Just for comparison sake, here are a few comments on Reilly from the internet - auction houses, gun experts, etc. over the past 15 years. If you've followed this line, you'll note the obvious and repeated errors of fact in every one of them.

They're posted anonymously; I don't want to smear anyone; just to illustrate the difference between the then current widely accepted knowledge about Reilly and the above new short history. This includes Brown (though admittedly Brown didn't have much to go on at the time he wrote the book).

By the way trw999 had by far and away the best summary of the Reilly's on the internet at the time and I used his compilation as a starting point for my own research. http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=333352

Looking at actual gun serial numbers and ribs was a key starting point to researching the company and the two men; I hope this line has reestablished the history of a forgotten important London gun maker and brought their names out of the shadows.

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Other Notes: Joseph Charles Reilly started business as a jeweller at 12 Middle Row, Holborn in 1816 (when his son Edward Michael Reilly was born) but, as was common in those days, he also sold guns. In 1832 Edward joined him in the business and by 1835 they were trading together as gunmakers at 316 High Holborn, moving regularly over the years before separating. Edward began trading on his own account as 'E. M. Reilly & Co' in 1869. As well as the London shop, Reilly also opened premises in Paris and, in 1898, upon the death of his father, Edward inherited that business. In 1911, probably on the retirement or death of Edward Reilly, the firm became a limited liability company and in 1912 they moved to 13 High Street, Marylebone. Reilly guns are generally of high quality and many are of the very best quality. The firm made a wide range of guns for the game and live-pigeon shooter and since the firm traded throughout the most inventive period of gunmaking history, the variety of Reilly guns encountered is wide.

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According to Nigel Brown's "British Gunmakers" , E.M. Reilly produced shotguns from around 1881 until at least 1916 in London in two locations and also had a retail store front on the Rue Scribe in Paris.

Reilly functioned in a similar fashion as did Scott, Webley and other London makers of the time in that his work was evenly divided between retail sales and also wholesale manufacture "to the trade". It appears that he made guns for several famous London makers who in turn marked his products with their Company names.

Reilly made weapons in several grades from pure field utilitarian (very plain) to extra fancy (heavy scroll engraving, cased, burl walnut grain stocks). Depending on the form and condition, the standard models retail from $325 to $450 and the higher grades up to $2,500 with collectors.

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Joseph Charles Reilly set up as a jeweler in 1816, and went into the gun business in 1835. His son Edward Michael joined him in 1848 and was well established by the time that breech-loading guns became popular. It is more than probable that E M Reilly built no guns himself but he contracted with the very best makers including at least WR and Thomas Turner, and he marketed their excellent guns under his own name, E. M. Reilly and Company since 1882. Reilly did well enough that for some years he maintained a shop in Paris as well. In an 1887 advertisement Reilly claimed to be gunmaker “By special appointment to His Majesty the King of Spain; His Majesty the King of Portugal; His Majesty the King of the Netherlands.” Two prominent Victorians were associated with E.M. Reilly. Sir Samuel Baker used a pair of Reilly 10 bores and inspired by Baker, Frederick Courtney Selous took a Reilly 10 bore to Africa on his first venture there. Selous’ gun was stolen shortly after he arrived and so it is mentioned only ruefully, but Sir Samuel’s pair achieved fame through his books. Because Baker was a hero to the Victorians and his books sold well, the fact that he used Reilly guns was a good endorsement.

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J.C.Reilly se establece con taller de joyería en 1816, en Holborn, mudandose en 1835 a 316 High Holborn. En 1848 su hijo Edmund M. Reilly, comienza a producir las primeras armas, mudando la firma a Londres, donde se establece en 1848, en 502 Oxford St. y posteriormente en 1903, al definitivo 277 y 295 de Oxford Street.
Podemos asegurar que entre 1915 y 1920,

Reilly fabrica algunas de las escopetas y rifles mas finos que podemos encontrar en Inglaterra.

