Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Herb Houze
plain specimens. Some of these pieces were decorated at or for the factory, while others are known to have been engraved by the dealers or jewelers who sold them. On a great many specimens it is very difficult to determine where the engraving was done; it is important, though, for the modern day collector to determine when the engraving was done—then or now!
The demand for engraved antique American arms has always been strong, and hence, quite a few spurious specimens, many of which have been circulating for quite a few years, may be found on the market. The buyer is urged to carefully verify the authenticity of engraved or otherwise decorated guns before acquiring them.
No pat formula exists for evaluating fancy arms, but a few basic principles are predominant. Most important are the make and model of the gun and the desirability and demand for that model. Of equal importance is condition, for when prices start to rise, the buyer is interested not only in the exotica of decoration. The quality of the engraving or extra embellishments must also be taken into consideration. These can run from broad, simple scroll-like motifs on but a few parts to quite profuse, deep, finely detailed almost bas-relief motifs on all parts, at times including gold or silver inlay work. The latter types stand among the most exciting and eagerly sought after of all American collectors’ firearms. Engraving and inlay work are not the sole features classifying a gun as fancy or embellished; fancy carving in the stock or grips or possibly even a special type of etching on the cylinder will also qualify the piece.
4. Grips, Stocks and Unusual Accessories
Gun stocks and pistol grips in most cases are of walnut and of standard issue. In the later metallic cartridge handguns gutta percha and hard rubber were in many cases substituted and are standard and so listed here. Fancy grips or stocks were a popular option from the factory or from dealers primarily from the mid-19th into the early 20th century. Many exotic materials were used, the most often elephant ivory (sometimes walrus), mother-of-pearl, black ebony, rosewood and fancy burled and Circassian grained woods. If in sound and complete (uncracked, broken or chipped) condition, a premium should be added to the normal value of the gun. Ivory and pearl are among the more desirable types and generally fetch higher prices than most woods. No clear or easy price formula exists, and normally the increase is anywhere from $20 to $75 at a maximum; although on a superb handgun of large size the value could be considerably more. It is, of course, very important to determine whether the grips are antique and an original fit, and it should be remembered that such grips have been made in modern times to enhance values for the unsuspecting. Thus, view them with care and caution.
Grips that bear fancy carving, either incised or relief, warrant an extra premium. In broadest terms, the fancier the carving and the finer quality and detailing of it, the higher the price. Such carving is more often seen on ivory than any other material, and depending on the size of the grips and the model on which they appear, prices for fine specimens certainly can be increased from a minimum of $75 to $100 and up; the better the condition and quality, the higher the value.
Exotic materials were also fitted to longarms, but less frequently than on handguns. The most often seen type of wood affecting value is the so-called select or Circassian grained walnut stocks. On the earlier handmade pieces one of the most desirable variations is the tiger-stripe curly maple. On production guns the select grain walnut stocks can often increase prices, but to what extent is very much dependent on the model of gun and, of course, condition. One of the most exotic stock types found on a few American longarms is rosewood. Depending on model and condition, the rosewood stock could increase a weapon’s value considerably. A long-gun stock of elephant ivory is an extreme rarity, and any specimen judged to be original would be quite valuable.
A number of factory mounted special mechanical features or accessories add to the price of antique and collector firearms. Notable among these are varying styles of sights, especially on the fine single shot breech-loading target and lever action repeating rifles, e.g., Winchesters, Sharps, Remingtons and Marlin-Ballards. These types are also found with variances in levers, buttplates, palm rests and other options which were offered during their heyday; many are viewed as quite desirable by the modern day collector, thus commanding premium prices. Some government issue, U.S. military pieces are found with unusual arsenal accessories (usually sights), and these call for a price increase. Handgun accessories such as attachable shoulder stocks or interchangeable/spare cylinders will enhance value considerably. As with other non-standard features, the prospective buyer should proceed very cautiously in order to establish authenticity.
5. Presentation and Other Historically Associated Firearms
Guns bearing names, presentation inscriptions, or commemorative legends offer interesting potential for significant price increases. Those hand-engraved features appear in a variety of styles. Though most often seen on the backstraps of revolvers, they are also found on small inlaid grip plaques or carved on the stocks, either incised or relief. On most inscribed longarms the legends are engraved on plaques inset in the buttstock or (on lever actions or other breechloaders) engraved on the receivers. The positioning or format of an inscription follows no set pattern, and the key to an evaluation is first to determine originality. Regrettably this area of arms collecting has been much abused by unscrupulous operators and spurious specimens are in circulation. Suggestions on how to spot a fake will be found in Chapter III of this book.
The challenge really begins after determining the authenticity of the inscription. If the gun is already accompanied by documents or has a known history and background, then much of the battle is over! What remains then is merely a matter of assessing value in proportion to the historical significance of the inscription. Should no known background of the names or legends appearing on the gun be available, then some detective work is in order. Establishing the history behind an inscription is quite important. In many cases, especially military presentations indicating names and regiments, backgrounds can be quite easily checked by searching military records through adjutant general departments which each state maintains or through the National Archives in Washington. All this can be accomplished through correspondence or by direct, on site, research.
In instances where inscriptions are present, but no identifying material is available and thus historical significance is unknown, then very little, if any, value can be added to the weapon. When revealing facts are known, values should increase in direct proportion to their significance. For example, a Colt Civil War revolver bearing the name of an officer and his regiment: Research documents that the officer was dismissed for cowardice in action and cashiered from the Army. This certainly is no illustrious history, but it is interesting and would likely increase the value of that gun 10 to 20 percent. Another piece of same type, same condition, similarly inscribed, but in which research proved the officer to have risen to command of the regiment and to have performed gallantly and heroically in battle, would add considerably to the piece and very possibly increase its value 50 to 100 percent, if not more. Although the most often observed type of inscription seems to be on Civil War era handguns, they are found on just about every type of firearm of every era. The price increase is in direct proportion to the historic relationship and importance that can be established for the gun. Establishing the significance of such guns usually requires considerable effort, and an equal effort may be involved in realizing the higher values for them. No two inscribed pieces are identical, and each must be weighed on its own merits and importance. One cannot simply and arbitrarily assign a price to such a piece; by the same token these items do offer an interesting and often exciting challenge to both buyer and seller.
6. Credibility of Documents
Certainly the greatest asset an inscribed gun can have is documentary evidence substantiating its originality. Regrettably collectors have often failed to realize the importance of such material, and when it was available, they overlooked acquiring it even if at no extra cost! The very best of such material is that which comes directly from the family whose ancestor originally owned the gun. Original letters, diaries, bills of sale or old news clippings have sometimes been kept intact and bear specific mention of the piece for identification. Such material is just about indisputable. In lieu of that, notarized affidavits from descendants of the original owner are quite important and do carry weight, especially where it can be reasonably accepted or perhaps proven that the particular gun has always remained in one