Alexander Henry - an inventory of surviving rifles

[22SqnRAE]

What a great project. There's a similar one going with a fellow from Oz interested in learning about the many Lithgow made SMLEs kicking around.

It's a long project, you won't be getting your details immediately, so patience and continuous updates are the go.

May I suggest, like Muffet chasing the SMLE info, that you publish an update table (spreadsheets are easy peasy for that) to show people the progress? It is a good way to motivate people to contribute.

Great project, well done in following your family history. Enjoy!

[rrdb]

That's a great idea ! I've committed to confidentiality, so there would be a limit to how much I could list - maybe serial number and rough place …

Thanks for that

[Rifleman188@yahoo]

Are you interested in regular issue service rifles only as I have an Australian Cadet Martini Henry ?

[rrdb]

Are you interested in regular issue service rifles only as I have an Australian Cadet Martini Henry ?

Rifleman188 … I'll be really honest and say "no" - it's only rifles / shotguns and the very odd pistol … made in Edinburgh by Alexander Henry, or his successor Alex Henry Ltd … but thanks for the offer !!

[rrdb]

What a great project. There's a similar one going with a fellow from Oz interested in learning about the many Lithgow made SMLEs kicking around.

It's a long project, you won't be getting your details immediately, so patience and continuous updates are the go.

May I suggest, like Muffet chasing the SMLE info, that you publish an update table (spreadsheets are easy peasy for that) to show people the progress? It is a good way to motivate people to contribute.

Great project, well done in following your family history. Enjoy!

Here's where I have got to so far ! :

Serial No Whereabouts
128 County Durham
198 Fairfield, ME, US
312
329 Northwest Territories, Canada
430
434 Wyoming, USA
457 Holts Mar '19
494 Bonhams 4/10
497 Holts Mar '18
588 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
604 England
657 Holts June 2019
718 James Julia spring '10
719 Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
736 East Yorkshire
757 Holts Sept 2019
861 Colorado
967 Edinburgh
985 Bonhams 11/14
999 Guns International 4/18
1071 Texas
1088 Guns International
1105 Bonhams 4/11
1168 Antony Cribb Ltd
1187 Kalamazoo, MI
1214 James Julia Oct '15
1282 Northwest Territories, Canada
1312 James Julia spring '08
1421 James Julia fall '14
1445 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
1465
1516 Holts March 2019
1561
1571
1606 James Julia spring '08
1653 For sale at Giles Marriott
1671 Australia
1710 Slovakia ?
1749 Bonhams 8/04
1759
1770 Holts Dec '06
1794
1831 gunsinternational.com
1922
2002 Holts Sep '07
2071
2098 Northwest Territories, Canada
2134 gunsinternational.com
2153 Italy
2206 Holts Sep '06
2227 Arizona
2311 BC, Canada
2326 Holts Mar '07
2375 James Julia spring '12
2393 Colorado
2468 US
2474
2484
2548 James Julia Apr '17
2584 Virginia
2603
2683 Bertram & Co.
2708 Holts Dec 2018
2733 James Julia
3021 North Yorkshire
3035 James Julia Apr '17
3045 Australia
3132 James Julia Mar '15
3149 Arizona
3157 BC, Canada
3185 Colorado
3210 James Julia Oct '17
3240
3285 James Julia fall '09
3316 James Julia fall '11
3339 Savannah, Georgia, USA
3585 James Julia spring '14
3622 gunsinternational.com
3654 James Julia spring '13
3687
3688
3809 Australia
3814 gunsinternational.com
3863 Massachusetts USA
3884
3932 Muskegon, Michigan, USA
4060 Montana
4017
4018 Plymouth
4031 Colorado, USA
4195 Holts Sept '19
4244 South East Kansas
4257 Ontario, Canada
4402
4511 Colorado
4621 Australia
4662 Museum of Edinburgh
4687 Holts Jun '07
4771 & 4772
4884 Colorado
5039 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
5071 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
5102 Colorado
5123 Colorado
5142 Michigan
5152 Guns International
5229 Northwest Territories, Canada
5273 Guns International
5289 Plymouth
5293 Oklahoma
5298 England
5373
5444 Wisconsin
5469 Holts Mar '11
5500 Hermann Historica auction, Munich Nov '18
5556 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
5589
5619 http://www.hallowellco.com/alex_henr...re%20rifle.htm
5627 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
5629
5693
5672 Georgia
5701 US
5702 US
5798
5828 Wisconsin
5834 Rock Island auction
5852 Colorado
5866 Bonhams 12/05
5905 Guns International
5929 gunsinternational.com
5956 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
5960
5977 17110 USA
5987 Rock Island auction
6002 Bryanston, South Africa
6036 James Julia fall '09
6083 Wisconsin
6097 James Julia spring '09
6115 Virginia
6123 Holts Dec '17
6160 Bellevue, WA. 98004
6181 US
6198 Wisconsin
6234 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
6277 Virginia
6284 Plymouth
6354 Hyderabad, India 500-032
6408 gunsinternational.com
6410 Wisconsin
6413 James Julia Apr '17
6418 Nelson NZ
6449 Virginia
6470 Canada
6473
6476 Wyoming, USA
6507
6538
6549 Victoria
6579 Wisconsin
6580 El Dorado Hills, California
6637 Pennsylvania, USA
6639 Colorado
6665 Wisconsin
6673 Australia
6677 Australia
6679 US
6681 Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, Canada
6687
6701 Australia
6813
6843 South Carolina, USA
6865 James Julia fall '09
6927 James Julia fall '14
6955 Bonhams SF, 6/16
7013
7043 Guns International
7055 Las Vegas, NV
7056
7092 New York
7093 New York
7113 & 7114 Guns International
7140 North Yorkshire
7150 Guns International
7215 Devon
7355 Holts Mar '19
7433 Manchester, NH, US
7457
7698 Bryanston, South Africa
7709
7755 Museum of Edinburgh
7765 Gavin Gardiner sale
7894 US
7984 Rock Island Auction April '18
8010 Gavin Gardiner sale
8048 Rock Island Auction April '18
8204

