Seems it works two ways today as folks seem determined to quickly divest themselves of stacks of cash. High end modern and antique firearms are bringing premiums as investments. Useable, complete BP arms of any kind are as well including parts thereof. Other Collectables including furniture and even classic vehicles may be circling the drain in value due to lack of demand and cost of maintenance repair and insurance. Everything pales however when compared to real estate. On my way today to look a house currently priced at near 1 mill that sold for 300k in 2016? Go figure.
Antique Firearms Auctions
- Thread starter Nav
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Collectible cars also follow the trend of having the teenage dream cars of the current 40-60 years olds as the most in demand, so the prices usually follow that, with a corresponding drop in the previous bracket.
This was true up until the cost of parts and labor became stupid high. I can see many classics with 40-50K+ in them going for half price or less. Sadly the odds of even restoring a classic in a cost effective way are now zero.
That’s a very good point. I forgot everything car related is still supply chain f-upped
Not just that the prices when available and the cost of shipping parts is killing car collectors. I was asked to advise a friend about buying a non running 1953 Chevrolet pickup needing restoration priced at 10K. I gave him several current parts catalogs and the name of some restorers. I have not heard back.
I think the OP is talking about “window shopping” primarily. Looking at the old guns and gear for enjoyment and education.
I like the Rock Island Auction, Cowans, and iCollectors, all of which have good descriptions and uniformly excellent photos. However, I am usually less likely to go to some specific seller’s website than I am to just do a Google search, using terms like “antique hunting pouch,” “buffalo powder horn,” “cane powder measure,” or “tack decorated Springfield.” Maybe only one out of twelve or fifteen “hits” show anything you really want to see, but if you get a thousand hits, you still find a lot to look at. Check out the “images” page in addition to the links. These frequently lead to one or more of the auction sites mentioned above.
Some of the folks curating these auctions don’t really know what they’re talking about… I’ve seen several “powder horns with missing base plugs” that were clearly blowing horns, for example… but the Rock Island and Cowan’s staff (and a couple of others) generally seem to know their stuff. I’ve learned a lot from that type of browsing.
Some of the larger museums (e.g. the Smithsonian, the Met, the National Museum of the American Indian) have digitized their collections and created searchable databases. A lot of these places have guns and related accoutrements, and they are worth a look.
Notchy Bob
I like the Rock Island Auction, Cowans, and iCollectors, all of which have good descriptions and uniformly excellent photos. However, I am usually less likely to go to some specific seller’s website than I am to just do a Google search, using terms like “antique hunting pouch,” “buffalo powder horn,” “cane powder measure,” or “tack decorated Springfield.” Maybe only one out of twelve or fifteen “hits” show anything you really want to see, but if you get a thousand hits, you still find a lot to look at. Check out the “images” page in addition to the links. These frequently lead to one or more of the auction sites mentioned above.
Some of the folks curating these auctions don’t really know what they’re talking about… I’ve seen several “powder horns with missing base plugs” that were clearly blowing horns, for example… but the Rock Island and Cowan’s staff (and a couple of others) generally seem to know their stuff. I’ve learned a lot from that type of browsing.
Some of the larger museums (e.g. the Smithsonian, the Met, the National Museum of the American Indian) have digitized their collections and created searchable databases. A lot of these places have guns and related accoutrements, and they are worth a look.
Notchy Bob
Last edited:
10 to 24% buyers premium plus tax plus shipping and handling, ins. is usually extra, no thanks, I'll keep looking around!
Col. Batguano
75 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Messages
- 5,039
- Reaction score
- 1,424
So my Yugo and Chrysler K-Car' I bought in the 80's as investments are just about to bust through the roof. Hot dang!
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2022
- Messages
- 1,558
- Reaction score
- 1,879
Exactly. You have to factor in buyer fees and tax if applicable when bidding. If over the internet and the item will be shipped you have to factor in shipping. Add the buyer fee, shipping, and tax into a total and subtract from the total you are will to pay. That amount is what you bid up to. Easy to get carreid away and then they slap on all the fees and your eyeballs bulge.
Fees and tax are now everywhere leading some to avoid paying the auction house when the bill comes due.. Most now collect a CC to even place a bid and may opt to charge full amount plus (and or) penalties for failing to pay. Same auctions may additionally ban those who do not complete purchases and refer some to collection and credit agencies. They may also take your info and "share" it with others as sort of a bid vetting system. Now that taxes are part of most online sales states also might get involved when they are not paid. Just the way it is and getting worse.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2022
- Messages
- 1,558
- Reaction score
- 1,879
Exactly. You have to be more aware now of what you are getting into. Check the fine print before bidding.
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 203
- Reaction score
- 184
A buddy of mine's father passed away. He had 200 books on WW2 had to give them away. The Veterans Association took them. He had over 50 shadow boxes if military models all painted and with figurines. In the trash. His wife had 200 Marie Osmond dolls in the box unopened. Went to Goodwill. Old dark wood furniture in the trash. No one wants this stuff anymore.
My wife just returned from Europe where she had to close out her mother's estate. The apartment full of antiques was appraised for a tiny fraction of what it would have gone for a generation ago. Younger generations have little connection to antiques and little interest in collecting them.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2021
- Messages
- 2,659
- Reaction score
- 4,934
- Location
- Far Away Downs Queensland Australia.
Much the same here in Australia nowadays, the Gun shows worth attending are gone replaced with "Bric a Brak" junk in the main. The last one I went to in Brisbane (Queensland Australia) was pathetic, a couple of private Gun collections on display (no sales) and Militaria junk tables everywhere.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2021
- Messages
- 2,659
- Reaction score
- 4,934
- Location
- Far Away Downs Queensland Australia.
Thankfully my 40 year old daughter and grandson are keen to keep everything I've collected over the years, theyre country focussed and independently minded so I'm confident the family will retain most things.
BEST auction and/or research site, INVALUABLE @
http://www.invaluable.com
Why? Because all (most?) of the auction Site have their listings available on there, especially European auction sites for like when looking for old matchlocks or wheellocks.
http://www.invaluable.com
Why? Because all (most?) of the auction Site have their listings available on there, especially European auction sites for like when looking for old matchlocks or wheellocks.
- Joined
- May 5, 2019
- Messages
- 28
- Reaction score
- 26
I can attest to the stories about antique vehicles. My wife was left her dad’s 1929 Plymouth U sedan that had not run in over ten years. Exhaustively looked all over for someone with the expertise to get it running. Finally found a local mechanic that said he could but took 9 months and charged $4000+ and it ran for about 2-3 months. That was right as the Plandemic was starting and the guy never came back or contacted us to finish the job. Fast forward to last fall and at anxarea car show we attended, met a guy that has a rebuild business primarily for Ford Model As. He came looked at the car, said he could do it and get it running. Came and got it around Christmas and worked on it through February. He would bill us every week and some were over two thousand dollars. His statements were vague and had no description of what he was spending all the hours on. Got 5 of these and on the third one I began questioning! We had met in the beginning and I had tried to pin him down to a general price for doing what we discussed and he said he could do. Still, he started getting testy when I questioned his charges and why. He used a reproduced wiring harness, rebuilt the hydraulic brakes, got the clutch working and then dropped the ball on the starter, carburetor and radiator. It was like he just stopped accomplishing critical components and delivered it running for 40 miles! Got the starter rebuilt and had to replace the carburetor. I’m not a mechanic but I had to learn a Carter BB-1 carb, got a NOS one, learned to adjust it and finally got it running! It is a beautiful old car but they are a bear to keep running. We finally put out way over his estimate and he realized we caught him gold plating stuff. We now have in it about what my father in law paid for it back in 2006. Sad thing is none of our kids care a thing about it even though it is in very good shape and we have a number of the original docs and tools that came with it. Antique guns are a lot less to maintain and take good care of.
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2019
- Messages
- 8,399
- Reaction score
- 9,814
Bidding at auction; you must be aware that your 'hammer price' has on top, a buyer's fee, often 13-23% depending on the auction, and the state sales tax; thus, a $100 bid is actually $124 or more or less depending on the percentage.
True and the seller often gets less than $80 out of your 124 bid. Now with taxes and shipping it seems to suck the fun right out of the deal. Why transactions on sites like our little trader can be best deal going
