Birmingham proof marks only indicate that it was prepared for sale in the UK. It is not an indication of origin or quality. This is a very poor quality gun. Even the lowest quality Birmingham trade guns generally exceeded this quality. One comment from Brown is on interest regarding John Manton. By 1834, GH Manton and Gildon Manton owned the firm. Over the next 20 years 'the majority of guns were marked 'Manton' and were made up in Birmingham and proved there. They were not normally given serial numbers and a number were exported to the USA'. The firm ceased trading in 1878.
It could be a very cheap Birmingham export gun.
