March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online Now
1 members (Ian Forrester), 657 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums10
Topics38,374
Posts544,013
Members14,391
Most Online1,131
Jan 21st, 2024
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 423
Likes: 73
Sidelock
***
OP Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 423
Likes: 73


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

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,522
Likes: 167
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,522
Likes: 167
Perhaps they are on the wrong sides of the gun?
Sorry, I could not help myself smile

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=383871&page=2

Last edited by skeettx; 06/23/18 10:53 PM.

USAF RET 1971-95 [Linked Image from jpgbox.com]
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,264
Likes: 196
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,264
Likes: 196
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.

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,405
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,405
I have seen this on some early back-action Parker guns.


B.Dudley
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 423
Likes: 73
Sidelock
***
OP Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 423
Likes: 73
Originally Posted By: B. Dudley
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’.

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,698
Likes: 99
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,698
Likes: 99
I wish I had one of those postage stamps with the upside down bi-plane on it...Geo

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 775
Likes: 35
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 775
Likes: 35
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? wink

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,264
Likes: 196
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,264
Likes: 196
Maybe intentional. It might have looked more readable in it's case with the letters that way.

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 7
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,198
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. whistle


fiery, dependable, occasionally transcendent
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 593
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 593
Originally Posted By: Toby Barclay

I think it was intentional, maybe for an antipodean? wink

No, when we stand up, we stand up. The same up is always up.
Some guns hang upside down over the mantle.
O.M

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard

doublegunshop.com home | Welcome | Sponsors & Advertisers | DoubleGun Rack | Doublegun Book Rack

Order or request info | Other Useful Information

Updated every minute of everyday!


Copyright (c) 1993 - 2024 doublegunshop.com. All rights reserved. doublegunshop.com - Bloomfield, NY 14469. USA These materials are provided by doublegunshop.com as a service to its customers and may be used for informational purposes only. doublegunshop.com assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in these materials. THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-ABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. doublegunshop.com further does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these materials. doublegunshop.com shall not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including without limitation, lost revenues or lost profits, which may result from the use of these materials. doublegunshop.com may make changes to these materials, or to the products described therein, at any time without notice. doublegunshop.com makes no commitment to update the information contained herein. This is a public un-moderated forum participate at your own risk.

Note: The posting of Copyrighted material on this forum is prohibited without prior written consent of the Copyright holder. For specifics on Copyright Law and restrictions refer to: http://www.copyright.gov/laws/ - doublegunshop.com will not monitor nor will they be held liable for copyright violations presented on the BBS which is an open and un-moderated public forum.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.0.33-0+deb9u11+hw1 Page Time: 0.072s Queries: 36 (0.051s) Memory: 0.8423 MB (Peak: 1.8988 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-29 04:50:20 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS