Seeing a dear friend tomorrow...he's kinda liquidating his collection sadly.

Going to see a dear friend with my wife and son and some other great buddies. My friend of many years has decided to rid himself of most of his collection sadly. He asked me what I had an interest in of his. I'm burnt out on german rifles etc . He has a superb Fren Mle92 carbine , first pattern with cleaning rod , matching. Also a Colt 1911 1918 vintage in original finish. He told me $500 each. I protested I did not want to "steal" them from him , but he said that's the deal , and would rather have them go to someone whom he knew would take care of them. Man it makes me feel bad he is divesting so much so cheap. He's selling off most of his imperial german rifles and carbines for $600 each to my other buddies - he wants them to take them all. Even my other two buddies seem sad and kinda feel like he is giving it all away. But he refuses to change his mind. He swears he is not dying or anything like that...Sure hope so. He has always been the kinda of kindred spirit that would give you the shirt off his back. He said , no kids or family to leave it too so he figured in his late 40's to scale down and spread the wealth. He is even selling his lewis gun and I think one of his maxims and his T-Gewehr.

The only thing I'd want would be the Colt 1911 in original finish...I have had my share of GEW98's, K98's and related..No more...The French carbine would be the last thing I'd buy.

If the 1911 is actually in original finish, that is beyond a steal for $500

If he's in his late 40's and doing this , what's he going to do in his 70-80's ? He still has plenty of time to enjoy his collection , unless he has a terminal illness he's not telling you about . Sort of wish I had a good friend like that , but then I can't complain about my range buddies .

cherrypointmarine said:

If he's in his late 40's and doing this , what's he going to do in his 70-80's ? He still has plenty of time to enjoy his collection , unless he has a terminal illness he's not telling you about . Sort of wish I had a good friend like that , but then I can't complain about my range buddies .

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I ponder this as well. But he has no wife or children , his father passed last year .He has lost alot of weight and looked more aged in the last year plus. Me and my buddies wondered if he was ill. I had to tell my friends of my stage 4 kidney cancer diagnosis last october . It kinda sucks knowing you have at most 10 years left on the clock with current medicines. Did some targeted radiation two weeks ago and it took alot of pain out of my situation. My friend has always been gracious with me and gave me an early chicom letter series type 56 I know he paid at least $900 for. He would not take a penny for it.

MelvinWalker said:

The only thing I'd want would be the Colt 1911 in original finish...I have had my share of GEW98's, K98's and related..No more...The French carbine would be the last thing I'd buy.

If the 1911 is actually in original finish, that is beyond a steal for $500

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That's the difference between a collector and an "investor". French Mle 92 Berthier carbines , matching in original first pattern trim are kinda like rather rare. Colt 1918's abound at shows in varying conditions and generally 80% pieces exceed $2k . I still have a genuine interest in all things great war...especially the memoirs and poetry from that industrial slaughter. Some of the best ever put to paper.

As you get older, you start feeling the weight and responsibility of your collection and you start thinking that you want these things to go to someone who values them as much as you do rather than just strewn to the winds. I've given away several items to my kids, friends, and hunting buddies. I'm sure there'll be more in the future.

Thank God my son and both grandsons are " into guns", wonder how they got that?........

An 1892 Berthier carbine in original trim is hard to find. I suspect many got upgraded to 1892/M16 standard.

I still enjoy buying, collecting whatever guns suit my fancy even though I don’t have all that much money, certainly not compared to some folks here. That said, everyone has their reasons. It does sound like health could be an underlying issue and he just isn’t saying anything, and family could also be a factor as well. Lord knows I’m disappointed in most of mine and I try not to dwell on their futures too much, because I think that in the end they chose it, even if they just don’t realize it yet. So even as I buy and collect, I’m working on a plan as well.
As to your friend, by all means provide support and inquire with a measure of care, because if he is getting to a point where he feels more desperate he will likely provide clues. The catch is being supportive and asking questions without being awkward or nosy. I spent 25 years off and on working in mental health care and it is definitely an art form to say the least. Even so. It’s still a free country. You can only go so far and ask so much. What happens, happens sometimes.