[rrdb]

That's the inventory up to 200 now !

Brilliant - long way to go though - I think!

[rrdb]

A further update (considerable number added thanks to a contact trawling through old auction catalogues) :

Serial No Whereabouts
128 County Durham, England
198 Fairfield, ME, US
312
329 Northwest Territories, Canada
430
434 Wyoming, USA
457 Holts Mar '19
494 Bonhams 4/10
497 Holts Mar '18
523 Sotheby's Dec '88
588 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
604 England
657 Holts June 2019
718 James Julia spring '10
719 Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
736 East Yorkshire
757 Holts Sept 2019
861 Colorado, USA
967 Edinburgh
985 Bonhams 11/14
999 Guns International 4/18
1071 Texas, USA
1088 Guns International
1105 Bonhams 4/11
1168 Antony Cribb Ltd
1187 Kalamazoo, MI, USA
1214 James Julia Oct '15
1282 Northwest Territories, Canada
1290 1291 Sotheby's Mar '87
1312 James Julia spring '08
1421 James Julia fall '14
1445 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
1465
1516 Holts March 2019
1559 in old catalogue
1561
1571
1606 James Julia spring '08
1653 Giles Marriott
1671 Australia
1710 Slovakia ?
1749 Bonhams 8/04
1759
1770 Holts Dec '06
1779 Christies Mar '02
1794
1831 gunsinternational.com
1922
1923 Sotheby's Apr '89
2002 Holts Sep '07
2071
2098 Northwest Territories, Canada
2134 gunsinternational.com
2153 Italy
2170 Sotheby's 2001
2206 Holts Sep '06
2227 Arizona, USA
2311 BC, Canada
2322 Sotheby's Aug '02
2326 Holts Mar '07
2375 James Julia spring '12
2393 Colorado, USA
2468 US
2474
2484
2548 James Julia Apr '17
2584 Virginia, USA
2603
2683 Bertram & Co.
2708 Holts Dec 2018
2733 James Julia
3021 North Yorkshire
3035 James Julia Apr '17
3045 Australia
3132 James Julia Mar '15
3149 Arizona, USA
3157 BC, Canada
3185 Colorado, USA
3210 James Julia Oct '17
3240
3285 James Julia fall '09
3306 Amoskeag auction 11/'19
3307 Amoskeag auction 11/'19
3316 James Julia fall '11
3339 Savannah, Georgia, USA
3585 James Julia spring '14
3609 Christie's Sept '99
3622 gunsinternational.com
3654 James Julia spring '13
3686 Atlanta Georgia, USA
3687
3688
3766 Finland
3809 Australia
3812
3814 gunsinternational.com
3863 Massachusetts USA
3884
3932 Muskegon, Michigan, USA
3990 3991 Christie's Mar '02
4060 Montana, USA
4017
4018 Plymouth
4031 Colorado, USA
4195 Holts Sept '19
4209 Bonhams Nov '19
4244 South East Kansas, USA
4257 Ontario, Canada
4402
4463 Sotheby's Aug '03
4509 Christie's Nov '95
4511 Colorado, USA
4621 Australia
4662 Museum of Edinburgh
4687 Holts Jun '07
4757 Holts Dec '19
4771 & 4772
4884 Colorado
5039 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
5048 Sotheby's Aug '05
5071 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
5102 Colorado, USA
5116 Atlanta Georgia, USA
5123 Colorado, USA
5142 Michigan, USA
5152 Guns International
5229 Northwest Territories, Canada
5273 Guns International
5289 Plymouth
5293 Oklahoma, USA
5298 England
5333 Scotland
5373
5393 Luper Auction Dec '19
5444 Wisconsin, USA
5469 Holts Mar '11
5500 Hermann Historica auction, Munich Nov '18
5529 Colorado, USA
5556 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
5589
5619 Colorado, USA
5627 Australian Antique Arms Auctions
5629
5657 Sotheby's Aug '04
