My love of doubleguns is inherited. My first gun was a 16ga BLNE. My father loved doubles too and spoke of the lost LC Crown grade my grandfather sold.
My first gun book was Jack O’Connor singing the praise of the model 21. I still have all the Winchester literature from their custom as I unsuccessfully saved for a model 21 in high school working part time jobs.
I still have the Purdey catalogue from my fathers trip to London.
I was infected early, my first long gun purchase was a Fox Sterlingworth.
I told my wife the price of getting married right out of college was a matched pair of Purdeys. Never got the pair, but I still have the wife and a love of side by sides.
Vintage gun books is an addiction, I have too many, but not enough gun books. Though I find fewer new one’s these days.
