So a guy walks into an auction...

[Coldfingers]

So the wife and I went to town for some shopping. On the way home I was taking the scenic route to enjoy a nice day before winter locks Fairbanks in ice. Well...driving buy the local indoor range, saw a sign "firearms auction" I may have some flat spots in my tires.

As I walk in the building, the bidding is starting. No time to look at the wares. I proceed to sign in, get a # and start to look around, luckily this was a small room about 30 ppl. I look on one table, 6-8 pistols, triggers to me, so I can't tell if flint or perc. Yay! They are starting on that table. 20 minutes in, start on the pile. Nice phil Derringer goes for $150, a Tryon for 400ish and a few others, stupid low prices.

Up comes what is described as a "pedersoli carol sea 58cal" price got to a whopping 160.
I had to...so at $230 I now own it...as I was waiting for these to come up, I had noticed 10 of so flint rifles across the room. Well I just must be lucky today, within a few minutes, the auctioneer left that table and moved to the table with the flinters. Well enough of this, I wormed through the crowd to within 6 feet or so...dark tiger stripes, wood patch box...ok,ok..OH! Engraving on triger gaurd. Hint of carving. I did manage to get the guy holding it up to point the muzzle to me and was able to shine a light down the barrel, grey, but in the 2 second look shower no crud and sharp rifling, did see dull shine from the breech face.

It comes up, described as a 58 cal muzzleloader, thats it, couple bidders take it to 500ish, I jump in, won at $600. Now what the heck did I just buy.

After the auction I found pics online. I will not have them till Monday.
all in with premiums $913. I hope I did ok.

 

[2 shots]

pistol looks like a pedersoli harpers ferry , rifle , nicely built custom. my best guess.

 

[Coldfingers]

This is the auction add.
Anyone familiar with William Fox?

 

[Brokennock]

Looks like a very nice rifle. Congratulations.

 

[EC121]

Looks like an decent used rifle with nice curly wood. If the barrel is swamped, the parts are about $900-$1000. Never heard of William Fox. If it isn't signed, it doesn't matter who made it.

 

[leadhoarder]

Looks like an decent used rifle with nice curly wood. If the barrel is swamped, the parts are about $900-$1000. Never heard of William Fox. If it isn't signed, it doesn't matter who made it.

Maybe if you try to resell it but who made it or better yet the quality of their work makes a big difference in the actual rifle and the utility and enjoyment he will get out of it.

 

[EC121]

No doubt. But an unsigned rifle has no provenance. The quality of the work stands on its own.
My point is that the word of mouth attribution lets the auction house attribute the rifle to anyone. Therefore, I asked if it was signed.

 

[TDM]

I'd have no regrets, you did well!

 

[SOLANCO]

Good day at the auction!

 

[maillemaker]

I suspect as more and more old-timers die off you are going to see more of these low-ball auctions.

 

[Coldfingers]

I will post more pics when I lay hands on them tomorrow.

So I have been looking at harpers ferry pics, the lock on this pistol does not match the pics of the pedersoli I have found, perhaps an upgrade?

I also went through the auction listing and saw that there are 5 listed as built by "william fox" I think he may be a local builder that I have not heard of.
Coldfingers

 

[Rifleman1776]

If ye ain't grinning, yer ded. Congrats.

 

[R Ellis]

Rifle is worth what you paid for both guns JMO

 

[EC121]

It is a nice rifle. Especially at your price.

 

[toot]

you did good bud!

 

[Birddog1911]

Nice pickup!

From what little I can see, the markings on the Harper's Ferry don't match the markings of my 'Soli. I'll be interested to see.

 

[MSW]

good dickering ... nice rifle ... let us know how it shoots

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Congrats! You did good in my opinion.

 

[hanshi]

I won't say you stole the pair (but you really did) you just made the deal of the century - exaggeration maybe but I'm jealous.

 

[springfield art]

So the wife and I went to town for some shopping. On the way home I was taking the scenic route to enjoy a nice day before winter locks Fairbanks in ice. Well...driving buy the local indoor range, saw a sign "firearms auction" I may have some flat spots in my tires.

As I walk in the building, the bidding is starting. No time to look at the wares. I proceed to sign in, get a # and start to look around, luckily this was a small room about 30 ppl. I look on one table, 6-8 pistols, triggers to me, so I can't tell if flint or perc. Yay! They are starting on that table. 20 minutes in, start on the pile. Nice phil Derringer goes for $150, a Tryon for 400ish and a few others, stupid low prices.

Up comes what is described as a "pedersoli carol sea 58cal" price got to a whopping 160.
I had to...so at $230 I now own it...as I was waiting for these to come up, I had noticed 10 of so flint rifles across the room. Well I just must be lucky today, within a few minutes, the auctioneer left that table and moved to the table with the flinters. Well enough of this, I wormed through the crowd to within 6 feet or so...dark tiger stripes, wood patch box...ok,ok..OH! Engraving on triger gaurd. Hint of carving. I did manage to get the guy holding it up to point the muzzle to me and was able to shine a light down the barrel, grey, but in the 2 second look shower no crud and sharp rifling, did see dull shine from the breech face.

It comes up, described as a 58 cal muzzleloader, thats it, couple bidders take it to 500ish, I jump in, won at $600. Now what the heck did I just buy.

After the auction I found pics online. I will not have them till Monday.
all in with premiums $913. I hope I did ok.

Did you get in a time machine and find all this in 1973?