Crescent Firearms

Mississippi Arms Co was a trade name used by the H.D. Folsom Arms Company on firearms made for the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis, MO.

The Online Gun auction site Gunbroker is good source for "parts guns", which are completed, but inoperable guns being sold for the parts value. There are also "Parts Kits" which are all of the parts that have been stripped off of guns being destroyed by a Police or Sheriff department. Typically the frame/receiver section is cut up and everything else... barrel, internal parts, stocks, etc. are sold.

Ebay, which recently reversed a policy decision to not allow firearm parts (The ban came shortly after the Virgina Tech shootings), has again become a source of parts. As always "buyer beware" as those venues are subject to parts dumping, plus with any used part, you have to approach it with the knowledge that the past history of the gun that the part came off of is unknown, so the condition of part itself in doubt.

Made sometime between 1893 and 1930. Being a .410, probably not before 1920 and certainly not before 1900. The price is going to depend on configuration and condition. A double barrel .410 in absolutely like new condition might be worth $400 or more. A single shot worn out, rusted, or broken about $5.

More input:

• Crescent introduced hammerless guns to it's inventory in 1904. I don't have a firm date for the introduction of the .410 shotgun shell, but I believe it was about that same time. To qualify as an antique as defined by the Gun Control Act of 1968, it must have been made before midnight, December 31, 1998. Since there are no serial number records from Crescent, there is no way to verify the actual year of manufacture, so if the model was made after that date, they assume that your gun was NOT made before then. And as for the value, these were hardware-store guns, there were millions of them sold in the early 20th century, so those few collectors who want one have many to choose from and only the most well-preserved will bring a high price. Some may still be useable, but if you wanted a gun to shoot, you can get a NEW utility grade single shot for $75 or double barrel for $250, so why would you pay more for an old one?

• Empire was a trade name used by Sears Roebuck c. 1920-1930.

If it is a fully functional (have it checked by an experienced gunsmith) gun with fluid steel barrels, back hammers or hammerless, it should bring $200+ as a shooter. If it has side hammers and twist steel barrels, it's worth $125-$150 as a mantle decoration.

East German proofs would indicate manufacture within the past 60 years, so it's not an old collectable. There's no guide book for German sporting guns, so it's sort of depends on how badly the seller wants to be rid of it and how badly the buyer wants to have it. You might search auction sites like gunbroker.com to see if you can find something similar being offered.

Nitro King was a Sears Roebuck brand name made by Crescent Arms, 1908-1917.

Chicago Arms Co was a trade name used by Hibbard, Spencer, and Bartlett on shotguns imported from (mostly) Belgium. The dates you have been given would be in the range for that company to have been the retailer, but I think too early for a slide action. In the condition you describe, it will be worth very little. If you wanted to buy one, you would probably have a hard time finding one for sale, but if you want to sell it you may have an even harder time finding an interested buyer.

If it needs a stock and forearm, it's not worth much. If it is a boxlock with fluid steel barrels, fully functional and OK'd by an experienced gunsmith, it would be worth $200+ as a shooter. If it has laminated barrels and side hammers, it might bring $125-$150 as a mantle decoration. Like any other machine 80+ years old, parts are where you find them. Your local gunsmith can probably find wood that will fit or can be made to fit. To be a decorator, it would be enough to repair the existing stocks with Elmer's glue and wood filler if that is possible.

I have a complete 90% Crescent 12 ga 100,00 yours..

Utica Firearms Company: Trade name used by the Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri on firearms they retailed c. 1900. Yours is a bit unusual if it has damascus barrels but no exterior hammers. Shooters want fluid steel barrels, decorators want side hammers, and few collectors want hardware-store guns, so I'd say unusual is not a good thing. Even in NRA Excellent condition (98%+ original finish) I doubt if you could get over $200.

You have already identified it as a Shapleigh's King Nitro. Shapleigh Hardware was in St Louis Missouri from the mid 19th century until the middle of the 20th. Their King Nitro guns were manufactured by W.H. Davenport and later by Stevens/Savage.

Tom, a good place to start would be e-gunparts on the web.