Tom.

I've been contemplating liquidating about 2/3rds of my firearms. I've set aside certain specimens for my two sons and grandchildren, and I'm keeping my favorite hunting rifles. I've enjoyed acquiring my collection, but I'm thinking it's time for other's to enjoy them . . . at a decent price of course.

Sorry to hear this. Blessings my friend.

People change interests, and sometimes they want to be out of things more than they care to maximize proceeds. Nevertheless, I’d take him to a pub and have a talk about things to be sure he’s not either sick or cleaning up in preparation to punch his own ticket out of this place.

Thats one reason that I wish more people would try to give deals to younger generation who values some of these things. Im in my late 20s and have gave up owning many guns that were bucket list guns in my late teens (c96, Luger, any actual "sniper", etc. I have realized that military surplus I won't be buying anything other than stuff freshly imported because all the stuff I used to idolize give up on its way out of my price range and focus on what I have a chance at reasonably getting. I dont say that to make anyone older here feel bad ive just accepted some stuff im priced out of. I have had some close friends parents/grandparents with stuff I am interested in, but they would rather get top dollar than sell to me (example colt sp1 I said I could do 1500 and promise to never sell it as I always wanted one, but he sold it to a retired gentlemen who paid $2200 instead). Ironically I started out with more lever/bolt action military surpluses but now I own more weapons from 1970s-2000s and have tended to buy fresh imports of older guns to get a "deal". I have gotten several people into guns and even sold a few things I loved at a loss to try to get people interested in guns/collecting, but regardless not a lot of people do that (or could afford to. Probably was a dumb idea as a broke college student but glad I did that more than a few times). My biggest thing is I plan to wind down when I get in my 60s and sell during my life unless when I have kids (me and the woman im with intend to) they want anything they can have and keep or ill sell during my life and get them the money. Hopefully I can find younger people when im older and give the ones who care about historical guns a deal so its preserved for the next generation. Ive gotten some very cool guns in my life (hope to get some more FBI guns and maybe a few more modern US milsurps ill get lucky like I have or ill just keep focusing on foreign guns if im priced out of domestic milsurp). My best advice is if you have friends with kids or grandkids with interest in a gun you have, once you have an ok collection try to give them a deal if you have something they want you can live with parting.... Just please don't be the guy who turns them into the police for destruction as instructed in his will I have met at least 2 people who have that in their will because they didnt trust their kids or wife or anyone else with it, but they obviously are a huge outlier.

I totally concur skully. I myself started to wane on collecting alot of what I really liked many years ago. When 98k's got so expensive with the rise of the internet , the fakes were already prevalent at shows...it's 10 fold worse with the internet and the armchair commando community that buys such junk and thinks it legit simply because they spent alot of money and often because the bought it from an "Expert" yadda yadda yadda. I got out of 98k collecting almost 30 years ago and went into collecting WW1 imperial german pieces. The inflation and fakery soon caught up with that avenue . Also alot of internet deep pocketed types took over such collecting themes and their seconds were deemed righteous even with glaring problems etc. In 2015 I had a catastrophic fire in my shop and lost the bulk of my imperial german collection , plus alot of heirloom guns from my dad, grandfather etc. It was hard to get back into collecting then , but my son and dear friends helped me climb back into it to a degree. I look at things totally different now. I have always helped out and gave things to budding collectors. I always gave them my time and helped them from getting burnt on boinkered with items that are so prevalent these days. My friend has always been like this and I appreciate him always. He has given my son alot of old milsurps , as well as the late Peter Kuck whom was another avid collector friend and gracious knowledgeable man I miss dearly.

Time marches on. Some of us are stubborn and “fight” it, some are ambivalent, and some actively plan for the final days because it preoccupies them, often without even the realization that it does so. I am a mixture of fight and ambivalence, and I have and have had friends all across the spectrum. Though I enjoy my guns, they are “things” to me, and I was taught long ago to exercise caution about allowing things to become a focus in life. Maybe I haven’t done such a good job with that, but I’ve tried. I am not really concerned about what happens to them when I’m gone.

