clayshooter,
T.Gardener was most likely The name of a hardware store that sold Birmingham made guns engraved with their name. Records show that such a store,named "Gardener" existed in Chippenham Wiltshire, England.This business sold their own brand of shotgun shells,Olive green and black in colour with their mame printed in white on the outside of the case.
Some larger U.K. Hardware stores of the Victorian and later eras, often loaded /or sold their own brand of shells and also a small quamtity of guns bearing their name.[ie; many such guns show up on this forum!]
In my experience a gun with a name not listed as a practicing gunmakers can some times be traced through a private brand named shotgun shell.
In this respect,The book ,Collecting Shotgun Cartridges,by Ken Rutterford,may provide important leads as to the retailer of a gun.
Last edited by Roy Hebbes; 10/29/12 09:39 PM.
