Salopian,
talking about reading threads, my questions had been all the time regarding to current affais, not from the past (As to historical research, BTW, I earned my D.Phil working in British archives on a subject rather more complex than sporting guns). I certainly know that W. Evans made most of his early money selling Webley Scott guns as I duly quoted at the beginnig (a good review in DGJ Index II, pp. 137-141). What I would expect from close observers of the British trade had been more phrases begining with "To the best of my knowlegde...." or "As regrads to so and so, I don´t know or I do know this....".
After following several thorough analyses on British auctions, reading versed books on the current affairs of the British 2nd hand market and seeing threads of strange events in the London Proof House, it strikes me that the same sources have rather little information on current outsourcing. On the other hand,for example, somebody from this side of the pond saying that "I have spoken to many" is circumstantial at best and does not help to build collective real knowledge.
Rocketman,
I don´t think that London is the only place to find skills for high end guns, Val Trompia, Liege and Ferlach are good current examples that this is not a monopoly. The London style is today a shared heritage, in my view. Even the Basques with a little more imagination and originality could become part of this category in time.
Montana,
I would agree in full with you as long as you can help us with hard facts. My conclusions came from what was printed.
