POTD: Alexander Henry Double Rifle for the Maharaj Rana of Dholpur

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a best quality Alexander Henry hammerless double rifle in 450-400 BPE, completed around 1889 for the Maharaj Rana of Dholpur in India.

Dholpur was a princely state in eastern Rajputana, founded in 1806 by the Bamraulia Jat Ranas and placed under British India’s Rajputana Agency in 1818. The ruler when this rifle was built was Nihal Singh, who came to the throne in 1873 at about nine years old and took full ruling powers ten years later. He was known as a top-notch rider, a keen hunter, and a pigsticker, held an honorary major’s rank with the Central India Horse, and picked up the Frontier Medal for the 1897-98 Tirah campaign. I have read he had two more rifles like this one made, one in 577-500 No. 2 and another in 360.

Alexander Henry had plenty of pull by then. His seven-groove rifling went into the Martini-Henry, and in 1872 he was named gun and rifle maker to the Prince of Wales. This rifle uses Henry’s own patent back-action hammerless design with Damascus barrels, Henry rifling, double triggers, and a tang safety. My favorite touch is the pair of “watch hand” cocking indicators on the lockplates, which swing to a gold-inlaid “COCKED” when the locks are ready.

It still rides in its oak and crocodile hide case marked for “His Highness the Maharaj Rana of Dholpoor,” complete with loading and cleaning tools. This is what a hunting rifle looks like when the customer is royalty.

Most of our POTDs utilize images from our friends at Rock Island Auction Company, the premier firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse their current auctions – who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!

“Maharaj-Rana of Dholpoor’s Alexander Henry Patent Double Rifle.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4097/1388/maharajrana-of-dholpoors-alexander-henry-patent-double-rifle. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026.

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