Henry Beckwith Pinfire 12 ga.

You haven't shown or listed the actual markings; is it marked Wm Beckwith and does it have Birmingham proofs? I ask because British pinfires are far less common than those made in Belgium.

Boothroyd's Directory of British Gunmakers lists William Andrew Beckwith 1808-1865, in business in Birmingham 1810-1861, and business owned by William and Henry Beckwith 1865.

I can't suggest a value, but pinfires were never popular in USA, and are not highly sought by US collectors today.

 

Wikipedia has a little about British pinfires that implies greater popularity there than the few examples seen would indicate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinfire

 

Thanks for the excellent photos, showing the London proofmarks.

Boothroyd listed the Beckwiths as Birmingham makers, but then lists the 58 Skinner St address.

They may have had only a sales outlet in London and had their guns proofed there.

Webley of Birmingham marked some early guns "St James's London" but there's no record they ever had an actual office there.

Your best bet to find sample pinfire shells to display is probably a cartridge collector's table at a gun show.
The online auctions sometimes list them, but both primed empties and loaded shells must be shipped by express.

 

Some were no doubt brought to USA by immigrants, but they were probably cast aside and replaced by centerfire guns as imported pinfire shells became scarce.

To my knowledge no U.S companies ever made pinfire guns or ammo. The 1900 Sears catalog still offered empty pinfire shells for reloading, but no loaded shells:

 

TE was probably an inspector at the London proofhouse.

13 may be the gauge, and the 1911 ALFA catalog does lists odd number gauges, but I think they were far less common than the familiar 12, 14, 16, etc. even number gauges.

 

Beckwith may have used barrels made by Hodges. It was not uncommon for the early gunmakers to share piecework.

Boothroyd lists Edwin Charles Hodges in London 1860-1908.

 

I'm a descendent of EC Hodges whose mark is on the flats. He was primarily an actioner so normally was working for gunmaking companies who got to put their name on the outside. Those interested should take a look at my website http://hodgesgunmakers.yolasite.com/ where you'll find lots of information about him and his 9 other relatives in the trade. If anyone finds the word Hodges in or on their guns please let me have details for my Hodges gun and rifle register, through my website.

 

The pinfire cartridge dates to the 1830's and was a Lefeucheux development. His original was a "long key" actuated lock that swiveled from beneath the forearm. Yours is a Jones underlever action and a slight improvement upon the Lefeucheux action. The locking of the lugs was the same. Mostly the only improvement was that it is a handier action to operate, and they are. I have and use both. They are about the same strength. Many Jones underlever's were sourced from Birmingham. hrf and Robert are obviously far and above me on knowledge of the maker. German firearms are more my forte'.

Robert, thank you for those links. I WILL visit them in the near future.