What is the value of this Izzy 53 un-refurbished
- Thread starter andyng88
- Start date
Thank you for sharing pictures of this SKS.
It’s not a perfect 53 Izzy but given that they’re rare it’s great to see any still around. I’ve got a good amount of experience with SKSs and wanted to give my opinion on value and how it rates for collectors.
Pros:
Izzy’s are rare
53 Izzy was rarer than 54
All matching
Mechanically quite clean
Not frankenpinned.
Cons:
Condition is issued rather than unissued (which would be very rare). Bluing is thin, stock has wear and usual marks all over to be expected versus unissued condition.
My main concern is that the stock doesn’t look like how you would expect. This is because it has been refinished:
- The shellac stain is too light, particularly on the left side. The blonde tone is visibility different to the deep red shellac stain that was used.
- The grain appears raised and damaged. This is indicative of refinishing.
- The left side markings are odd. They’re crisp for wood that is otherwise well worn, but also darkened indicating a refinish. The markings are also a bit off- they seem too large in the picture and the date stamp is about half of the width for each character that would be expected. The stamps did not change through production runs.
I’m assuming that the date says 1953 as it could be 56 or 58 in the picture.
A Canadian importing company got caught adding collectors marks to the rarer ‘53 Izzy’s and ‘49 Tula’s once they became valuable. They were also typically found with better mag pins because of value concerns. It could explain what we’re seeing here (I wouldn’t be surprised) or it could be an arsenal refurbishing. I’ve also got SKSs that have no refurbishment markings but have clearly had their stock replaced at some point.
The fourth marking on the left side in a circle is uncommon but we have seen these on ‘53 Izzy’s. The purpose of this mark isn’t fully known to collectors but it’s speculated as an inspection stamp when these were arsenal stored or refurbed.
- Inspector cartouches are missing as far as I can tell on either side of the crossbolt. This is a dead giveaway of a non-original stock as no rifle left either factory without them, even early runs. The lack of cartouches here indicates it’s had a new stock rather than the old one refinished.
I’m happy to jump on a video call to verify some of these uncertainties if you wish. Nice find though! It’s certainly rare enough that you definitely should not refinish the stock. Even though it’s very unlikely to be fully original, an arsenal refurbished or replacement stock on a gun this uncommon is still vastly more preferable to you refinishing it- please don’t!
I have pictures of what these parts should look like on an original ‘53 Izzy but unsure if I can post pictures on CGN that aren’t my own. If someone can confirm I’ll post them here to show the difference. Otherwise I can text/email them to OP.
Value in my eyes is $800-$850 at a push. With the original stock I think $1000, perhaps $1100 for the motivated collector. The barrel, gas tube and piston will need to be inspected before a collector will buy it given that these saw corrosive ammo but that takes one minute.
Full disclosure I’d also be interested in buying it if you sell it. I am yet to acquire an 53 Izzy that is sufficiently original. Either way nice find.
*Edited to add clarity and revise value slightly.
It’s not a perfect 53 Izzy but given that they’re rare it’s great to see any still around. I’ve got a good amount of experience with SKSs and wanted to give my opinion on value and how it rates for collectors.
Pros:
Izzy’s are rare
53 Izzy was rarer than 54
All matching
Mechanically quite clean
Not frankenpinned.
Cons:
Condition is issued rather than unissued (which would be very rare). Bluing is thin, stock has wear and usual marks all over to be expected versus unissued condition.
My main concern is that the stock doesn’t look like how you would expect. This is because it has been refinished:
- The shellac stain is too light, particularly on the left side. The blonde tone is visibility different to the deep red shellac stain that was used.
- The grain appears raised and damaged. This is indicative of refinishing.
- The left side markings are odd. They’re crisp for wood that is otherwise well worn, but also darkened indicating a refinish. The markings are also a bit off- they seem too large in the picture and the date stamp is about half of the width for each character that would be expected. The stamps did not change through production runs.
I’m assuming that the date says 1953 as it could be 56 or 58 in the picture.
