"I bought two guns at auction, on their own merits, with engraved ovals. Years later, after intense research, I found that the initials were of John Phillip Sousa. I'm glad I didn't erase the initials. I wrote articles on both guns for Double Gun Journal and the Remington Journal that display both guns. There are many areas of research that can uncover the identities of previous owners of your guns."
I agree Bill. I researched the previous owner as well as receiving all of the specifications from the manufacturer. Not JPS, or anybody else famous but I have decided to leave them be for now.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps holds two L.C. Smith shotguns owned and used by Sousa. I believe both are still on display. They were donated many years ago by his Grandson. He provided great documentation and stories regarding both guns. One mystery though was no info on why the A2 had two different stocks numbered to the gun. One is a rather plain stock and the other highly figured that matches the forearm. The only thing I could imagine is that his Grandson wrote in the donation letter that Sousa (and Grandson) used the A2 for both Trap Shooting and Duck Hunting. Perhaps the plain stock was for the blind, and the figured stock for Trap or show?
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