5) Fall 1859 - EM Reilly & Co., "Gunmakers" (one word) was used for the company which ran both Armoury house (315) and 502 New Oxford St, a description which continued up to summer 1860. For sure "EM Reilly, Gunmaker" (one word) appears in some mid-1859 long lead-time advertisements - and in some newspapers dueling ads were run for "Reilly's Armoury House" and "E.M Reilly, 502 New Oxford Street, branch establishment 315 Oxford Street" in the same issue after Fall 1859:

..........26 October 1859 Sporting Life:


Believe the case labels for 502 New Oxford St. from about September 1859 (when E.M. Reilly & Co. first appeared) to Summer 1860 when "Gun Manufacturers" appeared must have looked like this with the traditional sketch of 502 New Oxford Street,and "E.M. Reilly & Co., Gun Maker" (two words):



For a short time in 1859-early 1860 there may have been a specific and different case label associated with Armoury House (This is a reproduction but has to be a reproduction of something - never seen it actually in a case to confirm); From about 1876 - 1890 Reilly did have a slightly different case label for 315 later 277 than for 502 later 16; And there was a separate 315 series used mostly for pistols):



For long lead-time publications such as Bradshaw and the Red book, both "Gun Makers" and "Gunmakers" appeared simultaneously for 1860:



6) 01 August 1860 - First newspaper ads appear describing E.M Reilly as "Gun Manufacturer." (singular)

. . . . . 28 July 1860, "Sporting Life" - Gunmaker. . . . . . . . . . . . 04 Aug 1860, "Sporting Life"..Gun Manufacturer (singular)


One supposes then that the classic Reilly 1860's Case Label, which continued with variants up to 1898 with "EM Reilly & Co., Gun Manufacturers," could not have appeared until August 1860 (per newspaper ads below) if you're trying to date your case. The Sanskrit script reads .. Maharaj Pratap Singh ji Solarkar or Sarkar Palamau. Vaishak..(i.e April/May) Sudi 12 means 12 of April/ May..Sanwat 1937 means Hindu calendar Vikrami Sanwat 1937. that is 137 years old. 200 Silvers rupees paid to the seller along with some presentation. I.e. the gun was resold in India in 1880 for 200 silver rupees to Maharajah Pratap Singh ji, Sarkar (lord) of Palamau.



Long lead-time ads for 1861 identified Reilly as "Gun Manufacturers."

..........January 1861 ,"Broyles Court Guide"


However, "Gun Manufacturers" really did not appear in the normal press ads until April 1861, whatever that means.

..........14 April 1861, "Bell's Life"


All this works out as a check on the above Serial Number-Date list.
-- It means that "EM REILLY & CO." might not have appeared until October 1859. As a check, on the above list the first extant gun with that name on its rib is 11115 and on the chart it indeed lands in the latter half of 1859.
-- It also means that there may be a gun somewhere with "Reilly, 315 Oxford Street" dating from January 1859 - September 1859 with a different label.....the reproduction label with "Reilly Amoury House" came from someplace.

Last edited by Argo44; 10/30/19 10:23 PM.

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