Hobbies And Interests
History
Guns have been around since the 14th century. The oldest mention of a gun is through drawn depictions of musketeers fighting for the Ming and Qing dynasties, as early as the year 1368. Guns, however, did not become widespread until the 19th century, where companies such as Smith &Wesson, Winchester, Merwin Hulbert and Colt started mass producing them and making them available not only to selected groups but to the general population as well.
Expert Insight
The historical significance of a gun has a huge impact on its present-day value. When a gun can be adjudicated to a specific time in history, and even more, to a specific event, its value increases significantly. A gun that was originally owned by a famous individual, such as a president or military figure, ranks even higher. To prove the existence of a particular gun during a time period, experts use photographs or other family records, newspaper clippings, letters or written accounts.
Considerations
When pricing old guns, collectors usually make reference to the Blue Book of Gun Values. As with its car equivalent, the book rates guns based on a series of characteristics that either increase or decrease its value. The most important one is the percentage of the original finish remaining on the surface of the gun. Based on this concept, a gun that has been refinished loses much of its value, even if it visually looks better after the restoration. Clear lettering, original parts and the presence of the original casing or box also affect the value of an old gun.
Types
Some of the most rare and expensive old guns are Colts. The Colt Patterson and the Colt Walker are especially valuable because there are few of them in original condition still around. For example, a Colt Walker in very good condition sells for about $115,000 while a Colt Texas Paterson Revolver sold recently in auction for $95,000. Overall, though, any gun that is at least 150 years old and has not been refinished will have a significant collectors' value.
Identification
Old guns are classified in groups from A to F when it comes to authenticity. Grade A guns are those that are clearly documented as being real, either through photographs, paperwork or serial numbers that identify them. On the other end of the spectrum, F guns are those that are obviously fakes, easily identifiable because of their construction, materials used or wrong placement in time or geographical space. Most old guns fall into the C category, which means they seem to be antique but there is no documentation to prove their age.