If your friend thinks “it’s time for a change,” I wouldn’t be too sad about that. He’s not old by any means, and apparently not the greedy type. Maybe he just needs a shift in his interests? Maybe he needs a new set of friends? Or maybe it is something else, but if it is something catastrophic, there probably nothing you can do for him that will help - other than being there for him - IF he wants that. If he is the type that self-isolates, it’s hard to accept, but we’re all entitled to live our lives as we choose, as much as is possible.

Over the years, occasionally a friend has sold me something at an especially good price, or given me something that seemed exceptionally generous. I just tell myself I will watch the situation and, if something develops, I will offer to sell it back at the price I paid. I’ve done that a couple of times. No regrets. The wind often changes it’s direction.

Sounds more serious than unloading his collection. You probably need to keep an eye on him or speak to him about depression.

FZ1Tom said:

I still enjoy buying, collecting whatever guns suit my fancy even though I don’t have all that much money, certainly not compared to some folks here. That said, everyone has their reasons. It does sound like health could be an underlying issue and he just isn’t saying anything, and family could also be a factor as well. Lord knows I’m disappointed in most of mine and I try not to dwell on their futures too much, because I think that in the end they chose it, even if they just don’t realize it yet. So even as I buy and collect, I’m working on a plan as well.
As to your friend, by all means provide support and inquire with a measure of care, because if he is getting to a point where he feels more desperate he will likely provide clues. The catch is being supportive and asking questions without being awkward or nosy. I spent 25 years off and on working in mental health care and it is definitely an art form to say the least. Even so. It’s still a free country. You can only go so far and ask so much. What happens, happens sometimes.

Tom.

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You raise a good point. I'm concerned that he might be suicidal, considering that he's only in his 40s. After he sells all these guns, what does he plan to do with the money if he has no family to pass them down to? I would inquire about his future plans.

john17427 said:

As you get older, you start feeling the weight and responsibility of your collection and you start thinking that you want these things to go to someone who values them as much as you do rather than just strewn to the winds. I've given away several items to my kids, friends, and hunting buddies. I'm sure there'll be more in the future.

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I've done that.

Take them at his price, he's not being taken advantage of; he's choosing to bless his friends while he can. Cherish the guns and the guy. Sounds like a hell of a friend.

jframesj said:

You raise a good point. I'm concerned that he might be suicidal, considering that he's only in his 40s. After he sells all these guns, what does he plan to do with the money if he has no family to pass them down to? I would inquire about his future plans.

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My friend is quite a god fearing man , suicidal is not in the picture.

cherrypointmarine said:

If he's in his late 40's and doing this , what's he going to do in his 70-80's ? He still has plenty of time to enjoy his collection , unless he has a terminal illness he's not telling you about . Sort of wish I had a good friend like that , but then I can't complain about my range buddies .

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I'm 80 and I can still be tempted by the right Model 10 or 15 or 14 or .... 'Late 40's' is WAY TOO EARLY!

gew98 said:

My friend is quite a god fearing man , suicidal is not in the picture.

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The mind can be a very harmful thing. I attempted two years ago. Never assume, reach out, engage, and help him out. He likely won't ask for it, but things like this are loud indicators. My prayers go out to both of you!

I'm on the cusp of 74 and had a bone marrow transplant 5 years ago and fortunatly am cancer free. I have no family to pass this accumulation to and I just can't stop accumulating. I shoot SXS shotguns from Parker, Fox, LeFever and several English makers. I have designated a custom Parker 20 gauge to go to a friend who I shoot with, he's only 50 and has a son who shows interest in these old guns.
I'm seriously considering donating them (when I'm gone of course) to a conservation organizarion such as RMEF. They can sell them and possibly preserve a tract of land for future generations.
If your friend feels compelled to see his guns go to his friends who will appreciate his generosity then you have a very good friend and good friends are priceless.

