Factory letter on early A grade!

M.L. · Post by **M.L.** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:33 am

What are the chances of getting a factory letter on a l906 A grade with ejectors. I have heard that it was hit and miss on the early guns. Guess I am a cheapskate, but don't want to send in money and find out it can not be lettered. I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject.

Regards

M.L. Hipp
Oklahoma Panhandle

Silvers · Post by **Silvers** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:21 pm

The earliest one I ever did was a 1909 graded gun and that came back with good specifics. Sometimes the letters are very informative with details you couldn't know otherwise. Others are somewhat generic, gun was shipped to XYZ along with a rehash of catalog info that's available in Mac's book, the DGJ and on this site. Personally I think it's worth the money for a graded gun. Much better odds at a hit than spending the $40. on Lotto tickets. Mr. Callahan is offering a service that, who knows, may not be available in the future. Even on SW's the letter might be good. I once bought a 26" Sterlingworth that the seller said had "cut" barrels because they didn't quite touch at the muzzles. I wasn't so sure about that, and the letter said it was built that way, a 26" Brush Ejector gun. Silvers

Researcher · Post by **Researcher** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:47 pm

The previous owner of my 1906-vintage C-Grade, serial number 1733, had a hand written note from Roe stating that that card didn't exist and the nearest card he had was 1738 and gave some info on that gun. Unfortunately, my gun got delivered in a circuitous fashon and the note didn't make it to me.

My guess is that when the A.H. Fox Gun Co. moved from their original factory at Wayne and Bristol streets into the larger Philadelphia Arms Co. factory at North 18th Street and Windrim Avenue, in late 1906, the only cards that made the move were for guns still in inventory or in-work.

Lowell Glenthorne · Post by **Lowell Glenthorne** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:23 am

Not having my Fox guns lettered.
If the gun isn't quite up to snuff, and is already in your cabinet, I would rather not know the gory details of it's life after the factory.
Shouldn't being 28" and 30" M/F barrels tell the tale?

eightbore · Post by **eightbore** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:52 am

Or originally delivered to Ernest Hemingway or D.D.Eisenhower. There's gold in them there cards. Mr. Clark and Mr. Callahan have not authored any articles on what is in there. To some, that would mean there is nothing in there. That is an incorrect conclusion. The correct conclusion is probably that neither man cared or cares to write an article. Getting into factory records is only interesting if you can find the guns. I know the serial number of Ansley's pigeon gun as well as the serial numbers of a pair of guns bought for Teddy Roosevelt's kids, but without the guns, the information is worthless. However, with gun in hand, I would want the provenance, just in case.