Thomas Horsley - Pullback Top Lever
Thomas Horsley - York
Pull-Back Top lever – Pin Fire
Thomas Horsley Gunmaker of York is seen by many collectors, historians, and researchers as an important provincial maker. It would be fair to state, Thomas Horsley guns were a match for any best guns being made in London or Birmingham at this time.
This Thomas Horsley Pull-Back Top Lever remaining as a Pin-fire, and in good unrestored condition is a rare thing today. Many guns of the period were unfortunately converted to centre fire. The reason so many quality guns were used in conversions, makes sense and understandable, the Pin-fire system became obsolete relatively quickly, and the cost of a new quality gun was extremely high. The use of a quality obsolete best gun for conversion makes total sense. However this course of action has resulted in very few examples of the Classic Thomas Horsley remaining, and even fewer in original condition.
An early example of the 1863 patent 2410 - made in 1864, and remaining in original condition 160 years old.
The featured Horsley Pin-fire carries a serial number that records the gun as being made late 1864. The gun carries the Patent number 2410 of October 1863. This patent is referred to in the Horsley records, as No.2, or “2”, the only other deviation to this, is the term “Top Slide”. The patent was very clever, with little or no change to the first patent No.374 of 1862, except for the patent being turned upside down, allowing the original push lever inside the trigger guard, being used as a pullback lever or slide. The patent No. 2410 of 1863 was seen by many as an important development, and in 1866, the design was awarded a Medal at “The Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition of 1866”
The Patent 2410 of 1863 was relatively short lived ( 1863 to 1867 ) with production of the patent only being incorporated in Horsley made guns after 1867 by customer request. All things Horsley, David Baker has stated in his excellent book “ Thomas Horsley – Gunmaker of York” – very few have survived in their original state, and the number originally built as Pin fires were small.
The fully engraved Pull Back top lever - Bannered engraved "Patent" - Stylish and Elegant.
Barrel breech ends with "Star Burst" Pin fire holes.
The woodwork selected on the early Horsley Pin fire guns, was strong and practical, and therefore relatively plain, especially around the head of the stock for strength in and around the action bar, the figure in the wood, if any, was always directed towards the heel end of the stock.
The Horsley Pin fire in this article was made as a 12 bore, with 30 inch black powder London proofed barrels of fine Damascus, with a in scripted top rib – Thomas Horsley – Maker – York – Patent No. 2410. The gun has fine boarder and acanthus scroll engraving throughout, the top slide pullback opener, with the engraved bannered word “Patent” – Sidelocks with Dolphin headed hammers, the stock cast for the right hand shooter, and measuring a Length of Pull at 14 3/8 inch, with the gun balancing directly over the hinge pin, and weighing 7lbs.
Straight strong grain towards the head to accommodate strength at the bar action.
The wood selected has figure at the stock heel, with straight grain running through the hand - A common Horsley trait.
This Thomas Horsley is a fine example of an original 1863 patent Pullback top sliding lever, retaining its original Pin-fire ignition system – a rare survivor !
Thomas Horsley was born on 17 July 1810, in Doncaster. Horsley reportedly worked for Richard Brunton, a local gunmaker, from about 1825 to 1830. In 1830 Horsley bought the Brunton business, and in 1834 moved his home and business to 48 Coney Street, York, while retaining part of the business in Doncaster. In 1851 Thomas was recorded living at the address with his wife, six daughters, his son Thomas, and an apprentice, Richard Dawson. At the time Thomas Horsley was employing four men. In 1856 the firm moved to 10 Coney Street, and in 1861 he was recorded as employing eight men and three boys (his son Thomas was an apprentice).
The bar in wood shown, with wood covered knuckle, and forend attached via a cross pin latch.
On 12 February 1862 Thomas obtained patent No. 374 for a sliding-bolt single-bite snap-action, with a push-forward lever acting on a sprung bolt. On 1 October 1863 he obtained another patent, No. 2410, for a pull-back top-lever or slide. The operating lever was located on the top strap instead of the trigger guard, operated in reverse on the same locking bolt. Patent No. 2410 is the one for which Thomas Horsley rightfully developed his fame.
While Horsley built snap-action pinfires starting in 1862, and his pull-lever actions from late 1863, he may have stopped building them by 1867, unless a client specifically wanted one. In any case, the time period in which Thomas Horsley built pinfire sporting guns was short.
Long elegant Hammers with Hare ear tips - Sight of the Snap Action - Single Bite, and Wood knuckle.
By 1871 Thomas Horsley was employing 22 men and four boys, making him one of the largest provincial gun makers in the country. Interestingly, while most provincial makers used Birmingham-made parts, it appears the Thomas Horsley business only bought barrel tubes from the barrel forgers, the Horsley firm employed its own barrel borers, action makers, stockers and finishers. The guns were of high quality, made with quality materials, and finished to a very high standard. In about 1874 the firm became known as T. Horsley & Son. Thomas Horsley died in 1882, but the family firm continued to trade until 1959, at this point the Thomas Horsley business closed its doors for good.
