Trio of LC Smith 10 Gauges

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

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...










The Quality 2 has a scalloped receiver


Crown Steel Grade 2 Receiver


Chain Damascus Grade 2 Receiver


Quality 2 Receiver


Quality 2 Scalloped Receiver

[charlie cleveland]

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

[Bill Murphy]

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.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

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

[Roundsworth]

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!

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Mark,

Thanks!

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

Mark

[Bill Murphy]

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.

[Craig Larter]

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.

[Bill Murphy]

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?

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Bill,

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

Thanks,
Mark