[quote=Jimmy W]I have noticed that in the recent pass the interest in older guns and side by sides is rather lacking. The newer, younger crowd is mainly interested in handguns and assault rifles. So this is what the stores are mainly selling. The day before yesterday I went to four gun stores where I am and I did not see one side by side. The stores that used to sell side by sides that I used to frequent are switching their inventory for the newer crowd.
I had one good friend who was a collector and he passed away 2 years ago. His wife has been stuck with all his older guns. He was a big Model 12 fan. And he probably had 10 or 12 of them. He had an AH Fox and several Sterlingworths and a lot of other guns posted on the bulletin board at our club. Another guy was selling them for his wife and she had had them appraised.. He had many old Colt handguns also. I don't believe he even sold one. He was a trap shooter and had several trap guns also. Now the guy who was selling them for her passed away in June . None of them ever sold. So now his wife is stuck with probably 100 guns and can't get rid of them. Years ago I traded him out of the only Model 21 that he had.
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There are a number of reputable gun only auction houses out there that MIGHT be able/willing to take the entire collection of her hands presuming most of the guns are at least in decent condition.
I've bought from
http://www.poulinantiques.com/ and
http://www.amoskeagauction.com and always been happy with my live auction purchases. I know Amoskeag will occasionally send a truck around parts of the country to pick up collections large and small depending on their route and what the owner has.
http://www.rockislandauction.com/ in Illinois is closer to her than either Poulin (Maine) or Amoskeag (New Hampshire), but tends to run overall to more expensive guns.
