Fox Collectors

I have handled a boat load of high condition Fox guns but I still am not sure if the CC was coated with lacquer or similar material?? I don't recall any documentation on this subject. My feeling is the actions were not coated by the factory, what say you???

I can't answer that question for sure Craig but in my experience it seems Fox colors are more durable then say Parker or Smith. Lefevers seem to hang in there too.

I have never seen anything definitive, but I'd vote no.

I have owned too many high condition Fox shotguns with some kind of protective finish on the case colors to think that it wasn't applied at the factory. I don't know what it is, but it was not applied by a low budget customer.

Great question Craig. I have been very fortunate to handle many very high grade Foxes and some were coated and some were not. The ones that were coated looked perfectly done, not slopped on by a layman. Seen many original finish Foxes with remnants of a coating on the sides of the BPs. I wouldnt put $1000 on a bet either way.
tjw

Tom has seen many more high original condition Foxes than I, and I absolutely respect his opinions. Personally, I've never seen any coating, or remnants of such, on what I considered an original condition Fox.

I do have other, newer guns with some sort of lacquer coating over the casehardening colors and it's easy to see it. I don't believe any of the seven Philly Foxes I currently own were coated. If they were, it wore off evenly in all areas, even the more protected areas, and that seems unlikely to me.

Here's a Utica era 16 bore AE that came to me new in the box with the factory wrapping paper. I don't see any evidence of a coating, and interestingly the CC is faded despite (apparently) not having been exposed to sunlight as many think is detrimental to the colors. frank
.

I remember an as new 20 gauge Sterly that had a varnish coating on it. It was one that I really regretted not getting.

I owned a bona fide unfired 20 ga. AE Philadelphia gun that had no signs of receiver/action varnish, and another 20 ga. A grade, also a Philly gun, that I could not say was unfired but had no detonation rings or impressions of any kind on the standing breech face. That gun had no varnish on it either. Kevin

Perhaps it was a time period thing like color case hardened or nitre blued forearm irons?

One of my high condition lacquered Foxes is a late Philadelphia AE grade 12 #33,801. Another, a 12 gauge Sterly, #120,493. A 12 gauge Skeet and Upland #160,255. All have serious remnants of lacquer, the AE almost full coverage.

All good comments.... I think Dave may have something with the certain period of time supposition. Good thread.
tjw