doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com W.S.R. Patent

Joe, you are correct. It is one way the patent holder was able to keep track of the payments due, by applying a use number on the guns. Westley Richards even demanded the guns using one of their patents be brought by for their inspection and marking prior to the guns being sold by others.

Daryl,would there be any records of these inspections or payments still intact?

There exist handwritten contracts between Anson/Deeley and Westley Richards, and later between Westley Richards and other English and one American maker. I owned about a dozen of these contracts, but recently sold them to a writer. I would assume that I did not have all of the contracts of this type. They dated from the mid 1870s to the later 1890s.

Thanks, I am trying to trace the history of a gun with A&D patent # and I guess that this line of inquiry won't pan out.

Daryl,

Thanks much for the reference. I read the DGJ article and saw the pics w/the WSR patents. One for the forend release and another for the lock up. Should i assume following the article that the WSR on the action flats of my gun refers to the lock up/ bolting system. It differs significantly from the DGJ gun and as noted above closely resembles the back action example on the Vintagegunsuk web site.

John

Pictures would help us answer your questions. Daryl

I missed that DGJ article on W.S. Riley, have to find that one. I have a W.S. Riley, #7,008. There was a thread on the old Internet Gun Club site that answered a few questions I had on it. I'm not a member there anymore and can't view the threads. This gun was where the IGC got the spread eagle logo and banner with "Nothing Without Labour". I can't recall, but I think it may have also provided the name of his shop, Eagle Gun Works. Quite a few patents mentioned in this, including what I'm told is Parson's chopper lump hammer mark. Well made with London proofmarks. I'll just post some photos.

Sorry, I looked up an old post for info and accidentally posted a reply on the old thread. Please ignore.