March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online Now
9 members (lagopus, Marc Ret, Argo44, 3 invisible), 290 guests, and 5 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums10
Topics38,374
Posts544,001
Members14,391
Most Online1,131
Jan 21st, 2024
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 7 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 674
Likes: 13
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 674
Likes: 13
Around 30 years ago while attending a small local gun show, I was shooting the breeze with a dealer friend who specialized in Civil War arms. Up walked an elderly gentleman, clearly out of place and nervous, clutching a brown paper bag. He offered the contents of the bag to my friend for his appraisal and stated he wanted to sell it. The pistol was a minty WWI German Luger that his recently departed brother had brought back as a war trophy, from WWI. Since the mere presence of the gun in his house gave him the creeps, he wanted to be shut of it. My friend passed on it and indicated me as being someone who might want it. When asked, the old guy admitted he hadn't a clue of its value- didn't even know what it was, calling it an old 'war gun'. There I am, on the spot and desperately wanting it, but without the means to buy an expensive gun. I allowed as how nice Lugers were fetching several hundred dollars (at the time), and all-matching pristine examples with vibrant colors such as this a lot more. His response was one of gratitude for my honesty, and said if I wanted it for $100 it was mine- he just wanted rid of it. I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. Luckily I had a hundred and a couple of twenties. It was one instance where honesty was the best policy. (He did let me treat him to a nice lunch next door, where he gave me the back story of his brother and where he supposedly acquired the 'war gun'. It seems the brother was a Marine at Belleau Wood...)

Last edited by Gary D.; 06/23/12 11:37 AM.
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 77
Likes: 1
rrrgcy Offline OP
Sidelock
*
OP Offline
Sidelock
*

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 77
Likes: 1
Ahem, my story about this event was not a "Myth."

If anyone doubts the veracity of the story - I invite you to directly call the Florida Highway Patrol officer who was at the house in Pinecrest. Ask away any questions you have about the Purdeys, their condition, the case etc. in the house which sold to the couple. He could use some educating about such highest-end shotguns and perhaps you can make your number available to him, too so that he can call upon you should he not know what it is before his eyes! Send me a PM as needed.

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,417
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,417
A case in point that I know to be true:

A guy from out of state walks into a South Carolina gunsmith's shop with an old Fox shotgun that has a stock, broken at the wrist and badly repaired. He asks the gunsmith how much it will cost to have a new stock made and is given the price. The gunsmith then checks the gun over a little more and goes to his referance library. He then tells the guy that not only does he have a rare "Super Fox HE Grade" but that he has the one and only Nash Buckingham's "Bo-Whoop" (that later sold at auction a while back for over 200K)

My point is, the gunsmith could have kept quiet about the suspect Fox and offered the guy a thousand, which he probably would have accepted, and kept the rest. So, to me, it doesn't make any difference between the above and the widow in the foregoing. Both were unknowledgeable as to what they had. The guy met up with an honest gunsmith & the lady met up with a thief IMHO. Neither seller was a "dealer" who should have known what they had which, probably, would have made them "fair game" IMHO

Best Regards, George


To see my guns go to www.mylandco.com Select "SPORTING GUNS " My E-Mail palmettotreasure@aol.com
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,737
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,737
OK, about 10 years ago i needed money and I had a wonderful (to me)collection of firearms, mostly hadguns, but some nice rifles and shotguns as well.

About 40 guns.

I didn't have the luxury of time to advertise, and who the hell wants to advertise they have a gun collection these days anyway?

I sold them all to one dealer over a couple weeks. He seemed to be the most respectable one I could find at the time. And the song and dance it came down to was that I basically had to almost beg him to screw me out of their real value.

I got so sick and tired of the tune "Gee, I don't know, maybe a couple hundred bucks less" or some variation thereof. And offstage, he had his cadre of "experts" advising him on the old doubles. Guys whose only experience with doubles was a locally made Savage Fox they saw once before. You know, guys who, when it came to appraising guns were basically stuck in 1962.

