Since this was my first international auction, I would like to offer a couple of more comments (and these will sound really naive to you fellows):
1) Gavin sent me a pretty complete description of the gun. Nevertheless I asked a well-known expert to take a look at the Reilly, stipulating that I needed the info a couple of days before the auction. I receive his report at 0400 hrs on the morning of the auction. My bid was already in. He is very well known but it looks like he's fallen into a habit of providing late reports. I'm going to make a point of this with him - that if he gets a bad reputation, it's going to hurt his business. PM me if you want the name.
2). I still am wondering about the propriety of Gavin's gavel. Almost all the guns leading up to the Reilly began the bidding at a couple of hundred pounds below the lowest estimate. The Reilly was very near the end of the auction assessed at 1200 - 1800. Before putting it up, he talked to his assistant, mentioned it was a "very interesting gun." then, "I think we'll start this lot at..oh... 1600. 1650. Sold. It took 5 seconds and gaveled at my high bid. There may have been another 1600 absentee bid but the way it was done doesn't create a lot of confidence. I will ask him about this. Maybe he was just tired after 321 lots. But I've dealt with London carpet merchants at auction and have healthy skepticism about them. Perhaps it's a London thing?
Anyway, I got the gun I wanted even if it is a little expensive and its not going anywhere so all's well that ends well.
Last edited by Argo44; 12/13/18 09:56 PM.
