12ga. The White Powder Wonder
I have a 12 ga. gun, The White Powder Wonder. It's in good condition and would like to know how old it is and the approximate value. Also, who the manufacturer is would be helpful.
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White Powder Wonder Brand of Stevens
Made around 1900.
Early smokeless was white in color. These guns has drilled barrels rather than damascus.
However not safe to shoot modern loads in it..
Not much colector value or interest.
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The powder itself is good lawn fertilizer. The container could have some value. I'm not into that end of ammo collecting but some powder containers - even the early smokeless stuff - brings some decent prices. If you want to send me a photo, I can pass it along to a guy who does mail order auctions to see if it would be something he would sell for you.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the french." (Mark Twain)0 -
The Standard Catalog of Firearms says that the White Powder Wonder was a trade name used by Albert Aubrey of Meriden, CT on shotguns made for the Sears, Roebuck and Company of Chicago.
The White Powder Wonder is listed in the 1902 Sears, Roebuck Spring Catalog on page 306 at a price of $4.10....$4.40 with ejector.
Detailed Specifications listed were: "Wilson's welded steel barrel; choke bored by the celebrated taper system; very finest automatic ejector, heavy bolted self locking, self compensating, interchangeable parts, reinforced frame, beautifully case hardened; barrel detachable from frame; rebounding hammer, latest top snap break, fine selected straight grain pistol grip walnut stock, fancy butt plate to stock."
All of this for only $4.40.....I'll take a dozen! [:D]
Seriously.....despite the glowing prose, this was a pretty plain, inexpensive, single barrel "hardware store" gun.
Value today....probably in the $50 to $150 range.0 -
Most "The White Powder Wonder" shotguns were made by Meriden Arms as Xracer mentioned. However, they were also made by;
Crescent Fire Arms Co.
J. Stevens Arms (& Tool) Co.
Hopkins & Allen Arms Co.
Harrington & Richardson Arms Co.
In all cases, they were/are utility grade scatterguns, and they have very little monetary value today. Typically $25 - $75.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0
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