Fox Collectors

McIntosh's book is, what, almost 20 years old? I just procured a copy of The Parker Story, and it looks to be a beautiful publication. It must have been quite an undertaking, but I'm hoping someone - or some group - will one day do something similar for Fox guns. The knowledge is certainly here with this group but I suppose it would have to be a labor of love; I doubt (sadly) that it would be a money-making venture.

Anyway, I note that I now have five books about Parker shotguns and own one; I have but one book about Fox guns and own four! That just seems wrong !

well, don't forget, Parker was around longer, and made not only a greater variety of actions and styles of shotguns but also vises, coffee grinders and about any other metal- especially cast iron - object you could want back then, that fills up a lot of the two volumes of the Parker Story. ( but agreed great book).

I think when you compare the subject matter, the McIntosh Fox book - (remember the Parker book was a team efffort) is every bit the research tool.

Well, automobiles, fishing reels, toy shotguns and whatever else...Fox could fill a few extra pages too !

The next great Fox book is being written by Dave Noreen in our newsletter each issue as the lead historical article. All that needs to be done is add pretty pictures.
Some day someone should publish his historical account in book form. Any financial backers??

yup

Fin2Feather wrote:Well, automobiles, fishing reels, toy shotguns and whatever else...Fox could fill a few extra pages too !

yes - but they were in the McIntosh book,

now - if Dave Noreen WAS to put his knowledge into a book, I'd pony up a preorder to help fund it.

Our late friend, Ed Muderlak, wrote a good piece on the death of print journalism and I believe I'll heed that!! I know a lot of historical trivia, but I don't know the guns anywhere near well enough to write a book. As far as I know, the only person that could write another book on Ansley H. Fox shotguns would be Tom Kidd.

David, I believe you are selling yourself short. I would welcome a book from either you or Mr. Kidd? This group contains members that have contributed well written chapters on the Fox history in the newsletter and the DGJ. Thanks to All! John

OH Osthaus wrote:

Fin2Feather wrote:Well, automobiles, fishing reels, toy shotguns and whatever else...Fox could fill a few extra pages too !

yes - but they were in the McIntosh book,

OK; you win.

I was thinking of a compilation - a shared authorship, if you will, like The Parker Story. I'm sure that if the knowledge of, say, Mr. Noreen and Mr. Kidd (and there are many others here - at the risk of omitting and offending anyone I'll leave it at that) were combined, it would more than stand up to that included in the Parker book. As for the pretty pictures, perhaps the incomporable William W. Headrick could be coerced into contributing a few, and who knows, even an ancedote or two? Just wishful thinking, I suppose, but a man can dream, eh?

Just some random thoughts here; if you've ever written one good article on Foxes etc you'll appreciate the time commitment it takes for same. Then, multiply that by enough content to fill even a modest sized book, and the effort becomes immense. I'm not talking here about a novel where the words can flow like someone is speaking and telling a story. Rather, most gun books need good, accurate technical detail/graphics/copy proofing and all that takes TIME, TIME and more TIME. Then, when your for-profit book is done, the numbers on ROE will likely show that the author made something like a few cents per hour. Not to mention how a few errors can cast a shadow over an otherwise great work. Labor of love? Well that can help to a point, but look at some of the posts here where a gent takes/makes time to answer a question and the questioner doesn't even acknowledge with a simple thank you. That turnoff would be exponentially ^ larger with a book that takes hundreds of hours, versus a post that might take minutes to answer.

Am I commenting from personal experience? I think so. I have a good start on a Fox gunsmithing book but totally shelved the project months ago because of the massive effort needed, and I have other things I want to do with my time. Methinks it's better for an author to put out material in smaller increments like Fox Newsletter articles etc, and then do a compilation at some point. But then many potential customers will probably think and say, hey I already read that. Why is this author charging me for duplicate information? All the foregoing is my opinion only but it's based on doing some book chapters and many articles on Foxes and other non-related industrial topics.

Again it's jmo, but those readers who are not AFHCA members should consider.... you don't know what you're missing by not getting the Members' Newsletter, nor being able to access the newsletter archive files in the private Members Forum. Silvers

It sure would be nice to have Mr. Kidd & Mr. Noreen compile their knowledge/experiences/records into one book, with artistic work by Mr. Headrick... all good guys, all very knowledgeable guys..... I've had the pleasure of spending time with them all. I wouldnt be waiting around for them to "pool" their resourses. Just sayin.

tjw

MARSHFELLOW wrote: I wouldnt be waiting around for them to "pool" their resourses. Just sayin. tjw

Mr. Kidd made his intentions clear when he stopped his great contributions to Double Gun Journal. Unless he has been compiling a book under cover for a decade, we will probably hear nothing from him in the future in book form. It should be hoped that he will resume his contributions in some gun related periodical some day. Bill Murphy

Good points mostly, Frank, but one I would question. A compilation of previously published articles has been done many, many times with success. If you stop and think about many of the books we enjoy, and treasure, and read over and over, they are of that type. I believe that the enthusiasts of any genre will gladly purchase this kind of book, and the Fox enthusiasts are the ones that you would count on to buy a Fox book of any other type as well. I would consider it a reference volume, not necessarily something to read only for entertainment. A section in it with articles from you on simple Fox gunsmithing procedures, including disassembly/assembly instructions, would be super material. You can't imagine how much I enjoy reading your posts, with pictures, on the gunsmithing "kinks" you have developed over the years.

JMTCW, Stan