The name of J.J. Weston was one used by the H.&D Folsom Arms Co. of NYC. Folsom was a retailer/distributor of sporting goods with firearms being a speciality. Folsom also owned Crescent Firearms Co. of Norwich Conn which was purchased by Savage Arms circa 1930. Their stock in trade was what are known as "Hardware" guns. This is where a store or chain of stores could place a minimum order and pay for the roll stamp and have firearms made with their chosen name..ala Sears Roebuck/JC Higgins..Montgomery Wards with Westernfield/Hawthorne or Western Auto with Revelation. In the Standard Catalog of Firearms under the Crescent banner there is a list of some 200+ names used by stores on such guns..the list is incomplete and there is no known complete list. "BELGIUM" In this country,they made for export, not only complete firearms but sets of barrels for SxS shotguns. Folsom/ Crescent imported both and some guns with the "elg" proofmarks on the barrels may be just that..barrels..they were assembled to USA made frames and then sold by Folsom/Crescent. Some of these will have Damascus or twist steel barrels and even in excellent condition..the safety of firing is a much discussed but generally considred to be unsfe..even the fluid ordance steel barreled guns should be recertified by an expert shotgunsmith and only the mildest of todays shotshells used. Value..While some of these have some value, most were sold as, in today's terms, as "pick-em up truck" guns..tools..not high end collector grade firearms. You can see a representative list of hardware guns from our host's home page..just click on the "cross-reference" link You can get an on-line(for a fee) appraisal at www.bluebookinc.com and some deep insight into this era by reading the works of the late Joseph Vorisek..a Conneticut based expert on these firearms!
Numrich Archiver
Joined: February 2010
Posted: January 5, 2008 06:13 PM
The name of J.J. Weston was one used by the H.&D Folsom Arms Co. of NYC. Folsom was a retailer/distributor of sporting goods with firearms being a speciality. Folsom also owned Crescent Firearms Co. of Norwich Conn which was purchased by Savage Arms circa 1930. Their stock in trade was what are known as "Hardware" guns. This is where a store or chain of stores could place a minimum order and pay for the roll stamp and have firearms made with their chosen name..ala Sears Roebuck/JC Higgins..Montgomery Wards with Westernfield/Hawthorne or Western Auto with Revelation. In the Standard Catalog of Firearms under the Crescent banner there is a list of some 200+ names used by stores on such guns..the list is incomplete and there is no known complete list. "BELGIUM" In this country,they made for export, not only complete firearms but sets of barrels for SxS shotguns. Folsom/ Crescent imported both and some guns with the "elg" proofmarks on the barrels may be just that..barrels..they were assembled to USA made frames and then sold by Folsom/Crescent. Some of these will have Damascus or twist steel barrels and even in excellent condition..the safety of firing is a much discussed but generally considred to be unsfe..even the fluid ordance steel barreled guns should be recertified by an expert shotgunsmith and only the mildest of todays shotshells used. Value..While some of these have some value, most were sold as, in today's terms, as "pick-em up truck" guns..tools..not high end collector grade firearms. You can see a representative list of hardware guns from our host's home page..just click on the "cross-reference" link You can get an on-line(for a fee) appraisal at www.bluebookinc.com and some deep insight into this era by reading the works of the late Joseph Vorisek..a Conneticut based expert on these firearms!
H&D Folsom was a large sporting goods distributor from late 1800 until the 1930. They furnished firearms , both domestic and foreign made for sale retailers across the U.S. Your shot gun is one of the Belgium made shotguns imported by Folsom for sale to one on their many customers. Most of these shotguns were contract or guild guns, meaning the order was filled by a bevy of different small cottage type gun makers. No one Belgium gun maker was responsible for the completion for any one gun. These guns had Damascus barrels and IMO they are best hung on the was and not shot. Damascus is welded steel and after a hundred years who knows how many rusted voids are in the steel. Value of these old Belgium contract guns is not high, if in excellent shape perhaps one hundred to two hundred. If it has outside hammers it was proable made sometime betweeen 1890's to 1911. Best I can do, Hope it helps
Numrich Archiver
Joined: February 2010
Posted: January 5, 2008 06:20 PM
H&D Folsom was a large sporting goods distributor from late 1800 until the 1930. They furnished firearms , both domestic and foreign made for sale retailers across the U.S. Your shot gun is one of the Belgium made shotguns imported by Folsom for sale to one on their many customers. Most of these shotguns were contract or guild guns, meaning the order was filled by a bevy of different small cottage type gun makers. No one Belgium gun maker was responsible for the completion for any one gun. These guns had Damascus barrels and IMO they are best hung on the was and not shot. Damascus is welded steel and after a hundred years who knows how many rusted voids are in the steel. Value of these old Belgium contract guns is not high, if in excellent shape perhaps one hundred to two hundred. If it has outside hammers it was proable made sometime betweeen 1890's to 1911. Best I can do, Hope it helps
