Need some info on an OLD 12g SxS

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Kamloops
A friend mine is looking for some info on a shotgun that has been in his family for awhile. It is 12g side by side with exposed hammers and double trigger. The only markings on the gun are Lyon Lyon and London Calcutta on the top between the barrels. The last two inches of the barrels seems to be rifled? He isn't sure on an age for the gun but it seems pretty old. The gun is in very good condition it and has really good blueing the wood is in pretty good shape and the bore is nice and bright, probably because it hasn't been fired in years. I don't know anything about old shotguns so we are just hoping for a little info. I can get pics tomorrow if that helps with info.

Thanks guys!!
 
Here is some info I found on the net right away. If you google Lyon shotgun, you will find more.

Monis! your shotgun is a "unique masterpiece" as it appeared to me! LYON AND LYON were dealers along with couple of other R.B. Roda and Manton & Co., situated in Calcutta, India! (All of them were mainly involved in servicing Rajas, Muharajas and Nawabs with custm made shotguns and rifles) Surprisingly you mentioned that your gun is model 1951...on the other hand during the periond of 1930 to 1947 R.B. Roda only took Manton & Co., as their serious competitor. and that indicates that LYON & LYON were closed down by 1930s!!!! around 70 t0 80 years back waterfowling in india used to be a BIG BONANZA and scoring 700 birds in morning flights with 5 to 6 guns was a normal case and longer barrels and chokes were in common use! Please be noted that LYON & LYON were not manufacturers!! they were dealers and used to get guns made for them from birmingham and all LYON & LYON guns used to be plane jane type! your lucky gun is unique to have gold plating and engraving if it has! Its V sight and leaves for different ranges are anot suprizing as LYON & LYON has also got a PARADOX rifled manufactured in its name in 12 Ga! PARADOX may sound strange to you but it was a shotgun *** rifle in 12 Ga. It used to have first 2 inches of barrels rifled and rest of the barrel plain cylinder or say smooth bore. For your information it was invented by Col George Vincent Fosbery VC in the late 19th century, it was thus named because of the "paradox" implicit in the design, being neither a true smoothbore gun nor a true rifle. Those Paradox used to have that V sight wtih range leaves!
I asked you about the spellings because in that era some of the manufacturers tried to earn fame in the name of REAL ones like Westley Richards is genuine Westely Richards.....Another gun maker of the same era by the name W.R. Richards is not Westely Richards.....J.P. Clarrough & Bros. tried on the original J.P. Clabrough & Brother and in the same mannners LYON & LYON was also tried by another manufacturers by the name Loyn Guns
Monis! None of any word written here meant to berate your gun! It is yet a unique gun and I would suggest not selling it! :) In between I have one R.B. Roda of "same nature" and it is just good to see it in drawing room and recall stories of grandfather's shoots with it :) Chao
 
Here is more info:




Grand Hotel Arcade, 16 Chowringee Road, Calcutta India

Gunmaker & cycle agent, importers of gymkhana and sporting requisites. 1896-1940

James Lyon was born in 1859 in Lundie, Angus, Scotland. He was the son of George Lyon, a meal miller (b.1829 in Caputh, Perthshire), who in turn was the son of James Lyon, also a miller, and Mary Bisset Lyon. George was recorded in the 1861 census, but his wife (Rachel nee Dow) was not recorded; she appears to have died by that time although George was not described as a widower. George and Rachel's daughters were Georgina (b.1853 in Caputh, Perthshire) and Mary (b.1857 in Perth), and James was their only son.
George died on 13 December 1862, and the orphaned children went to live with great aunt, Louisa Bisset, who lived in Spitalfield, near Caputh. In the 1871 census James and Mary were recorded living in Caputh with Louisa Bisset, but Georgina was not recorded.

James reportedly moved to Inverness where he was a lodger living with George Batchen and his wife, Elizabeth McKenzie Batchen, and their family at 6 Innes Street (see below). He was either apprenticed to a gunmaker or simply worked for a gunmaker and if the latter, probably as a shopman. The gunmaker was probably D Gray & Co at 27 Union Street.

