Well-kept Heirloom - any information welcome

[Abi]

I am new to the world of A.H. Fox shotguns, and would greatly appreciate any information you would like to impart about this family 'jewel'.

This AH Fox shotgun belonged to my great-grandfather's best friend Otto. The two of them were small-time industrialists in Philadelphia in the years surrounding the turning of the 1800's to the 1900's. Otto made precision industrial machinery and great-grandpa Joe made jacquard textiles for upholstery. Finding this gun in the back of a closet and bringing it back to the light of day has been like opening a window onto the forgotten life of these two friends. Did they know Ansley? I can speculate, but I thought I'd start by asking you folks what you think of my Fox.

Details not immediately obvious:
Serial number: 18275 D (all three parts have matching serial numbers) (see engraving detail on 4th photo)
It came in its original sporting goods store box complete with all the tools necessary, circa 1920's perhaps?
Silver Badge on bottom-center edge of stock: Otto's name, Philadelphia
Among the beautiful engraving there were details of (R) Woodcocks, (L) Partridges, (B) two hunting dogs
30", 20 gauge, only minor abrasions - very clean.

The stock is a beautiful piece of walnut, even if it has been altered to fit a taller person.

The two ivory beads can be seen here.

The teardrop-shaped safety is a nice detail.

Detail to show the trigger guard and the L/R switch and it's hand-painted lettering.

I figured some of you may be dog lovers, so I included this pic for fun.

I hope you enjoyed these pictures of my Fox. If you would like a peek at other details, please let me know. I'm eager to hear what you have to say. Thanks!

[SPE33]

All I can say is WOW..... what a find!!!!! That is card of the month material.

[Jeff S]

Oh boy! That’s a real dandy. Hang on to that one.

[vaturkey]

Absolutely stunning gun. However with that serial number I'd think it would be a 12 gauge.

[Stan Hillis]

Wonderful find, and wonderful condition, from what we can see. If the bores are bright and not pitted ....... Wow!

The hand painted letters you mentioned are probably actual gold inlay. Not uncommon for the barrel selector letters and, sometimes, the word "SAFE" on the top tang, to be inlaid in gold on higher grades.

Thanks for showing us this beauty, and sharing some details about the original owner.

SRH

[TOOL MAN]

Abi.....welcome to the Fox "asylum!!" We live for "out of the closet finds" such as this! That's a very interesting Fox and one that was in the transition range of Gen-1 to Gen-2 stylings/features. Agree, the serial # denotes a 12 gauge gun. What leads you to believe it's a 20 bore? I may be wrong but I believe that gun would have left Philly before the Kautzky single trigger was available on special order. Sadly, the gun is in a missing block of factory cards--- along with 95 others--- that will remain a mystery and without a definitive ship date, questions will loom. The forearm also puzzles me, as I would tend to think that may have been a later addition as well. I can't ever remember seeing a Gen-1, D-grade with a semi-beavertail??? But then again.....never say never! (Help, Researcher!!)

Can you snap a few additional pics of the forearm and Otto's initials as well. Last question, what was the name of the sporting goods store on the box? Was it TRYON by any chance? You are blessed to have found such a wonderful and distinctive piece of family history! (All I've ever found in my relative's closets were dust and mothballs!)

[scaupman]

Very nice gun, Abi.

As per ship date of your gun, DE 18178 shipped on 12 June 12 1911 and DE 18616 shipped on 19 July 1911 so your gun possibly shipped some time 1911?

However, DE grades are a relatively rare model, and there could be large variation in ship dates among guns within in a serial number sequence. For example, DE 15450 shipped on 27 February 1914!

In his FEB 1973 article, in Gunsport & Gun Collecting, John E. Kautzky indicated that Joseph Kautky Sr.'s single trigger appeared on the shooting scene in 1910, and Joseph Sr. installed his trigger in 600 guns that were shipped to him, from as far away as Australia and the Philippine Islands. The Ansley H. Fox Gun Company bought the patent rights in 1914, and Joseph Sr., who lived in Iowa, spent several months inside the Fox factory in Philadelphia, PA, training Fox gunsmiths to build his single trigger.

Thanks for posting the photos and info on the gun ownership history!

[Researcher]

Wonderful shotgun. Congratulations on a great bit of family history. The Fox-Kautzky Single Selective Trigger was introduced by the A.H. Fox Gun Co. via an insert in their 1914 catalogs. The Fox-Kautzky Single Selective Trigger text in the 1915 A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalog states "Adopted after having proved itself during five years of actual service."

