C Grade engraving style change

birdawg · Post by **birdawg** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:01 pm

Is there any data on when the C Grade guns changed from the scroll engraving to the scroll with birds?
Bills late 1800 has scroll my 7689 has the birds.

Researcher · Post by **Researcher** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:05 pm

I've seen a C-Grade with the oval and the birds on the sides in the 9xx serial number range and ones with all scroll and the banner well into the 2xxx range.

birdawg · Post by **birdawg** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:11 pm

Thanks Dave,
That is interesting. Do you have any thoughts on why?

Were the guns actually produced in number order in the early days or the frame put in a bin and what ever the worker grabbed out of the bin was the next one made?

I am pretty sure that happened with Winchester M 21's but did Fox production run the same way?

Researcher · Post by **Researcher** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:15 am

Without much in the way of records for the first 7500 guns we'll never really know. Most likely through those first 3000 or so guns they were feeling their way. That early CE-Grade I did the article on, Number 35, has more workmanship in it than a bit later guns, 445 and 511, that are marked D-Grade, so it sure seems they were feeling their way. Perhaps the gun I saw in the 9xx range with the oval and birds was an experiment or a special order? It was in pretty rugged condition. I saw it at a gunshow maybe 20 years ago at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds south of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

birdawg · Post by **birdawg** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:03 pm

Thanks for your thoughts Dave. That makes sense.

My C grade sn 182 ( shown on our site C grade photos ) doesn't have nearly the extensive work that #35 does. It was bulit for a well know Philly man of the day but he wasn't on the board.