doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Strange Boss & Co. without serial number!

So I need some experts to chime in here. I recently bought a Boss & Co. from one of the big auction houses and the description they gave in the auction is absolutely incorrect. I'm really surprised they could make such a mistake. In the description they say that the patent use number #1664 on the water table is the serial number! They even claim that the gun was described in Donald Dallas's book "Boss & Co. Best Gunmakers" 2nd edition as being made in 1959 to match a previous gun. I like the gun enough to keep it and I could have complained to the auction company for getting it so wrong but I chose not to. Regardless of that this gun has no serial number anywhere! From the pictures you can see that everything about this gun looks original. It does not look like it has ever been faked. My question is, Were there "lunch box" doubles that were put together and smuggled out the factories in England like known Colt 1911's in the U.S.? Is this a "lunch box" Boss? Walter's Patent from the 1870's is found on the water table and supposedly it was a patent for a locking mechanism. Thoughts on why no serial number if it came from Boss?

I have a Scott back action sidelock with no serial number. There is Scott's tiny Tower of London trademark on the gun and it was retailed by V&R Blakemore.

Here is a link to a Boss hammer gun to compare your with.. The photos are not good, however.

https://www.jasonabbotgunmakers.co.uk/guns-for-sale/

A Purdey hammer gun recently sold from a dealer in Alabama with,”nvsn.” Top rib had the name and address but no Purdey on lock plates. I own a Henry Adkin, not Atkin, SLE in near pristine original condition with relatively recent BNP but no serial number, 188 stamped underneath the barrels, name on TR and SL. Anomalies for sure.

See the post directly below this titled T E Kither frame source and post by Damascus. He may be onto something but does not answer your question about lack of SN.

I'm thinking fake

I don't see any evidence of this being a fake. Everything is period correct. The action and locks are by Joseph Brazier who supplied these items to Boss and other high end makers. I wonder if for some reason it didn't meet Boss & Co. standards and an employee was allowed to buy it as a "second"? Or, an unscrupulous employee built it on the side and somehow got it out of the factory. In truth, we will probably never know. The engraving is definitely period Boss. Anybody can fit a barrel to a gun with the makers name on it like the above mentioned Purdey but When Boss & Co. is on the locks and the barrel with the correct font it is most likely not a fake. The only sad thing is that I can't get a factory letter on it. Other than that, I really like the gun.

I don't think it's fake -- as in intended to deceive. Looks period correct and legit.

Maybe Boss ordered it from outside subcontractors, and the finished gun never made it to the shop and into the company records.

OWD

made in paki stan?...

12bore, I was just basing my opinion on the fact there was no serial number on this gun. I would think after all Boss would never have that happen. I hope I am wrong. Keep us posted on what you find out. You might could reach out to Diggory Hadoke in the UK for his thoughts.