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Holt's Reilly historical descriptions


As mentioned above Holt's has 3 Reilly long-guns all percussion in their upcoming auction. Holt's has the worst Reilly historical descriptions of any auction house. I've sent them the history - they won't read it. To try to rectify this situation I've sent the following snarky letter; Maybe it will get results:

Sirs,

-- re the 1" percussion Reilly with NSN in the upcoming auction, it cannot be "circa 1855." The company did not begin using "E.M. Reilly & Co." until October 1859.

-- re the Reilly percussion gun SN 5580, the history is egregiously and embarrassingly wrong.

Sir: Your Reilly historical descriptions are consistently erroneous. I have previously forwarded to you a 30 page New History of Reilly a well as a chart for dating Reilly's by serial numbers compiled from a database of some 500 extant Reillys. Apparently both have gone unread.

I am sending you below a short historical outline so that at least such fundamental errors don't happen in the future. (This is not a criticism; it's an effort at insuring accuracy in advertising).

And if you would like, I can resend you the complete history now almost in book-length. Other auction houses are now using it. It was published by Diggory Hadoke in 2019 in attenuated form and will be published next year.

Gene Williams
McLean, Virginia

============================ Short ========================

Joseph Charles Reilly, b1786, Ireland, moved to London to study law c1808. In 1814 he opened a jewelry shop at 12 Middle Row, Holborn Bars, next to the Inns of the Court where his clientele included barristers and country gentlemen. He began making guns circa1828 and by 1831 identified himself exclusively as “gun maker.”

From the beginning he employed a consistent business model; Make a quality product, sell it for a moderate price; deliver it rapidly; and make what would sell. With this model he undercut better known gun makers. He only serial numbered those guns he made. His barrels were invariably proof-marked in London, the shotguns had straight English stocks while the rifles either a pistol grip or a trigger scroll extension and the stocks for the most part used highly figured French walnut. After 1837 Reilly only serial numbered long-guns though he marketed pistols.

-- In 1835 Reilly moved to 316 High Holborn where in 1840 his 23 year old son Edward Michael joined him as a partner in the company.

--In March 1847 they moved to 502 New Oxford Street where the company remained for 50 years. The gun ribs were for the most part labeled “Reilly.” The company advertised as “Reilly, Gun Maker.”

E.M Reilly was one of the first UK gun makers to become involved in making breech-loading pin-fires. Reilly’s first pin-fires appeared in mid-1856. One of his guns, SN 10054 from late summer 1856 may be the oldest dateable extant UK-made center-break pin-fire.

-- In September 1857 JC Reilly retired in favor of EM.

-- In August 1858 a new branch was opened at 315 Oxford Street called “Reilly’s Armoury House” or “The Manufactory.” The company may have used the name “Reilly & Co.” for a short time from Aug 1858 to Oct 1859. At that time the company name changed definitively to E.M. Reilly & Co., a name which lasted on gun ribs and on trade labels and advertisements until 1918 and beyond to WWII.

-- Reilly won gold medals at the Paris Universelle exhibition in 1867, which led him to become “Gunmaker to Napoleon III” and open a branch in Paris at 2 rue Scribe in February 1868. The branch remained opened until summer 1885.

By 1880 Reilly was making twice as many bespoke hand-made guns as Purdey and Holland & Holland combined and his guns dominated UK pigeon shooting contests for 20 years.

-- In November 1881 "502" was renumbered "16"; "315" became "277."

-- In August 1885 rue Scribe was closed and in 1890 EM Reilly died.

-- In May 1897 16 New Oxford street was closed.

-- In February 1903 the company moved from 277 to 295 Oxford street where they remained until bankruptcy in June 1912. A small gun shop E.M. Reilly & Co., Gun Maker, located at 13 High Street, Marylebone run by EM Reilly’s son, continued in business until 1918.

-- In August 1922 a sporting goods dealer Charles Riggs bought the name “E.M Reilly & Co., London” and used it for many years on his Birmingham-made guns; he sold over 25,000 of these “non-Reilly’s.” Their serial umbers are 6 digits and begin around 128,000.

The Reilly’s sold all types of guns in various qualities using all types of actions. Reilly's serial numbered about 33,000 guns from circa 1825 to 1912, all built by them. The guns that they made had an artistic elegance and balance, which is unmistakable. They were one of the first to use highly figured French walnut for their stocks and their engraving, for the most part floral scroll work, was consistently classy. Reilly’s best guns were as good as those produced anywhere in England at the time.

Last edited by Argo44; 08/24/21 04:19 AM.

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