According to T.F. Fremantle's 1901 "Book of the Rifle":
 
"In 1886 Messrs. Holland brought out the Paradox gun, the invention of Colonel Fosbery. The Paradox gun may be described as an ordinary gun with an exggerated choke at the muzzle, the choked part being rifled with several grooves inclined at an angle. The conical bullet when fired travels up the smooth part of the barrel, and in the last three or four inches just before leaving the muzzle is caught and twisted, the sharp lands of the rifling cutting into it, and so leaves the muzzle with an ample spin to keep it steady. This gun, which makes very close shooting with shot, is a capital weapon for general work, but it would be hard to say that it is better than various other guns designed for the same purpose by different makers, whether they be called Ubique, Colindian, Cosmos, or by any other fancy name."
 
 
David

That's my understanding, although until you raised the question I don't recall hearing of the Paradox gun before. I must have skimmd through the pages on sporting guns when I read Fremantle's book several years ago!
 
David

That's the one that sparked my interest.  Other than the price it looks like a nice buy.
Jim