Lincoln Jeffries patented the well-known air gun design which BSA sold at one time.
Steelhouse Lane was at the heart of the Birmingham Gun Quarter. Very likely the name just indicates a retailer (and it might have been just name that had been acquired by somebody else by then).
Steelhouse Lane was indeed in the same vicinity as Price Street, Whittall Street & the other small streets in the Birmingham 4 post code that made up the gun quarter. It is now reduced to just half a dozen or so gun makers clustered in or around Price Street. AFAIK there are no gunsmiths/gunmakers remaining in Steelhouse Lane itself, although it is the location of the old Birmingham General Hospital, now re-purposed as Birmingham Children's Hospital. Birmingham Proof House is also close at hand.
Curious what the group thinks on its collectibility or rarity if you will?
Is this an outfit that was well known for sporterising Enfields with a high volume or is this not your everyday industry sportered rifle?
What I know about the commercial sporterising of Enfields would fit on a postage stamp, but FWIW I had never heard of L-J doing it; I only knew of them in connection to air rifles.
Hi all. I've been watching this thread with interest. I'm not overly au fait with the commercial Enfields either, however I've never heard or seen one marked to Lincoln Jefferies.
I agree that it must have been one they retailed, my only knowledge of their manufacturing output is all air-related.
Regarding value or collectability, I can't see it'll make much difference and it's main appeal is curiosity to people like us!
What I know about the commercial sporterising of Enfields would fit on a postage stamp, but FWIW I had never heard of L-J doing it; I only knew of them in connection to air rifles.
Thanks Roger! This definitely helps
---------- Post added at 01:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 PM ----------
Originally Posted by hayboy
Hi all. I've been watching this thread with interest. I'm not overly au fait with the commercial Enfields either, however I've never heard or seen one marked to Lincoln Jefferies.
I agree that it must have been one they retailed, my only knowledge of their manufacturing output is all air-related.
Regarding value or collectability, I can't see it'll make much difference and it's main appeal is curiosity to people like us!
Best regards, Jon
Thanks Hayboy!
Totally agree about it being more of a curiosity than a value increase, I’ll pass this on as I believe this answers the question!
When you say it is a “standard sporterized No.1 “, what does that mean? Is it an ex-service rifle (with government markings and date) that has been converted to a sporter? Or was it built as a sporter (with commercial markings)?
If the former, it might have been fitted with a barrel by/from Lincoln Jeffries. If the latter (which is more likely), it was a BSA commercial sporter retailed by Lincoln Jeffries.
A few pics of the markings will tell us. Or if you can describe the markings.
Would love to know. To those of us who study the British gun trade and its history, the Jeffries connection is a plus. It’s a piece of history. Jeffries (the company) is best known for air guns (and their connection to BSA) but they produced shotguns and rifles too, having been in Birmingham since at least the 1870s. Lincoln Jeffries’ great-grandsons carry on the business today.
PM
Originally Posted by 
