But there's a corollary to this - when were the names/addresses of the gun maker added to the gun ribs? Why is this important? There are no EM Riley records extant. However he changed shop address 6 times counting the opening of the Paris shop. The address on the rib changed. So I've been dating serial numbers by rib-addresses.
Were Serial numbers added when the gun was ordered, and the ribs added just before the gun was sold? Or was it all a package? I may write my William Evans contact to ask his opinion.
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Example of an EM Riley serial number and why I'm asking:
15270 - (February 1868?) (first mention of Paris address; but with non-rebounding hammers)
!!!!!!! First serial numbered Riley with the Paris address !!!!!!!!!!!Name: E.M.Reilly and Company Oxford Street London & Rue Scribe Paris.
Descriptions: .577 calibre double barrel hammer breech loading underlever black powder proof African dangerous big game rifle.circa 1870 #15270. non rebounding back action locks,Jones patent rotary u/lever,26"
Comment: Note that these are non-rebounding hammers; Rebounding hammers were patented by Stanton in 1867; Reilly was quick to get the latest advances into his shop. So....was this gun numbered after the opening of Rue Scribe in Feb 1868. But before he began putting on rebounding hammers. Or could be it was ordered and serial numbered that way, and rebounding hammers came out after the order? Or that it was ordered/serial numbered before Stanton's patent and the address on the rib was added in February 1868 as a final touch?
http://www.gunstar.co.uk/reilly-e-m-co-double-barrel-hammer-rifle-rifles/rifles/584595