5660 Christie's Nov '95
5693 Finland
5672 Georgia, USA
5701 USA
5702 USA
5752 Gavin Gardiner Dec '07
5798
5816 New York State, USA
5828 Wisconsin, USA
5834 Rock Island auction
5852 Colorado, USA
5866 Bonhams 12/05
5871 5872 Christie's Sept '99
5905 Guns International
5923 Luper Auction Dec '19
5929 gunsinternational.com
5940 Sotheby's Apr '89
5956 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
5960 Finland
5977 Harrisburg USA
5987 Rock Island auction
6002 Bryanston, South Africa
6036 James Julia fall '09
6083 Wisconsin, USA
6097 James Julia spring '09
6115 Virginia, USA
6123 Holts Dec '17
6160 WA, USA
6181 USA
6198 Wisconsin, USA
6234 Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
6277 Virginia, USA
6284 Plymouth
6311 Gavin Gardiner Apr '07
6354 Hyderabad, India 500-032
6408 gunsinternational.com
6410 Wisconsin, USA
6413 James Julia Apr '17
6418 Nelson, New Zealand
6449 Virginia, USA
6470 Canada
6473
6476 Wyoming, USA
6507
6538
6549 Victoria
6579 Wisconsin, USA
6580 El Dorado Hills, California, USA
6637 Pennsylvania, USA
6639 Colorado, USA
6665 Wisconsin, USA
6673 Australia
6677 Australia
6679 USA
6681 Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, Canada
6687
6701 Australia
6753 Gavin Gardiner Dec '07
6774 Gavin Gardiner Dec '19
6813
6814 Christie's Sept '99
6843 South Carolina, USA
6865 James Julia fall '09
6892 in 1974 catalogue
6927 James Julia fall '14
6928 Sotheby's Oct '90
6955 Bonhams SF, 6/16
7013
7039 Holts Dec '19
7043 Guns International
7055 Las Vegas, NV, USA
7056
7092 New York, USA
7093 New York, USA
7113 & 7114 Guns International
7140 North Yorkshire
7150 Guns International
7215 Devon
7221 7222 in old catalogue 1982
7355 Holts Mar '19
7433 Manchester, NH, US
7457
7698 Bryanston, South Africa
7709
7755 Museum of Edinburgh
7765 Gavin Gardiner sale
7894 US
7984 Rock Island Auction April '18
8010 Gavin Gardiner sale
8048 Rock Island Auction April '18
8204

[rrdb]

If you'd like to view some of these old auction entries, go to :

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AlexHenryRifles/

[Surpmil]

I know you said this is only for your own interest, but I suspect it would be of interest to many others also, in particular the people whose information you seek.

Therefore I'd suggest you make this list public with all owner information removed obviously, and also that you decide on a set of basic details about these weapons that you ask owners to provide; the more the better, up to a point. And I would do that as soon as possible.

It is surprising what can be learned from a registry or index of this kind when the data begins to "fill out".

Not only will it be an interesting historical exercise, but owners have a stake in participating as it will tend to increase knowledge of, interest in, and therefore the value of their Alex Henry weapons.

This kind of data can form the core of a published study of the firm and their products also, should that ever be your intention, or someone else's.

[rrdb]

Oh I know … I realise the huge potential of it as a database or similar.

Many contributors have sent or offered photographs

It would be an enormous undertaking, and in practical terms … never up to date.

Crikey - what have I started !?

Richard