Roy, I am always interested when I see you have posted on the bbs. Always a learning experience with well thought our replies. Looking at the Simon gun, Chicago, I still seem to see a Westley Richards connection to this gun.
On page 72 of Crudgington and Baker they state the Rogers patent, No 397 of 1881 was "used up and down the trade", so apparently many makers used it for a time. Given the WR stamp on the gun and the Westley Richards top lever, I am lead to think that Westley Richards may have been responsible for making this gun for Simon, at least in part. Westley Richards was making , or starting , guns for others in the US. We see their hand in Pittsburg Firearms, and many of the Illinois and other midwest makers. It may not be a fair observation, but the Simon gun seems finished to a higher standard than the Clabrough and Clabrough and Golcher guns I have seen. I don't remember seeing either with the Westley Richards toplever.
Finally, what names can we apply to the initials in the R & S Patent No. 397 ?
I would be interested in your thoughts
Last edited by Daryl Hallquist; 01/06/12 07:31 PM.
