Clabrough double gun.

Q: My father-in-law has a J.P. Clabrough & Bro's double-barrel shotgun. He said it's been passed down through the family, but knows really nothing about it. Hoping you can shed some light on anything and all concerning it. I have included some photos.

G.B.

Ohio

A: J.P. Clabrough was a British gunmaker that had a respectable American presence in the guise of Clabrough Golcher & Co. of San Francisco, California. Clabrough operated out of London toward the end of the 1 9th century and operated under a couple of different variants of the basic name. Your shotgun, according the 1895-96 Clabrough & Golcher catalog, was simply called the J.P. Clabrough & Bro's Breech-Loading Gun. It was offered in different variants and gauges with prices ranging from $40 to $135, indicating that it was of pretty good quality. Clabrough made hammer guns like yours, as well as hammerless doubles.