William Read & Sons, Boston #3024 12 bore side lock. Krupp Fluid Steel Barrels. Action & locks engraved. Nice wood. I have the Read catalog from Cornell but still have a couple of questions concerning this gun. Does anyone have an idea when it was made? Were the barrels originally rust brown or rust black?
Thanks

Recreation 1906 Advert

Pleasure us with some images as it seems they sourced the globe.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

I don't mean to kidnap your thread, Michael, but I have an additional question about this firm which I have an interest in, especially since they were from my home state (albeit 80 miles away).

I own a Jefferies 12 bore that was made by Leonard. I came across some iniformation sometime ago that they (Leonard) had some connection with William Read.

Can anyone shine some light on that?

Every William Read-labeled gun I have seen has been made in Belgium.

I don't think they all were made there as early on they sourced the British trade and later the Belgians. For a time, up to say the 1890s, Alfred Tonks was head over the repair dept after his business failed. Not sure about Alfred, but brother Joseph was crossing the pond from time to time.

Was that D. Leonard & Sons?: http://www.doublegunshop.com/ryder1.htm


"The firm of W.J. Jeffery, so famous for its association with far-flung colonial fields, ordered most of its later guns and rifles from smaller makers in Birmingham, John Saunders, sadly an almost unknown craftsman, built quite a few shotguns for Jeffery. Jeffery's famous double rifles were often turned out by the family-operated firm of D. Leonard and Sons. "


1878 Advert


1879 Advert


Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse