Bannerman Spencer Model 1896 Repeating 12 GA Pump Shotgun Antique

Most famous for the Spencer Carbine, one of the few repeating rifles to serve in the US Civil War, Christopher Spencer was a prolific inventor and designer producing a sewing machine, horseless carriage and the first pump-action shotgun in 1884. Minor tweaks produced models 1886 and 1887, with both models being tested and approved by the Ordnance Department and a total of 354 shotguns purchased by them for guarding prisoners. However, this did not spur commercial sales and in 1890, the tools and machinery were purchased by Francis Bannerman who continued to produce and develop the design, bringing out models 1890, 1894, 1896 and 1900. The model 1890 was produced for three years until being replaced by the 1894. Winchester introduced their 1893 during production of the 1890 and was promptly sued by Bannerman for patent violation, but Winchester was able to successfully fight the suit and continue producing pump-action repeating shotguns. By 1900, manufacturing behemoth Winchester had nearly captured the pump shotgun market with the J.M. Browning designed model 1897 and Bannerman’s sales were never strong. In 1902, Bannerman decided to cease production of shotguns citing not his poor sales, but rather his desire to focus efforts on the military surplus business “which was always more profitable and more to our liking, and on which there is no patent”. We suppose we cannot disagree with him on that, yet Bannerman produced, based on the design of others including Spencer, a very interesting shotgun with a top-ejection system with the firing pin mounted in the lifter rather than on a separate bolt as we are now used to seeing.
The bore is mostly bright with some spots of erosion and pitting intermittently throughout.
This shotgun is in about Good-plus condition. This shotgun has a very interesting history, tied back to the very first pump-action shotgun produced.