captainstashu
Active Member
I have been intrigued by The old crescent shotguns and the number of these guns made for hardware store nationwide. I found the following article on another gun board. I thought it would be helpful for anyone searching for information on all the old treasures it grandpas closet.
Crescent Firearms company manufactured firearms under the following names for various Retailers;
AMERICAN GUN COMPANY
BARKER GUN COMPANY
BELLMORE GUN COMPANY
CAROLINA ARMS COMPANY
CENTRAL ARMS COMPANY
CHEROKEE ARMS CO
CHESAPEAKE GUN COMPANY
COLUMBIAN NEW YORK ARMS COMPANY
CUMBERLAND ARMS COMPANY
ELGIN ARMS COMPANY
ELMIRA GUN COMPANY
EMPIRE ARMS COMPANY
ENDERS ROYAL SERVICE GUN COMPANY
ESSEX GUN COMPANY
FAUTLESS GUN COMPANY
F.F FORBES GUN COMPANY
HARTFORD HAMMER DOUBLE
HARVARD GUN COMPANY
HERMITAGE GUN COMPANY
HOWARD ARMS COMPANY
INTERSTATE ARMS COMPANY
JACKSON ARMS COMPANY
KINGLAND GUN COMPANY
KNICKERBOCKER GUN COMPANY
KNOX-ALL GUN COMPANY
LEADER GUN COMPANY
LEE SPECIAL
LONG TOM TB SS SG
MASSACHUSETTS ARMS CO
MOHAWK
MONITOR
NATIONAL ARMS COMPANY
NEW YORK ARMS COMPANY
NEW RIVAL ARMS COMPANY
NITRO BIRD GUN COMPANY
NITRO HUNTER GUN COMPANY
NORWICH ARMS COMPANY
NOT NAC MFG COMPANY
OXFORD ARMS COMPANY
PEERLESS COMPANY
PEFFECTION ARMS COMPANY
PIEDMONT GUN COMPANY
PIONEER ARMS COMPANY
QUAIL ARMS COMPANY
QUEEN CITY GUN COMPANY
RICHTER ARMS COMPANY
RICHARD ARMS COMPANY
ROYAL SERVICE GUN COMPANY
RUMMEL ARMS COMPANY
SHUE'S SPECIAL GUN COMPANY
SOUTHERN ARMS COMPANY
SPECIAL ARMS COMPANY
SPENCER GUN COMPANY
SPORTSMAN GUN COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD ARMS COMPANY
SQUARE DEAL GUN COMPANY
STATE ARMS COMPANY
STERLING ARMS COMPANY
SULLIVAN ARMS COMPANY
U S ARMS COMPANY
VICTOR ARMS COMPANY
VIRGINIA ARMS COMPANY
VOLUNTEER ARMS COMPANY
VULCAN ARMS COMPANY
WHITE POWDER WONDER ARMS
WINFIELD ARMS COMPANY
WINOCA ARMS COMPANY
CRESCENT FIRE ARMS CO. was incorporated in Connecticut on March 4, 1892. In 1888, George W. Cilley bought out the defunct Bacon Arms Co. of Norwich, CT. He then formed an alliance with Frank A. Foster, and borrowed enough money to form Crescent. Cilley and Foster each held several firearms patents, and both were highly qualified in firearms design and manufacture. Production began with single shot tip-up shotguns that had an external side hammer. Double barrel shotgun production was started in 1891. In 1893, the majority of Crescent stock was acquired by H.∓D. FOLSOM located at 314 Broadway in New York City. Henry Titus Folsom (1859-1937) was President of the company, and was succeeded by his son, H. Lloyd (1888-1954), who led the company through the depression and World War II. H.∓D. Folsom distributed Birmingham and Belgian made firearms (including some marked W. Richards and T. Barker) under many trade names from 1890 until about 1932. The Norwich, CT manufactured Crescent guns were marked American Gun Company of New York, then Crescent after about 1922. In 1897, American Gun Co. listed 5 models: 1. #2641 - Top lever hammergun with Armory Steel barrels (Belgain made) in 12g only for $14. 2. #2650 - With damascus barrels for $15. 3. #2660 - Similar gun but claimed to be all American made for $18. 4. #2655 - Twist barrels and Deeley & Edge snap forend with engraving on locks and trigger guard for $18. 5. #2665 - Greater engraving coverage for $20. In 1954 Folsom was purchased by Universal Tackle and Sporting Goods Co. N.R. DAVIS ARMS COMPANY was located in Assonet, MA from 1853 until at least 1917, operated under the following names: 1853 to 1883? N.R. Davis Arms 1883 to 1917? N.R. Davis & Sons Co. 1917 to 1930? Davis-Warner Arms Corp.? Brooklyn, NY and Norwich, CT In 1920, SAVAGE ARMS CORP. purchased J. STEVENS ARMS and later acquired the assets of Page Lewis Company and A.H. Fox. J. Stevens purchased DAVIS-WARNER in 1930. A Stevens memo dated December 15, 1930 announced the purchase from H&D Folsom Arms Company of the assets of Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich, Connecticut. The assets of Crescent were to be merged with those of Davis-Warner Arms Corporation and that the newly formed firm would be known as The Crescent-Davis Arms Corporation, Norwich, Conn. On November 4, 1935, an order of dissolution was filed with the New York Secretary of State and the remains were moved to Chicopee Falls and assembled and sold under various trade names.
