Simson & Co. Shotgun

[Contenderizer]

I have been doing a great deal of research on some of my older guns but seem to have hit a brick wall finding info on my Simson shotgun.

I know that it was manufactured by Simson & Co., Suhl, Germany in Dec 1924 (per proof markings). It is a 16 gauge side-by-side of wonderful quality and condition.

In the course of my research I have learned much about the company, but little about the guns it manufactured - other than the fact that they are held in high regard by collectors, particularly in Europe. There seems to be little available on the internet to help me establish an insurance value or learn much else for that matter.

I did learn that the Natzi's took the company from the owners (they were Jewish) and converted the plant to production of military arms just prior to WWII. After the war it went back to the Simpson's for a short time, but ownership was again taken - this time by the Soviet Union (Suhl is in East Germany). There is some evidence that other gun manufactures in the Eastern block used the Simson name to manufacture guns of inferior quality, at least for a short time. The original Simson & Co. went on to manufacture motorcycles, but has now been closed.

I was hoping one of you might have a resource for info on these guns, or perhaps a contact in Europe that I can email.

Thanks in advance for your help.