Here’s a nice looking, classic American double. It’s on Gunbroker.com now and the listing ends today, 9/24/2015, @ 9:40:00 PM ET.
BTW: This is what a minty 16g A-Grade looks like.
Rare Ansley H. Fox “A Grade” 16 ga. SxS shotgun: We have for auction a nice clean Ansley H. Fox of Philadelphia PA. “A Grade” Double Barrel Side X Side Shotgun, chambered for 16 gauge shot shell cartridges. This beautiful vintage shotgun bearing serial number 300236 was manufactured in 1913 the second year of production for 16 gauge Ansley H. Fox of Philadelphia models according to published factory records. The serial numbers in our auction photographs have been digitally removed, however we will gladly provide them to the winning bidder upon request at the completion of the auction. This beautiful vintage example has remained in wonderful factory original condition over the past 102 years, still retaining most of the original factory blued barrel finish, and showing areas of the factory applied case colored frame finish still is visible. Bores and function are excellent.
This is an early Ansley H. Fox of Philadelphia Pa, and is not to be confused with the later Fox shotgun variations. The shotgun in our auction listing is an “A Grade” Model, with very nice factory engraving. Early graded A. H. Fox model shotguns are very rare, and seldom encountered, especially ones that are still retaining nice clean factory original condition, with no after market modifications, or have been refinished like the one in our auction.
The 26 inch side X side “Krupp Fluid Steel” barrels were factory designed with a full length sighting rib, extractors, are choked Full on the right, and Modified on the left, and still have nice bright bores & chambers. This early vintage double barrel shotgun still has the factory original early style 16 gauge 2 9/16 inch shot shell chambering, and has “not” been rechambered as many have, to accommodate the more modern 2 ¾ inch shells. The locking leaver still rests firmly to the right as it should, the action is still very tight, and the barrel to action fit is solid with no looseness. Again folks, please keep in mind that this beautiful vintage A. H. Fox is all factory original with no modifications, which in todays market is a very Rare find! This beauty still retains the factory original genuine Walnut wood stock & forearm, which has very nice factory checkering, with no cracks, chips, or alterations.
This nice old A. H. Fox shotgun has the following stock measurements, the LOP (Length of Pull) is 14 ¼ inches, and is fitted with the original black bake-a-lite butt plate. No folks, you didn’t read it wrong,,, this grand old shotgun has not been cut! The drop at the comb is 2 ¼ inches, is 3 inches at the butt, and has no cast off, and the shotgun weighs a total of just 6 1/4 lbs. This is simply an exceptional 102 year old example of a very nice, very clean, unaltered, factory original A. H. Fox of Philadelphia Pa. shotgun. This beauty would certainly make a great addition to any Ansley H. Fox, or any other fine vintage gun collection.
Gregg,
I think the barrels on the Fox A 16 ga have been cut.
People have lost their minds on Fox’s. No doubt they’re one of the great American SxS makes, but pricing has gotten WAY out of line with other makes.
Ever since McIntosh wrote that ‘romance novel’ which used a marketing term as the subtitle, every guy who goes shooting clays for the first time goes away “knowing” he needs to buy “the finest” shotgun so he won’t have to rent a sad old Caesar Guerini O/U next time. Hence, you see Sterlingworth’s going for $2,200, and A grades going for $4,000.
I never thought the day would come that Parker Trojan’s and VH’s could possibly be superceded in terms of “bad value/not rare”…
Nick
Hi Nick-
Thanks for the comment. Why do you think they’ve been cut? They look right to me.
I agree with price/value on these guns. People are paying more for sentiment than quality.
But that has always been the case with American stuff.
Just look at what guys pay for old Colts. Those are clunky, machine-made guns that no one uses.
The only thing those guns have is old-west romance. But that’s all it takes drive the prices on them.
Gregg
I love the Fox guns, but this is way out of line. After seeing the starting price I need to change my britches!
Yeah, it’s a bit pricey — especially for a gun with 3″ of drop!
Gregg
Think its right as rain. Unusual in that it has a snap on forearm. Not many small bores out there that have that. I have the exact gun but with 28″ barrels. My opinion is the barrels wouldn’t be full/mod if they were cut.
I agree. Thanks for the comment.
Gregg
Yes, I guess they aren’t cut. I messaged the seller who said they were Mod/Full…so that must be the case. What threw me is that the barrels don’t touch! Are many Fox’s like this??
Dan Lefever would have used the gun on his guy of he’d have let one leave the factory like that! Those barrels are supposed to touch.
Frank Hollenbeck would be upset that not only did Ainsley Fox “borrow” his box lock design, but he didn’t braise the barrels correctly!
Nah – the “bbls-touching” thing is often not true — especially with Foxes.
I’ve seen plenty of all-original Foxes that don’t have kissing bbls. These guns have lettered as having their original-length bbls.
One even had the original hang tag to confirm, too.
Greg
Does anyone know what this gun sold for?
I’m not, but I would guess $3000-$3500.
Do you have a similar gun? Or are you looking for one?
Thanks for the comment,
Gregg
I have one. Mine needs a replacement buttstock as it was sanded below the metal. Mine also has the early snap on foreend. No idea what this gun sold for. I’d guess the same at others. Between 3 and 4K.