That would be Researcher and people like David Trevalion? Bill Headrick's photographs were worth the price of the books in themselves

Make no mistake though, he was no Corey Ford or Archibald Rutledge. Doesn't look like we'll ever see their likes again

Regarding the Superposed Guns, I think most individuals always speak of them as "Belgian Brownings"--hard to call that an American Gun!

Michael's style of writing, making boring subjects interesting , and simplifying the complex brought me, and I'm sure many others into the doublegun fold. I think we all owe him a special thanks.
Dave

I have the 2nd edition of Best Guns and the Browning Superposed is included. The book is not restricted to "vintage" guns so I don't see why the Win 21 should not be included.

Ken

I enjoy MMs writings a great deal. If the man's prose exceeded his knowledge, that is no great crime in writing. Few are the Cairos who are both great writers and researchers. I like his books, the man probably forgot more about doubles then I currently know...not saying much.


My issue with the 21 being in the book has more to do with his reference to it as the quintessential American double, when I personally have never been as enthralled with it as I have the vintage doubles.



Sorry, didn't finish the European section yet. I still don't consider
The superposed a Belgium fun. It was designed and sold by Americans.

I didn't realize that MM was held in such low regard because his strength was more his prose and he wisely used the research talents of others. I greatly prefer to read someone who writes effectively then read the findings of a researcher who writes with all the excitement of a IRS report.

Regarding pictures/photos, Headrick was your man if you want calendar pictures artfully
arranged with pipes, assorted shells, tobacco tins, and so on. If you wanted really accurate photos, Tom Kidd's very carefully done photos, taken outdoors with a big format
camera, were absolutely the best Fox available at the time. When the Double Gun Journal dropped Kidd for Headrick, I cancelled my subscription.

I had Milo take a look at my gun tonight and it is his opinion that the Model 21 meets the criteria of an all American classic SXS, but what does he know he is just a cat. LOL.
6lb. 20 gauge made in 1941. Sent back in 1946 after the war to be upgraded to grade 6 with George Ulrich doing the engraving. Not a Parker, Smith, Fox or Ithaca, but it has taken plenty of birds. Mechanically perfect, and pretty to boot. The 21 was engineered in the 20's and first produced in 1930. 84 years ago makes it a classic in my book.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/030-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/029-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/028-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/027-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/026-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/025-2.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/024-3.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/022-4.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...carr/021-8.jpg

I like that engraving very much. Ulrich's engraving style is classic and easy to identify.

The Headricks, William H. and William W. were far more than just pretty pictures when it came to Ansley H. Fox shotguns. They had a deep understanding of the guns from decades of southern Illinois waterfowling, as well a benchmark collection of the very finest examples of the product. Always a learning experience whenever I stopped by Cape Girardeau, and the little house on N. Sprigg Street --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...compressed.jpg

If it wasn't for the Headricks there never would have been the Fox story told in Mike McIntosh's words.