Bought by the UK Trade, the fine 12-bore ‘Royal’ model sidelock ejector gun by Holland & Holland, was built in 1904 and presented as a 21st Birthday present to James C. Kemp, D.S.O., M.C. It had been estimated to fetch £10,000-15,000 and was sold with it's original case, bill of sale for £74.14.0 and accessories [Lot 118].

Also included in the sale was a magnificent pair of 12-bore self-opening sidelock ejector guns by James Purdey & Sons, which were built in 1999 and sold for £96,000 [Lot 103]. The guns were virtually unused and were expected to sell for between £70,000 - 90,000.

Other interesting pieces included a rare 16-bore pinfire hammer gun by Purdey, which was built for the 2nd Duke of Wellington sold for £4,200. It had originally cost £57.15s when it was built 150years ago [Lot 162]. A punt gun by Holland & Holland, with its matching grey-painted punt and custom-made trailer sold for £12,600 against an estimate of £8,000-12,000 [Lot 159], while a lightweight pair of 12-bore round action ejector guns by Edinburgh-maker John Dickson & Sons, dating from 1927, sold for £16,800, against an estimate of £14,000-18,000 [Lot 106].

Topically, a fine 12-bore Battle of Britain Commemorative Model by Beretta, built in 1990 for the 50th Anniversary sold for £4,200 [Lot 202]. Number 50 of a limited edition of 50 guns, this was the only one with ‘deluxe’ gold engraving and was completed for Squadron Leader Tony Down who was then flying with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Gavin Gardiner said: “This is the 43rd year that a Sporting Gun Auction has been held at the prestigious Gleneagles Hotel and I was delighted with the results of today’s sale which always attracts strong international interest for fine guns and rifles. Interestingly Richard Haldane, later Viscount Haldane died in Auchterarder in 1928, so I was very pleased that we sold this gun, and several other guns with such strong Scottish connections.”