doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Abercrombie & Fitch Case

Bought a case today that I was wanting some info on. It opens at both ends (I think this is called an "Elliot" style case). Absolutely beautiful condition with heavy stitching and great hardware. Barrels can go in from either end. Stock and action from only one. It is marked A&F Co. on each end and has a serial # and 30 (barrel length) but that is it, no other writing.

Did Abercrombie actually make gun cases? Or was this made by another company (like redhead or muhholland) and distributed by A&F? And is it called an Elliot style case or did I dream that up? Does the serial # indicate that A&F gun once went in it?

I have a half a dozen old leg-o-mutton cases that are all nice, but this A&F case is head and shoulders above in quality and craftsmanship. Is there any way to figure out when a case was made?

The serial number could be from any brand of gun. Give us the number and someone may be able to guess what make of gun it was. Abercrombie and Fitch Elliott cases (you are correct about the terminology) appear to be made by Red Head, Brauer Brothers, or another maker, but not A&F. It has been suggested by some researchers that H.H. Heiser may have made A&F Elliott cases, but those researchers have obviously never seen a Heiser case. Heiser Elliott and leg of mutton cases are in another world entirely.

Serial # is 1756FD

Are they still currently made?

A&F never really made anything, they were like a lot of the old time sporting goods companies that had quality products produced by others with their name on them. They've been out of the real sporting goods business for a long time, these days they're just a clothing line for college kids.


Destry

Markethunter is right about gun cases, A&F not being in the gun case manufacturing business. However, A&F had an entire sewing operation, on which floor I can't recall. It looked like a nineteenth century sweatshop with banks of sewing machines and whatever. This room couldn't have been dedicated just to repairs and alterations. There was too much going on. In my opinion, from seeing the room firsthand, they were making something but I don't know what.

Aprox. When did A&F get out of the sporting goods business? 1960's?

I've seen a Heiser case before. They are very nice, but the ones I've been around were "tooled" all over like a Gene Autry parade saddle. Not my cup-o-tea, but you could still tell they were quality.

Wouldn't the maker still put their mark somewhere on the case?

8-bore, was A&F based out of NYC? When did you see their facility?

Abercrombie & Fitch was a New York instituton for about 85 years, opening in 1892. They finally closed their doors in 1977. Wikipedia has a fairly complete and concise history of the company up through the present day. Here's the link -

A&F

Ironman, the Heiser product line included very conservative cases as well as the Mexican carved variety. Heiser not only marked their cases with a stamped logo but most items included brass reinforcement rivets with the HH logo. As Mr. Beach posted, A&F closed in late 1977. I don't know the date of the final liquidation auction, but it was probably in early or mid 1978. I can't seem to locate my auction catalog. I expected to see guns at the liquidation auction, but there were none. The seventh floor gun department was cleared of almost all retail items and what remained was mostly furniture, desks, filing cabinets and trash. The filing cabinets still contained what was in there before the store closed. I don't know when the stock of the store was sold, but the final liquidation displayed very little actual stock. I believe that Griffin and Howe had vacated the seventh floor at an earlier date. Mr. Beach will clarify that. I first started visiting A&F in about 1958 or 1959 and 1978 was my last visit.

Here is one I picked up at auction a while back.Does it look like yours Ironman?

It's identical to that one. Same color same tooling.Are our serial #'s close?

I paid $175 for mine (which is alot to me). But every good gun needs a good case. I have to think they sold for more than that when they were made.