WW Greener St Marys Works – Brimm & 68 Haymarket London

WW Greener St Marys Works – Brimm & 68 Haymarket London

Target Ball

William Wellington Greener

W. W. Greener & Company, London, England

Amethyst

Provenance: Ex: Ralph Finch Collection, American Glass Gallery

This outstanding target ball is from England and was made by the famous gun-making firm W. W. Greener located on St. Marys Square in London. The building still stands and is around the corner from the Piccadilly Circus. The Greener name and address is embossed on the 2 5/8″, 3-piece mold ball. In a beautiful medium amethyst glass color, there is a raised quilted diamond pattern above and below a centered band that contains the embossed copy reading ‘WW GREENER ST MARYS WORKS – BRIMM & 68 HAYMARKET LONDON.’ We suspect this inspired Captain Adam Henry Bogardus when he patented his Bogardus ball in America in 1877.

The Virtual Museum also has an outstanding example of a W. W. Greener St. Marys target ball in olive amber and a W. W. Greener St. Marys target ball in cobalt blue.

The history of W. W. Greener began in 1829, when William Greener, who had been working in London for Manton, a prominent gun maker, returned to his hometown of Newcastle and founded the W. Greener Company. In November 1844, he determined that most of the materials and components he used for gun-making came from Birmingham, so he moved his business from Newcastle to Birmingham.

During the period of 1845-58, W. Greener was appointed to make guns for Prince Albert. Money obtained from supplying South Africa with two-groove rifles enabled the company to erect a factory on “Rifle Hill,” Aston, in 1859. It was around this time that the company began to really prosper. Greener was a firm believer in the concept of muzzleloaders and refused to make any breechloaders. His son, William Wellington Greener, struck out a line of his own and named his company the W. W. Greener Company. They produced his first breechloader in 1864. When William Greener died in 1869, the two companies were amalgamated together as the W. W. Greener Company and carried on by William Wellington Greener. W. W. Greener is still in business.

Primary Image: W. W. Greener St. Marys target balls imaged on location by the FOHBC Virtual Museum midwest studio led by Alan DeMaison.

Support: Reference to American Glass Gallery, The Ralph Finch Collection of Target Balls, Traps and Shooting Ephemera, An Absentee Auction in Six Parts – 2017-2019

Primary Museum Image: Auction Lot 558: “WW GREENER ST MARYS WORKS – BIRMM & 68 HAY-MARKET LONDON” Target Ball, England, 1875 – 1900. Medium amethyst, quilted diamond pattern above and below center band, 3-piece mold, rough sheared mouth, dia. 2 5/8”, perfect. Beautiful color, nice clarity, outstanding condition, a very attractive and desirable example. Note, the Greener building still stands on Haymarket, around the corner from the Piccadilly Circus. – The Ralph Finch Collection of Target Balls, Traps and Shooting Ephemera, An Absentee Auction in Six Parts – 2017-2019, John Pastor and American Glass Gallery

Secondary Museum Image: Lot 557: “WW GREENER ST MARYS WORKS – BIRMM & 68 HAY-MARKET LONDON” Target Ball, England, 1875 – 1900. Olive amber, quilted diamond pattern above and below center band, 3-piece mold, rough sheared mouth, dia. 2 5/8”, perfect. A very crude example and an exceptionally rare color for a “Greener” Target Ball. One of only six or so examples known in this, or similar, color.

Secondary Museum Image: Lot 675: “WW GREENER ST MARYS WORKS – BIRMM & 68 HAY-MARKET LONDON” Target Ball, England, 1875 – 1900. Cobalt blue, quilted diamond pattern above and below center band, 3-piece mold, rough sheared mouth, dia. 2 5/8”, perfect. A great example with crisp, very strong embossing, in a beautiful, deep vivid color. – The Ralph Finch Collection of Target Balls, Traps and Shooting Ephemera, An Absentee Auction in Six Parts – 2017-2019, John Pastor and American Glass Gallery

Support: Read: What are target balls? I’m glad you asked! by Ralph Finch

Support: Reference to W.W. Greener, Maker of Fine Guns Since 1829

Support Images: Jeff Wichmann and American Bottle Auctions, Alex Kerr Collection.

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