Fox Collectors

I saw Philadelphia Arms Company gun #1143, A Grade, sold at auction today for about $495.00. It was a cut barrel gun, loose at the hinge, 26", and I should have bought it. What was I thinking? Dave, add it to your database. I have made mistake before and I will make them again. Murphy

Years ago I listed it as poorly restocked and with barrels cut to 26-inches seen at the Harrisburg, PA, show. It had an asking price of $465 at that time.

Thanks, Dave. I feel better now. I also missed what I consider a nice early A, but I know where it is.

By the way, Dave (Researcher) and I both looked long and hard at an original B Grade Philadelphia Arms Company gun #873 several years ago. It was overpriced and the seller would not come down to a reasonable level. Well, after a couple of years of looking at the gun at shows, I finally bit the bullet and paid the price. I'm glad I did, because I haven't seen another B Grade since and the price doesn't look so bad now. The gun has a deactivated safety, was found in the Baltimore area, so I figure it is Ansley Fox's post Winchester and Parker pigeon gun. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. We know Ansley didn't shoot an E Grade Philadelphia Arms Company gun, so maybe a B?

In the Baltimore area, more likely the gun of Ansly's brother Harry Hunter Fox. The Philadelphia Arms Co. Patent No. 767557 which covers the PAC lock mechanism was in Harry's name.