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10641 - a second look

Re the name on the action "S.Breeden":

He is likely identical to Samuel Breeden alt. spelling Breedon:
Born in 04 May 1813. Saltey Washwood, Aston area of Birmingham, Warwickshire where lived his whole life. Believe his Father was William Breeden and Mother Mary Breeden
-- 17 Aug 1834 - Married Charlotte Lynol
-- 1849 listed in Birmingham Directory in Saltey Washwood as a “Gun Furniture Manufactuer”
-- 1851 Census – born in Shifnal, Shropshire, England, Saltley Washwood. Married to Charlottte. Son William, Margaret, Charlotte, Emma. Occupation listed as “gun furniture maker; trigger maker(? unclear).”

-- 1853 notice that Samuel Breedon of Washwood Heath, “gun furniture and revolving pistol maker” took on an apprentice named Thomas Spencer (the younger) of Washwood Heath.

-- 1855 listed in Birmingham Directory in Saltey Washwood as a “pistol and rifle sight maker”
-- 1861 Census. Living in Saltey Washwood area. Wife Charlotte. 3 daughters Emma, Charlotte, Luisa. Occupation listed as “Breech Loading action manufacturer and master employing 8 men”

-- 1862 listed in Birmingham directory as a “Gun Furniture maker” located at Washwood heath

-- 1862 listed in Birmingham directory as living on Washwood heath
-- 1862 listed in Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory under “Gun, Rifle and Pistol Makers” as “Breech loading” located on Washwood heath.
-- 2 July 1865 Samuel Breeden died. William Hill of Birchfield (gun maker) and John Dennison of Birmingham (Confectioner) were executers of the will. His effects were worth under Ł 100. He was buried on 9 Jul 1865.

So as of the 1861 census (in April) Breeden was indeed making breech loading actions. He must have been one of the first in Birmingham to do this.

From Stephen Nash's pin-fire line, Stephen comments that the gun is an early UK Beringer type under-lever. The fences are relatively shallow:
The under-lever is filled-in in front of the trigger guard which is unusual.

However, there is a drawing of a Reilly in a book published in early 1860 of a similar under-lever with that space filled-in - the sketch probably as made shortly after the July 1859 "The Field" trials...note the name on the sketch "Reilly & Co.":


My opinion: This serial numbered Reilly was not made by him...and is the exception to the rule that Reilly Reilly only serial numbered guns he made.
-- The Barrels are proofed in Birmingham
-- The action is from a Birmingham action maker.
I do believe Reilly engraved the gun (very familiar style), and stocked it (very familiar wood used). It also is an early pin-fire but not from March 1858 which the serial number would date it to- more likely dated to early 1860 or 1861... that would explain it having "E.M. Reilly & Co." (It would help to have more information on when exactly Breeden began to make breech-loader pin-fire actions. The 1861 Census is the earliest hard evidence available).
-- If anyone has more information on the introduction of breech-loading action manufacturing in Birmingham and dates - help would be appreciated.

How the serial number got on it is a question and a mystery. Perhaps the gun were ordered, the serial number recorded, but payment never made in March 1858..or perhaps the buyer put a deposit down for a muzzle loader then changed his mind...then two years later the buyer came back and was given an assembled gun and the SN and rib name/address and the engraving finished off at that time.

Lots of scenarios but one just cannot place that gun being made in March 1858. That seems just too early for Birmingham pin-fire work. And it's certainly 18 months before the introduction of the name "E.M. Reilly & Co." (October 1859).





Last edited by Argo44; 08/08/20 10:32 PM.
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