Maritiem Digitaal
collectie zoeksyteem van de maritieme musea
geen titel
| titel | geen titel
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| inventarisnummer | AAA2541
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| collectie | Firearms
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| museum | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
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| omschrijving | Double barrelled shotgun owned by the Sultan of Witu. The stock- made of polished walnut- is half stocked. The nearly flat-ended butt has a slight but sharp comb and a cheek piece on the left side. The wrist is chequered and this decoration extends back beneath the butt over half way towards the toe. The fore-end is also chequered and ends in a steel button- diamond knurled which- on being swung to the left- releases the foremost barrel retaining catch. The front end of the fore end is hinged to move downwards to assist the securing of the barrels and with 'breaking' the gun for loading/extracting. The trigger guard which encloses double triggers is decorated with a floral design picked out in gilt. This guard is continued to the rear by a piece of ornamental horn acting as a form of pistol grip and terminating in a scroll. On the right side of the butt is an oval silver plaque bearing an engraved- foliated 'W' surrounded by a laurel wreath- the whole surmounted by the German Imperial Crown. A small sling loop is fitted below the butt. Twin sidelock back action persussion locks are fitted. Twin damascus twist barrels are fitted and joined by a slightly hollowed rib on top. A twin ejector is fitted at the barrels actuated by a bar in a slot forward of the centre lug. A brass bead foresight is fitted. The barrels are browned overall. Inscribed on the barrels is
'W FOERSTER IN BERLIN. KONIGL.HOFBUCHSENMACHER.16.6' possibly a crown over an '8' or a star over an 'S'. Belgian proofmarks are also stamped on the object. The gun is contained in a leather case lined with red velvet. The case is marked 'Honbl Sir E Fremantle'. This shotgun was presented to Fumo Bokari- the Sultan of Witu by the Kaiser. It was captured by Admiral Sir Edmund Fremantle during a punitive expedition to punish the Sultan for murdering several Europeans in 1890. There is more information on this expedition in Admiral Fremantle's autobiography 'The navy as I have known it' (Cassell 1904) and in his papers in the NMM manuscript collection- ref FRE/137. Edmund Fremantle (1836-1929) entered the Navy in 1849 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1857. In 1861 he was promoted to Commander and saw service in the Maori Wars 1864-1866. He was promoted to Captain in 1867 and Rear Admiral in 1885. He was Commander-in-Chief- East Indies from 1888-1891- on the China Stattion from 1896-95 and at Devonport from 1896-1899. He was promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1890 and Admiral in 1896. The shotgun was presented to the museum by his son Admiral Sir Sidney Fremantle.
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| afmetingen | Overall: 60 x 1170 x 30 mm
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