Would you value a presentation rifle higher than a normal specimen in the same condition? Say for instance a 1918 bsa smle presented as a prize in 1928 at a cadet school & prepared by AG parker? Or, perhaps a long tom with the following inscription on a oval stock disk reading "Stock exchange rifle club, 1902, Hoskier memorial, Won by Phil S Weston? How much of a premium should one expect to pay, if any?
Presentation rifles
- Thread starter desporterizer
- Start date
I would expect to pay at LEAST the top going price for a specimen, guided by condition, but most presentation rifles tend to have been kept in pretty nice shape, so that's a lot.
If you have just the rifle, that's one thing. But the critter brings its own story with it, names, dates, places and all. If you can unravel some of THAT, then you have what the ant-teek dealers call 'provenance'. Any presentation rifle can become the centrepiece of a fine display, all by itself... and I would certainly expect to pay something for an opportunity like that, perhaps as much as half again in most cases.
On the other hand, there is some weird stuff floating around. I knew Gerry Hart in Winnipeg, "The Man Who Won't Pay Taxes", actually wrote the book on his 46-year career of scrambling the minds of the folks at Revenue Canada. Gerry always had his picture in the newspapers holding a shotgun with which he was going to blast the "federal tax goons and &*&^% &^# $^&%@ *^". Once, I got a chance to hold the famous Hart Shotgun for a minute and I very nearly required a defibrillator... for me. The famous Hart Shotgun wasn't just some old hammer double that Gerry had got out of a barn; it was a highest-possible-grade handmade German gun with deep-etched four-blade Damascus barrels, acid-etched for maximum relief on the steel patterns, fully (and I MEAN fully) engraved, chambered for 2-1/4-inch shells and it had been swiped from the personal gun-rack of Reichsprasident Generallfeldmarschall Paul Emil Benckendorff von Hindenburg, of whom we all have heard. Without provenance, an amazing gun. With provenance, a true link with a very great man. How do you price it, either way?
Thinking on beat-up Adams revolvers, what's a pair of them worth? Custer lost a pair at the Little Big Horn. Make any difference to the price? You bet!!!!! And they have never been found, although I do have my suspicions in that department... more important for medicine than for money.
So they are still out there. Just have to run into them. What they're worth is anyone's guess.
But if I were offered something that I thought I could trace to anywhere except Bubba's Garage, I think I would pay for the chance.
If you have just the rifle, that's one thing. But the critter brings its own story with it, names, dates, places and all. If you can unravel some of THAT, then you have what the ant-teek dealers call 'provenance'. Any presentation rifle can become the centrepiece of a fine display, all by itself... and I would certainly expect to pay something for an opportunity like that, perhaps as much as half again in most cases.
On the other hand, there is some weird stuff floating around. I knew Gerry Hart in Winnipeg, "The Man Who Won't Pay Taxes", actually wrote the book on his 46-year career of scrambling the minds of the folks at Revenue Canada. Gerry always had his picture in the newspapers holding a shotgun with which he was going to blast the "federal tax goons and &*&^% &^# $^&%@ *^". Once, I got a chance to hold the famous Hart Shotgun for a minute and I very nearly required a defibrillator... for me. The famous Hart Shotgun wasn't just some old hammer double that Gerry had got out of a barn; it was a highest-possible-grade handmade German gun with deep-etched four-blade Damascus barrels, acid-etched for maximum relief on the steel patterns, fully (and I MEAN fully) engraved, chambered for 2-1/4-inch shells and it had been swiped from the personal gun-rack of Reichsprasident Generallfeldmarschall Paul Emil Benckendorff von Hindenburg, of whom we all have heard. Without provenance, an amazing gun. With provenance, a true link with a very great man. How do you price it, either way?
Thinking on beat-up Adams revolvers, what's a pair of them worth? Custer lost a pair at the Little Big Horn. Make any difference to the price? You bet!!!!! And they have never been found, although I do have my suspicions in that department... more important for medicine than for money.
So they are still out there. Just have to run into them. What they're worth is anyone's guess.
But if I were offered something that I thought I could trace to anywhere except Bubba's Garage, I think I would pay for the chance.
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Actualy those were RIC's not Adams. Some researchers say he had only one.
Anyway, I have a No1Mk3 prize rifle
Geo.Watsons College
O.T.C.
School Championship
1913
Rifle presented by the
Watsonian Club
of British Columbia
won by
Lance Copl. H.M. Gibson
He joined the Engineers and survived WW1 as he was on the Army list post war.
I had tried to find one on this side of the pond, but every time I saw an advert, some RICH BUGGER beat me to it. This one was found many years ago at the London Arms Fair, and it came from Wales!
Oh, forgot to mention it has a Parker-Hale 5A rear sight
Rifle was put together by
Alex Henry & Co. Edinburgh
Anyway, I have a No1Mk3 prize rifle
Geo.Watsons College
O.T.C.
