I.Hollis and Sons 12 ga.

plads

I have this shotgun which has a side pull lever below the trigger guard to break the breach. There is no serial number anywhere that I can find. it was made in London. The number 13 is stamped at the base of each barrel.Are others hard to come by and what vintage would it be?

captkirk3@dslextreme.com

plads; How do you know this gun was made in London? A lot of Gun makers from Belguim made Copies of Fine British Guns and to confuse the market marked the Barrels as Fine London Twist....leading the buyer into thinking he was buying a British Gun..What are the PROOF MARKS under the Breech End of the Barrels?? Remember...I can only see what you discribe thru your eyes...in giving a discription be as explicit as possible...Be Specific and not vague...Give details on Wood, Metal, Bores and Finish. Engraved or Not..Checkered? I await your pleasure....

Captain Kirk, Tech Staff

rhmc24

Over a period of years I have had several percussion pistols in that were made by Hollis, an English maker.

plads

quote:
plads; How do you know this gun was made in London? A lot of Gun makers from Belguim made Copies of Fine British Guns and to confuse the market marked the Barrels as Fine London Twist....leading the buyer into thinking he was buying a British Gun..What are the PROOF MARKS under the Breech End of the Barrels?? Remember...I can only see what you discribe thru your eyes...in giving a discription be as explicit as possible...Be Specific and not vague...Give details on Wood, Metal, Bores and Finish. Engraved or Not..Checkered? I await your pleasure....

Captain Kirk, Tech Staff

plads

thank you,C-K, I'm overseas for 2 weeks but I'll get specific when I get back, plads

bob levine

I currently have an I Hollis & Sons double. It is in fact a London made shotgun. They have been making them since the late flint period.What you probably have is a post Civil war shotgun. You did not state whether it is damascus. I assume that it is.

bob levine

plads

Thanks again. to be more specific, it has crossed swords stamped under the breech end of the barrels (the handles of the swords positioned towards the muzzle) aand there appears to be a crown stamped between the sword handles and some sort of crown stamped between the blades. there is another of these crossed swords stamped further along (toward the muzzle) but still under the breech end (or between the breech end and the hinge catch. Between the 2 sets of crossed swords there is the number 13 stamped. Closer to the breech end near the first set of crossed swords there is a cursive B and a J(i think or an I) stamped like BJ (or BI) together.Further along past the hinge catch a letter H is stamped between the barrels.
So from breech end it reads like this: BJ (or BI), crossed swords with crowns, 13, crossed swords with crowns. then between the barrels and after the hinge catch the letter H.
The breech ends of the barrels have engraving. I. Hollis and Sons LONDON is on the rib between the barrels on top. there is a brass bead. The receiver,hammers, and lever are all engraved. The stock is checkered. The fore stock has a steel slide the is pushed out to one side to remove the forestock, and the steel frame around this as well as the screw heads are all engraved.
Also in one of the sets of crossed swords there are marks on each side of the crossed swords between the handle and tip but I can't make them out as to what they are. this is also on each barrel.
There are 2 hinge catch protuberances, one to hinge on and the other to lock the barrels in place,I guess.
I hope this helps. Any further idea about it?

plads

on the bottom of the butt stock there is a brass button about where a sling screw would go but a bit forward of that point. It pulls out easily but there is nothing but 2 pins that hold it in place and raw wood underneath. Also "I.Hollis and Sons" is stamped/engraved on either side of the receiver along the top edge. Does anyone know about this weapons originality/value?