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British Firearms (Pre. 1914) >> Accoutrements and Accessories >> "Tower" marked Capper??
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Message started by A._Roads on 12/14/05 at 8:53am

Title: "Tower" marked Capper??
Post by A._Roads on 12/14/05 at 8:53am

Hi all, �
A collecting acquaintance has recently purchased this brass capper. He has asked my opinion on it. Hopefully the pics are clear enough to show the cover which is marked with a large crown over 'TOWER' & also there is an arrow & '1863'.

I believe it to be a spuriously marked modern repro.

My understanding is that the British never utilised a capping device, I could stand to be corrected on this. Also the Tower & crown are not markings I'd expect on such an implement, nor 1863 expressed as a complete date etc. It appears that perhaps someone with a set of lock plate marking tools has applied the whole set to this.

Also I have a modern capper almost identical, the screw heads being slightly different, mine is only marked 'ITALY' though in small letters on the rear, which could be fairly easily removed.

However, as my friend has paid a very hansome sum, I thought I'd check here first in case there is a possibility that it is original, before upsetting his day.

Bill, I would be grateful for any comment that you may have on this.

Thanks for any help, Adrian.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/Aroads/Album%202/a79024e3.jpg

Title: Re: "Tower" marked Capper??
Post by Bill_Curtis on 12/14/05 at 10:03am

I have one EXACTLY like it. Modern Italian make which I bought some twentyfive or so years ago. Very useful and presumably a copy of some sort of original but I have never seen or heard of any such a tool being an Ordnance Store item. I think they may have been originally an American issue type but I am pretty sure that they were never British. Therefore any 'British' official marks suggest to me that they are probably spurious.

Title: Re: "Tower" marked Capper??
Post by Bill_Curtis on 12/14/05 at 10:11am

Forgot to add - TOWER and 1863 are rather like FORD and VECTRA or SMITH AND WESSON and FLINTLOCK.

Title: Re: "Tower" marked Capper??
Post by A._Roads on 12/15/05 at 2:19am

Thanks Bill, your comments are appreciated. Adrian.