doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Charles Lancaster Maker's Labels

My wife just acquired an 1860 Charles Lancaster in 14 gauge, with the sliding breech underlever mechanism.

What would be the correct label for that era, when I fit out a case for it?

MZ,

There should be a street address engraved in the top rib, 98 New Bond Street, London. Look for a label with that address, Dixie gun works has some, Peter Dyson, Henry Krank, CSMC. There was also a thread on this forum if I remember correctly concerning acquiring a letter from the current owners of Lancaster records, Ron Wharton in the UK. If you can, also look at D. Dallas book, Atkin, Grant, andLang. There is a chapter on Charles Lancaster. Well worth reading. Lancasters are undervalued in today’s market but were among the top in London back then. There are several up for auction on Holts next month.

Congrats,

151 New Bond Street on the rib. It dates from 1860. I have that information. There are several labels with that address. Some are as late as the 1890s. I'm finding less information on these than I did for my Westley Richards.

The research I have is that the "improved copper primer gun" cartridge was 1852, so any label referencing that is post 1852.

https://dspace.wlu.edu/bitstream/ha...rchPapers_McLaughlin_1983.pdf?sequence=1

Dyson has the base version https://www.peterdyson.co.uk/acatalog/Charles-Lancaster--NLR--TL101.html

Labels change from 19 prizes, 20 prizes, at the same address, and 40, 46 prizes, 50 prizes, at no address. 20 prizes exists on an original label sometime around 1860-1870. I have an image on file, of a case for the same style gun as above. It looks like this repro https://www.peterdyson.co.uk/acatalog/Charles-Lancaster--NLR--TL212.html#SID=68

No address style here https://www.peterdyson.co.uk/acatalog/Charles-Lancaster--NLR--TL103.html

Post 1900, it switches to a more elaborate label with their royal pedigree and additional details.