I can still shed a tear when i think back on some of those beauties. But hey, I needed the GD money! So I willingly got screwed with the lights on and both eyes open. Believe it or not.......It happens!

ps - oh yeah - what goes around comes around? I'm still waiting

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 742
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 742
My greatest fear is that when I'm gone my wife will sell my stuff for what I TOLD her I paid for it...
What do you think about declining markets? Some are lamenting that Mannlicher Schoenauers and some other older guns are down a good 15% on price now, and may drop more as us old farts that want them get shorter in supply. Still want to pay the going rate today under those conditions? The going rate may be a mile higher than the price the person paid back when. Who is competent to set the rate of inflation on such an item. What about rifles cleaned with poor technique and the consequent ruined accuracy?! Easy to get moral over others purchases. Caveat emptor still reigns.

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,693
Likes: 450
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,693
Likes: 450
Many markets are down in almost every area. A 15% decrease in most markets would be a miracle recovery. Real Estate in my area is still down about 40%. Many stocks are still down and CD's are paying so little that you might as well go back to keeping money under your mattress. Timing markets once again has proved impossible. Guns are hobbies not investments so if you break even on your hobby you are doing great.

Do not leave things to chance. A simple listing of what you have and how best to sell them off will be worth its weight in gold. Only you know what you have and you might as well start planning for your end. We all go there in the end. If you do not want you wife to know now what you have you can seal the list and leave with your lawyer or in a safety deposit box that she is informed of after your death.

I have reduced my own gun collection by over 50% so far. That is over a hundred guns that my wife will not end up selling for ten cents on the dollar. I made money on them only because i owned them so long that the market price today is still more than what I paid years ago. That money will go to Wellesley this year to pay for another years college expenses. Wonder if they would give me a discount if they knew I was using gun money to pay their bill?

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 506
Likes: 57
Sidelock
Offline
Sidelock

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 506
Likes: 57
I told my wife I fully expected she would meet another after I am gone but I don't want him to enjoy my Purdey, so it should be sold. She said not to worry he would need cast on for a left handed shooter.


This ain't a dress rehearsal , Don't Let the Old Man IN
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,232
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,232
And George is still going on about that "story" of the lost Bo Whoop surfacing. I'd love to know the real story on that gun.....

DLH


Out there at the crossroads molding the devil's bullets. - Tom Waits
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,417
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,417
Destry: The "real story" of "Bo Whoop" has been told & retold. Is "analogy" too big a word for you?

Best Regards, George


To see my guns go to www.mylandco.com Select "SPORTING GUNS " My E-Mail palmettotreasure@aol.com
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 6
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 6
Quote:
That money will go to Wellesley this year to pay for another years college expenses. Wonder if they would give me a discount if they knew I was using gun money to pay their bill?


yeah, right - they might actually send your daughter home! Perhaphs your daughter should ask to start a trap and skeet team there - I would love to hear that reaction.


Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.
Page 7 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Link Copied to Clipboard

doublegunshop.com home | Welcome | Sponsors & Advertisers | DoubleGun Rack | Doublegun Book Rack

Order or request info | Other Useful Information

Updated every minute of everyday!


Copyright (c) 1993 - 2024 doublegunshop.com. All rights reserved. doublegunshop.com - Bloomfield, NY 14469. USA These materials are provided by doublegunshop.com as a service to its customers and may be used for informational purposes only. doublegunshop.com assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in these materials. THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-ABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. doublegunshop.com further does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these materials. doublegunshop.com shall not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including without limitation, lost revenues or lost profits, which may result from the use of these materials. doublegunshop.com may make changes to these materials, or to the products described therein, at any time without notice. doublegunshop.com makes no commitment to update the information contained herein. This is a public un-moderated forum participate at your own risk.

Note: The posting of Copyrighted material on this forum is prohibited without prior written consent of the Copyright holder. For specifics on Copyright Law and restrictions refer to: http://www.copyright.gov/laws/ - doublegunshop.com will not monitor nor will they be held liable for copyright violations presented on the BBS which is an open and un-moderated public forum.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.0.33-0+deb9u11+hw1 Page Time: 0.095s Queries: 36 (0.064s) Memory: 0.8565 MB (Peak: 1.8987 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-28 16:47:45 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS