Pre-Fox?

[floridafox]

I acquired this gun as part of a larger sale without any knowledge of Fox, but a bit of curiosity about the gun. I found this great site today and suspect that this is "Pre-Fox" model. In between the barrels is marked "PHILADELPHIA ARMS CO." Three spots are marked "972". I've attempted some attachments with photos. Any insight would be appreciated!

[floridafox]

more photos

[Researcher]

"Pre-Fox" is a misnomer. The Fox Gun Co. Balto., MD., U.S.A. and Philadelphia Arms Co. were both Ansley H. Fox companies. "Pre-A.H. Fox Gun Co." would be more correct.

There is a brief history of Philadelphia Arms Co on our home page --

https://www.foxcollectors.com/pre-fox-g ... lphia-arms

Your gun is an A-Grade. From a 1905 magazine ad --

From the 1905 Philadelphia Arms Co. catalog --

What length are the barrels of your Philadelphia Arms Fox.

[floridafox]

Thank you for the info and the dated docs. Really cool that those were able to be found and scanned. The barrels on my Fox are 28".

[Researcher]

My article on Philadelphia Arms Co. was published in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Thirteen, Issue 4, Winter 2002.

Since my article was written, we have found much more information about the Philadelphia Arms Co. receivership and eventual sale.

Sheriff's Sale Tuesday July 3, 1906.jpg (52.05 KiB) Viewed 369 times

At the July 1906 Sheriff's Sale the plant was purchased by Philadelphia lawyer William McGeorge Jr. and his wife. In October 1906 the McGeorges sold the plant to Ansley H. Fox --

and by the end of 1906, Ansley moved his new company, the A.H. Fox Gun Co., into the factory at North 18th Street & Windrim Avenue.

In November 1906 the patents originally assigned to Philadelphia Arms Co. were transferred to Ansley H. Fox --

and eventually, for some reason, we see those dates stamped on A.H. Fox Gun Co. guns --