Perhaps Otto's gun was part of that "five years of actual service."

[Researcher]

As to Toolman's beavertail forearm question, the beavertail was first a catalog item on graded guns in Savage's 1931 A.H. Fox catalog and price lists. I had long heard of a few righteous Philadelphia era beavertails. I was a good forty-five years into things Fox before I actually got to see and handle one on a late 1920s XE-Grade. They are few and far between.

As to the beavertail wood on the OP's gun, it was certainly done aftermarket. The quality of, and the lines-per-inch of, the checkering certainly doesn't match the grip checkering. May well have been added to the gun at the same time the stock extension was done.

[vaturkey]

More info on the trigger for those interested. Believe this was from 1922

[Abi]

I'm embarrassed by how wonderful this shotgun has turned out to be. I'm glad I took the trouble to save it.

You're right, Researcher, the beavertail part (against the barrel) is of a different quality of wood and the checkering isn't nearly as fine as the stock (which is so fine and neat it looks like velvet almost). I'll take the time to snap a few more pictures of this for you in the next day or two. It does have the same serial number on the hardware as the rest of the gun, however.
-- Perhaps it was part of that five-year test run as a single selector. Otto did live in Philadelphia, so it is a possibility.

Tool Man, the name of the sporting goods store is Schoverling, Daly & Gales: Guns, Bicycles, Sporting Goods: 302-304 Broadway, cor. Duane St. New York. The end of the stock has a sort-of 1920's - 1940's kind of plastic guard screwed on. I'll get a picture of this along with the picture of Otto's silver badge in my next entry.

Stan Hillis, I'll take a closer look at those letters for the selector to see if they still shine. They are the right color for gold, but seem painted on, not engraved in. The "safe" wording behind the safety button is engraved into the steel, and you can spot it in my third photo above. Everything looks to be in beautiful shape in the working parts of the weapon too.

I have to admit that as a shotgun neophyte I don't know my gauges, so I'll send you guys a detail of the chamber and include a segment of my measuring tape. You're probably right.

Until later, and so glad to share. Thanks

[Jeff S]

Nice update Abi. It sure is a beautiful heirloom and everyone is eagerly awaiting your next round of pictures.

[Stan Hillis]

It is hard for the untrained eye to see that the gold is actually inlaid (hammered in) into a cut-out in the steel the shape of the letter. It would not necessarily shine, like a ring, because it may not be polished on the surface. I have gold inlays on shotguns that do not shine. Highly unlikely for it to be paint. 100 years of aging, and use, and rust preventative wipe downs with oil would not have been kind to paint.

It is a beautiful gun in a wonderful configuration.

Best, SRH

[Abi]

The badge with Otto's name on it appears to be a pale kind of gold or gold alloy. In the cracks of the engraving you can see a yellower color of gold reflect the light, which means it might have been plated when new. Otto W. Schaum Philadelphia

The walnut of the stock is especially beautiful from this side.

The butt end has a black ribbed plastic bolted on. I reckon this may have been done when the stock was extended.

the contrast is high in this photo to catch the details on the black plastic.

The selector switch letters are indeed inlayed gold. Here's the L (the R showed in the original batch) also a detail of the screw plate.

the letters are quite tiny: 3mm high

The beavertail seems to be a very different wood than the stock. It has a warmer color, as if it might be chestnut or cherry. And yes, the checkering is a little more coarse than the checkering on the stock. I took a photo of the inside so you can inspect the writing there on the barrels and on the beavertail hardware. It says: "Model 1911 / Pat'd / Aug 18 - 1904 / May 11 - 1909 / 18275"

Even the inside surfaces are engraved.

... to be continued ...

[Abi]

... continued
The chamber. Just a little bit of the copper-blue patina goop that wipes away, and some varnish covering parts of the steel making it yellowed. It looks to be almost two centimeters across, yes, probably 12 gauge.

I thought I'd include a few snaps of the Woodcocks and the Partridges on the two sides. Enjoy!

Definitely woodcocks, no denying it. Very endearing.

I think these are partridges. They could be grouse, but not quail. What do you reckon?

And lastly here's a family photo of Otto hamming it up with my great-grandpa Joe at the beach. Otto is ready to swim. Joe is just enjoying the sand on his feet. Thanks again!

They sure did have fun together!