The guy I got the gun from was technically the third owner. The gun was inventory at a stocking dealer, but not Stoeger, where it had been for a long time. So, two dealers owned it. I don't have the receipt from his purchase, and figured it would have been vulgar to ask for it. I don't know if Stoeger had a liquidation sale to a different dealer after they got out of the Darne line in 1973, but, that seems to make the most sense. He said the gun was purchased by him in the late 1970s, but, wasn't specific about the year.
He invited me, out of the blue, to come over and see two Darnes early this spring.The box was sealed until the day I helped him open it, being as careful as I could with the original packing the gun was enclosed in. He had looked at the stock section of the gun, briefly, when he bought it, returned that in it's paper wrapping to the box, and taped the box back up. The barrels and paperwork had never been out of the box, and the barrels had never been out of their protective paper wrapping. We assembled the gun, he shouldered it, and we wiped it down and put it away. He owns two Darnes, this one and a lower grade that is in fabulous condition, but, sans box and paperwork. I'd known him over a decade at that point, but, didn't know he owned either gun. We didn't actually discuss selling either gun at that point.
He owns guns that he has shot, but is not a hunter, and has been frail enough for many years that shooting is a distant memory for him. He is actually too frail to assemble or take down a Darne. He also has a nice collection of Lugers that he doesn't shoot, either. Darne and Luger mechanics fascinate him. He was married at one time, long ago, and is a widower, with no heirs. He is well along in the process of sorting his affairs to his satisfaction, from what I can tell. He has made it clear that money isn't an issue for him. He held a pilots license for many years. He was an engineer. I really know very little about him personally.
He was worried about "waking up dead" after a health scare in June, and the house being looted. A few things he owns are going to specific individuals in the hope they aren't misused after he is gone-the Lugers are all spoken for, by the way. Not by me. I guess we'd call him a collector who is in the process of retiring from collecting.
My only connection to him was a chance meeting at a gunshow many years ago, where I had a table. He sought out the Darne table, and then he needed to rest for a spell. Bill and I gave him a seat, a donut, a cup of coffee, a Darne catalog and a business card. Bill and I always had donuts and coffee at the booth back then- I shoulda' sold coffee and donuts, I might have made more money than selling Darnes. I made time for him when he called, perhaps a dozen times over as many years. I still field 3-4 calls a month from people with questions about Darnes, and try to be polite to everyone. We had a conversation or two over the phone about him ordering a new Darne, but, it was always understood that this wasn't exactly practical, for either of us, or likely. He was about 80 years old when we met. How would I measure a stooped up old guy for a custom gun? We laughed about that, more than once.
He actually asked me, last month, if I wanted a V19, at a good price. I'm not a big V Darne fan, not a big 28 gauge fan, but, the price was good, and the condition was, too.
I own it today.
Best,
Ted
