I hadn't known about the sell-off of the Spencers before. Interesting story. A bunch of them ended up in Asia, including (thanks Wikipedia) arming the Tosa Domain forces during the wars that broke the samurai class and put the Meiji Emperor on the throne. A lot of them ended up in Thailand.

First time I went over there, my wife told me there were some long guns under the bed. So I looked. Two muzzle-loaders and a Spencer long rifle in the white with the Chakri stamped into it. Her grandfather had been an instructor in French and music at their Naval Academy. After the coup in 1932, some loyal military put together a force with what weapons were still available and marched on Bangkok to free the royal family. I'm guessing the Spencer is the weapon he carried. In any case, the army had Mausers, machine guns, armor and air support. There was a huge fight where Don Muang Airport is and the Royalists were wiped out. Grandpa survived and made his way to Vietnam. There was an amnesty after WWII and he came back. With a second, Vietnamese wife and family!

The palace has a list of all those who fought the good fight, and their descendants. When one of them dies, the palace sends someone with fire from king to light the pyre. What happened when my mother-in-law passed away.

The story that goes with the gun.

jn