I think you have to define 'lesser-known'! One could say that Purdey, Boss, H&H and Woodward are the best known, that the likes of Beesley, Westley Richards, Hussey, Atkin, Lancaster, Churchill etc are well known. So we are perhaps looking more at the provincial makers as being lesser known. In fact, this reflects Rocketman's grading system to a large extent.

My personal favourites would include:

John Harper
John Ross
Edwinson Green
Henry Clarke

Tim