Bland and Sons London 16 gauge Pictures

[Mac_63]

Hi

I am picking up a sxs shotgun it’s a Bland and Sons I can’t find much on line if you can share anything about the history or where I can find it. As well any idea of what it’s worth I got it with another gun I just want to list and pass it to someone else for a fair and reasonable price

Cheers

 

[Stephen Nash]

Hi

I am picking up a sxs shotgun it’s a T.W. Boyd & Son Montreal I can’t find much on line if you can share anything about the history or where I can find it

Cheers

Montreal-based is all I could find. Originally W & J Thomas Boyd from 1847-1851. Then known as TW Boyd, 1852-1882. Then TW Boyd and Sons, 1883-1932. Also, William Henry Boyd, 1854-1886. Presumably, all one family, if one could search Montreal business records and population data.

Please post pictures when you get it!

 

[sillymike]

All I could find was a mention on the Lower Canada Arm Collectors association
https://expo-armes-quebec.weebly.com/petite-histoire.html

T. W. Boyd was in business since 1845. It looks that the business was initated by the father as a gunsmith. Later on, it was converted as a hardware store dealing in retail and wholesale. They were still in business in 1926 (look at the catalog opposite) . We have few details on their business. However, we can find guns made to their name signed T. W. BOYD, MONTREAL. The 12 gauge shotgun illustrated next to this text was made in England. It is of very high quality, much higher than the shotguns signed
​A. E. Bregent which were manufactured in Belgium.

 

[Stephen Nash]

All I could find was a mention on the Lower Canada Arm Collectors association
https://expo-armes-quebec.weebly.com/petite-histoire.html

Interesting link, thanks for posting

 

[Willy Tincup]

The Canadian Gunsmiths book by James Gooding shows 2 Boyds ads ca 1858-1859.
W H Boyd's Gun & Pistol Manufactory at 127 Notre Dame St in Montreal
and
T W Boyd Gun, Pistol and Fishing Tackle Manufacturer at 115 Notre Dame St, Montreal

There are 6 different Boyds listed as working as gunsmiths in Montreal from 1847-1900 and 1, W H Boyd & Co in Winnipeg in 1886.
There is also some discussion about some of their guns being made in Montreal and some coming from England........not unusual in the day.

 

[Mac_63]

I updated the add it’s a different make it’s a Bland & sons London pictures added

 

[tiriaq]

Have a look at the bottom of the barrels, and the corresponding surface of the receiver. What proof marks are there?
Thomas Bland & Son(s) was an established British gunmaking firm.
This gun does not appear to be of the quality one would expect from such a company. The name on the lockplate is Bland & Sons. I suspect that this may be spurious - an attempt to capitalize on the name.
The gun itself is hurting. Poor stock repair, broken buttplate, mismatched hammers, generally run down condition. Is the action tight? How are the bores?
I would suggest that the gun's value would be nominal. It doesn't have much going for it. If the action is tight, and the bores are not badly pitted, it might be an interesting project for a cleanup.
As is, it is pretty much a wall hanger.

 

[Mac_63]

I agree it’s pretty rough that’s for sure is it a $150.00 gun or not even that?

 

[sillymike]

Not familiar with "antique", and what the market is... but as far as a SxS shotgun is concern, that one would fall in the: Buy this get that free...

 

[Mac_63]

Lol that’s a good way to put it

 

[sillymike]

If you post some pictures of the proof marks under the barrel and inside the action, it might tell and interesting story
- and someone might come along with a similar gun and think "that' the spare parts I've been looking for"

 

[Ashcroft]

Without seeing the proof marks it looks English to me, the shape of the fences (breech balls), lockplates, stocks, engraving all point to a basic Birmingham gun. As mentioned, with the damage and neglect that is visible in the pictures, coupled with undoubted horrors that we can’t see this is no longer a gun that should be used. It could make a great decoration in the right setting, a floor lamp, or it could be used for rebar. As parts, these are individually hand made and no parts interchange with any other gun, even one that looks identical.
Thomas Bland was a well known and respected Birmingham maker and they also had an important London outlet for many years, they made a positive reputation with wildfowling guns (waterfowl) in particular and survived in business as a Birmingham maker until perhaps the 1970’s. The name and records are currently owned by Chris Batha in the US. Value - minimal.

 

[Stephen Nash]

Have a look at the bottom of the barrels, and the corresponding surface of the receiver. What proof marks are there?
Thomas Bland & Son(s) was an established British gunmaking firm.
This gun does not appear to be of the quality one would expect from such a company. The name on the lockplate is Bland & Sons. I suspect that this may be spurious - an attempt to capitalize on the name.
The gun itself is hurting. Poor stock repair, broken buttplate, mismatched hammers, generally run down condition. Is the action tight? How are the bores?
I would suggest that the gun's value would be nominal. It doesn't have much going for it. If the action is tight, and the bores are not badly pitted, it might be an interesting project for a cleanup.
As is, it is pretty much a wall hanger.

Thanks for posting pictures. I'm with Tiriaq on this one. Visible markings suggest a spuriously marked gun, trying to imitate Thomas Bland & Sons of 41 Whittall St. Birmingham (in 1872 they expanded to include a London address, first at 106 Strand, and in 1886 at 430 Strand). His guns carried a street address, and would have been marked T. Bland & Sons, or Thomas Bland & Sons; the lack of the initial or first name is a giveaway. Though anything is possible, English ribs were typically left clean, and did not have machine-turned surfaces. The hammers could be replacements; they look American in style to me, not English. The engraving is not what one would expect on a real T. Bland gun. Proof marks might provide more information, though intentionally misnamed guns can have fake British proofs.

It does make for a good wall-hanger, and I agree with Ashcroft, this is not a gun that should return to the field.

 

[mooncoon]

The Canadian Gunsmiths book by James Gooding shows 2 Boyds ads ca 1858-1859.
W H Boyd's Gun & Pistol Manufactory at 127 Notre Dame St in Montreal
and
T W Boyd Gun, Pistol and Fishing Tackle Manufacturer at 115 Notre Dame St, Montreal

There are 6 different Boyds listed as working as gunsmiths in Montreal from 1847-1900 and 1, W H Boyd & Co in Winnipeg in 1886.
There is also some discussion about some of their guns being made in Montreal and some coming from England........not unusual in the day.

I am a bit confused about how TW Boyd got included with Bland but here are some photos of a percussion TW Boyd I have. I have restocked the gun and refinished the barrels. There is a british proof mark on the bottom of the barrels and presumably Boyd assembled and stocked the gun from there

cheers mooncoon

 

[sillymike]

I am a bit confused about how TW Boyd got included with Bland

cheers mooncoon

In his initial post (since edited) the OP talked about T.W. Boyd & Son