Sus armas destacan por su extraordinario ajuste, la precisión relojera de su construcción, la calidad de los materiales, su seleccion de maderas y sus grabados, especialmente los tipo Scroll, de los que son verdaderos maestros en una época que podemos considerar de oro entre los grabadores ingleses. Alrededor de 1920 la firma es adquirida por Charles Rigss y desaparece la marca.

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Other Notes: In 1867 E. M. Reilly & Co were awarded a Prize Medal at the Paris Exhibition and in 1869 opened up a premises in Paris as E. M. Reilly et Cie at 2 Rue Scribe, Paris. It was here they gained the appointment as gun maker to Napoleon III. This shop closed in 1872 and it wouldn't be until 1884 that a second premises was opened at 29 Rue du Faubourg, St Honore.

Holt's 'Shooting Calendar' for the year 1883 reported the number of wins at live pigeon shooting competitions by London made guns as: Reilly 82, Purdey 55, Lang 48, Grant 40, Hodges 34 and Holland 8.

By 1887 his trade labels have the additional acknowledgements of 'By special appointment to His Majesty the King of Spain; His Majesty the King of Portugal; His Majesty the King of the Netherlands.'

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Our Assessment: Starting as a jeweler in 1816 and later transforming into a gun making outfit in 1835 the Reilly company had an eye for detail and precision craftsmanship. In 1880, E.M. Reilly & CO was successful enough to open and keep a shop in Paris. In 1882, their trade label shows 315 Oxford Street as the main address with the Rue Scribe, Paris location also listed such as the markings found on the rib of this shotgun. As quoted from The Reilly Factor by John Campbell, “So what makes a Reilly gun so special? Well, for me, it’s the overall craftsmanship and precision they embody. Like the more famous names such as Purdey and Holland & Holland, a Reilly is almost always beautifully proportioned and fitted with the finest of English walnut stocks. The locks and metal fits are precisely achieved and beautifully polished and fit. And Reilly engraving is not only classically English, it is flawlessly executed. Even in its more simple expositions.”

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REILLY
Edward Michael Son of Joseph Charles. Gunmaker with father, 1841 Census (age 24). Airgun maker, 502 Oxford Street, 1848-60. Published a Treatise on Air Guns, c 1850. Granted British Patent No. 1259 (Explosive bullet), 1869. Became E.M. Reilly & Co., 1861. Developed in wholesale gun makers, in business until 1917. 

Joseph Charles Jeweller, 12 Middle Row, Holborn, 1816-35. Gunmaker, 316 High Holborn, 1835-47; 502 Oxford Street, 1848-58. Became Reilly & Co., 315 Oxford Street., 1859. re-numbered 277 Oxford Street, 1881; taken over by E.M. Reilly & Co., 1899. 

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Reilly made or marked shotguns from the late percussion era (say 1860) through about 1915. I've seen many hammer guns, fewer hammerless, but both side lock and box lock. Their name also appears on handguns and rifles.\n. \nQuality seems to be higher than average, with most guns showing good engraving and better than average wood. Most barrels are damascus, but I've seen Whitworth, and many have been "tubed" in the modern era.\n. \nGenerally nice pieces

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E.M. Reilly & Co.

Edward Michael Reilly was a London gunmaker born 1816 who entered his father’s business in 1848. By 1861 the firm was called Edward M. Reilly & Co., which later evolved into E.M Reilly & Co. The firm was located in Oxford Street throughout its existence, but the numbers changed sometimes because the firm moved and sometimes because the buildings were renumbered.

For awhile in the 1880’s, the firm had an outlet on Rue Scribe in Paris - an indication of how successful the company was.

Although it was not a household name E.M Reilly was well respected and its products were used by two of the most famous hunters of the Victorian age Sir Samuel Baker and Frederick Courteney Selous. Baker used a pair of E.M. Reilly 10 bores to back up his monstrous “Baby”; Reading of this and seeking seeking to emulate the much admired Baker, Selous took a Reilly 12 bore with him on his first venture to Africa but the gun was stolen shortly after he landed.

E.M. Reilly lasted until 1917 when it was bought out by Charles Riggs & Co., which sold shooting accessories. The Reilly name disappeared from gun making.

