Quote Originally Posted by Dutch View Post
Very well put concerning the 'unbroken link to the factory'. In the end the pursuit for originality is just one of a complex set of attributes (quality, value, status, smell, feeling, emotional bond, etc.) that load towards a feeling of content or satisfaction. It commands that a particular rifle is the last you will ever sell and another that you have completely forgotten about (given a proper functioning memory ). The origins for the weight one assigns to each attribute is buried deep inside your psyche. For example I very much like proper blued metal and would never buy nickel plated guns. The origins for that lay in the moments that I was allowed as a kid to polish my grandfather's collection of deep blued vintage pistols, with all the pleasant emotions connected to it.

Disagree on 'a car not being a wall hanger'. Watching 'Chasing classic cars' on discovery channel made me realise that there are numerous car collectors out there, that have valuable cars as 'wall hangers' in storage. Similarities with airgun collecting are eminent, but the investment/value aspect is much more prominent. As a matter of fact VGC with unrestored original parts, inscriptions, numbers, paint is a very big thing in vintage car collecting.

The anomaly here is that restoring to factory specs provides similar values (as it seems, can't really judge the actual value gab here). Can't figure out at the moment why airgun collectors truly dislike restored to factory specs airguns (including myself). Is it because they can't, really? Slightly wrong finish, too much polishing of lettering vanishing etchings and wrong stain on the wood? Or is it because the restored object screams I'm not an original to us connoisseurs. Confusing but truly interesting stuff!
Fair point that some (rich) car collectors have classics in storage. As someone who ran a classic car myself for decades back in the day, I wanted it to be as original as possible except when it came to modern performance and safety. So I uprated the engine, suspension, brakes etc, but you wouldn't have known that to look at it!