Joe Loy

Topics related to Post - 1898 Remington Shotguns
Post Reply
Researcher
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:06 pm
Location: Washington and Alaska

Joe Loy

Post by Researcher »

Is there a known date when Joe Loy started engraving at Remington? We know he retired in 1940.
AZMike
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2017 6:53 am

Re: Joe Loy

Post by AZMike »

Vendors of guns I have shopped have him noted as doing a gun in 1912. Maybe they back tracked his career? I would like to think that he did my 10-D or at least was the main artist.
Researcher
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:06 pm
Location: Washington and Alaska

Re: Joe Loy

Post by Researcher »

Charles Semmer attributed some high grade Remington Hammerless Doubles to Joe Loy so that would put him at Ilion considerably earlier.
GeneM
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:57 am

Re: Joe Loy

Post by GeneM »

The Remington Research Team found a number of early Remington Action Newsletters in the Remington Archives in Ilion. The June 1940 issue had an article on the retirement of Joe Loy after 45 years of service. He was born March 10, 1865 in Sheffield, England. The family emigrated to the US in 1867. He started out as an apprentice engraver with Parker Brothers, Meriden, CT, then moved to Colt to further his experience, later moving to Le Fever Arms in Fulton, NY and then to Ithaca Gun Co. in Ithaca, NY. He came to Remington in 1894 when he accepted the inside contactor position of checker and engraver over 4 other engravers who applied for the position. He remained a contractor until approximately 1913 when Remington switched to the factory system and Joe became foreman in charge of checkering and engraving. He retired May 1, 1940 and passed away April 1, 1952 in Ilion. Three other Loy family members worked at Remington and retired from the Company prior to WWII. Another Ithaca Gun engraver, Simeon Rogers, worked with Loy and moved to Ilion at the same time.
Researcher
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:06 pm
Location: Washington and Alaska

Re: Joe Loy

Post by Researcher »

Gene,

Thank you for the information. Minor point, Hunter Arms Co./L.C. Smith was in Fulton, NY. Lefever Arms Co. was in Syracuse.

Was the engraving shop separate from regular production? No Joe Loy identified in this 1895 photo of the shotgun department.
Shotgun Department 1895 02 Utica, NY, Observer-Dispatch, January 22, 1940.jpeg
Shotgun Department 1895 02 Utica, NY, Observer-Dispatch, January 22, 1940.jpeg (1.39 MiB) Viewed 3766 times
Also, there are a couple of fellows in the photo identified as Bert Gough, Jr. and Herb Gough, Sr. I've wondered if they are from the Gough family of engravers -- Harry Gough, William Gough, etc.
GeneM
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:57 am

Re: Joe Loy

Post by GeneM »

My error, I knew better but did not double check before posting the reply as written in the June 1940 Remington Action newsletter announcing Loy's retirement. Loy's engraving and checkering shop was separate.

I do not think it is the same Gough family. William H. (Bill) Gough and brother Jack A. apprenticed under father Henry (Harry) Gough. He was Parker's chief engraver from 1887 to 1898. William became Parker's chief engraver from 1899 to 1911. He moved May 11, 1911 to Philadelphia to be A. H. Fox's chief engraver. Savage purchased Fox and moved the operation to Utica, NY in 1930. Gough moved to Utica and remained there when Savage moved to Chicopee Falls in 1946. He operated an independent engraving business at the same time. Some time in 1954, when he was 80, he accepted an engraving assignment from Remington. It is not known how many guns he engraved but at least 5 shotguns were started at Gough's shop but finished up at Remington after Gough retired. Brother Jack engraved for Winchester from 1910 to 1919 and later opened his own shop in Stamford, CT.
SpecialPurpose1985
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 2:50 pm

Re: Joe Loy

Post by SpecialPurpose1985 »

There is that River Valley in Connecticut that had Many Many Gun Manufacturers?

Best,

Special Purpose1985
Fowlgunner
Posts: 187
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:44 pm

Re: Joe Loy

Post by Fowlgunner »

Thanks a million Gene!

Information has been very scarce on the timing and individuals involved with the early 1900's Remington firearms engraving, which I believe to be it's best period.

Sorry, I haven't checked traps here on the site in a while.

Sincerely, Will
Post Reply