Reilly is known to have made hammer guns and boxlocks most of which were probably made in Birmingham and finished at the shop in London. Its boxlocks ranged from very basic to genuine bests.

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I've been doing some internet research on Reilly. There is dispute as to whether the E.M. Reilly Company were manufacturers or retailers only. They were active and lasted in one form or another for almost 60 years, from the early 1840's well into the 1890's. They exhibited their Guns, Shotguns and Rifles in numerous Exhibitions, and seemed to specialize in double barreled weapons. Notably for large game .."Elephants, Tigers and Bison." They were early proponents of the breech loader, and sponsored a competition in which they equaled the best muzzle loaders of the day.
Their earliest shop was at 502 New Oxford Street in London.

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1848-1860: EDWARD MICHAEL REILLY (b.1816, son of J.C. Reilly q.v.) , gunmaker, worked with father 1841; air gun maker 502 Oxford Street,
1861-1868: EDWARD M. REILLY & CO., s.a. 1861-1869;
1870-1874: 502 and 315 Oxford Street,1870-1874;
1875-1882: 502 Oxford Street only 1875-1882;
1883-1898: 10 New Oxford Street 1883-1898;
1899: succeeded to business of REILLY & CO., q.v. 1899;
277 Oxford Street (315 renumbered 1881), t.a. E.M. REILLY CO., 1901-1902………

British Gunmakers, Nigel Brown Volume One - London. Your beautiful cased Reilly brought 2,800 GBP exclusive of Buyer's Premium at Holt's December, 1977 Main Sale. You gun was made between 1883-1898 as he was at the New Oxford Street address during those years.

"In 1859 J C Reilly became Reilly & Co and moved to 315 Oxford Street (later named "Armoury House"), Joseph Manton's old premises and next door to James Purdey. E M Reilly stayed at 502 New Oxford Street. In 1860 Edward M Reilly became Edward M Reilly & Co.

From 1870 to 1874 E M Reilly & Co traded from both 502 New Oxford Street and 315 Oxford Street, and in 1869 Edward started trading as E M Reilly et Cie at 2 Rue Scribe, Paris; reportedly, this shop closed in 1872.

From 1875 to 1882 E M Reilly traded only from 502 Oxford Street leaving J C Reilly on his own at 315 Oxford Street. In 1881 315 Oxford Street was re-numbered 277 Oxford Street (James Purdey ocupied 314-315 Oxford Street which, possibly because of sub-division and re-arrangement of the shopfronts/building, he called 314 1/2, it became 287-289).

The re-numbering of Oxford Street included No. 502 New Oxford Street which was re-numbered to 16 New Oxford Street.

At some time between 1884 and 1898 E M Reilly opened another shop in Paris, this time at 29 Rue du Faubourg, St Honore. When it closed is not known. In 1898, on the death of his father, Edward inherited his father's business and closed at 16 New Oxford Street.”

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Volume 3 of Nigel Brown's BRITISH GUNMAKERS - (courtesy of Lagopus.)

REILLY EDWARD MICHAEL/& Co/REILLY JOSEPH CHARLES. E.M. Reilly was the son of Joseph and took over the business in 1899 having been separated in business on his own account since 1848. Since it looks as though Edward may have continued his father’s numbering system at least initially, I have therefore tabulated both their records together. E.M Reilly was last recorded as such in 1917 but Charles Riggs & Co., who set up in 1909, started advertising himself as Charles Riggs & Co. (incorporating E.M. Reilly & co., Est. 100 years) c.1942 and from the look of the last Reilly gun noted he may well have been using the name a little before that. Reilly put out a large number of guns as can be seen from the Nos. noted - not all of which are listed. There was a Paris branch in the Rue Scribe certainly in the 1870’s and 1880’s.

Followed by a list of guns with numbers and dates starting with c.1840 No. 254, a percussion pistol, and ending in 1936/7 with number 150570.



Last edited by Argo44; 10/12/18 11:18 AM.
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