The Baker Gun & Forging Co.

[straightshooter]

At a recent gun auction, an otherwise plain-looking sidelock caught my attention. It bore a definite resemblance to a field grade LC Smith, but the sideplates were engraved with the model name "New Era". The quality appeared good and the lockup tight, so I decided to try to take it home. The bidding went my way and so began my education on William H. Baker.

I'm embarassed to admit, I didn't recognise the name William Baker as one of the icons of the American gun industry; a peer of the likes of John Browning and Samuel Colt. The best glimpse I've found into his short but prolific career is found in the following passage:

At the Gun Show, I talked to a guy who was carrying around an old Baker shotgun. He didn't know anything about it, didn't know what model it was and couldn't find anybody, in his words, who "had even heard of Bakers". Time to fix that. Back in 1961, when the book "Parker - America's Finest Shotgun" was published, the author, Peter H. Johnson, listed the big six of American Shotguns: Parker, Ithaca, L.C. Smith, LeFever, Fox and, yes, Baker. Most shotgunners are pretty familiar with the first 5 names on that list, but the name of Baker is comparatively obscure except among diehard collectors.

Early Years: The story behind the Baker name is really about 2 brothers, William H. Baker (1835-1889) and Ellis L. Baker (1845-1899). The designer of the two was William. His gun-making career started shortly after the Civil War in Marathon, NY and Lisle, NY, where he built muzzleloaders.

Baker & L.C. Smith: In 1878, William moved to Syracuse where he formed a partnership with Lyman C. Smith and his brother, Leroy H. Smith. The company was W.H. Baker and Co. This partnership eventually became the L.C. Smith Co. when Lyman bought out the entire operation in about 1880. The same guns continued to be built, those designed by William Baker. In fact, these guns were marked "L.C. Smith and Co., Maker of the Baker Gun". Thus one of the greatest of all shotgun manufacturers was founded on William Baker's shotgun designs. L.C. Smith and Co. was sold to Hunter Arms in 1888 and then to Marlin around WWII.

Baker & Ithaca: After the sale to Hunter Arms, Baker and Smith started a new company in Ithaca, NY, beginning operations in 1883. This company went under Baker's name for a few years before being renamed the Ithaca Gun Co. So, once again, one of the great shotgun manufacturers was founded on the designs of William Baker.

Baker Gun and Forging Co.: By 1887, William was on the move, back to Syracuse. Here, in partnership with his brother Ellis, a practicing physician, he formed the Baker Gun and Forging Co. It is here where the guns marked "NEW BAKER" were first produced. In one form or another, this company produced Baker shotguns for the next 32 years. In 1889, the plant burned, and the brothers moved the operation to Batavia, NY. William died before operations could begin there and Ellis quit the practice of medicine to run the gun business full time. He remained at the head of the company until his death in 1899. The company continued in operation until 1919, when it was sold to H&D Folsom Co. in Meriden, Connecticut.

So, in just a few years, William H. Baker was instrumental in the formation of three of the country's leading shotgun manufacturers. It is somewhat ironic that the two companies which do not bear his name achieved greater recognition and fame than his own.

Most shotguns carrying the Baker name were produced under the Baker Gun and Forging Co. name with the first hammerless models coming on line at about the time of William's death. In all, more than 20 models were produced, ranging from very plain "Batavia" models to very high grade, heavily engraved doubles and single barrel trap models. At it's peak, Baker was producing more than 1000 shotguns per month.

While "One of the greatest of all shotgun manufacturers" may be somewhat subjective, the rest of the article strikes me as being bang on. I took a few shots of the gun I added to my collection. This is an example of the field grade (or "Batavia" grade) guns of the early Batavia period - just after William passed away. This is supported by the model designation - "New Era Nitro Hammerless" - and the Baker Gun & Forging Co. emblem on the buttplate. The wood has been refinished by an amateur, the receiver, untouched, and the barrels....

 

[Win/64]

Great find!! Love the lines on the receiver. Is it 2 1/2" ? Sidelock?

 

[straightshooter]

Yes 2 1/2 " chambers. Yes, she's a sidelock (typo on my part - edited to fix)

 

[Win/64]

Have you opened it up yet? I would love to see some pic's of the lock mechanism.

 

[straightshooter]

Have you opened it up yet? I would love to see some pic's of the lock mechanism.

I haven't opened it up yet because I don't have a turnscrew with narrow enough of a blade. The forward screws that require this driver are in excellent shape, so I don't dare attempt to back them out without the right blade. (Those screws look like they were made more recently than the rest of the gun. Between the vivid restoration of the finish on the damascus twist barrels, the fact that the faded case colors were left alone, and the apparent manufacture of purpose-built screws, it looks like someone who knew what they were doing had their hands on it in the not-too-distant past. The screws are built to such exacting standards that, when I removed the rearward screw, I could tell that it was not in the correct position when I got it - the angle of the crown was exactly as needed to position the screw at the precise angle of the side plate, once the screw was turned 1/4 turn further than seen in the picture above (slot vertical).)

I'll get a picture of the lockworks and post it as soon as I can get in without marring the screws.

 

[Win/64]

A good investment would be a set of gunsmith screwdrivers.

 

[straightshooter]

I've got 2 sets already. One of those sets is specifically intended for the screws that were made by American arms makers. Neither of them have any blades narrow enough for those slots. I'll probably have to make one.

I agree with you, though. If you're going to own guns, you really need a decent set of gun tools. Hollow ground turnscrews, punches, brass or nylon mallets, and more specialized tools such as forend wrenches, if you get into certain makes/models.