The Archduke Franz Ferdinand hunting sword by Stanislaus Striberny, circa 1890, Vienna

with broad blade double-edged towards the point, formed with a three-quarter length fuller, etched on one face with the stag of St Hubert and the inscription 'Waidsmann Heil'; gilt-brass hilt cast and chased in low relief, comprising a pair of straight quillons each formed as a bear’s head in the round, down-turned shell-guard applied with silver crowned Imperial cypher, gilt-brass cap pommel and natural stag horn grip, in its brass-mounted leather-covered wooden scabbard, complete with its accompanying knife en suite and with its chamois cover

Given by the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863-1914) to Prem Shamsher Rana in 1893, nephew of the Maharaja of Lambjang and Kaski, prime minister of Nepal;

Thence by descent;

Acquired from the Rana family by the present owner.

Franz Ferdinand von Osterreich-Este, Tagebuch meiner Reise um die Erde, 1892-1893, Wien, 1895.

In good condition. The smaller knife has some minor black tarnishing to the blade. There are some minor old marks scratches and scuffs to the scabbard. Minor dent to brass cap. Blade in very good condition. Chamois cover in need of clean and with holes. T For all sales which take place on or after 1 February 2015, please note that the rate of buyer's premium for each lot (charged as a percentage of the hammer price achieved for that lot) has been revised and shall be calculated at the thresholds set out below: Buyer's premium is 25% of the hammer price up to and including £100,000; Buyer's premium is 20% of the hammer price on any amount in excess of £100, 000 up to and including £1,800,000; Buyer's premium is 12% of the hammer price on any amount in excess of £1,800,000. As stated above, the revised thresholds are effective as of 1 February 2015.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In 1892, Archudke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, embarked on an around the world journey. Along the way he visited Suez, Yemen, Ceylon, India, Nepal, South-East Asia, Oceania, Australia, China, Japan and the United States. The purpose of this journey was a combination of a true will to explore the globe combined with medical reasons, as Franz Ferdinand suffered from tuberculosis. Furthermore, it was a phenomenal opportunity to explore his greatest passion – hunting.

He wrote a detailed diary of his travels which he published upon his return, and where he tried to impress his future subjects with his experiences, knowledge and good judgment. In the places visited, he made sure to collect local artefacts and he arrived back in Vienna with a collection of 14,000 objects and gifts which he put on show in his own museum.

The travelling party arrived in Nepal on 8^th March of 1893 and stayed there until the 26^th for two hunting camps in Dakna Bagh and Barbatta Valley, where Franz Ferdinand hoped to hunt tigers. In his diary of their first day, he wrote that “The arrangement of the hunts is organized by the [British] resident together with an uncle of the maharaja called Kesar Singh, and his son Prem Jamshir. The last one had been sent by the maharaja for this purpose” (8 March 1893). The mentioned maharaja was the prime-minister Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana (1852-1901), Maharaja of Lambjang and Kaski, who was the de facto ruler of the country.

Although the stay was a success, the archduke did not manage to personally shoot a tiger. On his last day in the country he wrote: “Almost everyone of the brave Nepalese came to express his regrets of our departure. The uncle and nephew of the maharaja had turned out in full dress for their final attendance call. (…) I presented the two gentlemen with my photograph and also a large gilded hunting knife, truly monstrous weapons, which caused quite a bit of pleasure for the brave gentlemen. They placed the weapons immediately on their uniforms and had their picture taken in this outfit".(26 March 1893)

This photograph still exists in the collections of the Weltsmuseum in Vienna (ill.) and shows clearly Prem Shamsher Rana proudly holding the received gift.