Can't give you an exact date, but Stevens used the Riverside name from about 1920-1945 according to my notes.

Excerpts from The Firing Line Forum and Firearms Forum Questions and answers from Shotgun Tom and WarPig:

The 16-bore Syracuse gun was first listed in Syracuse Arms Company catalogs in 1901 (the 20-bore in 1902), and it was offered in all grades from Grade OO, the lowest, to Grade D, the highest; and ranging in suggested retail price from $30 to $475. Major manufacturing modifications to the frame and barrels occurred in 1902, and again in late 1903 or early 1904; therefore it is difficult for the novice to determine which variation of the Syracuse gun he may own. For assistance in this regard, I suggest you acquire back issues of the Double Gun Journal having articles on the Syracuse gun; as these articles represent the most comprehensive work done to date on the various models of the Syracuse gun and the Syracuse Arms Company. Small bore SAC guns (the 16 and 20) are not very common, as these models were introduced late in the life of the company; and it appears actual production had ceased by mid-1905 (certainly by 1906). Most 16-bore examples seen today are in Grade 0 and Grade 2, both plain models will a small flourish of engraving around the lock pins. The simplest way to determine grade is as follows: The Grade 0 will be roll-stamped "New Twist" for barrel steel type atop the barrels, the Grade 2 gun will have "Improved Damascus" roll-stamped atop the barrels, the Grade 3 gun will have the same barrel steel as the Grade 2 gun but will feature 40-50% line and scoll engraving coverage. The Grade A, A-1, B, C, and D guns will feature finer Damacus barrels for each grade or have optional Krupp barrels (Whitworth with the Grade D gun); and the engraving will be as follows: The Grade A gun will be engraved very similar to the style featured on the Grade 3 gun (line and scroll), the A-1 will have finer line and scroll work and two birds on either side of the frame, the Grade B will feature lots of fine scroll and a single pointing dog on either side of the frame, the Grade C gun will feature very fine scroll with full coverage and dogs and birds, the Grade D will feature the finest scroll with double dogs and birds and unique frame sculpting. Stocks for each grade become more elaborate as to carving and checkering patterns with finer pointed diamonds in the checkering panels. The highest grades are somewhat scarce and collectible, and will bring a decent price if in good original condition (although nothing remotely close to the prices paid for Parkers, Smiths, Lefevers, and Foxes). Low grades with little remaining finish have little value; although there is a limited collector demand for low grade SAC guns with lots of remaining original finishes and no aftermarket alterations. I hope you find this information somewhat helpful.

Production records for the Syracuse Arms Company no longer exist, so there is no way to provide an exact shipping date on your gun. From personal research I can tell you the following: Triplet Steel barrels were first introduced by SAC on their Grade OO gun in 1901. Triplet Steel was SAC's moniker for the type of fluid steel barrels used on this grade gun; and they later used this same barrel steel on a limited run of Syracuse hammer guns introduced in 1904, but these were the only two models of SAC guns advertised as being available with Triplet Steel barrels. The frames of SAC guns were strengthened in 1902 (wider top strap and lengthened frame sides); and their top fastener modified to what SAC advertised as a "double cross bolt". This change occurred around serial number 24,500 (give or take a few numbers either way); adn based on that fact, I would speculate your gun was manufactured in late 1902 or early 1903. In 1902 and 1903, the Grade OO gun was the least expensive SAC gun and carried a suggested retail of $30; not an insignificant sum at the turn of the last century.

Here is more from shotgun expert Russ Ruppel.

I would believe these dates over the ones I posted above, as the website I found the others on had a bnch of information that is screwed up.

Russ is a double shotgun historian and generally knows his stuff.

