doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com W. Palmer Jones - Thoughts

Squire, You havenot given Your explanation of this"Less of best" yet. Have you ever seen the 'Inner workings' of a Side-Lock JP&S?Most Ex'Spurts that I've encountered who pass their opinions of workmanship of Purdeys,usually fall back on this Mantra' of the Poor Quality of the guns built in the 60s.....I'm sure you would have a Jolly Pippin good Time'Ole Bean' If you had ever had had the opportunity to spend a "Lunch-Time" with the 'Lads" at the "Irongate" Pub, and you had brought up the "The Guns you Fellows built in the 1960s' Were Less of Best"...It would have been"JollyGood Sport" for the rest of the afternoon....On behalf of the Gunmakers that have had to listen to this'Rubbish' (That was started by a disgruntled American Magazine Writer, that pissed-off Harry Lawrence and was asked to leave the "Front Shop")I dont think we have anything to be ashamed of about the Guns & Rifles we built in'50s,60s,and Yes my"Time" was Aug.1953-March 31st 1964....cc

Jones looks as boxy as an Ithica.

Any of those "less than best" Purdeys available cheap?

Cheap Pete

I think Lowell has the market cornerd.

Isn't that a little extreme.....if it was true Jones would be where Purdey was and Purdey would be where Jones is...Don't think people didn't know quality back then just like some do now.

I don't think it is. Shops were run by masters or people who knew masters. The Brit trade had a host of outworkers who make better money than inworkers by being better at some specialty. Any shop could get best work done by paying for it. Any shop or seller could have gotten out a best gun with his name on it. The trick was to get the commissions for best work. Purdey's built a reputation for best work over a long time. Also, they made themselves socially "necessary." Buying best work was vastly easier than establishing an upscale shop in dog-eat-dog market.

Salesman William Evans learned the marketing game well while at Purdey's. Even so, he was not quite able to lead his own shop into the same lofty social circles as Purdey's. He bought in and resold a fair % of best guns, but not near the same % as Purdey's made in their own shop.

I'm convinced that there were no secrets in the trade as to what designs, materials, and workmanship were necessary for a best gun. This was known. The secrets were in how to get customers to order and pay for best work. And, yes, I think most Brit customers really bought the name, not necessarily the gun.

"T", never had the pleasure of looking at the innards of a Purdey - but then again, I've never had the pleasure of viewing brain surgery.
Not my cup of joe!
I'll see that this urban legend stops here and now - but you have to know that a number of experts in the field of English shotguns subscribe to this!
Not all have firsthand from the bench info, and not all want it.
A nice gun for the hunt, and a nice gun to look at when the season is over...thats me.

Now now Sguire...dOn't knock things you've never tried.

Purdey 20b Started 1959..cc will comment further

For the more enlightened's perusal; photos of a 20 bore Purdey finished January, 1960 during Purdey's "lesser quality years". After 46 years and now 5 owners i takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Wonder how it would look if Purdey at that time had their better tradesmen on board.

I'm still waiting for the Squire to try brAin surgery.

Is that Santa Claus looking at it ?

I will root these rumors out fellows!
...but what ol'thorny fears gents - are those who started 'em - are pushing-up stinging nettles in some graveyard.
These olden chaps cling to those made in the golden age - can't hold Lowell's feet, to this fire.