Nash Buckingham's quail gun

[farandfine]

Hello everybody, I hope that some of the very knowledgeable Fox lovers on this forum may be able to answer some questions for me regarding Nash Buckingham's quail gun. Many, many years ago, I first saw the iconic photo pf Nash Buckingham as the frontispiece on the Derrydale Press copy of "De Shootinest Gent'man and other tales." The photo shows Buckingham in field shooting clothes (rather than waterfowling gear) bending down to take a bird from a setter or pointer's mouth. The photo is entitled "The author and a friend." Buckingham carries a short barrel SS double in this left hand. And it's that SS that I've long wondered about. From my reading, I gathered that the gun is a Fox with 26" barrels. I've also gathered that the gun was built by Burt Becker -- I assume while he worked for Fox. What I'd like to know is more about the gun. Has anyone had access to the factory records on this gun? What did it weigh? For whatever bizarre reason, that's the question for me. What would a Burt Becker 26" barrel SS Fox bird gun have weighed? And what grade was Buckingham's Fox?

I went on my first hunt in 1946 when I was six years old. And for whatever reason, all my hunting over all the years was always upland game hunting. I never ever went on a waterfowl hunt. So my interest in Buckingham is perhaps upland game-centric, rather than most people's water fowl/Beaver Dam interest. Now that I'm too old and crippled to do any sort of hunting, my thoughts turn to my own bygone years and those of others like Buckingham who came before me. So, hopefully someone out there may have the knowledge that I wistfully seek

[fox-admin]

I am in know way an expert on Nash's Fox guns. I do know he ordered a 20 gauge C-HE with 32" and 28" barrels. It is my opinion that the gun was not built on a SF frame as the weight is in line with regular frame 20's. I believe the 32" barrels were over-bored like an HE but was made on a regular frame. Many Fox guns were cosigned to Nash (he was in the sporting goods business) but whether they were his personal guns is pure conjecture without other documentation.

[Researcher]

33027 and 33028 that were ordered by Nash Buckingham were the Cards of the Month for May 2014. While they are both listed in the Grade section of their cards as H.X.E.s, 33028 was an 8 pound 12 ounce 32-inch barrel gun bored full & full for the 3-inch Super-X shell. However, 33027 was a 7 pound, 26-inch barrel gun, bored Imp. Cyl. and Mod to be targeted with 3 1 1/8 #10 soft shot and the standard trap load 3 1 1/4 #7 1/2 chilled shot. Card date stamped Nov. 13, 1929. Both guns ordered with ivory tips in the forearms, a Burt Becker trade mark.

[terc]

Thanks Dave,
Is the location of the Quail Gun known.

[vaturkey]

Is this the photo folks are referring to? PS. Caption said it was Nash. Hopefully that's correct.

[Researcher]

Is the location of the Quail Gun known.

Not to me.

That is the photo I know. According to GBE in his book The Best of Nash Buckingham, GBE states the picture was of Nash accepting a bird from Barnacre Curt Sawango about 1933. "The little double is his Burt Becker quail gun, which he obtained just about this time." But, I don't consider GBE a reliable source by any stretch of the imagination!

[farandfine]

Hello, Yes that is the photo I referred to. Isn't it a lovely shot!

Thanks to all who've so far responded. Much appreciated.
Cheers,
John

[farandfine]

Hello Researcher, I've used the search function to try to locate the tags you mentioned. What I get are messages that include references to them, but nothing that shows the "tags of the month." Can you please suggest how I might reach the tags of the month? Or are they on the private parts of the web site?

Thanks, again.

Best,
John

[vaturkey]

Hello Researcher, I've used the search function to try to locate the tags you mentioned. What I get are messages that include references to them, but nothing that shows the "tags of the month." Can you please suggest how I might reach the tags of the month? Or are they on the private parts of the web site?

Thanks, again.

Best,
John

You have to be a member to see those references. There are subforums available to members only.

[farandfine]

Hello, Thanks for clarifying that for me. Much appreciated!

Cheers,
John

[eightbore]

Nash was every bit the bird hunter as well as a waterfowler. He was about the epitome of field trial judges and judged the National Championships for many years. A few years ago, Tom Kidd offered Becker # 001 for sale, a 26" bird gun. I am not sure that was one of Nash's guns, may have been owned by Henry A. Bartholomew.

[loggy]

Gun number 001 was one of Henry Bartholomew’s guns. It was sold along with several others by Henry Bartholomew Cox. The gun is listed as having 28 inch barrels. John

[eightbore]

Does anyone know who purchased the gun or maybe have a picture of that gun? Apparently, Mr. Kidd purchased some of the guns from the Cox collection, but I don't know the final resting place of those guns.

[eightbore]

I know there was a Becker bird gun on the list created by Mr. Cox, but I don't know whether it was identified by serial number. Tom Kidd did identify the gun he was selling by serial number (001). I assume Tom's gun was the gun offered for sale by Cox. Somehow, I get the idea that there are two short barrel Beckers from Bartholomew and Buckingham.

[loggy]

The Cox list had number 001 with 28 inch barrels. All other Fox or Becker guns had 30 or 32 inch barrels. John