Fowler with ELG stamped on top flat ?

[Birddog6]

I found several old percussion Fowlers /smoothbores with  a oval circle with ELG stamped in the Oct to
round barrels. These are halfstocks with oct ro round barrels in 20 ga & 16 ga.   Now these look
like wall hangers to me, but I don't study fowlers.  Are they worth anything ?

Also found a percussion halfstock Fowler or smoothbore a oct to round barrel & on the sideplate side it had a tombstone plate at the lockbolt & on the percussion lock it had a big H engraved with a arrow going thru it & some engraving around the edges of the lock.  Anyone know what this is or worth anything ?

[smart dog]

Hi Keith,
The ELG stamp usually means Liege, Belgium.  There is often another stamp that looks like a monument.  I have no idea what they are worth.

dave 

[doug]

     what you are describing is the Belgian proof mark.  After 1891 there was a crown over the oval which was a voluntary extra proof and the early 1900s was mandatory.  The Eiffel Tower mark is called a perron and was used for final proof.  By and large Belgian locks are pretty cheaply made and the guns do not command a high price.  Nothing wrong with their barrels in my opinion.

cheers Doug

[Birddog6]

Well,  didn't see anything over the oval..... may be worn off.........  The bores are shot, in fact the whole fowlers are shot, but they are complete.  I was wondering if they had a collectors value to them, Definately not shooters.   They are cheap, but I don't collect wall hangers.... was just thinking of they were desirable I may could buy them & make a couple of bucks on them & put towards new barrels or whatever.

Thanks

Keith

[Dave K]

The "H" with arrow seems to be a fairly common mark. Though I do not know if it is a proof mark and a makers mark. ELG marked barrels only tell us that the barrels were made in Belgium, but it really does not tell us where the gun was made. England and France were not only making their own barrels, but depending on the time frame, were also buying barrels from Belgium and Spain. Like any value question, a survey of the rest of the gun would help determine value. Were these guns made as a percussion gun or converted to percussion? Only one bolt holding the lock on does not really tell us if it was always percussion of not as many times fowlers were made with just one lock bolt. If the guns are truly shot, they would have as much value as a truly worn out rifle, unless it has some known historical value. JMHO

[Birddog6]

Yes, they were originally percussion, one bolt to them on the lock.  I just thought maybe they were of some value.

Thanks

Keith

[doug]

     At least in this neck of the woods, I would not buy them as an investment.  With one exception, all of the ones that I have seen have been economy grade guns that sell for about $150 or so in a gun show and about twice that in an antique store.  Most potential buyers recognize them as econo grade belgian guns and avoid them for that reason.

cheers Doug

[Birddog6]

I went back & looked at them again today & they didn't impress me. The one with the best barrel was the worst in averall condition. The one I actually liked had the big H on the lock with the arrow thru it & it just didn't impress me other than it had unique trim & etc.  It was $289. and I left them all. All of them rand from 249 to 289.  OK I guess if you collect wall hangers but not needed here.  Only one flintlock there, build from a Dixie kit & not a very good job & overpriced. Wood was green.     so it appeared someone had a aquafortis/wood issue that didn't work out.



Thanks for the help & responses.

Kieth