I have been waiting to start this very topic to try to piece together information about the Shattuck gunshop but I am glad to see it just started!
C.S.'s older brother DeForest Shattuck was my great great grandfather and was the shop foreman and inspector in Hatfield. DeForest's son, Barnard Shattuck, was a machinist at the factory.
My father (Barnard Shattuck) and I (James DeForest) have been researching the archives trying to piece together a solid, fact based history of our family's gunshop. We have 15 pistols/guns in our collection, including serial number 1 of the American 8 gauge shotgun and two SxS's (s/n 2271 and 5916) - I'm always looking for more quality examples.
I also have the only known example of C.S. Shattuck's original trade brochure listing all the models and configurations from September 1st, 1896. 1896, incidentally, was the first year C.S. advertised for his new "Double Hammerless" model. The other models were "New Top Lever," the "Perfection Side Snap," the "American Side Snap," and his most popular "American" (which had been on the market since 1881). Later on there were the Shattuck's "Perfection" (possibly just a renamed "New Top Lever") as well as the "New American Side Snap."
Unfortunately, C.S.'s records were lost after his death and he had no offspring. My great grandfather, Barnard Shattuck, was the closest thing he had to a son; however, he died around 1946 and most of the information we have from him was passed down orally to my now deceased grandmother (Margaret Shattuck) to my father.
I would really appreciate any help the community could lend me to preserve this slice of history. My intent is to first build a website specifically for C.S. Shattuck firearms and hopefully have enough information to write a book.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Jim
