Lot 171 , Bikaner State. Oblong folio, Editions de Luxe, Paris, n.d. [c.1930]. 50 leaves of sepia photographs in wrappers including, The Fort, Lallgarh Palace, Gajner [Palace] and Bikaner, first leaf detached. Front wrapper and th

° Bikaner State. Oblong folio, Editions de Luxe, Paris, n.d. [c.1930]. 50 leaves of sepia photographs in wrappers including, The Fort, Lallgarh Palace, Gajner [Palace] and Bikaner, first leaf detached. Front wrapper and the free endpaper detached, both fraying with some loss. An ink inscription “Bikaner in 1930” on the front free endpaper. With some headed note paper from the palaces of Lallgarh and Gajner and a greetings card from the maharajah loosely inserted. * With a presentation inscription from his Highness Maharajah Singh of Bikaner to Mr and Mrs Lyell on the front free endpaper, dated 1957. Sold as seen.
Malcolm Lyell (1922-2011) a good shot, a fisherman, a naturalist, a gardener, a hunter, an adventurer, and a raconteur who has been described as having been the doyen of the London gun trade.

After being educated at Bryanston and Westminster School, he took a degree in forestry at Bangor University in 1943 and worked as a forester until 1947 when he became the manager of Westley Richards London showrooms.

In 1955 when the parent company made the decision to close the London showrooms, Malcolm sought the backing of British and American sportsmen to finance his takeover of the business and established Westley Richards (Agency). Soon after acquiring it he bought Jeffery’s the gun-makers, and later Farlow’s, the fishing tackle specialists.

The ultimate salesman, he not only had a comprehensive knowledge but also loved and was proud of what he was offering for sale. Over the next twelve years he developed, expanded, and advanced the business with great panache and the able assistance of his wife Rosamunde (they married in 1949).

His success brought its own reward, in 1959 Holland and Holland invited him to merge his company with theirs and he became the managing director of the new enterprise. By the time of his retirement in 1988, he had acquired a plethora of clients many of whom became great friends; they included kings and princes, maharajahs, presidents, and prime ministers. Hollywood stars, white hunters, sportsmen and trophy collectors fell under his spell and with Rosamunde and his two daughters Caroline and Harmony he travelled the world combining business with pleasure.

Malcolm was born a collector, as a boy he collected objects to exhibit and opened his own “museum” in his parents’ house in South Kensington (admission to it cost the viewer one penny). Throughout his life his own houses became filled with treasures gathered from across the globe.

His passion and the intense enjoyment that he derived from his collection can be seen in the ephemera and the considered personal notes and annotations that he added to most of his books.

£80-120

Sold for £120