The letters appear to have come from some A&F files since they are the signed originals from England and unsigned carbons of the A&F replies (including the Jeffrey letters posted on the rifles page). Griffin & Howe is the custodian of many of the firearms sales records and other documents pertaining to A&F but all of the documents are from after 1929 - when A&F purchased VL&D, VL&A and G&H. We have nothing from the period before 1929 other than documents from VL&D and VL&A. It would be most interesting to know if there were any other A&F documents available. Do you know if the deceased gentleman might have gotten these letters when A&F finally closed its doors in 1977 or at some time before then? Is there any way to find out if there might be more of the early records in existence?
I have not prevously come across the name Jobes as related to A&F. We have about 20 years worth of internal A&F newsletters but they begin in 1944. By then Jobes may have been gone from A&F. I'm indexing the newsletters now as time permits.
I know of no detailed history of the various companies associated with A&F. In 2004 Bob Christensen did an excellent 2-part series on VL&D and VL&A for Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine. Back copies are available from the publisher and are well worth the cost. Justus 'Butz' Von Lengerke III wrote a biography of his grandfather, Justus Von Lengerke, that profiles the history of VL&D and Justus' contributions to the acceptance of smokeless powder in this country. Copies are rare and expensive. David Petzal did an informative article on A&F that appeared in Shot Business magazine a few years ago. The first four A&F newsletters had a 4-part history of A&F but spent a lot of space on the non-firearms merchandise. And finally, Otis Love Guernsey wrote a history of A&F when he was president in 1957. At some point I hope to combine the information from all of these sources into just such a history. When time permits.
