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RE: For Your Viewing Pleasure

Quote:

ORIGINAL: BigJ12

Quote:

ORIGINAL: SwampCollie

If you could of course prove that it was one of his... that would place the value just a wee bit above the $15K mark ;)

I had a guy bring an old Colt pistol he bought for $50 from as he put it "some old black guy in Ravenel". Stamped on the top was a nice to have little feature that read "US ARMY". A letter to the Colt factory later, and we find out that this gun was used in the battle of Little Big Horn.... How it made it back to SC... who knows.... but it was worth more than the $50 the guy paid for it ;)

Unfortunately both of Wild Bill's 1851 Colt Navy's are accounted for so this is not one of them.;)

I was just pointing out that the carved eagle design in the grip was popular back in the 1850's-1860's for those who wanted to show off their Colt Navy pistols like old Wild Bill did.

I suspect Wild Bill's Colts are worth somewhere in the six figure range. Talk about a piece of American history.

Oh yes I know BigJ. I was just pointing out for any of the laymen readers that having tangible evidence that x antique firearm was at x event on x day and in the hands of x person can turn a seemingly old or tired out gun (which yours is certainly not), into something worth a mint that has a heck of a story behind it.

RE: For Your Viewing Pleasure

Quote:

ORIGINAL: SwampCollie
Oh yes I know BigJ. I was just pointing out for any of the laymen readers that having tangible evidence that x antique firearm was at x event on x day and in the hands of x person can turn a seemingly old or tired out gun (which yours is certainly not), into something worth a mint that has a heck of a story behind it.

I know what you meant and you are correct. Anytime you can put a history with an old firearm it will greatly increase it's value. Perhaps one day I will contact Colt with this pistols serial number, who knows maybe I might learn something more about it.

Thanks for looking.

RE: For Your Viewing Pleasure

My dad has an old pistol. Smith I believe. anyway thats not my point. Its old and not very attractive. I was never very impressed by it. He sent off once to research the history of the pistol. a few months later he showed me what came back. it was a letter from the manufacturer stating whom the original owner was etc. Dad done a little research and found out the original owner was a sherrif in a border town of texas at the turn of the century. He was able to get a couple of old newpaper articles about the gentleman. Nothing exceptional in any of it. Still the simple fact that you can read the history and know that the original owner was a lawman in the old west etc. makes this piece one of my favorites. I don't know if it increased the value but it certainly increased the "coolness" of the piece, to me at least.