doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Delphia Arms

Interesting thread on the LCSCA site with excellent pics
http://members.boardhost.com/lcsmith/msg/1218898058.html
Delphian Arms Co. and Delphian Manufacturing Co. were trade names used by Supplee Biddle Hardware Co. of Philadelphia on Crescent shotguns supplied by the H. & D. Folsom Company. The A.H.Fox records show some Fox guns supplied by Supplee Biddle. They also sold a 'Buckeye Gun Co., Lynchburg, Va.' single shot Iver Johnson shotgun and a 'Red Chieftan'.
Supplee Biddle also had their own line of fishing tackle under the 'Congress' trade name and used a 'Speared Fish' logo, at least in the 30s.
The Delphia sure looks like an early 3 screw receiver, first variation trigger plate Hunter Arms Fulton gun, which even has the 'LLH' barrel mark of Laurent Lochet-Habran. The serial number however doesn't fit the Hunter Arms numbers. Other than the Sears Gladiator, this is the first Fulton gun confirmed to have been made as a "trade gun."
Anyone with more infro on Supplee Biddle, 'Delphia Arms Co.', or other Fulton "trade guns"?

More infro:

CHARLES MILLER B1DDLE— Riverton.— Merchant. Born at Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 3rd, 1844; son of Robert and Anna (Miller) Biddle married at Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 19th, 1868, to Hannah Mcllvain, daughter of Hugh and Martha (Gibson) Mcllvain.
Children : Anna, Nov. 24th, 1869 ; Martha Mcllvain. March 28th, 1871; Helen Elsie, May 16th, 1875; Hannah Mcllvain and Charles Miller, twins, Aug. 14th, 1878, and Robert 2nd, born Feb. 19th, 1880 (deceased 1919).
At about eighteen years of age, Charles Miller Biddle entered the hardware business in the store of R. & W. C. Biddle & Company, in September 1861 ; this business having been established by bis father, Robert Biddle and his uncle, William C. Biddle, in 1837. After four years of faithful service he was taken into the firm before he was yet of age. After the building was burned in 1866, the firm purchased property on Commerce St., Phila., Pa., and changed the name of the concern to Biddle Hardware Co. Several years later after the senior members of the firm, his father and uncle retired, Charles Miller Biddle bought out the remaining members and became sole proprietor of the business. On January 1st, 1914. he bought out the corporation of Supplee Hardware Company and established the Supplee-Biddle Hardware Company, of which concern he is now President, and his son, Charles Miller, is serving as Vice President. This makes the third generation of the family now in the business which is in its eighty-first year, and is considered one of the largest hardware jobbers to the East.

Rev: I had a 12 bore Delphian a few years back that was definitely a Fulton. In the past 50 years, I have seen at least 6 trade names on fulton guns. sadly the only ones I remember are Enders, Keystone and about 3 months ago one sold on gunbroker or AA, it was simply labeled "Mark".. MDC

Thanks MD - was your gun a Delphian or Delphia?

Keystone was an E.K. Tryon Co. (also Philly) trade name.
Enders a Shapleigh Hardware Co. trade name.