Early Post-war Webley Pellet Tin

[Abasmajor]

Hello,

Has anybody ever come across an early post-war round, orange .22 (500) pellet tin with the same 'indented' lid rim as the .177 green version ?

I have an indented green tin, but have never seen an orange one except for the example illustrated in Gordon Bruce's book.

Regards

Brian

[edbear2]

Hi Brian, not seen one myself, but have both a flat and indented .177 shown in another thread.

ATB, Ed

[Josie & John]

Don't know of one Brian nor do I know anyone who does. Not sure if any were made in this style?

John

[Abasmajor]

Don't know of one Brian nor do I know anyone who does. Not sure if any were made in this style?

John

Hi John & Ed,

I also doubted the existence of this particular variation , but as I say, there is a picture of one in Gordon Bruce's Webley Pistol book, so I guess they do exist.

Regards

Brian

[Josie & John]

Hi John & Ed,

I also doubted the existence of this particular variation , but as I say, there is a picture of one in Gordon Bruce's Webley Pistol book, so I guess they do exist.

Regards

Brian

Thanks Brian,

I hadn't noticed that or it simply did not sink in, despite thumbing through that section on many occasions!

John

[Abasmajor]

Thanks Brian,

I hadn't noticed that or it simply did not sink in, despite thumbing through that section on many occasions!

John

Hi John,

Interesting that there is no mention of the indented lid orange tin in the accessories section of Chris Thrales Webley book.

Regards


Brian

[Josie & John]

Hi John,

Interesting that there is no mention of the indented lid orange tin in the accessories section of Chris Thrales Webley book.

Regards


Brian

I wonder who owned/owns the one in Bruce's book? You have just reminded me that Chris asked me about these tins and if I had one, when he was preparing his excellent book, so chances are he was unable to photograph one. Now this is a tin that would undoubtedly fetch a premium if ever offered for sale!

To-date I have never seen an advert for any of the round tins, so it is unclear when they were actually sold.

Kind regards,

John

[Abasmajor]

I wonder who owned/owns the one in Bruce's book? You have just reminded me that Chris asked me about these tins and if I had one, when he was preparing his excellent book, so chances are he was unable to photograph one. Now this is a tin that would undoubtedly fetch a premium if ever offered for sale!

To-date I have never seen an advert for any of the round tins, so it is unclear when they were actually sold.

Kind regards,

John

Hi John,

I wonder why Webley went straight from card packaging to the quite sophisticated, hinged, rectangular tin rather than opting for a simpler round tin with a push-on lid. What also seems a bit strange, is that they apparently sold these early round tins alongside the rectangular tin for a short period just after the war before once again settling on the rectangular tin until the 1970s.

Some of the pre-war 'valvespout' oil cans illustrated in Bruce's book are reproductions, but it would seem very unlikely that the pellet tin wasn't a genuine example.

Regards

Brian

[Troubledshooter]

Gordon Bruce wasn't a Webley collector when he started compiling his book, although I believe he did acquire a small collection of Webley air pistols, since sold, during the compilation of the book.
I still have letters and schematics he sent me asking for specific internal technical information on some air pistols. I didn't supply such information as I didn't want to strip some of my oldest pistols just to supply technical information that would be of little interest to the average collector, such as depth and width of piston ring grooves etc., so where he got the pictures and info on the Webley pellet tins is anyone's guess.
I've been asked by several collectors if I have, or have ever seen, the indented lid 500 .22 round tin, to which I have to say no.
I was surprised at the time to see a photo of a replica Webley 'Vavespout' oil can instead of a genuine original, as I know some of those who contributed photos for the book would certainly have had an original in their collections.
Despite some of it's innacuracies, the book is still in demand, and an invaluable mine of information for Webley air pistol collectors everywhere, and this is proven by the fact that the reprint is out of stock at the publishers.

[Josie & John]

Hi John,

I wonder why Webley went straight from card packaging to the quite sophisticated, hinged, rectangular tin rather than opting for a simpler round tin with a push-on lid. What also seems a bit strange, is that they apparently sold these early round tins alongside the rectangular tin for a short period just after the war before once again settling on the rectangular tin until the 1970s.

Some of the pre-war 'valvespout' oil cans illustrated in Bruce's book are reproductions, but it would seem very unlikely that the pellet tin wasn't a genuine example.

Regards

Brian

Hi Brian,

One theory is Webley may have used the 'cheaper' constructed round tins alongside the rectangular tins or perhaps between batches of the latter. After all from a user's perspective, you still got your 500 or 1000 pellets. Without any solid advertising it is hard to be sure.

Webley were still advertising the rectangular tins in 1965 but the sectored tins were mentioned in a 1971 price list I have. The price list also included the small sectored tin you are after at a price of 10p!

Agree about the non original oil tins in Bruce's book and that it remains a classic. Shame Jeff Hyder's manuscript was never published.

Kind regards,

John

[Abasmajor]

Hi Brian,

One theory is Webley may have used the 'cheaper' constructed round tins alongside the rectangular tins or perhaps between batches of the latter. After all from a user's perspective, you still got your 500 or 1000 pellets. Without any solid advertising it is hard to be sure.

Webley were still advertising the rectangular tins in 1965 but the sectored tins were mentioned in a 1971 price list I have. The price list also included the small sectored tin you are after at a price of 10p!

Agree about the non original oil tins in Bruce's book and that it remains a classic. Shame Jeff Hyder's manuscript was never published.

Kind regards,

John

Hi John,

One last thing. I have had another look at Chris Thrale's book and he does cast doubt on the existence of the orange, indented tin, but also suggests that there may well have been an indented greet tin for 1000 pellets which would be another great find.

Regards

Brian