A UK friend (Papeman - owner of Reilly SN 26584) sent the below advertisement he found on the back of 1870 "Rural Almanac and Sporting Calendar." It is quite attractive and confirms much of the conclusions for this time period from the research on this line.


[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

Here are some observations from reading the ad:
-- It has the 1867 Paris Universalle medals (post Feb 1868 I believe).
-- It has both branch addresses (Paris rue Sribe opened in Feb 1868)
-- It has "Gun and Rifle Manufacturers" which first appeared in advertisements in 1869.
-- It is still advertising pin-fires - the mainstay of Reilly center break guns up to about 1873. (the fences in the sketch look very thin - almost like a modified pin-fire).
-- And it is not advertising Martini-Henry's, which of course was not adopted for trial until June 1871.
-- It mentions an article in "The Field" from the July 6, 1867 issue written by the editor praising Reilly center-fire rifles which will be researched.
-- It has a list of agents abroad which will be researched (none in America - I believe he acquired Joseph Grubbs of Philadelphia as an agent around this time).
and:
-- The center-fire sketch shows a hammer system similar to 12bore's gun that I've only seen once; It is the earliest extant Reilly with the rue Scribe address on the rib: 14983, an 8 bore center fire shotgun (posted on p. 16 above). Very interesting:
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

6 Jul 1867 "The Field" on the Reilly exhibit at the Paris exhibition. The Editor of the "Field" used a Reilly rifle in India. You'd think if Reilly didn't make those guns, he would have said something. Oh well, the late 20th century kibitzers know more than that editor ever did.
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

Last edited by Argo44; 08/04/21 05:16 PM.
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