[nrajeff]

Hi guys, I hope this gun is okay to ask about. A good, longtime friend of mine inherited this shotgun from his late father, who owned it since childhood. This gun is the only one that my friend has from his father's collection, and he wants some info about it to help him decide what he should do with it. My research has been fruitless, so I need help in helping my friend. It appears to be an old 20 ga. (.680" I.D. at chamber) single-shot, single trigger, underlever-break-open with lockwork that at first glance looks like a percussion ignition, but is actually a hammer that falls onto a firing pin. It has an octagonal receiver that transitions into a round barrel about 9" forward of the breech face.Barrel length is about 31" from muzzle to breech face. Metal finish is a brown patina of some sort. The wood has some fairly nice (IMO) checkering around the wrist and on the forearm. I would guess overall condition as "fair" or a little less, since this gun appears to have been modified to fit a small shooter, and a few small parts don't seem original, and the lockwork is jammed so the hammer can't fall.

The only exterior markings I can see are on the top flat of the receiver:

"Garantizada Arenguren Y C - Placencia" followed by a maker's or proof mark that looks kind of like a rook (castle) chessman with a crown over it, followed by "PA" with a crown over it, and "20."

I removed the brass wedge that holds the forearm on, and the only marking I can find is "NA" stamped under the receiver.

All I have been able to find out is that Placencia is a town in Spain. Can anyone tell me anything about the maker of this shotgun, its age, and whether it's considered a common, cheap fireplace decoration or a collectible with value? If pics would help, I can probably upload some if that's allowed.

Thanks for any help you can give. -- Jeff