Dogs will roam
 

OK I didn't want to dilute JLows thread. So who can identify the maker and model? Just shows dogs don't always stay home. I know that there are at least a couple that frequent this site who can nail the maker at first glance so I am hoping they will let others have a good time making a guess. Will post the answer in due time.


Attachment 31361


Attachment 31362

Meriden Fire Arms possibly?

The engraving appears to have been done by someone who was also a Parker Bros. engraving contractor... right there in Meriden.

Nope.
But similarity of the dogs caught my eye. Obviously someone migrated from one Company to another. It would be nice to match the engraving style to a particular period at PB. I don't remember if Meriden Firearms made boxlocks.
I recently purchased one but it isn't a boxlock.
Erick

Is that one of the old Stevens 325 models?

Attachment 31363Close enough and it didn't take long at all.

Beautiful gun Eric,needs some tlc though;)

Another stray
 

Another stray dog. Any guesses?
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s.../HammerDog.jpg

Thinking European Phil...that's all I got

Early Prussian? Linder pre-Linder? Maybe a Charles Daly? What about the two top tang screws? What is that about.

The Stevens isn't anything I own it had barrels cut back to 25" not to mention the crushed stock head

Interesting J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. double!! Generally speaking, the No. 350, 360 and 370 weren't engraved.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...atalogNo52.jpg

After the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. changed their method of barrel manufacture from the mono-bloc style of the No. 350, 360, 370 and briefly 380, they changed to a chopper-lump style barrels which they called demi-bloc. The guns then became the No. 355, 365, 375 and 385. In that series the No. 375 and 385 were engraved --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps388d7add.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps0e7a9ac3.jpg

Erick, those dogs, to me, were done by the same hand that engraved the dogs on three of my Parker Grade 3 guns. The time period is from around 1900 to around 1917 or so and represents a period of some of the finest engraving done at Parker Bros.

Very possibly done by William Gough, (Harry's son) chief engraver from 1899 through 1911.


My DHE 24" 28 ga. made in 1908.



.

Dean,
From what Researcher posted on another site the Stevens 350 was discontinued around 1906 so the time frame coincides with your estimate. My geography is bad but I would think that the distance between Meriden and Chicopee would preclude moonlighting in that era. My thought is that someone trained at PB may have been recruited by Stevens. First Stevens engraved shotgun I have taken note of but engraved single shots aren't unheard of.

I might have bought this if it had been in better shape but I have too many unstarted projects laying around as it is.

Hint on the Hammer gun. American company that was short lived. Had a little rivalry between them and LC Smith

I wouldn't rule it out. Meriden to Chicopee Falls is only about fifty miles and probably only a couple of hours, at most, by train.

There are a number of engravers who did work at a few different gun makers in CT, MA and NY within periods of from just months to a few years span.

Perhaps a Baker?
 

I read this post, and have learned a great deal- and I guessed Baker, as I am still looking at the 12 gauge Baker Paragon with ejectors and 28" Nitro barrels- and the later series Greener top bolting feature-- Just my "SWAG" here!!

Phil its outside my experience and I'm stumped. Waiting for someone to id this early gun.
Erick

The gun was made by T R Hasdell in Chicago. L C Smith had a little Pee Pee contest with over who's guns were choked better. I believe TR Hasdell only made or finished guns in the USA for about 4 years. Here is a link to the LC Smith article where TR Hasdell was challenged
http://www.lcsmith.org/newsletter/Volume2issue4.pdf

The gun is bored with about 3 1/4" chambers and long tapered chokes, and does pattern very well. A friend and I shot about 20 hand thrown pigeons and the gun performed remarkably well on these birds.

Thanks Phil, I have never heard of this maker. Interesting article on the challenge for bragging rights.
Erick