doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Buddy of mine just purshased a Strong and Son SXS

You know I am and have always been leary of who was the manufacture of guns that have a blank space where it looked like some just engraved a name in the blank on the rib or the side plate.

Monty, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the gun's heritage. It was made in the trade, as so many hundreds of thousands were. But, who cares. It is undoubtably a good workhorse and will probably outlast all of us. Banner engraved guns do not bother me and in no way do they indicate an inferior product.

I wouldn't be. You have a world class shotgun without the world class price.

I agree with Joe. There's nothing wrong with trade guns. This gun is actually quite attractive and the engraving is nice and somewhat unique. The oak leaves are very English and the bold ancanthus is pleasing to the eye. It's a nice gun. And for what it's worth, it matters not what lever work the action uses, most all trade actions were made with various types of lever work, ejector work, spring types, etc. Its a matter of what action maker was selling the actions at the best price at the time. The gunmakers would buy at the best price and finish the guns for whoever wanted finished product for their shelves or bench stock. This is practically how the entire English gun trade worked. Yes, even many "London" guns.

Good info. Shocks me three guns app 80 years old have almost identical engraving but rose scroll engraving has been copied many times... all looks like all the engravers must have been related.I guess I'm more ok with banner engraving if Joe and LeFusil are but when I said I was leery of what I've learned is called banner engraving I meant to say I was leery who made it... but I'm a big W C Scott fan and Westley Richards and I know they made trade guns.My first hammer gun had banner engraving and it was a Acme...evidently a common name of the time... in Belgium! also bought a Hamilton hammer antique... my sons name is Hamilton.... I think Acme made it too!Sold them for someone to make a Lamp! I guess they were considered lamp quality.
Thanks for all the input I still haven't held it yet but if I have any more questions about it I'll post.

Another one filed up and engraved is a similar manner.

http://www.heritageguns.co.uk/Sanders%20BLE/Sanders%20BLE%20Details.htm

Red Oak
that is almost the identical gun.. Who made it....? any Idea?

Monty, you're never going to get the answer you want. Time has obliterated the trail. But the basic question is "where was it made" and the answer is unequivocally England, if that's what is concerning you. Who knows, the barrels may have been stitched together by the same guy who the day before finished a pair for a name London maker. The action forging was undoubtably milled by one of the major shops and an actioner working in a small walkup shop on St. Marys Row filed it up as he did with so many others. You know, I have several basic Birmy boxlocks that are actioned as well as any London gun I've ever handled. If you want to find out more about how the trade operated I suggest going to Amazon and searching "The Birmingham Gun Trade" by David Williams. Get a used copy. While it is intended to trace the development of interchangeable gun parts it of necessity had to reach back to the work of the individual craftsmen. Wonderful read and contains a number of previously unpublished photos of the shops. Producing it was a project of the City of Birmingham.

Jeweler,

Arthur Howell & Co. in Birmingham would be my guess.

If so, it will have the AH&Co. stamp under the barrels that I described in an earlier reply.

Jeweler,

Yet another one imported by Hill Rod & Gun.

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