Holland & Holland
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Holland & Holland are prestigious British gun-makers of hand-made sporting rifles, and particularly shotguns, holding two Royal Warrants.
[edit] History
The firm was founded by Harris Holland (1806-96) in the year 1835. He may have had a wholesale tobacco business in London. Whatever his source of income, he was often seen at pigeon shoots as well as shooting grouse on a moor he leased in Yorkshire.
Recognised as an accomplished shot, he was convinced to start his own gun-making business. At first the guns bore the inscription "H. Holland". It is not known when Harris started his own manufacturing operation, but it is thought to be in the 1850s.
Having no children of his own, he took on his nephew Henry, also a Holland, as an apprentice in 1861. In 1867, Henry became a partner and in 1876, the name of the firm was changed to Holland and Holland, although his uncle still kept a tight run of the company.
In 1883 Holland and Holland entered the trials organized by the magazine The Field, and won all of the rifle categories. This set a new standard of excellence for the competition among English gunmakers. In 1885 patents were granted to Holland and Holland for their Paradox gun, a shotgun with the front two inches of the barrels rifled.
In 1908, they patented the detachable lock feature with small lever. The last major development in the sidelock side-by-side occurred in 1922, when the assisted opening mechanism was patented. This gun, the famous self-opening ROYAL side-by-side, has been influential in gun-making throughout the world.
Prudent business decisions helped the company through lean times in the gun industry. During the depression years, Colonel Jack Holland, son of Henry, sold valuable school property in Wembley and bought land in Northwood, which is still in use by the school today.
In the period after World War II, under the leadership of new owner and Managing Director Malcolm Lyell, the company made sorties to India where guns from the famous collections of the princes were bought back developing a market for secondhand pieces. In 1989, all remaining shares were bought by the Chanel Group. Since then, the factory building, in use since 1898, has been extensively renovated and equipped with modern technology. Guns such as the ROYAL Over & Under or Double-barreled shotguns were improved and reintroduced and they are available in 12, 20 and 28 bore and .410 inch. A hand built weapon from H&H can cost around 60,000 pounds.
In the 1990s, Holland and Holland started on a program of expansion. The company has stores ("gunrooms") in Paris, New York City, inside Harrods department store and at Heathrow Airport in London. The company's London flagship store on Bruton Street has been completely renovated and expanded.
The company celebrated their 165th anniversary in the year 2000.
