doublegunshop.com - home
Posted By: wallis vernon Fine American Sidelocks - 01/31/15 01:35 AM
It has been quite a while since I have posted. I frankly have taken a break from doubles to concentrate on Colts and Winchesters. I came across these and now I am back in the fold.

I know there are a few fine Meridens out there but this is the nicest one I have owned. I had a diamond before, but not in near this condition. When they wanted to, Sears could make a fine gun.. The LC Smith speaks for itself. I thought it would be nice to see them side to side, so to speak..


Posted By: David Williamson Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 01/31/15 02:09 AM
If that is a Meriden on the bottom that is a nicely made shotgun. I don't know about them but with the chain Damascus barrels I don't believe that would be their highest grade. The Monogram L.C. Smith does speak for itself.
Very nice.
Posted By: bsteele Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 01/31/15 02:11 AM
That is a very nice Meriden! Glad you're back into doubles! See you in Louisville?
Posted By: wallis vernon Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 01/31/15 02:35 AM
I will be there. Got my table reserved and everything.... I look forward to seeing you there.
Also, yes Meriden made higher grades, but I have copies of Sears catalogs and advertising that claims that the diamond is the highest grade they publicly offered.
Posted By: R.R. Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 02/01/15 02:59 AM
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Any better close-ups of the engraving on the Meriden?
Will these guns be on your table?
Posted By: wallis vernon Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 02/01/15 03:28 AM
They will be there. Along with some other neat stuff! The engraving on this gun is very sharp. I cannot express too strongly the condition of this gun. There is some fading of the case color in spots , but the appearance is basically that of a 100 year old new old stock gun. It even has a horn butt-plate with the requisite worm holes. I mean, this is one hell of a Meriden. Most of these guns were used up.

Posted By: R.R. Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 02/01/15 04:02 AM
Thanks Wallis,
Perhaps I'll get to see them.
The Meriden looks like a survivor.
Posted By: Drew Hause Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 02/01/15 01:22 PM
The 1915-1916 Sears catalog illustrates the Diamond Grade with Damascus.
"Two Meriden Hammerless Guns in which an especially high degree of perfection in all details of strength, balance and beauty of design has been attained, guns which can be classed among the finest product of world renowned American skill in gun manufacture."
In 1916 the manufacturing facility was sold to New England Westinghouse, possibly because Westinghouse had just received a contract to produce Mosen Nagant rifles and bayonets for Russia. Some guns were produced in another factory on Center Street in Meriden until 1918 when Sears announced that the Meriden Fire Arms Company would discontinue the manufacture of sporting guns



Confusion exists regarding the A.J. Aubrey/ Meriden Fire Arms doubles and the other line of much higher grade guns called "THE MERIDEN GUN."
The 1910 Meriden Fire Arms Co. catalog shows the following grades - A with Whitworth, Krupp, or 6-blade damascus for $250 with AE, B with Krupp or 6-blade for $185 with AE, C with Krupp or 4-blade for $110 with AE, D "Trap Gun" with Krupp or 3-blade for $90 with AE, E "Quail Gun" with Krupp and ONLY 16G for $60 (no AE offered), F with Krupp or 3-blade for $60 with AE, G with Krupp for $40.
Production of these guns was quite limited, and I don't know the dates of production. It is not known if the intended market for these more expensive models may have been Fred Biffar's company or other national dealers.
Posted By: wallis vernon Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 02/01/15 02:38 PM
Thanks Drew! I was actually referring to that advertisement and a Sears Catalog from 1914 or 1912.

I do find Meriden's fascinating. The problem is , I don't usually find them in very good shape.
Posted By: dubbletrubble Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 03/30/15 02:23 PM
I recently picked up a Meriden that looks a lot like yours. The number on the water table is 58 supposedly the grade. How did you determine that yours is a diamond grade. Mine has the identical engraving,horn cap and buttplate, stunning wood (except the fore end as with yours), and 28 inch chain damascus barrels as well. Could mine be a diamond as well?
Posted By: Drew Hause Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 03/30/15 05:41 PM
If it is marked '58', it's a 58 smile



It is my opinion that the 58 became the Diamond; the 58 engraving pattern is almost the same as Wallis' Diamond above

Meriden marked 58

Posted By: dubbletrubble Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 03/30/15 10:26 PM
yes that second picture is the gun I have. so is the diamond marked "diamond"?
Posted By: wallis vernon Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 03/31/15 01:21 PM
Mine is not actually marked "Diamond" I am calling it that due to the fact that the engraving and overall quality in the gun is identical to the guns advertised as Diamond grades. Mine is marked "58" on the water table.

I am receiving in a couple of weeks a Meriden with more engraving. It has what I would call "Parker style" dogs on the side plates and Ducks on the bottom ( very much like a DHE Parker). I will share it with the class when I get it. One can tell that the engraving on a high grade Meriden is at the very least strongly influenced by Parker engraving.
Posted By: Lloyd3 Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 03/31/15 02:47 PM
What a lovely old gun! Meriden's are almost unknown to me, having never seen one "in the flesh" so-to-speak. Could we get dimensions and weight on this one? I assume this one's a 12, did they make any sub-gauge guns?
Posted By: Joe S Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 05/12/15 02:47 PM
I'm late to this thread. Great looking Meriden! From my research the Meriden guns only carried their numeric model designation (early guns and special orders carried no model number). If you look at the Sears ad for the 'Diamond' grade gun you will see that the Item No in the catalog is 58.

Posted By: Researcher Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 05/12/15 04:26 PM
The actual "fine American Sidelock" was made in Baltimore --

Posted By: wallis vernon Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 06/21/15 04:20 AM
I said I would post pics of the fancy Meriden when I got it in.. Kind of favors a love child of a Parker and a LC Smith--that is, it has Parker influenced engraving on a sidelock.


Posted By: Geo. Newbern Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 06/21/15 02:37 PM
Mr. Vernon, that is a really nice looking gun, whatever the parentage might be...Geo
Posted By: Joe S Re: Fine American Sidelocks - 07/20/15 05:58 PM
looks great!
© The DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com