Trio of LC Smith 10 Gauges
 

Somewhere I red that a collection consists of 3 or more similar items. To complement my collection of Parkers 10 gauges I added a trio of LC Smiths:

Included is the LC Smith Grade 2 with Chain Damascus Barrels which I gave it's own thread in the Damsacus section.

Also, there is the Grade 2 with Crown (fluid) Steel Barrels.

Finally, there is the oldest known surviving LC Smith Syracuse made Quality 2 gun. This one is a 10 gauge. This LC "Quality" gun was made during 1886 or 1887 in Syracuse NY prior to LC Smith being acquired by Hunter Arms Company and production transitioned to Fulton NY.

- The Chain Damascus 10 was recently restored by Brad Bachelder.
- The Crown Steel was restored by an unknown to me master.
- The Quality 2 may visit Brad Bachelder sometime in the future...

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p..._Lot1-P_19.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p..._Lot1-P_22.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p..._Lot1-P_29.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p..._Lot1-P_09.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p..._Lot1-P_17.jpg
The Quality 2 has a scalloped receiver

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p..._Lot1-P_12.jpg
Crown Steel Grade 2 Receiver

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...0s_Lot1_14.jpg
Chain Damascus Grade 2 Receiver

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...0s_Lot1_13.jpg
Quality 2 Receiver

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...0s_Lot1_15.jpg
Quality 2 Scalloped Receiver

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...0s_Lot1_16.jpg

i saw those same guns a few minutes ago on lc smith site they sure do good... a fluid steel lc smith is hard to come by in my neck of the woods....i thought i had the nicest lc smith around but i beliave yours has mine beat by a little bit.... charlie

What is the serial number of the "earliest Grade 2 ten gauge"? I missed one at an auction this week. I was not outbid, I was distracted and it slipped by. That is a wonderful trio. Craig Larter from the Fox Collectors Association took pictures of another high condition trio at the 2009 Vintagers. I believe it consisted of two pre 1913 Damascus Ideals and a Grade 2 or 3 transition gun. Craig and I own almost matching Ideals. Mine is an 11 pounder on the big frame.

Bill,

11 Pounds! Wow, what a gun! Are the Ideals with Damascus pre-1913? I am curious as to when the Ideal grade first appeared.

The serial of my Quality 2 is 16294. It is the oldest yet found in Quality 2 as acknowledged by the regulars on LC Smith site.

Mark

Beautiful guns! I had a Quality 2 grade that was numbered 16689. It was a 10 gauge with 32" Damascus barrels. My wallhanger was a Quality(?) 1E Damascus hammergun in 10 gauge. Its number was 13854. I always regret parting with the A-1 and A-2 Hunter Arms guns. Shoulda, woulda, coulda kept those 2. Cheers!

Mark,

Thanks!

The Syracuse hammerguns were Quality A, B, and so on...

Mark

I don't know if all pre-1913 Ideals were Damascus. I do know that my Ideal is the biggest Ideal I have ever seen.

Bill: The pictures I took at the Vintagers in 2009 were no good, it was a very sunny day and the guns were overexposed and none of the detail showed. I believe the third 10ga Elise we photographed that day was a original mint 0 or OO grade (I could be wrong), a spectacular gun. My Ideal was shipped in 1913, it has the Curtis forend release. I am always looking for original 10 bore Elsies, hard to find. A spectacular high condition 10ga Trap was displayed at the Southern last spring, it is owned by one of the LC Smith BOD's. I bought a original Grade 1 "boat gun condition" from Mid-South at the Southern and managed to take a turkey with it the next week. The big guns are fun to search for and shoot.

Craig, I'm sure we will have a future opportunity to photograph the two Curtis Ideals together. They are some guns for sure. I wonder what happened to the steel ten Ideal that was at the same Vintagers, for sale?

Bill,

Out of curiosity, how much was the asking price of the Steel Ten Ideal Grade?

Thanks,
Mark