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Hi Guys, A few years ago I had the opportunity to buy a 450/400 double. It was exactly the same as a Jeffery number 3 grade in the 1930s catalogue, which is the boxlock model often engraved with stalking tigers with no side panels on the wood in back of the frame. This one had border scroll and was inscribed "Wilkinson." My guess is that it is the famous sword maker, which possibly had an order from a customer for a rifle and obtained one from Leonard, the Birmingham firm that made so many of the Jeffery rifles. But perhaps I am mistaken and Wilkinson actually was a maker. Has anyone heard of another rifle or shotgun from this London company? It certainly was a fine double. Thanks, Blue Devil |
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From The Internet Gun Club there are several Wilkinsons. You could try and register there and ask them about your particular gun. They have been able to get information on several guns for members and registration is free. They also have access to the records of the Birmingham Proof House. Best wishes and good hunting! First Name Last Name 1st Address City/Town Nock & Wilkinson See Henry Nock Frederick Wilkinson Castle Street London Peter Wilkinson 10 Poppins Court, Fleet Street London Thomas Wilkinson 6 Great Ormond Street, Queen Street London Thomas R Wilkinson 19 Camberwell Road London James Wilkinson 10 Ludgate Street 19-21 Brunel Road, Acton London Edward William Wilkinson 12 & 13 Whittall Street Birmingham William Wilkinson Gill Yard, Vicar Lane Leeds James Wilkinson Thomas Street Bristol Matthew (Matthias) Wilkinson Castle Ditch Bristol John Wilkinson High Street Tonbridge T H Wilkinson Thurlstane Wilkinson Victoria Road Penrith John W Wilkinson 546 Pearl Street New York Henry Wilkinson See James Wilkinson of 10 Ludgate Street G S Wilkinson See Wilkinson Bros. Keeseville Henry Wilkinson Newburgh John D Wilkinson Plattsburg Joseph Wilkinson Bridgeport A E B Wilkinson Birmingham Wilkinson & Son See James Wilkinson of 10 Ludgate Street Wilkinson Bros. Plattsburg Wilkinson Sword Company Ltd See James Wilkinson of 10 Ludgate Street Wilkinson Sword Ltd See James Wilkinson of 10 Ludgate Street Wilkinson's Durham Antony Wilkison (Wilieson / Wilkinson) Opposite Fountain Well Edinburgh |
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There is a small firm that is named J&L Wilkinson that is owned by two people I happen to know personally. They do a good job and turn out some very nice double and bolt action rifles. |
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Thanks guys, I'm pretty sure it was Wilkinson Sword, and my guess still is that they didn't make any rifles, just obtained them from Birmingham outmakers. What I'd like to know is if anyone else has ever actually seen a double rifle with the logo. Thanks, Keith |
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bluedevil I owned a Wilkinson DR up until 2 years ago. Mine was much earlier than yours. 577/.450 MH cartridge. Engraved on the barrel rib was "Wilkinson & Son No.27 Pall Mall, London". This is the famous sword and razor blade makers. The underside of the barrels had numerous initials stamped but nothing that matched Leonard's. It sure looked like a W&C Scott built rifle. Hope this helps a little. Raff |
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Seen a few Wilkinsn DR's. A belgian made 450/400, a Jeffrey / Leonard 450/400. Also a couple of Shotguns - Boxlocks. Some had the same address - Wilkinson & Son No.27 Pall Mall, London" 500 Nitro |
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I have come to the conclusion that the concept of the DR maker is an urban myth. They ALL obtained them from somebody else! Nobody actually made one. |
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unspellable Welcome to the world !!! Name an industry that doesn't rebadge other products made by someone else ? 500 Nitro |
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So true! The double rifle business in England is definitly a " cottage industry". Most won't believe it but most of the companies use the same, independent craftsmen to complete the work. Ray StLedger will do most, if not all of the color case hardening. The same goes for the stockers, action fitters and so on. |
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People get hung up on names too much. ie Westley Richards - most if not all Shotguns post WW11 up to I think 1974 were made by AA Brown but within the WR Shop !!! Pre 1893 Hollands - the Scott brothers of one form or another !!! Rigby - post Rising 3rd Bite - look at the sidelocks and they are Mostly Webley & Scott actions - which IMHO is a GOOD thing as it is such a great action. Army and Navy - often Webley & Scott actions (boxlocks) - Webley Screw grip is one of the BEST actions but people ha ha at the guns as they have Army and Navy on them !!! Generally means I just end up buying a cheaper gun. 500 Nitro |
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Hi Bluedevil, The stalking tigers were also in Jeffery 1928 catalogue on the .400 double rifle. It has a good chance of being a Leonard. Are the original proof marks Birmingham proofs? It would be unlikely that a London maker would send a gun to the Birmingham Proof house. Regards Stuart Leonard |
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Bluedevil, 2Triggers, Stuart: I know this is an old thread, but Stuart brought it to the top, so I thought I'd post on it. The Wilkinson referred to is James Wilkinson & Son, Gunmaker, a very old, highly respected London firm. Wilkinson gets a little confusing because of all the changes over the years. The firm was founded in 1772 by Henry Nock, one of the most renowned gunmakers of that era. The firm Henry Nock, Gunmaker received a Royal Warrant as gunmaker to HM King George III. Nock took in James Wilkinson as an apprentice. Wilkinson married into the family and became Nock's partner in 1785. On Nock's death, Wilkinson inherited the company and changed the name to James Wilkinson, Gunmaker (an odd thing to do given the revered status of the Nock name at the time), which became James Wilkinson & Son when his son joined the business. Wilkinson was also awarded a Royal Warrant as gunmaker to the King. Wilkinson was well known for best quality sporting weapons, but also made many military weapons. When the government took production in house at Enfield Lock, Wilkinson branched out into edged weapons, which were still let out to the trade. James Wilkinson & Son, Gunmakers and Wilkinson Sword Co. were never separate entities - the guns and edged weapons were simply sold under different names. Wilkinson's firearms patents seem to have been held under the Wilkinson Sword Co name. As the sword, cutlery, and razor business expanded, the gun business contracted. By the advent of the hammerless nitro double, Wilkinson had become a retailer, and was no longer making the guns it sold. After 1906, they no longer assigned their own serial numbers. Gun sales ceased in 1939. Wilkinson maintains it's license as a gunmaker (or they did until at least 2005) for the purpose of maintaining it's firearms museum. The firm was sold in 2003 and the famous sword factory at Acton was closed in 2005. I don't know what has become of the firearms museum since then. The museum maintained the firm's historical firearm records. Bluedevil, the gun you saw would have been bought in from the trade, so it could easily have come from Leonard. Wilkinson guns from the hammerless era were marked variously "James Wilkinson & Son", "Wilkinson & Son", or "Wilkinson". I've never seen one marked "Wilkinson Sword Co.". I've handled a number of Wilkinson double rifles over the years, and all have been from Webley & Scott. I did a little load development for a .450/.400 3.25" NE that was a Webley PHV-1. Stuart, the proof marks are sometimes helpful, but usually not. Some London makers DID periodically send guns they made themselves to Birmingham for proof. Charles Lancaster and Charles Boswell come immediately to mind. Also, a great many of the Birmingham made guns were proved in London. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Well, that tears it. The museum has been closed and the contents auctioned by Bonham's on April 6. I wonder what the cretins did with the records. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |