DAVID KIRKWOOD

David Kirkwood
Boston Massachusetts
Fine Guns Made to Order

As far as is known, David Kirkwood is the only American gunmaker to build guns completely by hand as was done in England and Europe by Best makers. According to the 1924 Kirkwood Gun Shop booklet which outlines the history of their founder, information gleaned from Kirkwood catalogs, and observations made by this cataloger over the years:

David Kirkwood was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1841 and apprenticed for seven years as an action filer with Mortimer of the same city. On completing his apprenticeship, he worked for a while for a German gunmaker named Weber. He returned to England and spent some time with Whitworth of Manchester. He started business for himself in Birmingham for a short time. He came to America in 1873 and worked at American Arms Company, Boston; makers of the high-quality Fox patent side swing guns. He had a short partnership with Henry Mortimer who marked their guns “Mortimer & Kirkwood”. Their partnership dissolved in 1880 and David continued to build fine guns until his death in 1897. As all of his guns were completely handmade, each is unique. All show a very high quality of workmanship and attention to detail. He used high quality barrel tubes and his stock wood was invariably dense European walnut, some with very fine figure. An almost universal feature of his guns was his square shouldered dolls head rib extension similar to that used by Lefever, which was fastened by a sliding bolt actuated by a camming top lever similar to that used by Westley Richards. On his early guns this system was the only lock-up for the action. It was later combined with Purdey type under bolts.

Kirkwood catalogs described sidelock double guns with types of finish ranging from “standard”, “neatly engraved” at $135 to higher grades for as much as $250. In his later years he offered an automatic ejector for and extra $25. His specialty was making “feather weight” hammerless guns weighing as little as 5-1/4 lbs. in 12 gauge which cost an extra $25. He also patented a boxlock gun made in three grades with action which was filed in an interesting futuristic style.

Kirkwood also offered three-barrel guns both hammer and hammerless. These guns featured three independent locks and triggers. The rifle barrels were normally cocked by a side or under lever in the hammer guns and by the drop of the barrels in the hammerless guns. Both types had a small rifle trigger within the trigger guard in front of the normal double shotgun triggers. An extra cost feature on his drillings was his “concealed rear sight” which folded into a recess in the top tang and was adjustable for both windage and elevation. This sight was available for and extra $15.

Another feature that he offered, but never advertised was a “Paradox” type rifled choke for accurate shooting of single projectiles. It is speculated that he worked with the inventor of the “Paradox”, Col. G. V. Fosbery. Kirkwood was probably the “American Gunmaker” mentioned by Fosbery who he described as making some of his test barrels. Kirkwood’s rifled choke is so similar to the Fosbery “Paradox” that litigation would certainly have taken place if there wasn’t an understanding between these two men.

In order to make a living he took in repair work and it appears that he built most of the stocks for the high-quality Harrington & Richardson Anson and Deeley patent guns made in Worchester Mass. His stock work rates amongst the best seen on any American gun; most have very fine checkering reportedly done by his daughter, Margaret.

Kirkwood was a well-known local trap and rifle shooter and was the first president of the Mass. State Glass Ball Association.

It has been written that Kirkwood’s serial #s started CA 1882 at about 900, and ended CA 1897 at about 1390. A pair of 10 bores (S#1425 & S#1426), in this auction were made by David but finished after his death by Kirkwood Brothers.

Listed below are select highlights from this incredible collection & index numbers for this collection within our catalog – many more will be available in the Spring catalog.