EGG shotgun

[JaDub]

Hello everyone,  first post by me !  I`ve enjoyed lurking for the last week or so and decided I`d like to participate and enjoy the comradere.

   I just recently purchased an  EGG  English muzzel loader and am looking to find more info about it.   The web show the primary EGG patriarch to be  Durs Christian EGG  with  a number of brothers, nephews and uncles all of which were involved in the gun business.  One was credited with the origin of the percussian cap among other things.  Several relatives were known to be the gun makers to King William  IV.  Lots of interesting reading ......... the geneology is pretty amazing.

  Which brings me to my main inquiry:

       I`m trying to date and identify the gun shown below.  With a half dozen or so family  EGGs that could have made it, I am hoping someone of you might be able to positively identify it`s maker and make a reasonable guess as to it date  of manufacturing.    I think I can eliminate DURS himself as I believe he always included his first name when engraving his works. The possibilities are :  John 1814-1873 , Henry 1815-1869 ( son of John )  and Joseph ( nephew of Durs ) .

[JaDub]

Below are a few pictures of the gun.  Any thoughts are appreciated.

  Jeff

[smart dog]

Hi Jeff,
Thank you for posting the pictures.  It is hard to identify which Egg made the gun.  The back-action percussion lock suggests it was made well within the percussion cap period and probably after 1840.  That certainly rules out Durs and Joseph.  The proof marks on the barrels indicate they were made in Birmingham.  Charles Egg should be added to your list and I suppose the gun could have been made by any of them (source- Blackmore's Gunmakers of London 1350-1850):
Charles Egg   died 1867
Charles and Henry Egg  terminated 1850
Henry Egg  died 1869
Henry Wiiliam Egg  last year listed as gunmaker 1880
John Egg  died 1873
 
However, it could also be a Birmingham-made copy with the Egg named forged as a marketing ploy.  Regardless, it appears to be a nice gun. 

dave

[eddillon]

Are there any markings on the top rib? 

[JaDub]

S.D.   .... Thanks for your input.  We seem to agree on  what we`ve found up to this point.  I`m in the belief that this particular gun was made around 1850 , plus or minus.

   The only graphic on the rib is `LONDON`.

 Another question..........  I now have two guns ( this one and a very early  Moore and Harris ) that have the same two gold ribs embeded in the top of the breech.   The Moore & Harris is a very fancy,  nicely engraved  high-end unit.  Is anyone familliar with these gold rib designations?  I will try to post a few pictures of the Moore & Harris.

  Thanks for your interest.  Jeff Winter   Denver, Colo

[JaDub]

Here`s the Moore & Harris. I believe it to be about the same vintage as the above mentioned  EGG.

  Jeff

[smart dog]

Hi Jeff,
Moore and Harris were listed as in business in Birmingham during 1840-1864 (source Bailey and Nie, English Gunmakers).  I am not sure if the gold bands have any significance other than as typical decoration on better made guns. It was common on many English guns from the late 18th century onward. The engraving is typical English scroll from the mid 19th century, whereas the simplier engraving on the Egg gun could be from a slightly earlier period.

dave

[T*O*F]

I am not sure if the gold bands have any significance

FYI.....the bands are more probably platinum and in the case of the Egg gun, probably worth more than the gun itself.

Platinum didn't have the value then that it does today.  It was used for decoration, lining nipples and touch holes, and for filling the holes where the patent breech channels were drilled, erroneously called blowout plugs.

With the high cost of precious metals today, there are many guys who frequent gun shows and flea markets looking for relic guns with platinum inlays.  They strip them out and resell the guns for what they paid, while reaping the profits of the metal.

[doug]

    This one I presume to be from 1830 - 1840 based on the long spur behind the trigger guard.  It is signed H Egg.  A very well made gun although a previous owner has reblued it.  I agonize over whether to redo the barrels to bring the damascus out or to leave it as is because at least some Eggs were blued in the mid 1800s.

cheers Doug

[smart dog]

Hi Doug,
Very nice gun but I suggest it was made after 1850 or so.  Henry Egg began making guns under his own name after 1851 (Blackmore, Gunmakers of London).  The engraving and style of lock ceretainly suggests that time period as well.

dave

[doug]

    That raises the question in my mind, of what was the time period of those long down curving tangs or rear section of the trigger guard?  I have always presumed them to be an early feature but perhaps not.

cheers Doug

[smart dog]

Hi Doug,
If you click on the link below you will seea fine Whitworth target rifle made in the 1860s with a very similar triggerguard.  I think the style was popular on English sporting rifles during the late 1850s and 1860s.  Your shotgun seems to be mounted much like rifles of the period including the cap box.
http://www.researchpress.co.uk/gunmakers/england/whitworth/whitworthc777.htm

dave

[Feltwad]

Doug

What is the calibre of your Egg,also the proof marks .The features from your images suggest to me that it had been a rifle with provisions for a sling  or a gun original built for two sets of barrels  smooth and rifled .
Feltwad