A Canadian importing company got caught adding collectors marks to the rarer ‘53 Izzy’s and ‘49 Tula’s once they became valuable. They were also typically found with better mag pins because of value concerns. It could explain what we’re seeing here (I wouldn’t be surprised) or it could be an arsenal refurbishing. I’ve also got SKSs that have no refurbishment markings but have clearly had their stock replaced at some point.
The fourth marking on the left side in a circle is uncommon but we have seen these on ‘53 Izzy’s. The purpose of this mark isn’t fully known to collectors but it’s speculated as an inspection stamp when these were arsenal stored or refurbed.
- Inspector cartouches are missing as far as I can tell on either side of the crossbolt. This is a dead giveaway of a non-original stock as no rifle left either factory without them, even early runs. The lack of cartouches here indicates it’s had a new stock rather than the old one refinished.
I’m happy to jump on a video call to verify some of these uncertainties if you wish. Nice find though! It’s certainly rare enough that you definitely should not refinish the stock. Even though it’s very unlikely to be fully original, an arsenal refurbished or replacement stock on a gun this uncommon is still vastly more preferable to you refinishing it- please don’t!
I have pictures of what these parts should look like on an original ‘53 Izzy but unsure if I can post pictures on CGN that aren’t my own. If someone can confirm I’ll post them here to show the difference. Otherwise I can text/email them to OP.
Value in my eyes is $800-$850 at a push. With the original stock I think $1000, perhaps $1100 for the motivated collector. The barrel, gas tube and piston will need to be inspected before a collector will buy it given that these saw corrosive ammo but that takes one minute.
Full disclosure I’d also be interested in buying it if you sell it. I am yet to acquire an 53 Izzy that is sufficiently original. Either way nice find.
*Edited to add clarity and revise value slightly.
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Izzy’s were only made for ‘53 and ‘54. If it’s ‘56 or ‘58 it’s a lazy fake.
The guys who cloned the markings in Canada knew this and the growing value of the 53 Izzy’s and 49 Tula’s. I’d be amazed if someone did the Izzy factory cartouche with a ‘56 or ‘58 date but you never know.
Either way the thickness of the lettering is off on the date. When paired with the other details above and just simply comparing it side by side with the shellac red of an original, the stock is clearly unoriginal. The question is just by how much and when it happened.
Good summary, yes please post pictures, there is no rule against it unless it violates some copyright.
I sold a lot of SKSs over the years. There is not much of a collectors market here, this one had some monkey business done to it for sure. The stock is pretty beaten up, the magazine looks too clean. The 1956 stamp is confusing. Yes, there were people who faked SKS to get more money.
Not my rifle but this is what an authentic ‘53 Izzy looks like. The difference is stark. Still a nice rifle but not in the same league as the mint originals.
Certainly less collectors here. Have you kept any rare ones?
Attachments
Whilst this rifle certainly could be one of the faked ones, I doubt the stock says 1956. I expect it just looks that way in the picture but is more identifiable as 1953 in person.
The folks who went to this effort to fake them didn’t miss things that obvious.
I would be surprised if the acceptance cartouche is present on the right side of the butstock. It looks similar to a ‘P’ in a circle and tends to be marked shallower on the shellac than some of the other markings. When stocks are refinished or messed with, it’s the first marking that goes. It’s always quite obvious when they’ve been reapplied by someone as they sit deeper in the wood rather than on top of the red shellac.
The folks who went to this effort to fake them didn’t miss things that obvious.
I would be surprised if the acceptance cartouche is present on the right side of the butstock. It looks similar to a ‘P’ in a circle and tends to be marked shallower on the shellac than some of the other markings. When stocks are refinished or messed with, it’s the first marking that goes. It’s always quite obvious when they’ve been reapplied by someone as they sit deeper in the wood rather than on top of the red shellac.
I certainly hope not,but they are getting hammered in the polls and they know it...I wasn't expecting Dec.5th either..ffs..
Fudd that I am, I assumed [& we all know what that means] that the OP was referring to an Ishy in 7.62x51 & got my heart rate up. I'll just go back to sleep now!
FatCatsDad
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Pot Head, that explains alot.