In about 1882 James appears to have moved to London where he worked for James Purdey. In 1885 he was recruited by F W Prike who had just taken over the management of R B Rodda & Co in Calcutta, India.

In 1890 one of George Batchen's daughters, Janet McKenzie Batchen, known as Netta (b.1863 in Knockbain, Ross-shire), went out to Calcutta where she married James on 29 September 1891. In 1895 James left R B Rodda & Co and in 1896 established his own business at Grand Hotel Arcade, 16 Chowringee Road. The firm was named Lyon & Lyon, possibly because there was another firm named Lyon & Co in India at the time. There is no record of there being any other person named Lyon being involved in the business. However, James described himself as the managing partner. His assistant was listed as G Phillips, and the firm's London agents were Colley & Co of 4 Lombard Court. James described the business as "Gun, Rifle and Revolver Manufacturers, and Importers of Gymkhana & Sporting Requisites".

In 1897 the firm were appointed agents for Joseph Lang & Sons of 10 Pall Mall, they were also agents for the Calcutta Cycle Co.

In 1899 the firm described themselves as gun and rifle manufacturers and opened a rifle range at Ballygunge. They stated that their agents were J Lyon & Co of 4 Lombard Court, these were the offices of Colley & Co.

In 1905 the partners were listed as James Lyon and G Phillips Shelton, J Broughton was listed as an assistant.

The firm was not listed again until 1920 when the proprietor was J Broughton and his assistants were W Mayer and Miss Mayer, this could imply that James had semi-retired but still a major share of the business. The firm was listed again in 1924.

In 1927 when his son, Louis, was married, James described himself as a retired Indian merchant, but in 1929 James Lyon and G Phillips Shelton were recorded as governing directors of the business, J Broughton and D J Todd were described as directors, but in later years were described as assistants (D J Todd had worked for R B Rodda & Co from 1911 to 1926). H J Connors, J Henderson and Miss S McDonald were described as assistants.

In 1931 James recorded as a retired gun manufacturer living at 31 Culduthel Road, Inverness. He had died by 1935 which was when Netta died.

In 1934 the firm was sold to F B Prike of R B Rodda & Co. At that time the employees of the firm were Miss B Ord, D J Todd, H J Connors and D F D Hazells. The business was relocated to Rodda's premises at 3 Wellesley Place.

After stocks of unsold guns were sold no further guns bearing the Lyon & Lyon name were made. In 1937 D J Todd left the firm to go to work for Manton & Co, he remained there until 1943. In 1939 S K Bannerjee was recruited as an assistant, but the firm appears to have ceased trading in 1940 the remaining staff becoming Rodda employees.

Most of the firm's guns were made in Birmingham by trade manufacturers, but some guns were imported from America and Europe.

At some time the firm were appointed gun makers to His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General, and they were agents for or representatives of (as were most of India's gunmakers) Westley Richards & Co Ltd, Cogswell & Harrison, W W Greener, Webley & Scott, Holland & Holland, W J Jeffery & Co, Wilkinson Sword Co and Winchester.

The firm invented their "Lethal Ball" shotgun bullet which was made for them by Kynoch. This bullet was introduced to compete with Rodda's "Rotax" bullet, Manton & Co's "Contractile" bullet, and Holland & Holland's "Paradox". These bullets were for use against dangerous soft-skinned game. The Lethal Ball could be used in cylinder or choked barrels or barrels with Paradox type rifling. It was spherical and made of two (later four) soft iron discs interlocking at right angles. These were placed in a mould into which the lead was poured. On impact, the lead pieces became detached from the iron frame. The bullets were not accurate over anything but very short range mainly because they were undersized (about 16 bore) in order to cope with choke and rifling (similar ammunition was issued to the Home Guard in the Second World War).
 
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