The first Chinese firearm with an imperial mark will be auctioned in London on November 9, 2016. Sotheby’s will present the rifle with an expected offer of £1.5 million ($1.83 million).

Engraved with four Chinese characters “特等第一" ("tè děng dì yī", meaning: of superior class, No. 1), the mark of the emperor’s reign, the gun was owned by the Qianlong Emperor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The Emperor was a noted collector of fine arts, as well as an avid hunter. Several old paintings show him using a similar gun hunting deer. 

Robert Bradlow, a Senior Director at Sotheby’s London, said, “This remarkable object epitomizes the pinnacle of imperial craftsmanship during the Qing dynasty. The gun’s historical importance cannot be overstated. It ranks as one of the most significant Chinese treasures ever to come to auction.”