Description
Park Rifle by John Blissett of London
This is a magnificent cased park rifle by John Blissett of London.
John Blissett, son of Isaac, born 1808. Gunmaker and jeweller, 74 High Holborn, 1832-5; 321 High Holborn, 1836-50 (315 High Holborn, 1847); 322 High Holborn.
This set, cased with it’s accessories is in excellent condition with a near perfect bore. Patch box and lock beautifully engraved. Hard to find a cased set like this.
John Blissett (1808-1872) was the son of Isaac Blissett. He may well have been the elder son, Thomas Blissett of Liverpool being the younger.
John Blissett commenced in business as a gunmaker and jeweller at 74 High Holborn in 1832.
In 1835 he moved to 321 High Holborn as a gunmaker and repository for guns, he was given a Royal Appointment to the Duke of Sussex and stayed here until 1850, but in 1847, a year after his father died, he also occupied 316 High Holborn.
In 1847 John Blissett registered a design for an air gun walking stick (No.1050).
From 1851 to 1866 he occupied 322 High Holborn only.
In 1855 he patented a loading lever for a revolver (No.2069).
In 1866 the firm became John Blissett & Son, and in 1876 they moved to 98 High Holborn.
In 1878 William James Tomes (who was recorded as being in business on his own from 1863 to 1864 at 28 Church Street, Soho) joined John Blissett to form Blissett Son & Tomes.
In 1883 Tomes took over the firm completely, renaming it Tomes & Co. They appear to have ceased trading in 1885.
