I'd have to disagree with your comment about the brand value of all Belgian guns vs British. Within the past year, I've purchased a Francotte 14E and a Webley and Scott 700. Both 16ga, both similar condition (very good). I paid about the same for both. Looking at the market, I don't think you'll find Francotte suffers in comparison to well-respected makers of Brit boxlocks.
Continental guns work off the same tables as Brit. But, top continental Brand Values are at level three which is where the mass of Brit names fall. Belgian names that are most widely known and recognized by the market for high quality are Francotte, Lebeau, Bury, and ---- (one escapes my memory at the moment). They all have Brand Value level three (BV3). Names less well known and/or less well recognized for high quality will be Brand Value level four (BV4) and little known makers and/or those associated with lower quality guns are Brand Value level five (BV5). W&S is a BV3 Brit name. A Francotte 14E is very similar in o
Original Quality grade to a W&S 700. You noted similar Current Condition level. So, BV3-OQ6 (second grade BLE)-CC2 (slight use) = $3,101 and BV3-OQ7 (third grade BLE)-CC3 (significant use) = $1620. These two guns should price similarly and fall within this range of value.
I did pick up a Thonon sidelock at a nice price a few years back. But that might have been because I recognized two things the dealer in question did not: 1. It was Belgian. (It was marked as German, even though it said "Liege" right on the barrels, and the proofmarks were clearly Belgian.) 2. Thonon, although not a large maker, is one that's very well respected (as indicated above.) Knowing the brand value was a big help in that case.
Thonon should have BV4 as a less well recognized name but one associated with higher OQ guns. Value would be 1/2 of a similar gun with BV3 and 1/4 of a BV1. Remember the comparison must be for equal OQ grade and equal CC level.
DDA
