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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 428 Likes: 77
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 428 Likes: 77 |
This is a 12-bore double-barrelled underlever pinfire gun by Samuel and Charles Smith of 64 Princes St. Leicester Square, London. Has anyone ever encountered an inverted inscription on a lock plate? Both lock plates are like this. Would anyone have any idea why such a thing would have been requested? Steve Nash
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,539 Likes: 170
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,539 Likes: 170 |
Last edited by skeettx; 06/23/18 10:53 PM.
USAF RET 1971-95
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,280 Likes: 210
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,280 Likes: 210 |
I'll bet skeettx is close to right. Possibly the fellow who was supposed to do the lettering was given the lockplates to letter, but he just made a bad judgement as to which was "right side up" . Those lockplates are not as easy to tell as are bar action lockplates.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,405
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,405 |
I have seen this on some early back-action Parker guns.
B.Dudley
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 428 Likes: 77
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 428 Likes: 77 |
I have seen this on some early back-action Parker guns. Aha! The next question is why? I can’t imagine it is a mistake passed on to the buyer, not when gunmaking workmanship was at such a high standard of quality, and workmen spent years in apprenticeships. The lettering on the Smith is well executed, just ‘upside down’.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,704 Likes: 103
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,704 Likes: 103 |
I wish I had one of those postage stamps with the upside down bi-plane on it...Geo
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 778 Likes: 36
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 778 Likes: 36 |
I am amazed that this mistake has survived as I am very aware of the ease that engraving mistakes can be rectified with a peening tool and judicious striking off. My most favourite restoration engraver had a 'senior' moment when engraving the number on a triggerguard. Thankfully I noticed it as soon as it came back and he had it back to rectify. On the 2nd time round it was absolutely impossible to tell it had been re-cut. I think it was intentional, maybe for an antipodean?
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,280 Likes: 210
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,280 Likes: 210 |
Maybe intentional. It might have looked more readable in it's case with the letters that way.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,201 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,201 Likes: 7 |
What Daryl said, or maybe they're lettered upside down so the shooter could look down on them and admire his good buying choice while shouldering the gun.
fiery, dependable, occasionally transcendent
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 593
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 593 |
I think it was intentional, maybe for an antipodean? No, when we stand up, we stand up. The same up is always up. Some guns hang upside down over the mantle. O.M
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