A.H. FOX HE SUPER FOX 12 GAUGE THE VERY BEST KNOWN
A.H. FOX HE SUPER FOX 12 GAUGE THE VERY BEST KNOWN: THIS IS THE FINEST HE KNOWN, #31525, 32″ EXTRA FULL AND EXTRA FULL (048″ AND 048″), DOUBLE TRIGGER, EJECTORS, FIELD FOREARM, PISTOL GRIP, A FEW SCATTERED MARKS IN THE WOOD, 8LBS 9 OZ, 2 1/2″ DAH, 1 1/2″ DAC, 14″ LOP. Price:$16,900
R. Robinson of 7 Queen Street. Hull, England ~ A light and handy 2″ chambered 12 weighs 5 lb.s 4.5 oz
R. Robinson of 7 Queen Street. Hull, England ~ A light and handy 2″ chambered 12 weighs 5 lb.s 4.5 oz: Boxlocks – If you have ever wanted a 2″ 12g or just a super light game gun this is a super buy. The gun is tight on face with beautiful barrels featuring the elegant Churchill rib. Serial Number: 11705. Ejectors: Yes. Barrels: 26″. Barrel Type: Steel. Action: Box lock ejector. Gauge: 12 gauge. Stock Comb: 1 3/8″ Stock Heel: 2″ Stock Cast: 1/4″. LOP: 14 3/8″. Weight: 5 lbs. 4 1/4 oz.. Choke Left: .034 full. Choke Right: .034 full. Proof:Nitro: 2″ Minimum Wall Thickness Left: .027″ Minimum Wall Thickness Right: .027″. Price:$3,400
Henry Adkin English Nitro Proofed 16 Gauge:
Henry Adkin English Nitro Proofed 16 Gauge: Barrels rib marked “57 High St. Bedford”. Proofed for three-tons. Chambered are 2½” shells. Bores are excellent. The barrels are on face and lockup tight. L.O.P. is 14½. Engraving is very fine tight floral scroll. Weight is 6½ libs. Checkering is excellent. Barrels are brown, showing fine Damascus pattern. This is a really neat, light, well made 16 Gauge. Price:$2,950
N. GUYOT FRENCH BOXLOCK SXS 20 GAUGE
N. GUYOT FRENCH BOXLOCK SXS 20 GAUGE: 26 3/4″ BARRELS CYLINDER AND FULL 2 3/4″, DOUBLE TRIGGER, EXTRACTORS, SPLINTER FOREARM, ENGLISH GRIP, ORIGINAL CONDITION WITH LIGHT WEAR, 5LBS 6 OZ. 2″ DAH, 1 5/16″ DAC, 14 1/8″ LOP. Price:$1,695
Ithaca NID made in 1947 16 gauge 28″ barrels field grade excellent case color and bore. Very tight
J. Purdey & Sons Best Extra Finish Fine Scroll 28 Gauge SXS – DT – Beaded Edge Trigger Guard – 29” Barrels – Solid Rib (concave) – 5 lbs 9 ozs -15”LOP
J. Purdey & Sons Best Extra Finish Fine Scroll 28 Gauge SXS – DT – Beaded Edge Trigger Guard – 29” Barrels – Solid Rib (concave) – 5 lbs 9 ozs -15”LOP: Splinter Forend – Gold Oval with Logo – Orginal Order #6342 – Serial Number 30028 (denoting the 28GA for a special customer) – Leather Case with Flat Brass Corners – Case Colours – Gold “J. Purdey” on locks and base of action – Chokes R: 50%. L: 60% – Proof: 1200 BAR – Weight of Barrels 2 lbs 5.75 ozs – Straight Grip – Checkered Butt – I never shot this gun – the brush & swab appear to have been used – but there is no evidence of field use or firing wear anywhere on the face of the action whatsoever. Accessories included as seen in photos. Price:$119,000
Westley Richards & Co. Gold Name 20 Gauge SxS Boxlock Ejector Shotgun: “Gold Name” Westley Richards. Full choke and improved cylinder. Barrels are 27” length. Gun has automatic ejectors, double triggers, scalloped frame. Gun looks as new and probably is. Stocks are splinter forend and checkered butt. Length of pull is 14 ½”. Comes with its original luggage case with trade label and accessories. This is an untouched 20 gauge Westley Richards! Price:$8,750
N. Guyot 12 Gauge SxS Sidelock Ejector Double Barrel Shotgun
N. Guyot 12 Gauge SxS Sidelock Ejector Double Barrel Shotgun: Offered for sale is an N. Guyot 12 gauge sidelock ejector SxS shotgun with Purdey-style 3rd fastener. It weighs 7lbs 3ozs, and has 2 3/4” chambers, with 28” barrels. It is choked IC & Mod. There is a 14 1/2” LOP from front trigger over a 1” Hawkins-style pad. The drop at the nose is 1 1/4”, and the drop at the heel is 2 1/8”. It is in excellent condition with 95% original case color, 98% original blue on small parts, and the barrels professionally re-blacked. Price:$8,000
FRANCOTTE 20E – VL&D IMPORT – 12 GAUGE – LOTS OF ORIGINAL CASE COLOR: Here’s a Francotte 20E in 12 gauge with 28″ barrels. Strong original case colors at 50%. Overall excellent condition. Tight and on the face. No loose ribs. No cracks to wood. Ejectors well timed. Double underbite with Greener Crossbolt and sideclips. Chambers are original at 2 3/4″. Right bore measures .727 with 7/1000 choke while left barrel is .734 with 11/1000 choke. Auto safety. Weight is 6 LBS 10 1/2 OZ. Shipping is $40. Stock dimensions: LOP – 14 1/4″, Drop at Comb – 1 1/4″, Drop at Heel – 1 1/2″. Price:$2,650
