THE HISTORY of gunmaking is defined by the quiet refinement of existing designs, over relatively long periods, punctuated by intense bursts of innovation. One of these intense periods occurred between 1909 and 1914, when 22 patents were registered for designs relating to what have become known as over-and-under shotguns. While most were never produced in any great numbers, and eventually fell by the wayside, two of those pre-war designs remain in production today. Both were the products of relatively small but highly skilled gunmaking companies that had their roots in the early 19th century. While James Woodward & Sons’ design is the younger of the two, it has been equally successful, and its simplicity has made it a favourite with other gunmakers as well.
In the eyes of contemporaries, the guns of James Woodward & Sons were seen as equal in quality to those of companies such as James Purdey & Sons. However, the eponymous family were famed for their discretion as much as their skill, and relatively few company records survive to document their production. While Joe Tootand demonstrate how influential their work continues to be today.
