I talked to Douglas Tate, author on British guns, and he suggested the following on Edwin Smith. Of course no records are known to exist, but this is his take. It seems that gunman might have been spot on when he "remembered" seeing the assisted opener on a Churchill.
"Edwin V. Smith was a gun action maker in the Birmingham gun trade who is unquestionably most famous today for his Patent 372,035 of 1931for an easy opening side by side. Drawings (page 181 Modern Shotgun Vol, I Major Burrard, attributed to Rosson) show a boxlock, but the broad concept can be adapted to sidelocks too.
It’s a system most often associated with the Connaught by Westley Richards, the Hercules, and Utility by E. J. Churchill, the Regent, Eclipse and Norfolk models by C. S. Rosson. These guns were made in Birmingham, some by Keene & Curry and some undoubtedly by Smith himself. They have longer than usual cocking dogs and that cock springs in order to get the fore-arm onto the gun. Does yours?"
As noted earlier the forend of the E. Smith is attached in the method outlined in Mr. Tates last sentence.
I asked about the possible engravers of the Smith gun and Mr Tate responded. I find his conjecture interesting on the time when the gun quarter was altered for roads.
"The game birds are bog standard Birmingham game birds of the era. Busby & Stockton or Harry Morris are likely candidates.
And now for some conjecture: Your proof marks date from exactly when the gun quarter was destroyed to make way for the ring road. The old chap likely decided to hang up his apron rather than retire. The unsold barreled actions intended for WR or Rosson would have been proofed, stocked and finished then sent to a dealer. I'm guessing that 's why you have a Smith with the Smith name on it."
Last edited by Daryl Hallquist; 12/29/23 08:55 AM.
