"Columbia" brand 12 gage shotgun

[llefoy]

I have an old 12 gage shotgun that has the brand name "Columbia" on the reciever. I believe that it was a product of the J.W. Davenport Arms Company. I would like more information about its history.

Thanks, LL

 

[Chawbaccer]

Columbia: a) Trade name found on inexpensive pocket revolvers of unknownmanufacture. b) Trade name used by H.C. Squires on shotguns.Columbia Arms Company: Registered trade name of Henry Keidel, Baltimore, Maryland.Columbian: Trade name found on inexpensive pocket revolvers of unknownmanufacture.Columbian Firearms Company: a) Trade name used by the Maltby, Henly and Company on inexpensive pocketrevolvers. b) Trade name used by the Crescent Firearms Company on shotguns

 

[scout26]

Davenport and Crescent made inexpensive shotguns for hardware stores in the last 1900's and early part of this century. They put any name the hardware store wanted on the gun. For example, I have a "King Nitro" 12 ga SxS with 30" barrels choked "Full" and "Fuller" that was made by Davenport for Shapleigh Hardware stores of St. Louis. The only markings on it are "King Nitro" on the side plates and the serial number.

Depending on condition hardware store shotguns are worth anywhere from nothing up to a couple (2 maybe 3) hundred. Most the time these guns have much more sentimental value (as in passed down through the generations) then any real value.