Witte Hardware Company shotgun

[stinnett1981]

So my father passed away last weekend. He was in bad shape so it was best that he passed. If he would of made it he would most likely be stuck in a old folks home and we know that he wouldn't of wanted that! We had the funeral and all that stuff is done and over. Anyway my 3 brothers and I was digging around all his stuff and we went through all his guns. He had a lot of old guns. We simply split them all up and each of us got 3 guns. I got a Henry golden boy 22WRM, Remington 1100 semi auto 12 gauge and a very very old single shot break action 12 gauge. It's marked as a Witte Hardware Company. I never heard of this company before. I looked online and I see this company is from St. Louis, MO and they was in business from 1880 till 1920. I live about 45 east of St. Louis so that makes since. That's about all I found. So do any of you guys know alot about the history of this company and the firearms they made? Thanks.

Jerod

 

[jonbearman]

At and around the turn of the century a lot of gunmakers made inexpensive shotguns etc, and most got private labeled to whom ever bought them. So basically if you owned a gunstore or hardware they would put your name on it.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Revelation comes to mind here

 

[jonbearman]

Revelation was western auto store brand. Sears was ted Williams when I was a kid.

 

[Taildrag15X]

Jerod,

I know of Witte Hardware of St. Louis, MO, I grew up in South St. Louis and the mentioned shotgun was made by CRESCENT FIRE ARMS CO.

Here is a link to the list of Crescent-Davis Trade names, they made guns for almost every Hardware store in America at the time.

http://www.cornellpubs.com/free-files/CRESCENT%20TRADE%20NAMES%20BW%20PORTRAIT.pdf

 

[snert]

connecticut or crescent arms (i think) did same. let me look...very common to have small manufacturer make "specially marked" guns for hardware stores.

 

[snert]

oops, someone beat me to that response

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Revelation was western auto store brand. Sears was ted Williams when I was a kid.

Thats what I mean it was the same kinda deal. Since we had western auto around here theres still a few out there. I have a 30" single barrel 12 ga and a marlin copy 22auto tube fed. Ive had both since the 70's and they were wore out then. Still work real good tho.

 

[fdshuster]

Another Sears & Roebuck brand name on firearms was J.C.Higgins, made for Sears by High-Standard.Dad had a 12 gauge pump-action, very well made.