A pair of antique duelling pistols is expected to be among the most valuable lots in a three-day country sporting sale being held next week.
The Forsyth & Co percussion duelling or target pistols are from the Howard family, of Greystoke Castle, and are expected to make £5,000-£7,000.
A Boss & Co 12-bore side by side shotgun, made in 1898, has an estimate of £6,000-£7,000 and will also go under the hammer at Mitchell’s auction house in Cockermouth from Tuesday to Thursday, from 10am each day.
As well as antique and modern firearms and shooting accessories, the auction also includes a fishing section with rods and tackle by top makers, including the residual contents of McHardys angling shop in Carlisle, and a large quantity of fly tying materials.
Among the other lots are hunting knives, country attire, pictures, books and ceramics, making it a must for country sports enthusiasts.
The sale also features extremely rare skull and horns from markhor, also known as screw-horned goats, which is the national animal of Pakistan but which were nearly extinct in the 1990s.
Other hunting highlights are a John Rigby & Co ammunition display board, with an estimate of £120-£180, and an ammunition display board of African big game hunting calibres, which should make £100-£150.
Highlights amongst the sporting art are a Wilk (John William Wilkinson 1906-1994) cartoon of Johnny Richardson with fox, which should make £300-£500 and a watercolour of a grass owl by Trevor Boyer (born 1948) with an estimate of £100-£150.
Notable sporting items include a large cockerel (£180-£220), a Border Fine Arts limited edition of a red kite (£80-£120), a modern pair of leaping deer (£70-£100), a Scottie dog companion stand (£40-£60) and a Maisie Robertson for Rowland Ward silk scarf depicting East Africa (£20-£30).
An illustrated catalogue for the sale can be viewed online at www.the-saleroom.com/Mitchells where buyers can also register to bid online.
A printed, text-only catalogue is available for £2 from the saleroom.
Lots can be viewed in person at Mitchells saleroom in Cockermouth today 11am-3pm, tomorrow 10am-5pm and from 9am on each day of the sale.
For more information, contact auctioneer James Moore on 01900 827800.
Next month, Mitchells will hold a music sale on Thursday May 6 with lots ranging from violins to vinyl records.
There will also be a teddy bear sale on Tuesday May 11, with more than 400 bears, including a private collection of Steiff, Merrythought & Deans, plus two interior sales on May 13 and 27.
Sale-goers can view catalogues and bid online for all Mitchells sales at www.the-saleroom.com/Mitchells.
Entries for Mitchells next antiques and fine art sale are invited with a closing date of May 11.