FRANCOTTE 20E – VL&D IMPORT – 12 GAUGE – LOTS OF ORIGINAL CASE COLOR
Merkel 201E 12 ga. OU Shotgun, Upland, mfg. 10/61:
Merkel 201E 12 ga. OU Shotgun, Upland, mfg. 10/61: 28″ tapered file finished rib, DT’s, ejectors,
Greener crossbolt, double underlugs, full coverage game scenes of pursuing fox, grouse, flying waterfowl, all in woods & marshland, cocking indicators, deluxe checkered walnut straight stock, 2 piece forearm, 15″ LOP over 7/8″ matched solid pad. 97% bbl. & receiver finish, some light handling. Price:$2,899
As I’ve written before, N. Guyot is one of the mysteries of the European gun trade. In the early to mid 1800s and into the 20th century, someone — or perhaps a family — “made” all sorts of firearms under this name: From target pistols and fancy hammerguns to high-quality sidelocks and plainer boxlocks. It appears that they had a shop in Paris for many, many decades, and for a time, an office in London.
There was also a N. Guyot who an inventor with several patents to his name and a world-class pigeon shooter who won the Monaco Grand Prix du Casino in 1901. Perhaps this was the founder of the firm, or a son who carried on the name?
From what I can see, this sideplated shotgun was made between 1887-1896. It carries a full-set of London proof marks from that period (for Black Powder, not Nitro), but no Belgian or French proof marks. This is one of the mysteries of Guyot: Why would a gunmaker with a retail shop in Paris have his a shotgun proofed in London — especially if it was made back home in France or next door in Belgium?
Condition wise, the color-case hardening on this gun looks pretty original. I’m not sure about bbl blueing and wood finish, though. Both look fresher to me, and the checkering has definitely been recut. Also, this gun has some funky looking ejectorwork on it which appears to be unique to Guyots. Wonder what it is?
I’m a big fan of Guyot shotguns, and I’ve written about these doubles here, here, and here. Just about every Guyot side-by-side that I’ve seen has been very well made, from the lower-end boxlocks to the top-of-line sidelocks.
The sidelock here is an another example of just how much skill went into Guyot’s best double barrel shotguns. It was auctioned off last year and went for a very fair at a great price. I wish I had been the person who got it. Here’s the auctioneer’s full listing on it:
Serial #12451, 12 bore, 29 1/2″ barrels are choked improved cylinder and modified and show bright excellent bores. The shotgun features ejectors, cocking indicators, articulated front trigger, sideclips and non-automatic safety. The action and locks feature full coverage rose and scroll engraving with “N. GUYOT” on left lock and “A PARIS” on right lock. The barrel rib is engraved “Sir Joseph Whitworth’s Fluid Comressed Steel” and the barrels are marked “N. Guyot Arqr. Paris / 12 Rue de Ponthieu”.
12 gauge Guyot double barrel sidelock shotgun
The barrels retain 95% superb quality blued finish that appears original. The barrels feature their original French proofs and have been additionally proofed in England “12 ga / 70mm / 850 BAR”. The action and locks retain 80% original color case-hardened finish with most loss on belly where colors are blending with a pleasing smooth gray patina. The triggerguard retains about 60% thinning original blue finish. The checkered straight grip buttstock and splinter forend are of beautifully figured French walnut and rate excellent plus and may have been lightly cleaned with freshened checkering.
The shotgun locks up very tight and points beautifully with a 14 5/8″ pull over a later leather covered pad with drops of 1 1/2″ and 2 1/8″. A very fine, best quality Parisian double gun of superlative quality. (Estimate: $8000/12,000) SOLD FOR $9200.00.
Guyot is mysterious gunmaker. Even though the company made beautiful sidelocks and boxlocks, there’s very little information out there about its history. I know because I’ve been researching Guyot for years and all I’ve discovered is in this piece I wrote a few years ago: “Who the heck was Guyot?”
