This was just passed down to a buddy of mine who is not much of a gun guy and he is seeking any info on it he can get. Like a lot of people these days he's hurting for money and might sell, but I'm hoping I can put enough history into the gun to make him want to hold on to it.

Marked "Wm Moore & Co." on the side and "London Fine Twist" on top. I'm told the ELG proof mark means is Belgium made.

It was his father's and before that his grandfather's and neither of them hunted or went shooting so it has been stored in one closet or another for 50+ years. From what I can see of the bores they are clean and smooth. It seems to function perfectly.

Any idea as to fair market value would be appreciated.





















[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/john-n-jax/fulllength.jpg[/img]

I friend of mine just bought a Wm. Moore near identical to this one at a Muzzleloading event for $400.00. I think that is probably fair and reasonable.WHAT is that 8th picture of?

They are not an expensive gun. They were marked as such to try and ride off the Moore name from England. It is maybe a 400.00 gun if it is in good shape. They are not high dollar guns. He IMO would be better off keeping it as a family heirloom than selling it, since it is not worth much anyways. JMO

It is a Belgian made knockoff of an English name. The above estimates are quite correct IMHO.

Best Regards, George

George is right. If it is an English Moore the 400.00 would be ok,but if it is all Belgium made 150-200 IMO

Thanks for the info guys, anyone got an apprx date range for mfg and/or import? He's not going to go out and buy a reference book, but if anyone would care to recommend one he might find in a Library I know he'd appreciate it.

Stallones the 8th pic is the backside of the bbls/chamber.

john,in jax.
Your gun was sold by H&D Folsom of 312-314 Broadway,New York,N.Y.It sold in $13.50 circa 1880.
As stated by others your gun is yet another example a gun bearing a spurious English makers name,made in Belgium, sold by Folsom. Folsom sold guns with over 100 different house brand names. Many of which suggested English origin.Perhaps the most badly abused name was; W.Richards! There is currently such a W.Richards; Folsom gun offered for sale on a well known auction site; the write up states the gun was made by Westley Richards! Buyers beware, research such guns with great care before purchase.

Roy: here's an 1881 Folsom catalog when they were at 30 Warren St.



In 1889 at 15 Murray St.



In 1893 when they acquired Crescent, they were on Broadway. This is from 1905 courtesy of Researcher.



Do you have a catalog listing the Wm. Moore & Co. percussion double and thanks?

More here http://docs.google.com/a/damascusknowled...uSXXQ&pli=1

BTW: PeteM's list of Belgian maker's/trademarks lists 'JV' as J. Van Dalem, but the littlegun site doesn't have any infro Joseph Vandalem de Chaudfontaine was a barrel maker and member of Syndicat des Fabricants de Canons de Fusil de la Vesdre
If that is a 'Crown over JJ', it could be Joseph Joiris of Nessonvaux.

Willam Moore (the English one) was a first class Gunmaker and as such had his good name widely abused. I had one among a batch of scrap guns that I de-activated to make into safe wall hangers that was marked Wm. Moore and a London address that he had never traded from. The gun was a dreadful piece of rubbish but bore English proof marks; possibly forged. I would suggest that your friend treats his as just an interesting wallhanger as the condition looks rather poor to risk firing. Lagopus.....

THANKS! He's not much of a gun guy, and will never go out and buy powder, caps etc... needed to shoot it. Since neither his father or grandfather ever shot it or pulled it out of the closet, there's just not much "family" attraction to it.

I'm hoping I can come up with enough historical details to get him interested in hanging on to it, but it might be for sale here before to long.