Looking to identify the Manufacurer

I am trying to identify the manufacturer of a shotgun that was passed down from my greatgrandfather to my father and finally to me. The age of the gun is uncertain and I was hoping to figure out who made the firearm but there is very little information on the gun itself. On the left side of the barrel the words "CHOKE BORE" are written and the butplate has an insignia bearing an eagle and well worn banner. Attached are a couple of photos.

My folks were farmers so the gun is pretty simple and I assume of some common manufacture but I would like to identify it just to satisfy my own curiosity.

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/RAD1768/DSC_0569.jpg

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/RAD1768/DSC_0567.jpg

I can't really help, but maybe I can give you some general information. That gun was one of many, many thousands made between roughly 1880 and 1910 and sold in hardware stores and mail-order catalogs for as little as $1.50-2.50, when a Colt Single Action Army was $17 and the average worker got $1 a day (a cowboy got $.50 and "found", so not many carried Colts).

Many were made by a company called Crescent (see the link below) but marked with the name of the retailer, often a big hardware store or distributor. But many were made by companies who had so little pride in the product they didn't put the company name on them. The buttplate marking might mean something if it were readable, but it means nothing to me as it is.

Time takes its toll on all things, including the barrel of that gun. Even if it is solid, and made for smokeless powder, it is a century old and possibly rusted out. I strongly recommend the gun be considered an heirloom and not fired, even with black powder.

Here is a link that might help with more information.

http://www.briley.com/articles/grampas_shotgun.html

Jim

Actually, I used this gun as a lad to hunt dove, quail, and other small game but have long since retired it from service. Today I consider it to be an heirloom and am only interested in preserving it to pass on to my son for its "historical" value. (We will leave the shooting and hunting to the Remington and Browning shotguns in our cabinet.)