doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Antonio Zoli Silver Eagle S/S 20 ga

My grandfather gave me an Antonio Zoli Silver Eagle S/S quite a few years ago. I have been trying to figure out what it is worth for insurance purposes, but I am having a very hard time finding any information at all. I was told that this forum would be the place to find the correct info. Can anyone shed some light on this shotgun?
Thank you.

I'm familiar with the less-expensive "Silver Hawk" series but not the "Silver Eagle." Can you describe it more: sidelock or boxlock, guage and barrel length, rib type, single or double triggers, ejectors or plain extractors, straight grip or pistol grip stock, overall condition (is it broken or functioning; how much bluing remains, how is the receiver finished, etc.)?
Pictures would help a lot (but I can't do them myself so don't press others for them....). Does it have an importer's name on the barrels? And if you can tell or show us the markings on the water table of the receiver, we should be able to tell you when it was made.

I have two of the less expensive "Silver Hawks," in excellent condition (and have owned several others), one a 26" 20 guage magnum and the other a 30" 12 magnum. They were imported by Sloans back in the 1960s and I paid $350 for the 12 back in 1982 and $650 for the 20 last week. So you can see they aren't exactly "best" doubles. But they DO kill birds. Even if yours is "just an upgraded 'Silver Hawk'," it's a nice shotgun, IMO.

Hey Mike, thanks for the reply. I have been trying to post pictures for some time and have finally given up. Here are some of the answers to you questions:
1. 20 gauge with a 26" non vented barrel.
2. One barrel says "Especially made for the American Import Company-San Francisco. The second barrel states "Antonio Zoli Gardone VI - (Brescia) - Made in Italy.
3.Double triggers.
4. Straight Grip.

I wish I could figure out how to post pictures...but not real computer literate! Thanks for any input.

The listings I found on classified ads ranged from $700- 1500. The guns pictured were somewhat plain boxlocks with casecolor and light engraving plain wood.

Given Chuck's findings, I'd insure it for about $1000-1200 if it's all original and in excellent shape. Probably conservative, but I asked my insurance guy and he's also a gun guy. And be sure you have all the data to describe it and a good pic squirreled away someplace fireproof.

Is the straight grip original, or can you tell? All the "Silver Hawks," (so called, I think because of the "coin finished" receivers) have open pistol grips and miniature beavertails. And if you get an A. Zoli with nice wood, it's because the factory made a mistake. Wood quality seemed to be an afterthought in Italy in those days, or for the gentry only perhaps. I've had five field grade Zolis over the years and all had very plain wood. But you could say the same for low-end Berettas of that vintage and most Spanish guns, too.

And the quality of the engraving on the field grade guns varied wildly from "cartoon" to pretty well executed. I had a pair of 20 guage "Silver Hawk" 20s back a few recessions ago, a 26" IC/M and a 28" M/F. Made in the same year. The engraving difference between the two was mind boggling, although the same pattern was followed "to the squiggle." 26" was expert; 28" was "beginner"! (Or maybe a "grappa fume special"?).