RESOURCE: Bob Hinman "The Golden Age of Shotgunning"
Crescent Firearms company manufactured firearms under the following names for various Retailers;
AMERICAN GUN COMPANY
BARKER GUN COMPANY
BELLMORE GUN COMPANY
CAROLINA ARMS COMPANY
CENTRAL ARMS COMPANY
CHEROKEE ARMS CO
CHESAPEAKE GUN COMPANY
COLUMBIAN NEW YORK ARMS COMPANY
CUMBERLAND ARMS COMPANY
ELGIN ARMS COMPANY
ELMIRA GUN COMPANY
EMPIRE ARMS COMPANY
ENDERS ROYAL SERVICE GUN COMPANY
ESSEX GUN COMPANY
FAUTLESS GUN COMPANY
F.F FORBES GUN COMPANY
HARTFORD HAMMER DOUBLE
HARVARD GUN COMPANY
HERMITAGE GUN COMPANY
HOWARD ARMS COMPANY
INTERSTATE ARMS COMPANY
JACKSON ARMS COMPANY
KINGLAND GUN COMPANY
KNICKERBOCKER GUN COMPANY
KNOX-ALL GUN COMPANY
LEADER GUN COMPANY
LEE SPECIAL
LONG TOM TB SS SG
MASSACHUSETTS ARMS CO
MOHAWK
MONITOR
NATIONAL ARMS COMPANY
NEW YORK ARMS COMPANY
NEW RIVAL ARMS COMPANY
NITRO BIRD GUN COMPANY
NITRO HUNTER GUN COMPANY
NORWICH ARMS COMPANY
NOT NAC MFG COMPANY
OXFORD ARMS COMPANY
PEERLESS COMPANY
PEFFECTION ARMS COMPANY
PIEDMONT GUN COMPANY
PIONEER ARMS COMPANY
QUAIL ARMS COMPANY
QUEEN CITY GUN COMPANY
RICHTER ARMS COMPANY
RICHARD ARMS COMPANY
ROYAL SERVICE GUN COMPANY
RUMMEL ARMS COMPANY
SHUE'S SPECIAL GUN COMPANY
SOUTHERN ARMS COMPANY
SPECIAL ARMS COMPANY
SPENCER GUN COMPANY
SPORTSMAN GUN COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD ARMS COMPANY
SQUARE DEAL GUN COMPANY
STATE ARMS COMPANY
STERLING ARMS COMPANY
SULLIVAN ARMS COMPANY
U S ARMS COMPANY
VICTOR ARMS COMPANY
VIRGINIA ARMS COMPANY
VOLUNTEER ARMS COMPANY
VULCAN ARMS COMPANY
WHITE POWDER WONDER ARMS
WINFIELD ARMS COMPANY
WINOCA ARMS COMPANY
CRESCENT FIRE ARMS CO. was incorporated in Connecticut on March 4, 1892. In 1888, George W. Cilley bought out the defunct Bacon Arms Co. of Norwich, CT. He then formed an alliance with Frank A. Foster, and borrowed enough money to form Crescent. Cilley and Foster each held several firearms patents, and both were highly qualified in firearms design and manufacture. Production began with single shot tip-up shotguns that had an external side hammer. Double barrel shotgun production was started in 1891. In 1893, the majority of Crescent stock was acquired by H.∓D. FOLSOM located at 314 Broadway in New York City. Henry Titus Folsom (1859-1937) was President of the company, and was succeeded by his son, H. Lloyd (1888-1954), who led the company through the depression and World War II. H.∓D. Folsom distributed Birmingham and Belgian made firearms (including some marked W. Richards and T. Barker) under many trade names from 1890 until about 1932. The Norwich, CT manufactured Crescent guns were marked American Gun Company of New York, then Crescent after about 1922. In 1897, American Gun Co. listed 5 models: 1. #2641 - Top lever hammergun with Armory Steel barrels (Belgain made) in 12g only for $14. 2. #2650 - With damascus barrels for $15. 3. #2660 - Similar gun but claimed to be all American made for $18. 4. #2655 - Twist barrels and Deeley & Edge snap forend with engraving on locks and trigger guard for $18. 5. #2665 - Greater engraving coverage for $20. In 1954 Folsom was purchased by Universal Tackle and Sporting Goods Co. N.R. DAVIS ARMS COMPANY was located in Assonet, MA from 1853 until at least 1917, operated under the following names: 1853 to 1883? N.R. Davis Arms 1883 to 1917? N.R. Davis & Sons Co. 1917 to 1930? Davis-Warner Arms Corp.? Brooklyn, NY and Norwich, CT In 1920, SAVAGE ARMS CORP. purchased J. STEVENS ARMS and later acquired the assets of Page Lewis Company and A.H. Fox. J. Stevens purchased DAVIS-WARNER in 1930. A Stevens memo dated December 15, 1930 announced the purchase from H&D Folsom Arms Company of the assets of Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich, Connecticut. The assets of Crescent were to be merged with those of Davis-Warner Arms Corporation and that the newly formed firm would be known as The Crescent-Davis Arms Corporation, Norwich, Conn. On November 4, 1935, an order of dissolution was filed with the New York Secretary of State and the remains were moved to Chicopee Falls and assembled and sold under various trade names.
RESOURCE: Bob Hinman "The Golden Age of Shotgunning"
