Lovely gem in .410
 

Crescent arms Knickerbocker, Not from a great maker, but to find a period “utility grade” small bore shotgun in such great shape is unusual in my neck of the woods. I think its pre 1920, as I have read the later guns had Quail model added. Bores and barrel bluing is pristine,

Wow,that is indeed a lovely gem! Thanks for showing it to us.

Lovely piece. The early guns, like the one pictured, had the bell-shaped breech end of the barrels to fit the frame.

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A family member had one of these with the bell-shaped barrel breech ends marked "Quail Hammerless" that I used some in my high school and college days. His father bought him the gun new shortly after WW-I. His Father;s brother, a gunsmith in Seattle bored it out for 3-inch shells in the late 1930s. Morrie's house was broken into and it was stolen along with his GHE-Grade Parker and his Model 70 .257 Roberts.

In the early 1930s, after H & D Folsom Arms Co. sold their Crescent Fire Arms Co. to J. Stevens Arms Co. and Stevens combined it with their recently acquired Davis Warner Arms Corp. as Crescent - Davis Arms Corporation, Norwich, Conn. the barrels were heavier with straight walls at the breech. I have one of these that is marked "New Empire"

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Beautiful example. Mine retains the 2.5 inch chamber. It has no choke or proofmarks on the barrels only “not for ball” I have yet to measure the chokes but they are visually very tight.

Very nice ! I’ve got a Crescent Arms 410 but in no where near as nice shape . But the little thing does very well at our clubs five stand course or atleast it did the couple times I tried it there .

I have an early “Quail Hammerless” serial number 683. Probably first
year production? It has the bell shaped barrel breech. It has been well used but thankfully not abused... all original with still lots of case color on the side plates. Barrel blue is thin in the usual wear areas. These little guns were utility pieces that many farmers used as tools to eradicate vermin, etc.

Interesting, this gun of mine has a four digit serial 9127. No “quail hammerless” just the Crescent arms co knickerbocker. I would have thought that mine was earlier than guns with quail hammerless markings. A person can only guess with what little info is out there.

I saw a "Quail Hammerless" at a firehouse gun show some years ago and wanted to buy it as an entry into my new collecting mania of "American .410 Bore Hardware Store Guns". It was in very good condition but not as nice as the one you pictured. I offered cash but he wouldn't come off of his (I thought) very high price of $1400. I figured it would have been a wonderful $800-900 gun. I even went back the second day of the show and tried the "4PM; Give the Dog A Bone" ploy, but he gave no joy. Neat gun, but I don't really miss it that much.

Kevin, were you with me down to the Roanoke show in August 1984, when I bought mine?

I bought SN 6892 this past week it was also stamped not for ball and marked Quail Hammerless. Decent shape with the exception of the buttstock. Not enough there to even duplicate.
Gave it to a friend that can remedy that issue.
This was the 3rd crescent 410 I have owned. Nothing fancy about these 410’s but decent little guns for the money.