doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Meriden Firearms Co

MD- I've found the following trade names:
"A.J. Aubrey”, “The New Aubrey”, “Utica Special”, “Gibraltar”, “Challenge”, “Gladiator”, “Berkshire”, “Colton Firearms Co.”, and “Meriden.” This does not include the revolvers (some under “Howard Arms Co.”) and rifles.
There were also "Gladiator" guns that were both Field Grade Smiths and Fulton guns.

Ok, to get the ball rolling, I have seen the following numbers. All guns are hammerless sidelocks.

Marked "The A J Aubrey" with "Pat'd Applied For" on rib. #1000, #5521

Marked "The A J Aubrey" with "Pat'd July 19, 1907" on rib, #34956

Marked "The Meriden Firearms Co." #51463

If anyone will add to this list, it would be appreciated.

From Gunbroker:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=84047481

Marked on the rib "Manufactured by the Meriden Firearms Co Pat'd July 19, 1907" #53579, on the flats 18 S30, on the bottom of barrels 2 53579. 30" steel barrels. No engraving.

Pete

Here's another one:
"The New Aubrey" on both side plates, 12 gauge hammer, rib marked: "MF'D. BY THE MERIDEN FIREARMS CO. MERIDEN CT. PAT'D. JULY 9 1907", #15208, marked T30 for 30" twist barrels.

Bryan

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/SvenMN/NewAubrey005.jpg?t=1193938565

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/SvenMN/NewAubrey012.jpg?t=1193938872

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/SvenMN/NewAubrey013.jpg?t=1193938679

I know the gun says Meriden, but that gun has all the markings and construction to me anyhow of a Crescent. Did Crescent use the Meriden name also?

Dave-

I think Crescent, Parker and Meriden (Sears) were all made in Meriden, CT at one time. From there I think the similarity ends, except one could easily conclude that the three companies may have shared workers (just as auto manufacturers in Detroit) and that ideas may have come along with those workers and perhaps the companies shared some of the same raw materials.

The Meriden is not in the same league as a Parker (but the twist damascus barrels used on the Meriden and Parker do bear striking similarities). From the Crescents that I have seen, I would say the Meriden is a bit better built and engineered than a Crescent. I do think Sears/Meriden was doing their best to deliver a very high quality product at a competitive price and pass on to the consumer the cost savings (at least some) of cutting out the middle man (through direct marketing).

Doug

I know someone with a Utica 12g. shotgun. I don't recall it saying Utica Special but it is possible. If you want I can get some info on it if that would be helpful.

Dave, I think Doug is right on, although I did not know that Crescent had a Meriden location at one time. I think that in 1908 Sears was offering the various Aubrey doubles in both hammerless and hammer models. In addition to that they offered three doubles made in Hopkinton by Andrew Fyrberg, who Sears had set up in the Hopkinton business a few years earlier. These doubles were called American Gun and New England Wonder in the hammer models, while the name of New England Hammerless was used for the hammerless. All three were sidelocks.

Doug, a closer reading of Perkins' article comes up with something interesting. In 1910, after the departure of Sears, Biffer, and Aubrey, SR&C "began offering Meriden firearms to the trade-brand market-----marked with whatever name the buyer wanted." Pistols of Fyrberg design were offered and Fyrberg design shotguns were offered with names such as Eastern Arms Co, and Howard Arms Co. It does not say that the Aubrey designed guns were offered that same way.

Daryl, A second look at the gun on GunBroker does show some differences I didn't see before from the Crescent. The locks, forearm iron and trigger guard mount look all the world like Crescent, at least to me. The lug on the barrel does not at all.

I am not sure of the Meriden CT connection for Crescent, in doing a google search I have seen both Meriden, CT and Norwich, CT stated as the place of manufacture.

Doug