I ran across these a few days ago and have no idea of a fair value. Any help will be appreciated. They are out of my area of collecting. The first is for a New Departure in .32 caliber 3 inch gun with a blue finish. The box is in very good condition.






The second is for a New Departure in .38 with a 3 1/4" barrel with a nickel finish. It also is in very good condition.

__________________
Jim
SWCA #2246

Those are two nice boxes. get a buy price from the owner.
I like the old stuff. I would buy at a fair price because I have those two guns. Plus they make great trade fodder.

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Jim
Two really nice boxes. If I saw them at a show, or shop, I'd pay $200.00 to $250.00 each.

__________________
Don Mundell

The first box is from a 32 Safety, 1st Model, made from 1888 to 1902. The serial number puts the box from about 1900. The second is from either a 38 Safety, 2nd or 3rd Model, which dates the box from 1887 to 1898.

Viewing lots of selling prices for S&W gun boxes, I would put current values at $150 to $175 each. Those following ebay have seen a big jump in box prices starting about 18 months ago, but that was because of a few buyers wanting every box that came up for bid. They seem to have left the bidding world for common boxes like the 32 and 38 Safety and the prices have come down quite a bit. There have recently been a couple of Buy-It-Now Safety boxes on ebay for just under $200 and they have not sold at those prices.

You have boxes in good condition, but these guns nor boxes are commanding high prices, plus are still not garnering the interest of many collectors. There are also more of these model boxes on the market than any other S&W models, so prices are not rising. Lastly, most sellers and buyers have no idea of what era they are looking at online or at LGS, so any box that says the model and caliber is good enough, therefore no premium for age either. At $175 each, I believe they will sell, but $200 is beyond what buyers are willing to pay at the moment.

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

Gary, thanks for that post. Great info. They sure aint pencil boxes any more. or nuts and bolts in the garage.Mike

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I agree with Gary for the price, between 150 $ and 200 $ because the size and the model are common.

When I buy my first boxes on Ebay in the USA, 10 years ago, the price was between 50 $ and 100 $.

8 years ago I pay a big price for a wooden 32 SA 1 1/2: 250 $

Now i think the price could be maybe 600 ou 700 $ !

On the US market, all the paper revolver boxes increase, even the suicide special boxes.

And the Colt boxes are ... on the top. I saw recently a Colt SAA in very bad condition sold near .... 1.800 $.

In the same condition a Colt Ligntning 38 for 1.400 $. Few years ago, in France, it was the price for a box ... and a gun.