I recently bought a gun off of my grandfather, and I need to know an approximate value for insurance purposes. It’s a very unique, antique gun of German manufacture. I’ve done extensive searching on the 'net and in books, but can’t find one like it to even get a relatively good comparison value.
My grandfather did take it to a few gun shops to get offers on it, but these are small-town America shops, not experts on antique guns, and they also have a vested interest in offering a low sum for it.
I considered contacting auction houses in New York and the like, but I’m not interested in selling it, and I’m sure many of them don’t offer random appraisal services, especially on items they’re just seeing in pictures.
If I had an antique gun and wanted to get an appraisal, I would call the Museo del Ejército (Spanish Army’s Museum). There’s got to be a good History museum that can point you in the right direction
Museum curators usually love sharing their knowledge.
Put it on eBay with a massive reserve price. The maximum bid might give you an idea of what it’s worth. It will, at least, give you an idea of what someone is willing to pay for it, which is essentially the same thing.
After all, nothing is worth more than someone’s willing to pay.
I work in a museum, actually. While our curator loves to share his knowledge, he hates it when visitors ask him a value of their item. He may be able to tell you the history surrounding it, but he has no clue as to its monetary value. We don’t appraise the objects in our collection, nor do we purchase artifacts.
No big - In the old days you could sell just about anything there. But it seems like every year, they kill a few categories for some bluenose reason or another.
It’s pre-WWII (it was brought back by Grandpa’s uncle from Germany during the war.) It’s a three-barrel Heim drilling rifle, but the unique thing about it is that it has three triggers. Never seen one with three triggers before.
As I’ve heard, Heim made all of their guns to order at the time. They’re still in business, and now they sell a mass-produced line, but they still specialize in made-to-order.
It’s beautifully engraved in gold with a hunting scene on both sides. It’s in excellent condition, with barely any nicks or wear to the wood stock, and none on any of the engraved areas. The triggers are plated with gold, and there is some slight wear along the tops where it joins with the (word escapes me–lock, perhaps?) There is one alteration-- a sight was added on top, partially concealing the maker’s name. The barrel is Krupp twist steel.
I have three boxes of heavy-load shells that go with it (though I never intend to fire it, I read on a German gun collecters site that having the ammo sometimes ups the value.)
Sounds beautiful. What caliber(s), and configuration? Is “Heim” the same as “Heym”? I’ve been researching – never encountered “drilling rifles” before.
Antiques Roadshow will be in Tucson, Salt Lake City, Mobile, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Honolulu this year. If any of these cities are near you, you could take it there. And here’s a link to a list of the “arms & militaria” specialist appraisers used by the show.
Another place to considrer would be contacting the maker, themselves. They may have some more idea of the history, and what similar items might be worth, too.
Yeah, sorry about the spelling mistake. I don’t know what caliber it is, unfortunately. I’ll ask my grandpa tomorrow-- he’ll know.
It has two shotgun barrels over a single rifle barrel. There is no space between them like the picture of the one that askeptic posted. The wood of the stock looks almost exactly like that of the picture of the modern Heym drillings, except that mine has three small push buttons on the top which switch the firing mechanism. Every bit of metal on the gun is elaborately engraved. Even the screws are engraved.
I sort of saw it as a work of art rather than an actual gun, though I know that may sound strage. (“Oooh, pretty!”) So, I guess I didn’t ask grandpa for the right information, as per caliber and the like.
I know it’s something that I should have special coverage for, because our homeowners’ policy wouldn’t cover even what grandpa was offered for it by the gun dealers.