Interesting article by Diggory in the March 2009 issue of "Sporting Shooter" in the UK. The article's title is "BORN IN THE USA". In explaining the USA gun collector he says:
"The typical collector in the US looks for a factory original, mint condition example of a gun by the likes of Le Fever (sic), Parker or LC Smith. The fewer made, the more collectable, the more original condition, the more it will cost. Quality hardly comes into it. A basic grade Birmingham trade boxlock surpasses all these in terms of mechanical integrity, design and manufacture. If you want to upset an American show him a high-grade Parker, then show him a Purdey, and watch him blather on about nostalgia and patriotism and grandpa's homestead.
However, not all American Guns are over-priced rubbish, and many American collectors have very impressive collections of best English guns and a surprising number are immensely Knowledgeable, haveing taken pains to eductate themselves about English guns......Bill McPhail is unusual because his collection focuses on real qulity from relatively unknown American makers (William Schaefer, T. Hasdell, E. Thomas Jr., D. Kirkwood, Joseph Tonks and Mortimer & Kirkwood). Some of these guns clearly emanate from Scott in Birmingham, having distinctive tower mark stamped on the action flats or the barrel flats. I suspect very few if any were fully American made.....The quality of guns in Bill's collection is comparable to British guns of the 1870-80......Traveling and learning are wonderful parts of my job and I love discovering things that unravel my prejudices. So now when someone dismisses all American shotguns as agricultural nonentities like the LC Smith, I can point them to a Tonks or a Mortimer & Kirkwood and watch them struggle to find fault with it"