I have a very close friend who's a year older than me 82. He has always been a hoarder, collector and lives for a good deal. He and his sister have no children or even close relatives. The place he lives, his shop his dozens of cars and HDs, guns and money make him a millionaire several times over. Yet he still does his thing of squeezing a great deal, holding his ground on prices and never selling anything. He will probably leave everything to a friends son. That's the fuel that keeps him alive. He could sell one car and pay for internet cable and AC for life but it's too expensive.
In the scheme of things, there were 50K kids killed in our war the oldest I knew was 39. None of these guys even got a chance to enjoy life. So live and let live. You can get assisted suicide in Canada for depression, that's where things are headed. Enjoy life and leave people alone to enjoy theirs.

There are some people who dive into hobbies quite deeply. And the hobby will consume them for quite a few years. Then one day the switch for the hobby is turned off. They divest themselves of the hobby and wait until the next obsession comes their way.

I am that type of person. At the age of 18 I was struck one day with an intense desire to collect Ford Model T vehicles. I purchased a 1925 roadster and began to restore it to original condition. I was obsessed with Model T's from daylight to dark. Created quite a large library of Ford Model T books. I knew ever nut and bolt change from 1908 until 1927. Every bracket change. Every change in castings, horns, upholstery, everything. I restored my '25 roadster from the ground up. I owned a '24 C-cab truck, many rare brass era parts for trading.
Then one day I traded all of my Model T cars and stuff for some land. That was the end of that hobby. I was 30 years old.

I also dove into Pennsylvania longrifles with the same fervor as the Model T obsession. Many years of obtaining, reading, studying. I started making Pennsylvania longrifles from scratch. Created quite a few beautiful rifles. It was an obsession.
Then one day I stopped the hobby.

Another consuming hobby was birddogs, Pointers to be exact. Field trials sanctioned by The American Field. Horseback, steady to wing and shot. Grand Junction, Tennessee. Ahh, field trials. Competition. Well-bred strain of dogs.
I ate, slept, breathed birddogs. Then one day I accepted a job offer in Colorado and the birddog hobby came to a halt.

Your friend may be the type of person who runs a hobby to his satisfaction and then goes on to other things in life.
I would not attach too much to his divesting himself of his collection.

There is a "peak" coming where us old folks will be selling to a generation that has different values. In the mean enjoy the "heck" out of them!

Kardiak said:

The mind can be a very harmful thing. I attempted two years ago. Never assume, reach out, engage, and help him out. He likely won't ask for it, but things like this are loud indicators. My prayers go out to both of you!

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Amen... I strongly agree.

I’m in my early 70s. I’ve been downsizing. Some of the firearms I’ve sold were darned nice. Some I’ve sold to friends. I figured, it was someone else turn to enjoy them.
I still have too many, (I never thought I’d say that).
My son, he’s not into guns and doesn’t mind me selling.

I amassed one of the largest, most complete collections of Japanese Type 99 and Type 2 Paratrooper rifles in the United States, ALL mummed and matching.

I had every arsenal and series, except Nagoya 12...I later sold the entire collection except for a battle damaged Toyo Kogyo and a Nagoya Series 5, (which I still have)...I was the moderator of the "Firearms of the Rising Sun" forum on Gunboards.com

I now have very little interest in ever obtaining any More Japanese rifles, other than a screaming deal I could trade for something I wanted, (not any Japanese rifles).

I hate to say it, but I’ll add another voice to the people suggesting you should be concerned. Reading this at first I thought you had a generous and older friend who knew he couldn’t be buried with it.

When you mentioned no kids or family to leave them to and in his 40s that changed my mind. Is he married? That’s the age when it starts to hit hard that you’re probably never going to get married or have children and that can be quite depressing for a lot of people. Don’t write him off as too God fearing to consider suicide. He might really be struggling. Or might he sick.

Or, hopefully, he’s the kind of guy who switches hobbies all the way and you’re about to get a great deal on a great 1911 and have many more years with your friend. I hope that’s what’s up, but I also think you should be keeping a keen eye out for the not so great alternatives.