Not "How much is it worth but how much was it worth?"

[trajectory]

Okay, anyone either have a good memory or else have any old adverts etc to give an answer to this please for either a private or retail sale value. Let's consider a used example, working order, not a mint boxed example or a shed find, just a nice solid reliable sort of thing that someone would happily buy & use.

For example, how much was a secondhand BSA Stantdard (or any of the pre war BSA's) a Webley Service Rifle or a Pre War Webley Air pistol going to set you back in the late 1950's to early 1960's?

Just curious if anyone can help with this please, thanks in advance

[duomatic410]

Webley mk11 in 1950 cost me £4 /10 shillings with a part box of Beathall pellets in 22.
Magic, shot a lot of rabbits with it up to swapping it for a Lee efield mk4 303.
Hoppy days

[Garvin]

I’m not sure there was much demand for old things 50 or 60 years ago. People were willing to pay for newness and what ‘improvements’ technology brought (i.e. cost-cutting measures like cheaper materials).

[Geezer]

I’m not sure there was much demand for old things 50 or 60 years ago. People were willing to pay for newness and what ‘improvements’ technology brought (i.e. cost-cutting measures like cheaper materials).

Agree. Until the 70s, there was a largely accurate belief that new stuff was better than old stuff, be it guns, cars, whatever.

And of course this was before the internet, specialist dealers, airgun mags. So most used sales were trade-ins to the local gun/bike/sport shop, or private trades negotiated in the pub or over the garden fence.

[trajectory]

I wasnt sure how older ones would have been thought of. I can understand the desires for new things, moving on & away from wartime austerity & people generally embracing change & modernity, but wondered what the availability of new rifles was like, had production for such items as air rifles picked up by the late 50's?

So, if old air rifles were not of much interest in the late 50's or early 60's when was it that things turned around & some started to think that these old guns were interesting & with a second look (or in some cases I guess a first look), & worth having & values started to reflect it? Was it in the 70's when a new generation began to discover them?

[DAVALI]

About 1955 i Purchased from a Junk shop a Webley Service MKll with three barrels, 0.177, 0.22, 0.25, for £15.00 complete with canvas covered case knew nothing about matching numbers etc, kept and used for about two years then sold to an antique shop in Paddington London for £25.00 to finance insurance for my motorcycle, I thought that making that profit was fantastic!, I wish I had kept it now!.
Dave.