You've summed up the exact same place I was for many years. In my mind the gun fell top to bottom of the ugly tree breaking every damn branch on the way down. But back last summer I went and bought a lovely example of one. I still think they are pug ugly n dont handle that well but quirky is definitely the word. Am glad I got it n got it out of my system.
Dave
Yes to both of those. I forgive Mauser for the C96 (and Borchardt, Bergmann and similar) because they thought they had a great design, even if Georg Luger and John Browning and then came along and showed them how it should have been done. Same with mid-19th Century revolvers, some of which are grotesque (Enfield .476?) but unintentionally.
Back in the early 80s, I was sure that the FWB Sport was the best sporting airgun ever, except maybe that new-fangled Theoben Sirocco thing (which was obviously not as good as they said because, well, er, I could not afford one). Fast forward 30+ years and I have become much more tolerant of things I knew then weren't great, and oddly affectionate towards them. I even have a Webley Beeman C1 carbine, which is a very silly thing that serves no useful purpose then or now, but I am quite fond of it. Maybe, in a rather English way, I am well-disposed to underdogs, also-rans, and historic failures and near-misses.
Back on topic, Sterlings do seem to be offered recently, whether on here, by dealers, or in auction valuations, at the £200+ ish mark in 90+% condition.