Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Herb Houze
investigatory avenue for the verification of authentic markings is any sign of age appearing within them, a detail seen best with magnification. If a gun has wear of any type, its markings should show the exact same percentage of wear and normal rust, pitting or corrosion, dents, scratch marks or mars of any form found on that same area of the gun proper.
The collecting world has been consistently warned about a few specific types of American arms which have been forged and regularly appear on the market. This book will call such pieces to the readers’ attention wherever possible. A few of the most notorious types are worth discussion here. Most often seen and most often written about is the Model 1842 percussion U.S. martial pistol bearing “Palmetto Armory-Columbia, S.C.” markings. Counterfeit dies were made by some unnamed forger to resemble the original markings for this model; the forger took the standard Model 1842 U.S. pistol with either Johnson or Aston markings; ground them off on both barrel and lock and then restamped these parts with the false Palmetto markings, afterwards aging the gun. Armed with foreknowledge and awareness, these arms are quite easy to spot. The dies do not match the original Palmetto markings exactly and, as is the case with most fakes, the faker cannot perfectly achieve the aged patina on the metal. To detect this latter feature, though, does take some experience in distinguishing between false and genuine patinas.
A second gun known to have had its marks counterfeited is the Model 1842 boxlock U.S. Navy percussion pistol bearing “Deringer - Philadelphia” markings. Here too the faker has had dies similar to the original made. By taking the more often encountered Ames marked 1842 pistols, removing the lockplate markings, and restriking them with the Deringer die, he has made a more valuable (if undetected) piece. Again, the key features to study are the sharpness of the markings, their consistency with the pistol’s overall condition and the patina of the metal. Of course, the very best method is to have a genuine specimen for comparison since spurious markings would not match the original when closely viewed.
A type of gun not infrequently seen with fake markings are the various sized Henry Deringer, Philadelphia, percussion pistols featuring agent/dealer barrel stampings. On these the lock and breech markings (of the maker) are usually genuine. Further discussion appears in the section pertaining to deringer pistols; the fake markings are normally detected in the same manner as on the foregoing Palmetto and Deringer types.
Serial numbers are critical with certain models and makes of guns while on others they bear very little importance. The most noteworthy make where serials play a prominent role is the Colt. Where serial numbers are required to match one another and are part of the valuation process, the stampings should be looked at very carefully. Numbers are subject to deceptive practices and alterations to improve value; a few fine points about them are worth noting. The subject has been discussed at length in the textual material accompanying the Colt section of this book, to which the reader is referred. This same discussion as it pertains to Colt is applicable to all other guns in which numbers are important.
C. ENGRAVING AND INSCRIPTIONS
In the areas of engraving and inscriptions the forgers have worked with considerable success for quite a few years. They have been especially prolific with fancy engraved guns while the inscribed presentation pieces have become more frequent only in recent years as historical specimens have acquired a greater degree of demand and significance. The presence of either fancy engraving or historic inscriptions (or both) adds considerably to the value of any gun, and hence, it is in both these areas that special care should be given in judging originality. It does take experience and practice to distinguish good from bad, and fortunately the majority of fakers leave telltale clues and are inept enough to allow for quick and easy spotting of their handiwork. As in any group of craftsmen (the word is used here loosely), there are degrees of talent; it is with the few clever, artistic workers that one must rely on the most expert eye to differentiate a bad piece.
A few basic details to check are: (1) The style of engraving. Some styles were not used in the period of manufacture while others are purely modern in form, shape and design and even appear incongruous on antique guns. The word style applies to both decorated and engraved guns as well as to the presentation or historical inscriptions on them. Several styles of lettering are purely modern in form and appearance and therefore could not be contemporary on antique guns. The study of known original specimens as well as considerable literature on the subject is helpful in determining background. (2) The wear and aging on either the engraving or the inscription should be consistent with the rest of the gun. Some engraved or inscribed specimens have been refinished, many of them in gold and silver plating. Remember, refinishes often cover a multitude of sins beneath, some of which can no longer be seen. When these refinishes appear on deluxe specimens, they should serve as a warning to inspect the gun closer.
D. RECONVERSIONS
The subject of reconversions often creates heated, emotional discussions. One such topic of debate is that of restoring flintlock guns that were converted (c. 1830s-1840s) to the percussion ignition system and have been returned to their original flintlock condition by gunsmiths in this modern era. The practice has its protagonists and its antagonists. Although reconversions are by no means thought unethical, it is strongly suggested and recommended that the fact of reconversion be made known by the seller. Ethical codes suggest an internal lock marking by the restorer to indicate such work. Only with considerable rarity has the author encountered a specific instance of such markings being made. As for disclosure to the buyer, that can be likened to the other repair and restoration work previously mentioned in which the whole matter becomes a moot point once the gun is in general circulation and has passed through three or four hands. By then whatever work was performed has either been accidentally or purposely forgotten, and the piece must stand on its own outward appearance. As with other restorative work— there are good workmen and bad workmen. A hack’s handiwork is quite obvious; and the majority of the pieces encountered are amateurish. It is with the work of experts that the buyer must be especially careful; quite proper it is to say that all flintlocks should be inspected closely.
There is no firm formula for pricing a gun that has been converted from flintlock to percussion. On U.S. martial handguns or longarms percussion conversions can vary from 40 percent to 70 percent of the price of the piece for the same model in flintlock; it is dependent on the relative rarity and demand for each individual model. With other types of arms such as very fine Kentucky rifles or guns of exceptional quality or possessing unique features, the fact of a conversion may affect value to a much lesser degree; each piece must be evaluated on its own merits, importance and special attributes.
The price differential between an original flintlock and a restored flintlock is often considerable, no matter how fine the job of restoration. But a reasonable and accurate reflection of the general feeling of the collectors’ market is that a fine restoration to a flintlock enhances both the appearance as well as the value of the gun. Collectors and dealers in general, though, are quite emphatic in stating that no matter how good the restoration to flintlock, that piece is never worth the same as the original flintlock specimen. Generally its value should be that of the percussion conversion plus whatever charges are involved in restoring it to flintlock, plus possibly a small premium or percentage above that if the work is of excellent quality. Thus, if a flintlock U.S. musket is worth $1,500 and that same piece as a percussion conversion is worth $400, the specimen that has been reconverted probably would be worth anywhere from $450 to $700 depending on the quality and cost of the restoration. When a restored piece is being offered and priced as an original flintlock, the questionable practices and intent of the seller arise. A few basic procedures helpful in distinguishing reconversions are: (1) Always remove the lock completely. (2) Closely examine the type of flashpan and method of attachment to the lock. That part presents the most difficulty to the restorer, and it is there where the most obvious telltale signs and defects will appear. The primary step would be to ascertain what type of flashpan was on the gun originally; with martial flintlocks a simple matter to check from several illustrated books and articles. The method of attaching the pan and its general appearance and fit are clues which suggest how long it has been on the gun. Remember that the flashpan is one part liable to much wear and to black powder corrosion; the latter should be consistent and even on both the pan and the surrounding lock parts, all details quite evident when the lock is removed.