To what criteria do collectors collect?

[Abasmajor]

I have found it most interesting to read what others collect and the criteria employed. I asked these questions when starting the thread because I thought it might inspire my own activities and provide some new ideas.

Abasmajor and Garvin, along with others, have made the rather worrying point that collections tend to gather their own momentum and often stray from the original criteria, embracing new areas of interest. I am trying to resist this but warmed to Geezer's focus on what he termed the 'classic era' - 1960-1980, including German guns. Meanwhile, Airsporterman has remained rigidly disciplined, collecting only Airsporters - quite a task in itself, I suspect.

I agree with ptdunk and others that collected items must be shot but rather think that some collectors do not do so and are quite happy to have something that works and can be admired, perhaps in a rack or display cabinet - where some pistols are placed, with an impressive effect.

Abasmajor has made the fascinating point that often the accessories and paperwork associated with his pistols can be worth more than the pistols themselves - quite remarkable. I had heard that a pistol's worth rises if the original box exists. Probably, an invoice adds to the value, too, along with the instruction manual.

Probably, a gun's popularity amongst collectors quickly rises if production ceases. I feel no desire to collect HWs that are in production but I might seek out some of those currently in production were this to cease.

Hi Andrew,

Another limiting factor to be aware of is space, especially if like me you only reluctantly move on duplicates of models when a better example comes along.
Obviously, pistols take up less space and fortunately my interest in rifles is limited to only a few BSA and Webley models.

I would describe myself as an actively shooting collector in terms of using my air guns and often use this as an excuse not to move on duplicates as these can be shot more regularly without the fear of wear or damage to the more pristine examples.

Regards
Brian

[harvey_s]

I wonder how many guns are kept in boxes and cupboards across the UK having been bought as purely pristine examples of their type with no intention of letting them see the light of day let alone being fired...

Kind of reminds me of a boxed 1979 Yamaha RD400F Daytona, still boxed, taped shut and strapped to it's pallet - it was up for auction at £10K with days to go...Ironic thing is you wouldn't be able to even open the box to make sure it wasn't full of bricks without taking a huge slice out of the value What kind of person wants a really expensive box you cannot open

[I. J.]

Kind of reminds me of a boxed 1979 Yamaha RD400F Daytona, still boxed, taped shut and strapped to it's pallet - it was up for auction at £10K with days to go...Ironic thing is you wouldn't be able to even open the box to make sure it wasn't full of bricks without taking a huge slice out of the value What kind of person wants a really expensive box you cannot open

If the engine hasn't been turned over on a regular basis it may have stationary seized and probably the oil seals will be useless.

Back to the subject: I often buy better examples of a rifle I already have then try to sell on the lesser quality one. I say try!

[PaulR]

I started 10 years ago and bought an SMK XS20 purely to shoot rats on the property we had just moved into. It was (is) remarkably efficient at doing this and is still my ratter of choice.

After I while I thought about the Webley Junior I had in my youth (1960s). So I bought one. I liked it so I got a prewar tin grip one because I was intrigued - within a year or two I had a 1920s Mk1, two slant grip Mk1s, two Seniors and 2 Premiers - including a mint "A" series. Yes I had bought the famous book! Then I had to have a Tempest, Hurricane and Typhoon - all boxed. These had to have original scopes - so I bought those. Whilst I was on a roll I acquired a couple of Nemesis (Nemeses?) an Alecto and even the latest Typhoon (I know, I know). I had to get a boxed certificated version of the reincarnated Turkish Tempest. That was Webley done - all the pistols I wanted (still open to acquiring some target versions).

Did I stop there - yeah right. What about Webley rifles - now have two Service Mk2s, two Mk3s - one of them a target version, an Eclipse, Tracker, Vulcan, Mk1 Hawk with both barrels, a Junior and a Ranger.

I am beginning to bore myself but I discovered Crosman and have a 600, a 451, 2240, two 1377s and EB22. On the rifle side 2250b and XL.

I then moved on the BB blowback pistols and have about 15 of these as well as a CP1 and CP2.

My (very longwinded) point? From one simple practical purchase I rediscovered something I loved from my youth. I find something interesting in each one be it a classic or pot metal toy, all are used regularly and I enjoy every minute whilst I do so.

[Garvin]

My (very longwinded) point? From one simple practical purchase I rediscovered something I loved from my youth. I find something interesting in each one be it a classic or pot metal toy, all are used regularly and I enjoy every minute whilst I do so.

So maybe the fact that young people can still get their hands on airguns now (and a lot more 'interesting' CO2 ones than were available in my youth) means that in 30 years or so there will still be an urge to recreate that feeling of having a gun in your hands! Except that maybe by then only 'vintage' airguns will be available. But by then this might be pre-1980...

[Blackrider]

Like so many, started with Airsporters cos that's what I used to "drool over" in gunshop windows as a kid in the 1960's.
"Did them" and Webbo's, then took a long rest (fishing interests) and missed the early German hardware. Eventually, the fishing interest wained and I began to buy Weihrauchs and Theobens from a hunting perspective and ended up with four R7's. Sold those upon getting my ticket and acquired three rimfires, then ran the collection right down. Built it back up to over 30 various guns and ran it back down to five or six when the centrefires came along to fund them.

Still do the firearm stuff but I also still like collecting, shooting air rifles and meeting the many great blokes with like minded interest along to way !
The collection of 18 air rifles and three pistols is ebbing a bit of late and it might "ebb a bit more" if I can only decide what to part with next.

Main thing is, I regularly shoot ALL my guns and like them to perform well, I certainly don't have any "pristine" examples wrapped up in boxes !

[PaulR]

Main thing is, I regularly shoot ALL my guns and like them to perform well, I certainly don't have any "pristine" examples wrapped up in boxes !

With you on that.

I had a mint BSA Merlin - I doubt it had ever been used - it had been sold on here a few times. When I got it I fired a couple of shots but felt guilty in case I marked it.
It just sat amongst my collection - knowing I had it gave me no pleasure.
In the end I sold it on to someone who, I believe, just wanted a gun to shoot and didn't even know it was mint.

Sorry if any previous owners of it see this and think WTF but I really believe our guns should be used otherwise what's the point.

[PaulR]

So maybe the fact that young people can still get their hands on airguns now (and a lot more 'interesting' CO2 ones than were available in my youth) means that in 30 years or so there will still be an urge to recreate that feeling of having a gun in your hands! Except that maybe by then only 'vintage' airguns will be available. But by then this might be pre-1980...

In 30 years it will be 2148 - let's round it up to 50 years from now.
What may be interesting is not the well made stuff available today - tomorrows Webleys - but the cheapo CO2 pistols (for example). Most are not built to last - trust me I have quite a few and they all fail if you use them heartedly. So - in 50 years time a mint boxed Umarex Walther PPKS (for example) which costs about £120 now could be worth the latter day equivalent of £600 or even more as all of the others died many years ago.

[harvey_s]

In 30 years it will be 2148 - let's round it up to 50 years from now.
What may be interesting is not the well made stuff available today - tomorrows Webleys - but the cheapo CO2 pistols (for example). Most are not built to last - trust me I have quite a few and they all fail if you use them heartedly. So - in 50 years time a mint boxed Umarex Walther PPKS (for example) which costs about £120 now could be worth the latter day equivalent of £600 or even more as all of the others died many years ago.

I don't thnk it will work like that in the future...

Years ago people did not have the dispoable income they have now and generally people bought what they needed, relatively few were kept in their boxes and were little used which is why such examples can fetch high prices now.

Now people generally have much more disosable income, places to shoot are fewer and fewer, interests are fickle and people also know the value of boxed examples - so I think boxed, mint examples of todays guns will not be so rare as yesterdays guns are today.
That is also ignoring the speculators out who are hoarding them purely as 'investments'.