ARMY & NAVY

The Army & Navy trademark was originally established circa 1871 by a group of Army & Navy officers, and maintained its trademark until 2005, when it was renamed House of Fraser Victoria. In addition to selling domestic goods, the London store also sold guns using the Army & Navy trademark, manufactured by many respected English firms, including Webley & Scott, W.J. Jeffery, and others. These long guns (mostly shotguns, circa 1870s-pre WWII) were offered in a variety of both hammer and hammerless configurations, which included both plain boxlocks and special order sidelocks with elaborate engraving and deluxe wood. A few double rifles were also manufactured in various calibers. Because of the variety of guns that the Army & Navy department stores offered its customers, these guns need to be appraised individually for correct values. A general guideline is that average condition 12 ga. boxlocks sell in the $750-$2,000 range, uncased sidelocks with nice engraving and no problems typically start at $2,500 and can exceed $10,000 for best quality, cased specimens in smaller gauges.