doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com British barrel address lettering styles?

As I try to untangle the puzzle that is my latest acquisition - a W Richards Jones underlever c 1870 - I'm trying to work out whether there were trends and fashions in the style of lettering used on the rib/barrel addresses on British guns in the 19th century. Was a cursive, flowing script an earlier (muzzle loading era?) thing and block lettering later? Or did different makers have their own distinctive, persistent styles? There may, of course, given that we're talking about vintage British guns, be no definitive answer...!

Mostly block letters ,abbreviations were common [St , B'ham , Chas , Thom , Wm ,Ltd , etc. ] Usually down to price if engravers charged by the letter and the individual engravers style of the letter form . Only lager makers would have a house style .

Like Carling Black Label script?
Sorry,...lol
Franc

Have a percussion gun by Higham and son Warrington, that has a block lettering on locks and top rib, It has been converted to 14 bore center fire.

I also have percussion guns with cursive script.

I Think all my breach loaders have block lettering but i have not checked.

You could really have whatever you want doing on a gun provided you were willing to pay for it; much like today.