quote:

Originally posted by DHENRY:
As many of us reach 'upper middle-age', we're faced with the very real prospect of (someday) disposing of a collection.

If only David Carroll or Jim Supica were still alive. They both had/have plans that kind of make sure the poor widow doesn't get cheated. Its not fool proof, and neither work for free, but if all widows that can't handle the selling details themselves would use that kind of service, they'd probably be well ahead in the long run.

One problem is that some widows (or other heirs) think that their getting cheated when a gunshop offers them 66% of what the eventual sale will be. But after the seller gets done cleaning, inspecting, photographing, lettering, and then advertising, costs do tend to add up. For some reason, people think they should just be able to turn in all of the old mans guns and receive cash then and there for the amount the guns will eventually bring at retail....a year from now.

Jim's name and phone number are posted on the inside of my safe door, and I mentioned this to him in Richmond.
He said he sure hopes he's still alive to handle it(!)
My wife and I have had this conversation many times, and she is very savvy as the realities of wholesale, retail, and the practical need for both.
It does indeed cost a bunch of money to be a (good) firearms dealer.

Beautiful. I'm comfortable it now has a good home.

Thought you might get a kick out of this, not quite the holster you have but wool lined. Very nice piece you aquired!

That's the same one that is in the 1939 Stoeger's catalog. Only in '39 it was only $1.50.

Update!!!

I just got my letter back from the factory.

It was shipped April 23, 1932 to:
Farwell Ozmun Kirk & Co. in St. Paul MN. The grip adapters did not letter specifically to the gun. It did letter with the steel bead.

Does anyone else have a K-22 lettered to them around the same time? It must have been hard times out there I would suspect, and a K-22 would be an extravagance for even the most hardy hunter of the day. I suppose that whoever bought it the first time must have been well-off for their day. Of course, it is possible it sat around for a long time until people could afford it...

Thought I'd ask for some input...

Why is it I can never find older guns lettered to more "southern" dealers or distributors? I have yet to find a pre-war gun lettering to Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, etc.- southern state. Why is that? I I live down here! Wasn't there some southern distributors or hardware houses?

I know alot of the 1926's letter to Wolf and Klar in Texas.

Don't know specific central Southern destinations, but LEO's had to get them somewhere.

quote:

Originally posted by Andy Griffith:
Why is it I can never find older guns lettered to more "southern" dealers or distributors? I have yet to find a pre-war gun lettering to Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, etc.- southern state.

I have pre-war guns I've lettered that were shipped to Birmingham, AL., Ft. Worth, TX., and Louisville, KY.

Mine, #6323xx, shipped out 4/8/31 to Bangor, ME.

Regards,

Tam 3