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Old June 25, 2001, 07:27 AM   #2
Harley Nolden
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: January 8, 1999
Location: Brunswick,GA USA
Posts: 1,884
Steve:
The only thing I could find is the Hudson is a trade name for the Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Hdware Co of Chicago on shotguns they retailed. As you mentioned the English proof marks the shotgun was probably made in England for this hardware company and probably several others under a different name. These guns are called "Hardware Guns" because these foreign companies would build a shotgun and put your name on it if you wanted tit.

From your descriiption and with out seeing the gun, I can only provide a value from $200.00 to possibly $1.000.00 on the value.

Here is the story of the Hardware Guns, and keep in mind they are not singulaly identified with Crescent.


CRESCENT ARMS

This Company mfg’d good quality, inexpensive side by side and single Bbl shotguns and was founded in 1883. They were bought by the H&D Folsom Arms Company of New York, importers and distributors of firearms and sporting goods.

After the purchase of Crescent, the Folsom Company was able to offer a complete range of shotguns, imported English French, Belgium and American made Crescents. By the turn of the century Crescent Arms produced huge quantities of “Hardware Guns” it produced guns under direct contract to distributors, mail order housed and hardware distributors with any brand name the customer requested. Crescent also produced guns for its parent company, as Folsom house brands that were sold to customers that did not want their own brand name.

By the lat 1890's Crescent was producing basically five grade of dbl bbl shotguns offering a model for most tastes. The Crescent /Folsom Arms Company continued this type of business until 1930 when it merged with Davis Warner Arms Corp and became the Crescent-Davis Arms Corp. In 1932 it assets and machinery were bought by Stevens Arms Company, a victim of changing tastes and the depression.

HJN
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