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Original Diana side by side 16 ga

billydanbillydan Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
edited August 2006 in Ask the Experts
I am trying to identify an old shotgun. From what I have learned to this point, I think the gun was built by Henri Pieper in Belgiun. I have found plenty of info on a "Modified Diana", but have been able to find nothing about an "Original Diana".

The gun is a side by side 16 guage with exposed hammers and a bar slide lock on the breech. On the rib are the words "Original Diana" in gold inlay - written in script and what appears to be a woman holding a crossbow, also in gold inlay.

Any info will be appreciated.
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Alls it says in the shotgun book is "Piper guns were made in several grades with most being mediocre quality".
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    nordnord Member Posts: 6,106 ✭
    edited November -1
    Assuming a hammer gun with damascus tubes -

    Lots of fancy words for the same utility product. Safe enough for their time. Good enough to take afield a century ago. Inexpensive enough to drive our domestic manufacturers crazy at about $10.00 or less in the late 1890's to as late as WW1.

    Today -

    Unsafe with possibly ANY load. Usually well used or abused. Relegated to clunker status based on association with all the other Belgian clunkers of the time... Deservedly or not.

    Collector interest in a larger gauge will be minimal unless the gun is in as-new condition. Even then it won't be worth all that much.

    If the gun were a later model (Post WW1), then I might change my opinion a bit. This series of Belgians was better by far than the older guns. I'd expect fluid steel tubes and better overall quality. Some were even pretty nice guns, but the value will suffer because of the association with their older kin. Yours (by the description) doesn't fit into this category.
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    He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,951 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Being Belgian means that you will find little detail published on it. All of the early Belgian shotguns were utilitarian and there is near enough to zero collector interest in then and thus no collector market. That also means no collector value and so it is worth whatever you can get for it as a wall hanger. They sometimes get better prices from designers than gun guys.
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