Serial # 95a?

[Scratch]

I started researching my late father's 12 gauge double barrel. I've come to a dead end.Ansley H Fox is on the side of the receiver and 95A is stamped on four different locations of the gun. Otherwise no other numbers. Gun has a Krupp barrel and is marked Philadelphia. Any information on my dad's gun would be greatly appreciated!

[fox-admin]

Sounds like you have a first year made AH Fox early A grade. Pictures would be helpful, Check this link for more info.
https://www.foxcollectors.com/fox-gun-g ... -directory

[Researcher]

Ansley H. Fox resigned from Philadelphia Arms Co. in late 1904, moved a few blocks away to Wayne & Bristol Streets, and founded the A.H. Fox Gun Co. in the spring of 1905. Ansley H. Fox bought a lot of machinery, jigs and fixtures at the receiver's sale of the Baltimore Arms Co. in late 1904, which I suspect he may have used to set up the A.H. Fox Gun Co. The earliest A.H. Fox Gun Co. advertising I've found is from October 1905 --

The A-Grade from the first A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalog --

Since I have been recording early Ansley H. Fox doubles, I've recorded three with single digit serial numbers, seven with two-digit serial numbers and eight with three-digit serial numbers.

We'd love to see several good pictures of your dad's gun!!

[jolly bill]

Welcome Scratch.

Yeah, we sure would like to see some pictures of your fathers Fox.

Jolly

[Scratch]

When I get back home tomorrow I will post some pictures. Thanks for your replies!

[Scratch]

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The gun has some history! Previous owner "refinished" it

[Scratch]

A

[Researcher]

Thank you for the pictures. Your father saved us a nice early Fox!! Looks like a nice honest early A-Grade. I'm sure some of our good stock/wood artisans, such as Brian Dudley, could strip that added finish on the stock and forearm, pick up the checkering, address any problems and put a more proper finish on the wood. Does the gun still have the original butt plate?

[jolly bill]

Hey Scratch:

Thanks for posting pictures of your fathers early A 12 gauge. Now your gun to use and treasure.

Still in relatively decent shape considering its age. We've seen many that were much worse.

Yep, what Researcher/Dave Noreen said about cleaning it up and checking it out.

Owning serial number 95 is pretty neat.

Jolly

[Scratch]

Thanks for your replies! Here is the butt plate that is on the gun. I am interested in having it restored. Any contact information would be appreciated!
When we would hunt grouse or woodcock in heavy cover, dad would always shoot twice. When he was asked why he did that, he would joke- The first shot was to clear an opening!

[Sporrns]

This is only the second "Whippet" brand recoil pad I have ever seen. Years ago I bought a nice EE grade Lefever 16 ga. at an auction and it had the exact same pad on it. 'Whippet Good!" Kevin

[Researcher]

The Whippet pad is a Red Head Brand Co. of Chicago recoil pad "trade branded" for Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. a big hardware company on State Street in Chicago. They were made from the late 1930s well into the 50s. Red Head made many "trade branded" versions of their recoil pad, NoJolt for Marshall-Wells Co. of Duluth with stores as far west as Montana and in Canada --

TruSport for E. K. Tryon in Philadelphia --

TruSport pad 02.jpg (48 KiB) Viewed 6148 times

etc.

The Patent No. 105358 marked on the pads is a lie, it is actually a Design No. granted July 20, 1937, to A.K. Anderson and assigned to the Red Head Brand Co. of Chicago, Ill.

[Researcher]

One more question. What is the barrel length?

For the W. Bingham Co. of Cleveland --

[Scratch]

It is a 30-in barrel

[TOOL MAN]

Thanks for sharing "Scratch."

I can't get those lyrics outta my head: "She's a BRICK.....HOUSE, she's mighty-mighty..."

JMHO but please tread lightly on any restoration effort. You have precious, ancestral DNA all over that gun, why erase it? That time-honored glow took more than a century to accrue, but sadly, can be washed away in a matter of hours. The horror.....

What a gritty looking Fox!!