Identifying A.H. Fox

[Jarmscharms]

Hello. I am new to the A.H. Fox world as I have just received this shotgun. It is marked 1894 in several places. Is that a serial number? I cannot find info on that number. Thank you for your help.

[DarylC]

Welcome to the AHFCA. Yes, that's the serial number and it's an early one and your gun seems to be in very nice condition. Not sure about the pad. Little or no information is available on those early guns. I'm sure Dave "Researcher" Noreen will be by shortly to verify this and hopefully add more. Tell us a how you came upon this gun.

[ROMAC]

Yes, what Daryl said, you have an early "A" grade Fox with Krupp Fluid Steel barrels.

The fit and finish on these early guns are superb and yours seems to be in great shape.

[Researcher]

Very nice well-preserved example of an early Ansley H. Fox A-Grade shotgun. In late 1904 Ansley H. Fox resigned from Philadelphia Arms Co. and moved a few blocks away to the corner of Wayne & Bristol Streets, and set up the A.H. Fox Gun Co., incorporated April 6, 1905, with much of the machinery he bought at the receiver's sale of Baltimore Arms Co. Here is the A-Grade from the first A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalog --

Ansley wasn't a bit modest with the cover slogan for the early catalogs --

By March 1906, Philadelphia Arms Co. was in receivership and the plant, built in late 1903, and all the machinery was purchased by Philadelphia lawyer William McGeorge, Jr. at the Sheriff's Sale July 3, 1906. On October 2, 1906, McGeorge and his wife sold the plant on North 18th Street and Windrim Avenue to Ansley H. Fox. By the end of 1906, Ansley had moved his young company into the three-year-old plant originally built for Philadelphia Arms Co.

While the production records for the time at Wayne & Bristol Streets haven't survived, from a couple of decades of observations, it appears that frames with serial numbers from 1 to 3000 were made for the Wayne & Bristol Streets plant and the next batch of frames began with serial number 7000. Not all of the 3000 early frames got completed at Wayne & Bristol Streets and we have occasionally seen frame with an early serial number that got built with much later style and markings. The workmanship and wood quality on these early guns was the best.

[Jarmscharms]

Great info! Thank you!

[Jeff S]

Welcome to the group, and appears to be a nice, solid gun. I sure hope you’ll do some hunting with it. What’s your favorite game?

[eightbore]

Early A grades are my favorite Fox guns. This is about the best I have seen.

[Stan Hillis]

Very nice Fox, and with the wide top rib. It's just a personal preference but I really like the "wide-rib Foxes". I have Philly guns with two different rib widths, all original, and the widest ones are the prettiest to me. Again, just a personal preference.

[Researcher]

The only recoil pad being offered at the time Ansley H. Fox shotgun serial number 1894 was built was the Silver's. The recoil pad now on the gun undoubtably offers a lot better recoil absorption than the Silver's ever did.

[jolly bill]

You have a real nice condition early A 12 gauge. That's a good one to have.

Maybe some time if you get the urge, take a black felt tip marker and make that white liner on the recoil pad BLACK. I think it would look better. You can always change it back if you'd like.

Jolly