Indians For Guns

Hi,
I have bought a double hammerless 20/.577 black powder rifle by Alexander Henry, Edinburgh which was made in 1887 and ordered by Manton & Co. Calcutta. Inside the lid of the case there is the standard red leather Alex. Henry label, a paper Manton Calcutta label and then another label which has writing on it which I believe may be Urdu and hopefully identifies the original owner of the rifle. I wondered if any of the members could be kind enough to translate the owners label for me. I am excited what it may say as it hopefully will add to the history of the rifle.

Where is the rifle??

Atul

Oh yes.. eager to have a look at the rifle.. please post a pic! .. And Congrats!

Thanks for your interest. Here are a few views of the rifle.

Very nice, really love the carvings

Atul

Its such a beautiful gun!! Congrats again.. really envy you owning it! As for the translation, I really wish I could help... but will try and get someone to help.. let me see.. will get back if I get more information.

First line says ".577 bore something black power Alexander Company, number 61.2 and rest is very tough urdu cant make out and in bottom left corner it says May 1918

Woooo...sweet gun dixon42!

The numbers in Urdu are the easy part read from left to right...here is how you can do it yourself:

Arabic / Urdu Numerals.

I am sure someone on this forum with knowledge written of Urdu/Arabic will post soon. My recollections of my days of learning Urdu/Arabic are very distant and faint.

Thanks for all your interest and help so far. I am glad you like the rifle - t is one of my favourites. I was hoping that there would be something amongst the writing which would give us some idea of who was the original owner. Maybe there is still some of the writing yet to be translated which may provide a clue. I am grateful for any information anyone can contribute.

I expect to receive a translation of the script some time tomorrow.

Dear Dixon42,continuing anubhav,as i am well versed in urdu but its difficult to read the cursive that is the shikasta style of old calligraphy.As far as i could read the script...its reads two names बकस पूरमी.गोरख पूरबी.. बडा़ बरमी .डबी or डबल कलमीदार मारतूल. Some make of कारतूस Next is the dates etc. I shall try in free time to read the full script clearly.
Regards.

Thanks very much tamancha. I am very grateful for any help and am excited about what it could say.

dixon42 wrote:Thanks very much tamancha. I am very grateful for any help and am excited about what it could say.

dixon42 wrote:Thanks very much tamancha. I am very grateful for any help and am excited about what it could say.

Dear Dixon42,
Now I have gone through the full script unfortunately there is no trace of the owner's name.Actually the Urdu label is a specifications leaflet of the arm.Moreover, it has the information for the buyer.As the Urdu is used to write from right to left therefore I am writing the script from left to right in Hindi,later on the English version is added for the interpretation..577 बोर अकरब ब्लैक पाउडर साख्त अलैकजैडंर कम्पनी नम्बर 6102 , बक्स चरमी, हौदा चरमी, डबी कलमीदार, मारतूल,
साचे गोली डालने का, चिमटी गोली निकालने का.
डबी आज माह ईस्टर बगिरह,-
मई 1918
.577 bore black powder solid Alexander company no.6102, with storage box,compatible for Houda shooting for big games,double barrels, chocked or tapered, mouldes for bullets, extractors for empty shell withdrawal. Today is the day of Easter month for the remembrance. In the last line beneath its reads May 1918.
No owners name. There is the weapon no.on ist line of sentence.
Regards.

Dear Tamancha thanks very much for all your help. The label is still part of the rifle's history even though it doesn't bring us any closer to the original owners identity and at least I now know what it says.
Kind Regards,
Dixon42.