Quote Originally Posted by slug-gun View Post
Indeed some absurdly low prices, but one or two very high ones; eg the Theoben SLR88. Not that long ago they were a £500 rifle tops. Also prices were strong for the rare and mint items seemingly currently in demand, witness the amount paid for the boxed BSA Stutzen or Air Arms Pro Elite? A really excellent pre war Standard also fetched good money. Guns from the 1980's/90's are selling for greater amounts than ostensibly more desirable items from an earlier period, perhaps being bought by collectors who remember them from their youth and therefore can more readily identify with them?

So the low prices I think are a combination of certain guns being unfashionable at the moment, perhaps combined also with their condition not being first rate? There is money for the exceptional, though having said that the gallery guns did seem to be real bargain basement.

An over riding factor dominating prices is the current so called 'cost of living crisis', which may be causing people to reign in their spending even if they have ready cash? I can afford this but do I really need it, when costs are rising all over the place?

The vintage air gun market is by no means an isolated example. The classic car market is also suffering currently, and for anyone who wants an old MGB/Austin Healey/ even E type Jags, they are all becoming cheaper to buy.
And the more prosaic classics are almost being given away. Same mindset seems to apply here as it does to airguns?
It's what you've always said, Chris. Top quality rare guns retain their value, the rest go up and down. Although who would have thought the gallery guns market would tank like this?