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Over Three Thousand Two Hundred times readers have looked at this thread.

I remain unable to understand why Shooting Sportsman magazine would publish an article which includes information on some of the guns one of its advertisers acquired, and not be interested in telling their readers about the three other finished Holland & Holland-style sidelocks which were part of the very same collection but acquired by private parties, once that information was brought to their attention.

Their subtitle contains the words " fine-firearm find of the century".
However, the article reports on only "part" of the find; that part which remained and which was acquired by one of their advertisers after the first three were purchased through the very same individual, by private parties.

If the find is significant enough to publish an article about, it would seem to me, being a magazine of integrity, they would do what ever they could, just as quickly as they could to correct the erroneous information by following up with the information made known to them about the three finished Holland & Holland-style sidelocks which their advertiser did not acquire, but, were, in fact part of the very same collection.

Do they think it is acceptable to not put forth the complete accurate information, I wonder?
Do they expect their readers to just keep buying their magazine knowing this is the kind of less than accurate reporting which is published, I wonder?

A simple follow-up article could make this right, is called for, and, simply put, is the right thing to do. It would be a way to honor their responsibility to their profession and to their readers. Not to mention they could give validity to the various makers, the barrel makers, the engravers, the guns themselves.

Where is the harm in that?

Interesting advert on steel from electric furnaces from Littlegun's site: http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20t%20w/a%20thonon%20fernand%20gb.htm

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Thanks

Steven:
Ah, I didn't mean to drudge up too many issues but wanted to add to the John Henry Andrews info. Possible a set of blinders or a filter will prevent a distraction by the collateral stuff.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Funny thing about the Truth- how it endures. Nothing collateral about that.
Shooting Sportsman Magazine published the article, reportedly getting the information from a large advertiser of theirs and, knowingly or unknowingly left out three of the Britte Family finished Holland & Holland sidelocks that their advertiser did not get; not any three mind you, but the first three choices from the lot of 20 offered for sale by Luc VanderBorghdt, again,those first three all in 16 gauge.

If the magazine, or the article's author want to present the entire truth, they can contact me.

Everything they have worked hard to be, the image they try to project, all go down the ink well each day they are willing to settle for publishing partial truth articles which spotlight their large advertisers, and refuse to correct and make accurate and right, even when it has been brought to their attention. That, proper attire can not alter.

There are three beautiful 16 gauge finished Holland & Holland style sidelocks which were part of this Britte family collection, which was reportedly removed by the Britte family from their factory sometime around 1936. The collection of 20, not 17 as the article states, remained in the Britte family possession until offered for sale here in the United States at a Vintage Cup event, by Luc VanderBorght. Three were purchased, through Luc Vanderborghdt, by private parties before the rest were acquired by Griffin & Howe.

The truth can not be refuted. But apparently the magazine chooses to ignore it.
I am a Shooting Sportsman. Many of you here are. Many of the readers of Shooting Sportsman are as well. But how "Sportsman-like" is it to ignore the Truth, refuse to report the entire Truth, correct a wrong. Where is the honor, the integrity, the Sportsmanship, in that?

Hey

Steve, ...."might"?

As

How I did miss this thread the first time round!

I have seen two of the 16's. One was at Safari Outfitters 5-6 years back and I fell in love with but could not afford it at the time. The next year I was at the Vintagers and a different 16 (different engraver was offered for sale at quite a discount, I took too long to think it over and when I made up my mind it was gone. To this day it bothers me as the one gun that I lost that can't be replicated (at that price).

Bob, I believe you and I may have traded emails about it. I knew there were 3, I saw 2. When I read that article I chuckled to myself, they have it wrong.

Hi Rob, thanks for chiming in! In a much earlier post I talked about that finished Holland & Holland style sidelock that Niles had on consignment at Safari Outfitters at The Vintage Cup. You have a keen eye. You will remember, it has lighter colored wood than the one you saw a year later, and bold scroll engraving, signed by Smeets.
A gentleman in Texas scooped up the second one you talked about which was at The Vintage Cup; quite different from the Smeets, the second one is marked J.Bury, has much darker wood, beautiful, more delicate fine, scroll engraving.

Yeup boys, funny thing about the truth...