A late Victorian oak gun cabinet

A late Victorian oak gun cabinet, of tall rectangular form with a large glazed door enclosing a lined interior with the original brass rails, rack, handles and lock, the shelf lined in leather to protect the gun butts, with cartridge drawers behind a pair of cupboard doors, pinned label stating ‘Army & Navy, C S L Makers’.  English, circa 1900.

Footnote: The Army & Navy Store Co-operative Society Ltd, was set up in 1871 by a group of army and naval officers who had decided they were paying too much for their wine.  If they clubbed together to buy wholesale, they could greatly reduce the price.  If this could be done for wine, it could be done for most other things and indeed the A&N CSL went on to sell just about everything imaginable from food and drink to clothing, furniture, sporting goods, luggage and toys.

Membership was restricted to officers, non-commissioned officers and their families.  Friends could join by introduction and officials from the civil service and clubs etc. could also join.  Premises were opened at 105 Victoria Street and the Society quickly grew to be a very large concern with depots at important army bases and ports.  With a large demand from members in India, a store was opened in Bombay in 1891, followed by Karachi in 1892 and Calcutta in 1901 and The Society began to manufacture or commission a number of the items they sold.