Hi Jeremy,
Arthur Howell & Co. used a similar stamp.
A.H&Co
Redoak
That is very interesting information; I shall have to check the details when I next get a chance.
I don't recall the underlining of the small o. However, in view of your post, I am much more inclined to think that what I have is in fact a A Howell & Co stamped set of barrels. I've long been suspicious that Armstrong & Co had any real in house gunsmithing capability. They seem to have been much more of a Sporting Goods store putting their name on a wide range of items including golf clubs and tennis rackets. I even have Maling pottery items from them which I find very odd. Perhaps they were retailed as picnic items??
thanks
Jeremy
Jeremy,
As I mentioned, I have seen a number of guns with this mark. On some of them it does look like a period underneath the 'o', but with a magnifying glass several others of them clearly show it as an underline.
BTW, all of the Arthur Howell guns that I have examined also have the "JA" stamp under the barrels, which I understand indicates that they were sourced from Joseph Asbury who machined barrels and apparently also actions for the trade.
I have never figured out how to post photos to this forum, but I can email you several photos of that A.H&Co stamp, if that would help.
