Palmer & Tarr
Except error of my share, the manufacturer is Palmer & Tarr in Birmingham; the punches are those of Birmingham used of 1887 to 1904 for choke unrifled bores. The figure in the rhombus indicates the gauge and this punch were used since 1887, as well as the mention of the word “choke”. Figure 13 on the gun is unknown for me; it is not an indication of gauge. The measurement of the gauge either would be split, or followed letter M (muzzle) or B (Breech, measured with 8.6 inches - or 27 cm - rocker, exactly like one makes in Liege).
If the room has a length exceeding 3 inches, one indicates “LLC instead of C in the rhombus.
This rifle has a double closing of type Purdey, largely used on considerable English, French and Liège rifles the top-of-the-range one. Osborne is undoubtedly the London distributor. If rifle had been manufactured in London, it would not carry the punches of Birmingham but well those of the bench of tests of London (rule imposed by the congregations Worshipful Company in London and The Guardians of the Birmingham Proof House in Birmingham, a tradition very British with which one does not laugh on the other side of the channel: each one at home and the sheep will be well kept). For the sale it is other thing.
It would not have to be astonished, in spite of the know-how of English, that the rocker or certain elements of the mechanism comes arms manufacturers of Liège. Question of production cost.
Lord Marcel
Lord Marcel