School Championship
1913
Rifle presented by the
Watsonian Club
of British Columbia
won by
Lance Copl. H.M. Gibson
He joined the Engineers and survived WW1 as he was on the Army list post war.
I had tried to find one on this side of the pond, but every time I saw an advert, some RICH BUGGER beat me to it. This one was found many years ago at the London Arms Fair, and it came from Wales!
Oh, forgot to mention it has a Parker-Hale 5A rear sight
Rifle was put together by
Alex Henry & Co. Edinburgh
My presentation rifle is a MLE, won by a Canadian at Bisley in 1899 in the Gregory Match. He also shot in the Kolapore that year. I also have a photo of the 1899 Canadian Kolapore team; he is in it.
Yes, I do think prize rifles will command a premium.
Yes, I do think prize rifles will command a premium.
Premiums
In the late 1990s, I was at Bud Haynes Auction in Red Deer, Alberta. The featured items were an 1858 Remington 44 calibre, Army Revolver, and a pocket knife that had a pick on if for removing stones from horses hooves.
It was the personal sidearm of Captain Cook, who was killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, under the command of Custer. This revolver had actually been returned to one of Cook's descendant in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
At the time I told Bud that I was going to own that revolver. His mouth dropped open, as he knew I was mostly interested in Military Rifles. When the bidding started, I waited a bit, then bid $31,000. The bidding rose, and ended at, I believe, somewhere near $64,000.
Later Bud asked me about it. I told him that, indeed, I did own that revolver. Maybe only for about 25 seconds until the next bid came in, but I can now say that I once owned Captain Cook's revolver from Custer's last stand.
By the way, the folding pocket knife with the hoof pick brought almost as much as the pistol. It was a fairly rare model.
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In the late 1990s, I was at Bud Haynes Auction in Red Deer, Alberta. The featured items were an 1858 Remington 44 calibre, Army Revolver, and a pocket knife that had a pick on if for removing stones from horses hooves.
It was the personal sidearm of Captain Cook, who was killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, under the command of Custer. This revolver had actually been returned to one of Cook's descendant in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
At the time I told Bud that I was going to own that revolver. His mouth dropped open, as he knew I was mostly interested in Military Rifles. When the bidding started, I waited a bit, then bid $31,000. The bidding rose, and ended at, I believe, somewhere near $64,000.
Later Bud asked me about it. I told him that, indeed, I did own that revolver. Maybe only for about 25 seconds until the next bid came in, but I can now say that I once owned Captain Cook's revolver from Custer's last stand.
By the way, the folding pocket knife with the hoof pick brought almost as much as the pistol. It was a fairly rare model.
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iF YOU CAN TIE A PERSON OF FAME/SOLDIER/OUTLAW/RICHIE RICH /ADVENTURER/POLITICIAN TO YOUR GUN IT ALWAYS ADDS VALUE TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THE KNOW OF COLLECTING FIREARMS. i AM AT THE MOMENT TRYING TO GET RECORDS FOR MY 1870'S RIGBY SHOTGUN, AND IF THE RIGHT PERSON OWNED IT IT WILL DOUBLE ATLEAST THE VALUE, HOPE YOU GIVE THIS GUN A GOOD HOME WHERE IT IS APPRICIATED, DALE IN T-BAY!
Capt Cooke was from Mt Pleasent just outside Brantford On the familiy home is still there its a nursing home i beleave ...Capt Cooke's body was brought back to Canada by his mom and he is buried in hamilton in the cemetary accross from Dundurn castle with a few other Cookes ..every year some US vets come up and play taps and put a small US flag beside the grave...sometims in portraits you can see an image of him along with Custer ..Cooke was a very tall man and had a distinct beard like 2 long points on eiter side of his chin...reports from the natives after they came to canada (where is gun was surrendered in its left handed holster) say that he was the last man standing and his body was only one not mutalated out of respect for his valour ...his mom went to live with custers widow and together fought hard to make the legend of both men ...very interesting guy ...Custer would come up to Mt Pleasent when on leaves ...they were close friends
Yup, a story like that is DEFINITELY worth the extra bucks.
I salute those who are the custodians of these pieces of our past and are preserving them for the future.
War Museum has a Maxim '08/15 modded for aircraft use, synchroniser fittings still in place. It was removed from a German aircraft during the Great War and brought back to Canada. Years later it was presented to the Museum by the man who took it: Air Vice-Marshal William Avery Bishop, VC, DSC etc.
They don't even have it on display.
That's how much Canada cares.
You guys are doing a LOT better.
I salute those who are the custodians of these pieces of our past and are preserving them for the future.
War Museum has a Maxim '08/15 modded for aircraft use, synchroniser fittings still in place. It was removed from a German aircraft during the Great War and brought back to Canada. Years later it was presented to the Museum by the man who took it: Air Vice-Marshal William Avery Bishop, VC, DSC etc.
They don't even have it on display.
That's how much Canada cares.
You guys are doing a LOT better.
