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Posted By: Ghostrider T. R. Hasdell - 05/13/12 04:59 PM
I recently purchased the T R Hasdell from Cambo listed on the For Sale section. I am looking forward to receiving the fine old gun on Tuesday. In the meantime I am trying to find out as much history as I can on the gun, and the manufacture Thomas R Hasdell.
If anyone on the forum has information they can share, such as articles I can read, engravers that may have done work for Hasdell, and any other information it would be greatly appreciated. So far the search I have done on Google has turned up very little.
It is my intension to have the gun restored. I will post pictures when the project is completed.
Thanks Phil
Posted By: Rockdoc Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/13/12 05:18 PM
I looked up Both TR Hasdell of London and Thomas R Hasdell of Chicago in Carder's. Which one is it?
Steve
Posted By: Daryl Hallquist Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/13/12 05:59 PM
Rockdoc, it could be the same fellow. The Chicago Hasedll was trained early on in Britain and came to the U.S. in 1870 at about the age of 45. Curtis Johnson's second book, Gunmakers of Illinois has some bio on him as well as an 1881 challenge from L C Smith, Maker of the Baker Patent gun, to see whose guns patterned the tightest. Hasdell was supposed to prefer a "long taper choke" boring.

It is never clear with these fellows who operated on imported guns, exactly how much was done overseas and how much was done here. I have seen Hasdell guns both from England and Belgium. Quality varies. The gun we are talking about seems fairly high quality and I would guess most of the work was done in Belgium.
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/13/12 08:23 PM
Thanks for the information Daryl. I do not own Gun Makers of Illinos. Any information you can share from the Bio is greatly appreciated. I did find the article on the LC Smith challange.
Thanks Phil
Posted By: chissel Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/14/12 02:50 PM
I personally checked out the Hasdell at a Kalamazoo gun show. And I should have bought it myself, and I am very sorry that I did not. Congratulations to the new owner, you have purchased a very special gun. PM me if you decide to sell.
Posted By: PeteM Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/14/12 03:29 PM
I have posted this before..

According to Johnson's "Gunmakers of Illinois" Vol II:
Hasdell worked at 150 St John Road, London until he immigrated to Chicago. From 1871-1887 he was located at 20 E Madison.
In 1881 he was challenged in the American Field by LC Smith of Baker guns. LC Smith wrote a public letter in which he wagered $50 that his guns had a better choke than Hasdell.
Hasell made long taper chokes.

There is at least one example of a WC Scott with Hasdell's name on the barrels. An old ad shows him offering guns for $100-$300 (very expensive). He apparently had a real following in Chicago.

As Daryl stated, it is impossible to determine how much work Hasdell did to a gun.

Pete
Posted By: wallis vernon Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/14/12 06:12 PM
Here's one I used to own...


Great gun. The nicest TR Hasdell I had seen. Obviously a WC Scott. I believe he imported the guns and finished them here
Posted By: chissel Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/14/12 10:50 PM
Do you have any photos to share? The photos have been taken off.
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/15/12 02:21 AM
Thanks to all who have responded I appreciate every piece of information I can gain on the gun, and the man who built it.
Chissel I would like to discuss with you your thought on the gun, and will keep you on mind if I decide to sell. At this time I am looking forward to doing some restoration work on the gun and shooting it a little this fall. I will keep you in mind if I ever decide to part with it.
I am in Mexico working today, but will be driving North tomorrow night. The Hasdell should actually be at my house today. I will take some pictures of the gun and post them. I would like to get feedback on this gun and suggestions on doing restoration, including recommendations on whom I can send it to.
Thanks Phil
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/16/12 01:58 AM
I just got home and inspected the HASDELL. The gun is better than expected. The engraving is excellent. The wood is as I expected and will need some work. Barrels are very good. I will post pictures as soon as I can. The barrels is marked T R Hasdell Chicago Ill
Posted By: cambo Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/16/12 02:44 AM
Awesome Phil... I am glad everything was OK. Keep me posted on the progress. I emailed $10.00 to Dave for the sale.
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/16/12 01:15 PM
I want to share a link and some information Cambo was able to provide. It seems that EC Hodges was the brother in-law to TR Hasdell. I will post pictures later today and appreciate any information others can share on this gun.

http://hodgesgunmakers.yolasite.com/

1855 December - EC marries Emma Lane of North Walsham. Her parents were Groom Lane, a Norfolk tanner (b.1780 – d.1855) and Harriet Caroline Ladell nee Worm (b.1792 – d. 1869). Pre-marriage address was 23 St James St (now Chantry St), Islington, lodging with George Woods, a barrister's clerk. Emma was living with sister Frances and her North Walsham (NFK) born gunmaker husband Thomas Robert Hasdell (1825-1887) at no.14 in the same street. Hasdell later moved his business to Clerkenwell and was still active in The Field trials of 1866. Thomas and Frances emigrated to Chicago shortly afterwards (date?) and Thomas seems to have had a successful gunmaking career until his death in 1887
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/16/12 02:23 PM





Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/16/12 02:27 PM


Posted By: chissel Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/16/12 08:14 PM
Thats the one I passed on in Kalamazoo and regret it. Can we see the proof markings? You want to sell that old thing?
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/17/12 01:59 AM
Yes, its a great old gun. I will probably put too much money into it. Good news is the engraving is very nice, and the barrel is also in very good condition. On top of that I just like it. I will have it evaluated shortly and know what I will be doing with it. I already have a few too many projects having recently found the 1st Pigeon gun produced by LC Smith, that also needs some work.
If I decide to sell I will let you know. What is your appeal to this gun Chizzel?
Posted By: chissel Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/17/12 05:11 PM
My appeal to this gun is unexplainable. When I first picked up the Hasdell I knew it was a special gun. The only reason I do not have this gun today is because of me being a bit to frugal. I also feel that there is more to this gun than we know. I am sad and also mad at myself for not purchasing it when I had the chance. This one will haunt me. Congratulations Phillip on your purchase. IMO you should study deeply on it before restoration. And every one reading this should pitch in any info they possibly can on its history.
Posted By: Ghostrider Re: T. R. Hasdell - 05/18/12 12:32 AM
Thanks Chissel, I will walk slow on the restoration. I did send the gun to Buck Hamlin to look the gun over, and determine what he could do with the cracked stock. He has done a number of LC Smith stocks for me that were cracked to the point where I thought the wood could not be repaired without looking horrible. He has done an unbelievable job every time. He also did a set of Damascus barrels on my Watson that turned out jaw dropping gorgeous. I too hope anyone that has information on T R Hasdell will share their information. I have received some Private emails with a little information, unfortunatly I think there is just not much information to be had on T R Hasdell.
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