[quote]I never heard of one marked "New Era" which was a hardware store brand name but I do have a speal on the Real Syracuse Arms guns:

Syracuse Arms Company was founded by Frank Hollenbeck after he left Baker Gun & Forging Company in Batavia, New York, and returned to Syracuse in 1893. Between 1893 and 95 Frank had nine patents assigned to Syracuse Arms Co. The early guns are very tricky to take down, but Frank's patent number 523,813 for a "Movable Cocking Shoulder for Breakdown Guns" made this easier. After a couple of years Frank left to make bicycle seats but the company continued to operate until possibly as late as 1908. The earlier guns are marked "The Hollenbeck" and after Frank left in August 1895 they are often marked "The Syracuse." Syracuse Arms Company guns were made in two series -- the stock guns, which had grades designated by numbers 00, 0, 1, 2, and 3; and the special order guns which had grades designated by letters, A, A-1, B, C, and D. List prices in the 1902 catalogue ranged from $30 for the 00-Grade with Triplet Steel barrels to $475 for the D-grade with either Whitworth Fluid or Damascus barrels. Operating in the Syracuse area the company had access to some of this country's finest engravers in the Glahn family. I briefly owned a straight-gripped B-grade that had some of the best engraving (not in quantity but in execution) I've ever seen on an American gun.

The ejectors for Syracuse Arms Co. were designed by George A. Horne and featured a cut-off to set them to just extract if wanted. Two excellent articles on Frank Hollenbeck were published in The Gun Report -- "The Syracuse Arms Company and Frank Hollenbeck" by the late A.C. Atterbury in the July 1988 issue, and "New Notes of Frank A. Hollenbeck" by H.J. Swinney in the September 1991 issue. I believe they sell back issues -- phone (309) 582-5311.

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I would only add that there were about 40,000 made total and value is from $100 for a low grade clunker to about $3500 for a top grade in mint condition of which only about 3 are extant. 20ga are scarce. [?quote]

It could have been made anytime from shortly after 1900 to about 1945. wrong I have one that was made stamped dec 15 1891

Wrong dec 15 1891 is the date of the patent Guns were almost never stamped with an exact date of manufacture

If it's a Stevens, these old guns aren't rare, and as gauge gets bigger, price seems to get smaller. A 12-gauge in average shape isn't worth much more than $75, and can often be had for $50. The .410 equivalent is worth at least $25 more in same condition.

Are the hammers on the back of the lock or on the sides? The first is probably a shooter worth $100 - $200 depending on condition. The second is a wall decoration with about the same value.

There's not a lot of information available. Crescent was formed in 1892 and purchased by H&D Folsom the following year but operated as a separate company. Much of the Crescent production was sold through Folsom's retail and wholesale operations under a miriad of trade names. In the period from about 1928 to 1932 Crescent and several other arms makers were bought, sold, and merged, and eventually became part of the J. Stevens division of Savage Arms. Stevens apparently continued to produce some guns with the Crescent or Crescent-Davis names for a few years after that. Crescent first used fluid steel barrels in the late 1890's and began production of hammerless guns in 1903, but twist barrels were still used until WWI shut off the import of arms from Belgium and the open hammer designs were probably still being made into the 1930's.

Eastern Arms Company was a trade name used by Sears Roebuck. The guns were manufactured by Meriden Arms, Iver Johnson, Stevens, Savage, and probably others.

Nitro in the name would imply smokeless powder, so the earliest would be shortly after 1900. Could have been as recent as 1945.

Are you leaving out some of the markings? If the Stevens name has the Tool Co part, it should say J. Stevens Arms and Tool Co. The "full" indicates that it has a tight choke to hold the shot in a closer pattern over a longer distance. The "gauge" should be preceded by a number (probably 12, 16, or 20) and indicates the correct size ammunition for the gun.

Depending on the condition and configuration, it would run from $100 to $250.

Central Arms Company was a trade name used by the W.H. Davenport Firearms Company on shotguns made for the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis. MO.

The only Crescent shotgun that I know of that was nickeled was the 20 guage, 14 inch barreled Knickerbocker. A shotgun with a barrel length of 18" or less requires a Class C license from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Assuming you are correct and it is a 12 guage, it was originally blued and parts should be available from http://www.gunpartscorp.com.

BETTER ANSWER

Angels Gun Stocks Company has all Savage 311 series and types available. Stock and trigger guards are available. angelsgunstocks.com or angelsgunstocks@yahoo.com.

If your local gunsmith can't help you could check with savagearms.com or e-gunparts.com.