A time of pure exploration

Charles Hartley explores the fascinating history of the safari through its weapons

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Sitting in my father's old chair in the spot where members of my family have catalogued antiques for the past 120 years, I gazed across shelves filled with broadswords, serpentine Turkish blades and fine flintlock pistols. Although there was a mountain of items to research and catalogue, rather than fill me with dread at the task ahead, my head bounced with excitement, wondering what treasures might lay within the pile of metal and wood. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to a percussion fowling piece.

Sliding it carefully off the shelf, I could not help but mount the piece and gaze down its wide rib to the bead sight ahead. Though at first glance it was a fairly typical shotgun, with a familiar 12-bore and classic side-by-side stock profile, it had been produced to a finer standard than most. The maker, Williams & Powell of Liverpool (not to be confused with William Powell of Birmingham) had pulled out all the stops, with richly figured walnut, an exquisite action still perfect after 150 years and fine etching throughout the metalwork.

But something else on this gun stood out more than anything, as within an oval lozenge towards the rear of the action prowled a tiger ready to pounce at any moment. Another tiger snarled a venomous hiss from the butt plate and a chital deer danced on the opposing action face.

I had never before seen a shotgun etched with such beasts, typically adorned with fowl. Mammals are usually reserved for rifled barrels, yet here was no conversion, merely a gun made and decorated to the specifications of its owner.