Gun - what is it worth???

I was googling around, I saw a 18th century Ottoman gun going for $7000. Considering your gun is twice as old as that, it could easily be 5 figures. I am by no means a gun expert though.

 

Well before my era of expertise, but you could have a small fortune in your hands...

 

Every car guy dreams of that awesome barn find. Sounds like you found and antique collectors equivalent. Good job. Once you find the values of these antiques and if you decide to sell them Let me know. I will have to tell my mother to come look them over she loves antiques.

 

That's right up my Mom's alley, too.

But, their kids were stupid and/or hateful and/or owed the mob.

Tell you what - when you find the motherlode of c-notes the size of a hay bale - shoot me a PM, and I'll send you my addy.

 

What I see are a number of items that look antique, but appear to be refinished/restored. If the furniture is authentic, it's value would be greatly diminished if the previous is true.

If the rifle is real, I doubt a real collector would relegate to a closet!

I once dated a girl whose parents collected antiques. They bought a Chippendale settee which they thought was an original; it sure looked to be.

When they had it appraised, it was found to be a copy, a very good copy.

Don't get your hopes up on appearance, only an expert/s can tell for sure!

 

It is amazing how true that is. I was into furniture a while ago and I well remember how much a recondition LOST value. Amazing.

 

sorry, i did not mean to pry. i do understand, and i know nothing about furniture, i do hope it works out well for you. sometimes the hunt is the most part of the fun. at the very least, you will have some beautiful pieces to admire.

 

Well normally I would agree about the rifle. But in Louisville there is the Frazier Historical Arms Museum. The guy that started it is from the Brown Family of Brown-Forman Corp. http://brown-forman.com/

He had collected these different Guns and other arms and said he had them in closets in his house and finally decided he needed a more secure place for them as well as show them to the world. So he started the museum. So it is quite possible that it could have happened. The other items look good but I am not an expert. I don't think you went wrong buying the place. What kind of Mercedes was in the Garage? Is it an older model too?

 

Anything interesting?

 

totally off topic, but i work for Gulfstream and your avatar always reminds me of my first flight in one of the last remaining GII's with the tip tanks installed.

 

Good point.

 

After hunting for many years, my dad happened along a Pennsylvania Long Rifle made in around 1774) in the rafters of an antique shop in Virginia. The then current owner did not even know it was there. The gun had 2 inches of dust on it so it had been there for quite some time.

Thankfully she hated the 2nd Amendment and guns in general and sold it to my dad for a song and a dance. It is in such good condition (even loaded) he has been offered a princely sum for it several times but would NEVER sell.

Old guns seem to find this (forgotten/unloved) fate more often than one might think.

 

I collect ancient/antique arms.

The tags on the matchlock and the "briefcase" tell me that these were items that went to sales (dog trades, flea markets etc.) and the previous owner would display these articles for sale, or these were garage sale articles that didn't sell. They were then put back into the closet etc. Why no asking price? Probably because the seller would size up the victim (maybe).

The matchlock has a front and rear sight- important.

Matchlocks were produced in the Middle East up to the 1700's - not saying M.E. but important.

Tourist trade articles- a possibility

It has some features that indicate a later manufacture date- but stranger things have happened


Without examination, and I must remain fair, you probably have a 1600-1700 arm that the owner tried to pass off as being truly ancient. I could be totally wrong (would need to examine, and have a contact examine) but be prepared for this kind of information.

Have it appraised by a specialist, and not a gun store etc.

The bit with the tags and the news article, does not bode well for this one, but I could be wrong.

Good luck!

 

I think regardless of whether it is 1400's or 1600's, it is a fantastic find. The furniture looks amazing and I expect a high value from some of those other items. The gun I think would hit 5 figures easy.

Great thread but unfortunately you dont actually own these items yet, am i right?