A. H. Fox's DH

Mark Conrad · 06-22-2011, 08:46 AM

There has been allot of attention on this forum about A. H. Fox and his DH. The records we have indicate the gun, serial number 88807 was ordered on August 9, 1898 by H.P. Collins in Baltimore. The gun is a 12/30 Titanic, with a straight grip and no safety. The gun was returned to Parker Bros. on September 18, 1900 by A. H. Fox to clean and rebrown the barrels and repair the action. There was no charge. The work was completed October 5, 1900. There is also an order on August 9, 1898 for a BH with 32 inch Titanic barrels that was cancelled. This order has consigned on the bottom which indicates he would not have paid for the gun. A serial number was not assigned to this gun. Note that the address is the same for both orders from Ansley. I have attached copies of the orders.

Mark

Ed Blake · 06-22-2011, 09:38 AM

I Googled that address, 421 N. Carey Street, and its in a tough West Baltimore neighborhood now. It appears to be a boarded up brick rowhouse.

Bill Murphy · 06-22-2011, 09:47 AM

Thanks to our researcher, Mark Conrad, for providing our membership with information on Ansley Fox's Parker pigeon gun. Compare the repair order date with the documented last date of Ansley's use of the Parker in competition. The comparison of the dates gives us added proof that "This is the gun." Thanks again, Mark.

Holeshot · 06-22-2011, 10:21 AM

Thanks Mark, I feel like part of the secret society now. What are stock dims. ? thanks again, Dave

Dean Romig · 06-22-2011, 10:42 AM

Thanks for sharing that information Mark - great stuff indeed!

Bill Murphy · 06-22-2011, 10:58 AM

David, the stock dimensions of Ansley's gun seem to be 1 5/8 X 2 X 14, but I may have read the drop at comb incorrectly. Ansley must have thought it was not straight enough because the BH was ordered at 1 3/8 X 2 X 14. Notice the other famous names on those pages, J.A. Prechtell, the famous gunmaker, and Frank Novotny, an even more famous gunmaker. H.P. Collins was a popular Baltimore gun dealer and a prolific competition shooter who often shot with Ansley and other known shooters of the day. Thanks also to Dave Noreen who provided Michael McIntosh with the research material that, in turn, provided us with the addresses of the homes of Ansley and his father in West Baltimore.

Double Play · 06-22-2011, 11:49 AM

Thanks Mark,
It's amazing to me how you read and interpret the information from these books. I'm sure it gets easier with practice but it is in no way easy.

George Lander · 06-22-2011, 12:36 PM

Thanks Mark: Fo doing your usual superior job. Now we have the answer as to the gun. Now where does it reside?

Best Regards, George

Researcher · 06-22-2011, 01:31 PM

Mark,

Thank you for publishing the A.H. Fox entries in the Parker Bros. records. It appears to me that he sent his Parker in for refurbishing after the Big W got him shucking their Model 1897 in August of 1900.

Was H.P Collins any relation to J.S. Collins who had Collins Gun Co. in Omaha, Nebraska, in the same time period. Well Known shooter Frank Parmalee worked for/with J.S. Collins and Collins Gun Co.

Back in the day I looked around on N. Carey Street and it appeared to me at that time that the 400 block was taken up by the limited access section of U.S. 40.

Dave

Dean Romig · 06-22-2011, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Noreen

Back in the day I looked around on N. Carey Street and it appeared to me at that time that the 400 block was taken up by the limited access section of U.S. 40.

Dave

That's what I found earlier today when I went on Mapquest to look for that address. Just about all of the 400 numbers do not exist anymore.