Early Fox Guns

[Vol423]

As many of you know, Fox serial numbers started at number 18700 when Fox began production at the Philadelphia factory in 1911. I have # 18709, a 12Ga AE 30” gun. Are there records of other early guns, especially 0 through 8? Interestingly, this gun recently was brought in from Canada.

[Researcher]

None of what you have stated is true. A.H. Fox Gun Co. production began at serial number 1 in 1905 at the factory at Wayne & Bristol Streets. Serial numbers 2, 5 and 8 have been observed. From decades of observing and recording guns it appears that the first batch of frames were serial numbered up to 3000. So far I've recorded thirty-eight guns from serial number 2 to 3000. When the A.H. Fox Gun Co. moved into the factory at North 18th Street & Windrim Avenue

in late 1906 it appears they began serial numbering the next batch of frames at 7000.

Surviving production records only contain about ten very early cards, for guns that were salesman sample cut-aways. Regular production cards survive from 9648 onward.

[MARSHFELLOW]

Thanks Dave!!!....... what a great picture, dont recall seeing it before now. I should know this, but I dont, is that the "pre" or "post" 7000 facility??
tjw

[Researcher]

That is the factory at North 18th Street & Windrim Avenue, taken from the opposite end from the artist rendering in the 1907 catalogs --

I've never found a picture of the A.H. Fox Gun Co.'s factory at Wayne & Bristol Streets. One corner of that intersection was a vacant lot when I was there in 1986, and the other three were row houses.

[ROMAC]

Just an FYI,

They also lowered the grade of the road on the 18th street side to make an underpass below the railroad in front of the building shortly after the factory was built so you can see two very different pictures of the same building from the same perspective and not be sure of what you are looking at if you did not know about the excavating of the roadbed.

[Researcher]

Ground was broken for the brick factory building originally built for Philadelphia Arms Co. in August 1903. The city lowered the grade in 1913, after Ansley was gone and the Godshalks were in charge. Picture said to be from November 1913.

A.H. Fox Gun Co. Factory Nov 1913.jpg (33.38 KiB) Viewed 3195 times

[Silvers]

Just a tidbit here; the “shooting range” was located on the roof of the N 18th Street factory. That’s where patterning was done on request and typically for Super-Foxes. I don’t know if it was open air or enclosed, probably the latter for noise abatement.

frank

[Vol423]

my mistake. I went to the doublegun shop site and 1911 appeared as the first year of production. So mine is the ninth gun made in 1911. Big whoop!

[Researcher]

That serial number chronology on Doublegunshop.com and elsewhere on the internet was originally produced by Lightner Library back in 1976. It is worth exactly what you paid to look at it on doublegunshop.com -- nothing!!

The only way to know anything for sure is to join the A.H. Fox Collectors Association, Inc. and get your annual members free look up of a production card, or get a letter on the gun from Cody.

Ansley H. Fox doubles were neither finished or shipped in serial number order. Guns often languished in inventory for years, many partially completed waiting for an order they could be finished up to fill.

[Vol423]

I have a nice C grade with two barrel sets. I don’t care much about when it was made. The AGrade is just trading stock.

[scaupman]

Thanks to Dave for the old factory photos/postcard and historical info, and to Frank for info on location of the shooting range/test patterning!

[Researcher]

The 1913 photos of the regrade show a sizeable increase in structures on the roof from the 1907 artist's rendering.

[ROMAC]

Here is one that shows a lot of additions.

[ROMAC]

An aerial that shows all the WWI additions (but taken at a much later date before most of it was torn down).

[Stan Hillis]

Thanks, Roger. That last pic clearly shows roof structure long enough to pattern shotguns, as explained by Frank. Good info, all.

SRH