The Inglis Diamond - two examples

[Steve Turner]

Hi,

Here are a couple pistols in my collection for those interested in the WWII John Inglis hi-power manufactured in Canada.

Near the end of total production in 1945 Inglis produced an uncommon variant of the Inglis hi-power with the company logo engraved on the slide. This variant is known as the Inglis Diamond and it's estimated approximately 50 of this variation were produced. There are under 20 current known survivors, with most documented in Clive Laws book Inglis Diamond that explains the entire John Inglis hi-power story.

Here's my pair of Inglis Diamonds;

Inglis Diamond 9T3079 was a gift from the president of Inglis to Melville Ross Gooderham for his companies contribution to the war effort. Mr. Gooderham was the president of Manufacturers Life, or better known now as ManuLife Financial. This is the earliest known Inglis Diamond and is unique in having the Diamond engraved prior to parkerizing. On following examples, the diamond was applied after parkerizing just like the serial number most likely to make the logo stand out better. The previous owner purchased this pistol directly from Mr. Gooderhams son.

Inglis Diamond 9T3619 is from what is considered the second the short serial range of Inglis Diamonds and has no known provenance. The previous owner found this pistol at a small town gunshow in Canada. Interestingly enough, a sequentially serial numbered Inglis Diamond is in the Toronto Centre for Forensic Sciences and is photographed in Clive's book.













Hope you enjoy these pistols. I would be very interested in hearing about any other Inglis Diamonds that might out there.

-Steve

[Douglas Jr.]

Rare and gorgeous birds indeed!

[Steve Turner]

Thanks. I suspect interest in this pistol is more limited on this forum. The Inglis hi-power is one of the more collected pistols in Canada, with many more on our market than M1911A1's.

Here's a photo of Melville Ross Gooderham, and some more information from the ManuLife Financial website.



Melville Ross Gooderham (1935 - 1951)
Melville Ross Gooderham (b.1877 - d.1951), son and brother of past Presidents George and William George, joined the Company in 1907 as a Director and Second Vice President. Resigning in 1916 to serve overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he rejoined the Company after the First World War. In 1935 M.R. Gooderham was named the fifth President of the Company.

A graduate of Osgoode Hall and called to the Bar of Ontario in 1900, M.R. Gooderham was a member of the law firms Beatty, Blackstock, Fasken, Nesbitt & Riddell; Beatty Blackstock; Galt, Gooderham & Towers, Galt, Gooderham & Company and Gooderham, Martin & Company. Mr. Gooderham also held Directorships in the Canada Permanent Trust Company and Consumers’ Gas Company of Toronto.

As President of the Company for the duration of the Great Depression and throughout the Second World War, Melville Ross Gooderham guided the Company during a turbulent economic period. Despite the forced withdrawal from some of the Company's foreign operations as a result of the war, the Company continued to function effectively, and sold its 1 millionth policy in 1947. Between 1935 and 1951 the Company’s New Business increased from $67 million to $198, Business in Force from $520 million to $1.4 billion and assets from $134 million to $450 million.

At the time of his death, Melville Ross held slightly more than 45 per cent of the Company’s stock. The possibility of this stock leaving Canada was one of the contributing factors leading to the mutualization of the Company.

Career
1907 Director and Second Vice President
1911 First Vice President
1915 Managing Director
1929 Vice President
1931 Vice President and General Counsel
1935 President

source:
http://www.manulife.com/public/artic...144595,00.html

I hope someday I might figure out who the other pistol was given to.

Cheers,
-Steve

[myp1974]

Hi,

Here are a couple pistols in my collection for those interested in the WWII John Inglis hi-power manufactured in Canada.

Near the end of total production in 1945 Inglis produced an uncommon variant of the Inglis hi-power with the company logo engraved on the slide. This variant is known as the Inglis Diamond and it's estimated approximately 50 of this variation were produced. There are under 20 current known survivors, with most documented in Clive Laws book Inglis Diamond that explains the entire John Inglis hi-power story.

Here's my pair of Inglis Diamonds;

Inglis Diamond 9T3079 was a gift from the president of Inglis to Melville Ross Gooderham for his companies contribution to the war effort. Mr. Gooderham was the president of Manufacturers Life, or better known now as ManuLife Financial. This is the earliest known Inglis Diamond and is unique in having the Diamond engraved prior to parkerizing. On following examples, the diamond was applied after parkerizing just like the serial number most likely to make the logo stand out better. The previous owner purchased this pistol directly from Mr. Gooderhams son.

Inglis Diamond 9T3619 is from what is considered the second the short serial range of Inglis Diamonds and has no known provenance. The previous owner found this pistol at a small town gunshow in Canada. Interestingly enough, a sequentially serial numbered Inglis Diamond is in the Toronto Centre for Forensic Sciences and is photographed in Clive's book.













Hope you enjoy these pistols. I would be very interested in hearing about any other Inglis Diamonds that might out there.

-Steve

Hi Steve.
I see this thread is several years old and I don't know if you still visit this forum. I stumbled across this thread while looking for other Inglis Diamonds.
I thought you'd be interested in knowing that I have the serial number ending in 618.
Your diamonds are very nice. Do you shoot them? I have not shot mine yet and I am torn. It is a near mint condition firearm and as much as I'd like to take it to the range I have not in the almost 2 years I've owned it.
Hopefully this message find you in good health.
Mitch