Hello,
I’ve been reading posts here about G & H. Thank you all for all the info you can glean just by reviewing what is already posted.
Just a note that might be of interest. There is an early G&H 03 on Hibid. Receiver dates from 1923. There is no G&H serial number on the barrel. ( I talked to the auction house). Thought you might want to take a look. I have no connection to the auction.
https://gunauctionsusa.hibid.com/lot/76103484/springfield-armory-1903--30-06-collectors-rifle-
This must be one of the earliest G&Hs, but not one of their prettiest.
I think I'll stick with my Griffin & Howe Springfield.
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Anyone recognize the sidemount base on the rifle? I have both G&H single lever and double lever mounts and this base looks different. Pictures 16/32 and 17/32 show two closely spaced grooves in the top of the base, picture 14/32 shows that the front groove is tapered, the picture doesn't show the rear groove.
Is that a Noske mount with the shallow taper? Kind unusual stock for G&H, restocked?
Unmarked barrel. My G&H 03 is numbered #109, so that kind of indicates that marked barrels are very early. Also, early barrels were often Bohler steel, part octagon with rib. Was the pictured gun rebarrelled? This one is a real oddball, checkered with a dull hatchet, but I would like to own it. The bid price wouldn't cover the floorplate and trigger guard. I kind of wonder whether the floorplate came off another rifle. Are those John Wayne's initials?
Unmarked barrel. My G&H 03 is numbered #109, so that kind of indicates that marked barrels are very early. Also, early barrels were often Bohler steel, part octagon with rib. Was the pictured gun rebarrelled? This one is a real oddball, checkered with a dull hatchet, but I would like to own it. The bid price wouldn't cover the floorplate and trigger guard. I kind of wonder whether the floorplate came off another rifle. Are those John Wayne's initials?
I agree. I think the rifle is basically a put together gun.
When a monogram's center letter is larger than the other two that represents the last name. In this case the owners initials would be
JWA.
If all three were the same size then it would be JAW.
SRS shows the rifle to have been sold as a 1903NM on 11-7-23. The name of the original purchaser can be obtained from SRS. I believe the rifle has been restocked as the original military type S stock would not have had enough wood to make a pistol grip and cheek piece. With a bid of $2,700.00 plus a 14% buyers premium, someone must known additional facts about the rifle. Perhaps was owned by a famous person.
Yup, some of us value provenance above condition and features. Maybe the buyer will come forward and let us know why he values this gun so highly. I would still like to own it. Xausa, show us the Kornbrath engraving on the floorplate of your G&H rifle.
Xausa, show us the Kornbrath engraving on the floorplate of your G&H rifle.
You know for a guy who never posts pictures of his own stuff, you could sure be more polite when you ask others to post pictures of their stuff.
None of my G&H rifles is engraved. It's not something I'm into.
The buyer and whomever helped him run the bid that high must have known something we don’t but that’s NOT a Griffin and Howe built rifle.
PhysDoc, I'll try to be more polite, but I'm trying to get more information here. Sorry if I offended you.
It's obvious that Seymour Griffin did not checker that rifle, but the overall result is quite astounding. The new owner will probably discover some of the mysteries. I would still like to own it. Selling price $3900. Don't know if that included the BP.
I think that’s actually Swensen engraving.
It's been a long time since, but I do recall seeing several nearly identically engraved G&H rifles in auction catalogues attributed to Kornbrath and concluding mine must have been done by the same hand.
I have a very beautifully engraved Adolph Minar which I've never been able to attribute. If anybody has great expertise on 1930s-ish engraving, I will send him photos.
[quote=David Zincavage]It's been a long time since, but I do recall seeing several nearly identically engraved G&H rifles in auction catalogues attributed to Kornbrath and concluding mine must have been done by the same hand.
I don’t doubt you’ve seen similarly engraved guns attributed to Kornbrath because everyone wants to claim everything from that time period is by Kornbrath. But yours is by Swensen and that’s not a bad thing at all. Swensen was a fantastic engraver, just not as well known as Kornbrath, and much of his work is credited to others. I’m absolutely not knocking your gun, just trying to correct misinformation.
I certainly wish that there was a better reference on the subject.
I'm interested in the side by side comparison of the telltale details that will distinguish the engravers from each other.
This would be a very good opportunity for all of us to see and discuss it here.
That's a really nice looking (from the champlain arms link).
That’s exactly the kind of incorrect attribution I’m speaking of. I know that seller. A better and more accurate comparison is the listing at Champlain Arms. George Caswell knows his business. If you compare your gun to the Champlain listing, you’ll see it’s by Swensen.
Too bad those great old engravers didn't sign their work.
Too bad those great old engravers didn't sign their work.
True. But Griffin and Howe (and other companies) didn’t really want that to be an issue. Occasionally you’ll find guns engraved for individuals outside of G&H but they’re not common. I have a shotgun engraved by Fugger that is actually signed and I’ve seen a few other pieces with his name. Kornbrath’s signature is even more rare and I’m not aware of anything signed by Swensen.