doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The pinfire game gun

Argo44, thanks for the kind words. I strongly believe the only way to understand the pinfire and early breech-loaders in Britain is by looking at the wider picture of society, class, politics, and current events. The arrival of the pinfire coincided with the boom in rail travel, product advertising, and industry, and a growing (but not distributed) wealth. This was wealth often made from the backs of powerless workers, and in some instances derived from slave labour on distant plantations. Against this grimy backdrop was the British desire for country pursuits, for which shooting, either for competition, sport, or the dinner table, was a major pastime.

The view count on this thread is steadily increasing, which I hope is an indication of interest in the subject matter, arcane as it is. I encourage readers that have been silent so far to join in, there must be other pinfires lurking in collections, all are welcome here!

Continuing with Birmingham guns, here is another marked "London," again.

The "London" address has always been the most desirable to have on a sporting gun. It speaks of wealth and prestige, and infers a degree of elitism that other addresses did not attain -- addresses that were a stone's throw from posh members-only clubs, and alongside shops catering to the upper echelons of a highly stratified society. For many gun makers, a London address was de rigeur, situated as closely as possible to their desired clientele, be they nobility, politicians, businessmen, professionals, officers, or just wealthy sportsmen. In truth though, very few "London" guns were actually made in London, or built from parts made in London. As I've covered before, the vast majority of component parts, and a great many of the guns themselves, were made in Birmingham. A London maker could order from a Birmingham supplier anything ranging from individual parts, to a fully finished gun engraved with the London maker's name, address and serial number, and decorated to suit. Some London firms chose to perform most of their own work on the highest grades of guns, with lesser grades built entirely for them in Birmingham workshops. This seemed to be a better use of the more expensive London craftsmen, but if required, the small Gun Quarter workshops could put up "Best" work as fine as any London firm, for a price.

Birmingham also made the guns sold throughout Britain, again supplying anything from parts to finished guns. By my count, over 500 gunmakers were in operation outside of London and Birmingham during all or at least part of the later 1850s and 1860s, all depending on Birmingham to some extent. It would have been tempting to provincial makers to exaggerate one's business credentials, especially if it would help sell wares. A spuriously London-marked gun was simply canny advertising, though untruthful. But then again, what do you call a Birmingham-made gun retailed by a London maker with their name and address on the rib? You could nevertheless argue that the London maker's reputation was on the line with every gun that carried their name, and high standards and quality control had to be maintained.

Today's gun presents what appears to be a white lie, a maker's real name but with what may be a spurious London address. James Bott was born in 1826, and he established a business first at 8 Great Russell Street, Birmingham (date unknown), and in 1853 he set up as a gun maker at 67 Weaman Street (this corresponds well to having apprenticed at age 14, serving 7 years as apprentice, then 5-6 years as a journeyman, before opening his business). His was a successful gun making business, going through various address changes in the 1880s and 1890s, becoming James Bott & Son, and finally being sold to Joseph Bourne & Son in 1903. Bott probably supplied parts and guns to the trade, and he marketed guns under his own name -- which he may have made, or ordered from others. The small-scale sporting gun business was very convoluted in nature at the best of times.

The gun is a 12-bore, and it has no serial number. I'm guessing it was made in the mid- to later-1860s. The 29 15/16" damascus barrels have Birmingham proofs, and the top rib is signed "Patent Damascus JAs. Bott & Compy. Strand London." Herein lies the problem, as there are no patent marks on the barrels or the gun, and there is no record of James Bott having an address in London at the time, never mind the fashionable Strand thoroughfare in Westminster, central London (though he did obtain a London address much later in 1890, at 38 Lime Street East in the Langbourn ward). There are also no business records of a company, though it is possible that Bott used a London-based agent or partner, perhaps a jeweller or other trader who could move his goods. If he did so, there are no records or evidence of such an arrangement, and furthermore, that level of business was probably beyond the capacity of a small operation employing at most a handful of men. The fact that other Bott arms have been similarly marked (a James Bott pinfire revolver was recently sold at auction, and it carried a "J. BOTT & Co,, PATENT STRAND LONDON" barrel inscription). This suggests it was a general practice to augment his sales, or there is more to the Bott business than has been recorded so far. However, no London business directory has ever listed a "James Bott & Co.," and if such a business had existed, it would have been widely advertised.

The gun has the ubiquitous double-bite screw grip action, and the back-action locks are unsigned. It has a handsomely engraved top strap and nicely shaped hammers, but is otherwise a standard-grade Birmingham pinfire without any remarkable features. The condition is poor and worn, with damaged and missing hammer screws, and the fore-end is missing its horn finial. The bores are pitted, and the gun weighs 7 lb 10 oz.