Guyot is a gunmaker I’ve written about before. While I’ve seen a number of double-barrel shotguns marked with the Guyot name, I know very little about the maker. About all I’ve been able to come up with is that they made some real nice guns. This boxlock at Jaqua’s is an excellent example.
16g Guyot Double Barrel Shotgun
It’s a 16g gauge with double triggers and ejectors. It looks like it was made on the proven Anson & Deeley patent action. I would guess that this gun was made in Belgium for Guyot, and if I had to bet I would say that Francotte was behind it (check out this Francotte Knock About to see what I mean).
Finish wise, it looks nearly new and all original. If it is all that, $1995 is a reasonable price. Where else can you buy that much quality, and that much condition, for that kind of money?
Shooting sportsman around the world know that there are a lot mysteries in the world of fine firearms, even today when the web makes information so easy to find. One of these mysteries is the gunmaker, or gunmakers, Guyot.
Over the years, I’ve come across a bunch of double barrel shotguns with the name Guyot on them. They have come in a variety of grades – from field-grade boxlocks to Best-quality sidelocks. All of them appear to have been from France and they have all been very well made.
This guns looks to have been made in the 1880s. With a bar-in-wood-style action and a push-forward underlever, this is an unusual hammerless gun. These features were more popular on hammerguns, like on this Purdey from Steve Barnett Fine Guns, but almost never seen on hammerless models. The gun also has Whitworth fluid compressed steel bbls and it’s a non ejector. I suggest you read the whole article and check out the pics to learn just how interesting and well made this gun is.
Hey London, eat your heart out.
Here’s another Guyot sidelock, courtesy of Lewis Drake and Associates. This is a 12g, Best-quality game gun, marked N. Guyot, Paris. It was made in the 1930s and it’s in near new, original condition:
Description from Drake’s site:
“Guyot, Paris, best 12ga. lightweight sidelock game gun. Wt. 6 3/4 lbs. Stock dimensions: 14 1/2″x 1 5/8″x 2 3/4″x straight. Superb 28″ chopper lump steel barrels with 2 1/2″ chambers and mint bores (.726″/.726″), choked .011″/.020″, with good wall thickness (.030″/.033″), retain 100% of the original black finish. Nicely engraved action with ejectors, hidden 3rd. fastener, bushed firing pins, articulated front trigger, and automatic safety. Beautiful bar action sidelocks with intercepting safety sears are of the highest quality and, along with the action, retain 95% of the original hardening colors. Nicely figured straight grip stock with checkered butt and splinter forend retain virtually all the original finish.”
Nice, huh? Looks at how the forend iron matches up and fits into the action. I’ve seen Purdeys that aren’t as well made.
Here are more pics of this fabulous gun. As you can see, it’s a best quality – I would say on par with some of the finest guns made in the UK.
Here’s another N. Guyot, Paris, sidelock, pic courtesy of Safari Outfitters. I saw this gun at a show last winter and I thought it was a Purdey:
It sure looks like Guyot was influenced by Purdey’s engraving pattern and overall style. The toplever is also Purdey-esque and the gun has chopperlump Whitworth-steel bbls — like a Purdey. Notice that the hinge pin screws in from the right-hand side on this one. On the Guyot above, it comes in from the left. Why? I don’t know. Also, the screw that fastens the lock to the action is blued on this gun. On the other one it’s color-case hardened. Again, I have no idea why.
Beautiful boxlocks, too.
Along with sidelocks, I’ve also come across some fantastic boxlocks by N. Guyot, Paris. Some of them have looked Belgian and reminded me of Francottes (I’ve heard of Guyots bearing just Belgian proof marks). Others have had their own look. Here’s a 16g, image courtesy Cabela’s Gun Library:
As you can see, this N. Guyot boxlock is a top-quality shotgun. It features Sir Joseph Whitworth fluid-compressed steel bbls (very English), ejectors, a hinged front trigger, and it looks like it intercepting safety sears (these would keep the gun from firing if the hammers dropped without the triggers being pulled).
Those dimpled pin/screw heads are real Continental, too. I like how the action is filed up on the gun, especially the shoulders/double beads on the sides. Whoever made this gun put a lot of time and work into it. Just look at the metal-to-metal fit. Very well done.
And finally, here’s a pair of 16g Guyots, also courtesy of Steve Barnett Fine guns. These are sideplated boxlocks with exquisite, full coverage engraving. Again, these are very nice guns.
So what do we know?
Not much, really:
-A number of gun makers and gun retailers who traded under the Guyot name.
-They spanned a timeframe from the last 19th to the mid 20th century.
-They made some very nice guns.
-They may have had some guns made by Francotte or by other makers in the Belgian trade.
Here’s what I’ve found out about the gunmakers going by the name Guyot:
