We’ve collected dozens of books, magazines, and auction catalogues featuring Symes & Wright’s history, critical acclaim, advertisements, gun photographs, etc., and those are included below. In the early 1990’s the company made quite an impression on the fine gun community, with several well-known authors and publications featuring them prominently and positively. The company was also actively promoting itself with bold advertisements in the shooting journals of the day.
If you’re aware of something that we’ve missed, or if you have any original S&W literature, correspondence, etc. we would be interested in either acquiring it directly from you, or having it reproduced and placed on the website.
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Lot 287
SYMES & WRIGHT
A FINE 20-BORE SIDELOCK EJECTOR GUN, NO. 0025
28-inch chopper-lump barrels with 2 3/4-inch chambers about I /4 and I /2 choke borings, the frame, locks and top lever with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining virtually all of its original hardening colour, the maker’s name signed in gold on the lock plates and action base, the trigger plate signed by the engraver M.K.S., gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guard, 15 I /4-inch well figured stock, 6lb. 2oz., nitro proof, in its maker’s brassbound oak and leather case
The gun was completed in 1994 and appears virtually unused. It was engraved by Martin Smith.
Symes & Wright was formed as a gunmaker in London in 1987. Both Peter Symes and Alex Wright had worked for James Purdey & Sons and as young gunmakers had decided to set up business on their own. With their fiair for design and marketing, the company was quickly established as a competitor to the existing London makers. At a time when the London trade was perceived as old and stuffy, Symes & Wright were like a breath of fresh air. To quote from one of the company’s advertisements, “We are not trading on a reputation established over a century ago, nor do we waste energy marketing luxury goods associated with our name. Our business is quite simply building the finest sporting guns money can buy, without compromise, without exception.” Unfortunately orders dwindled with the economic downtown of the early 1990s and the firm ceased trading in 1995. Production was modest with side-by-side production reaching serial number 36 and over and under guns reaching serial number 14.
*£14000 – 18000
Loe 157
SYMES & WRIGHT
A FINE PAIR OF 12-BORE SELF-OPENING SIDELOCK EJECTOR GUNS, NOS. 0019/20
28-inch chopper-lump barrels with 2 3/4-inch chambers, about I /4 and I /2 choke borings, the frames, locks and gold numbered top levers with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining virtually all of their original hardening colour, the actions and locks signed in gold by the maker, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guards, 15-inch highly figured stocks, 61b. 8oz., nitro proof. in their maker’s brassbound oak and leather case with tools and accessories
The guns were completed in 1992 and appear very little used.
Symes & Wright were formed as a gunmaker in London in 1987. Both Peter Symes and Alex Wright had previously worked for James Purdey & Sons and decided to set up business on their own. With a flair for design and marketing and a fresh outlook, the company was quickly established as a serious competitor to the existing London makers. At a time when the London trade was slowly pulling out of recession and perceived as old and stuffy, Symes & Wright were like a breath of fresh air. During the company’s short history it produced some of the best guns to come out of London since the 1930s. To quote from one of the company’s advertisements, “We are not trading on a reputation established over a century ago, nor do we waste energy marketing luxury goods associated with our name. Our business is quite simply building the finest sporting guns money can buy. without compromise, without exception”.
£35000 – 45000
Lot 174
SYMES & WRIGHT
A FINE PAIR OF 12-BORE SELF-OPENING SIDELOCK EJECTOR GUNS, NOS.0019/20
28-inch chopper-lump barrels with 2 3/4-inch chambers, about 1/4 and 1/2 choke borings, the frames, locks and gold numbered top levers with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining virtually all of their original hardening colour. the actions and locks signed in gold by the maker. gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guards, 15-inch highly figured stocks, 6 lb. 8 oz., nitro proof, in their maker’s brassbound oak and leather case with tools and accessories
The guns were completed in 1992 and appear very little used.
Symes & Wright were formed as a gun maker in London in 1987. Both Peter Symes and Alex Wright had previously worked for James Purdey & Sons and decided to set up business on their own. With a flair for design and marketing and a fresh outlook, the company was quickly established as a serious competitor to the existing London makers. At a time when the London trade was slowly pulling out of recession and perceived as old and stuffy, Symes & Wright were like a breath of fresh air. During the company’s short history it produced some of the best guns to come out of London since the 1930s.To quote from one of the company’s advertisements, “We are not trading on a reputation established over a century ago, nor do we waste energy marketing luxury goods associated with our name. Our business is quite simply building the finest sporting guns money can buy, without compromise, without exception”.
£30000 – 40000
Lot 123
SYMES & WRIGHT
A FINE PAIR OF 12-BORE SELF-OPENING SIDELOCK EJECTOR GUNS, NOS.0019/20
28-inch chopper-lump barrels with 2 3/4-inch chambers, about 1 /4 and 1 /2 choke borings, the frames, locks and gold numbered top levers with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining virtually all of their original hardening colour, the actions and locks signed in gold by the maker, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guards, 15-inch highly figured stocks, 6 lb. 8 oz., nitro proof, in their maker’s brassbound oak and leather case with tools and accessories
The guns were completed in 1992 and appear very little used.
Symes & Wright were formed as a gun maker in London in 1987. Both Peter Symes and Alex Wright had previously worked for James Purdey & Sons and decided to set up business on their own. With a flair for design and marketing and a fresh outlook, the company was quickly established as a serious competitor to the existing London makers. At a time when the London trade was slowly pulling out of recession and perceived as old and stuffy, Symes & Wright were like a breath of fresh air During the company’s short history it produced some of the best guns to come out of London since the 1930s. To quote from one of the company’s advertisements, “We are not trading on a reputation established over a century ago, nor do we waste energy marketing luxury goods associated with our name. Our business is quite simply building the finest sporting guns money can buy, without compromise, without exception”.
£25000 – 30000