W.J Rawbone 12b Cape Rifle
William George Rawbone was born in London in 1809. It is believed he trained in gun making in Birmingham.
He appears to have married in 1831 and his first son, William, was probably born in Birmingham in 1832. The second son, John William was certainly born in Birmingham in 1834. There was a third son, Henry.
In about 1838 it is believed he moved to London because William was educated there.
In 1848 he took his wife and five children to Cape town, South Africa.
He is recorded as having established his own firm at 7 Zieke Street by 1852, but he probably opened for business at an earlier date. He moved to 8 Ziekie Street a short time later.
By 1855 the firm had moved to 7 Burg Street, corner of Hout Street.
In 1860 Prince Alfred visited South Africa, it was at this time that John William and William Rawbone took over the management of the business, but the name remained W & G Rawbone. W G Rawbone and the third son, Henry, returned to England where they opened a buying office / factory at Back of 21 Lower Loveday Street in 1861.
In 1862 W G Rawbone patented sporting rifle sights (No. 2530).
In that year John Rawbone left the family firm in Cape Town and opened in competition with William John Rawbone at 13 Burg Street.
In 1865 the Birmingham factory was moved to Hope Works, Theodore Street where it was recorded until 1869.
In 1868 John Rawbone closed his firm at 13 Burg Street and re-joined William to trade as W & J Rawbone.
In 1869 W G Rawbone reportedly retired and the the Birmingham factory was taken over by Joseph Loxton Rawbone (brother?). It is believed W G Rawbone and possibly Henry Rawbone travelled around the United States and Canada and in 1873 established the "Rawbone Gun and Manufacturing Co" in Toronto, Canada. W G Rawbone may have returned to England or Cape Town in 1877.
In 1874 in Cape Town John Rawbone died, and in 1875 the firm was re-named William Rawbone & Co and moved to 14 Burg Street.
At about this time the firm were appointed gunmakers to the Duke of Edinburgh.
In 1893 W G Rawbone died, where is unknown.
In about 1900 William Rawbone retired and his son, T M Rawbone took over.
In 1837 the Cape Town firm was sold to M Klein.
William Rawbone died in 1920 having spent his retirement as a member of the Cape Town Municipal Council.
This piece dates to circa 1868, and is of the quintisential "Cape rifle" design, with one smooth bored barrel, and one rifled (left) barrel, design to give the user the ability to both hunt - and defend against dangerous larger game.
The barrels are of a 'twist' design with external wear attributed to long term use. There is good wall thickness at the muzzles, with defined rifling to the left barrel. The brown is mostly gone from the barrels, but could easily be re-finished with a birchwood and casey product if desired.
The barrels sport Birmingham proof marks, which fits with the Rawbone company origins of Birmingham manufacture, with top level assemly in Cape town.
The furniture of the gun is in solid condition. One hammer is very likely a non-standard replacement (with visible file marks), but the locks do half and full cock, with both percussion nipples present.
The ram rod is original, complete with a screw off wad puller.
A very good value piece, that could be improved further with a little effort.
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