Marking on underside of upper rib.
 

I just took apart a set of very early barrels. 1876 Vintage. I found something very interesting on the bottom of the upper rib.
It is a stamping of sort with a company name. The marking is at an angle and runs off the rib.
It is pretty clear that it reads BROWN & CO. U.S.CO The B is a little hard to make out at the start, but the rest is clear. And The end is a little iffy.
Below is a photo of it. I put some inletting black in it so it would show up better.

Any ideas??? I would think it may have been the manufacturer of the steel for the rib. A quick google search did not turn up much on this possible long defunct company.

Attachment 30013

Very interesting Brian. Thanks for posting it up. I wonder if there is a Brown and Co. here in CT at that time. We know Parker Bros. used sources close to home.

Actually, In looking at the end of it VERY closely, There is more. First letter after Brown & Co. Looks like either "U." or "J." Next looks sure to be an "S". The nest looks more like a "G". Following Likely an "O" or "U" and finally I can very faintly make out what looks like part of an "N". Maybe the final part is "GUN".

It surely isn't ".COM" :rotf:

Being that half of evertyhing is off the rib, it is so hard to tell.

There was a Brown Manufacturing Co., in Winsted, CT from about 1870 till the depression.

Might be worth a phone call to the Winsted Library re Brown Mfg

Egger,Any idea what they manufactured?

Actually, Now that I dug this out, it appears the company was 'Brown Machine Co.'
I know they made line throwing cannons, from early muzzle loading to something that took a 2" cartridge. I have one of the patterns for a small (1" bore) cannon. They also had another company called the Brown Beer Pump Company, who made the first electric motor driven beer pumps.
Wm. Asaph Brown was my mother's Grandfather. His son, my Grandfather was also William Asaph Brown. He was an Episcopalian, and was married to Mary Stack, an Irish Catholic. My mother was the 2nd of three children, and raised Episcopalian. Her older sister was a Roman Catholic Nun, and her younger brother was also raised Catholic. The night my grandfather died, my Grandmother, and Aunt brought a priest in and had my Grandfather converted to Catholic. My mother never spoke to anyone in her family again. Consequently, I know very little, and have never bothered to look up anything else.