To me, having the original box indicates prior pride in ownership. Including paperwork and accessories. It's like original purchase paperwork. I believe it all adds value. Historical at minimum, and monetary to some degree.
1950's Revolver How Much Does The Box Add
- Thread starter AC Man
- Start date
I could never express my own opinion more precisely...
...BenMahogany presentation casesd
In post #4 the OP asked about boxes from 1950-1970! I will assume he is including the Mahogany Presentation Cases for the N frame guns? As stated above many times we are talking about "the" original case or "a" case!
We all have seen these cases for sale at gun shows, on auction sites and on Flea Bay every day. Now the fun begins(questions)! First there is no way of knowing, with any certainty and if at all, which type of case was shipped with the gun. A factory letter can possibly state your gun was shipped with a Presentation case, but it will not state which type of 4 different type liners the case may had in it. All 4 of these liner types had problems with longevity and are very difficult to find in good shape today. Flea Bay has these cases at auction and most of them need repair. Generally these auctions end somewhere in the amount of $350-$400, and still need repaired! I refurbish these cases, not restore them! I do not use the same materials to make the repairs as they did not last!
The next question that needs an answer is which type of liners could my N frame have come with! We are talking about N frame guns that have an "S" serial prefix, an "N" serial prefix, and at the end of the period of shipping guns in cases the "ABC" prefix! The next problem is these case liners were made barrel length specific and not all type liners were produced in all the barrel lengths available on the N frames models. A case will not increase the value of the package by the $400 stated above. However, it does add value to the gun as a package and usually about $100-$200, depending on which model of gun being sold.
IMHO, jcelect
In post #4 the OP asked about boxes from 1950-1970! I will assume he is including the Mahogany Presentation Cases for the N frame guns? As stated above many times we are talking about "the" original case or "a" case!
We all have seen these cases for sale at gun shows, on auction sites and on Flea Bay every day. Now the fun begins(questions)! First there is no way of knowing, with any certainty and if at all, which type of case was shipped with the gun. A factory letter can possibly state your gun was shipped with a Presentation case, but it will not state which type of 4 different type liners the case may had in it. All 4 of these liner types had problems with longevity and are very difficult to find in good shape today. Flea Bay has these cases at auction and most of them need repair. Generally these auctions end somewhere in the amount of $350-$400, and still need repaired! I refurbish these cases, not restore them! I do not use the same materials to make the repairs as they did not last!
The next question that needs an answer is which type of liners could my N frame have come with! We are talking about N frame guns that have an "S" serial prefix, an "N" serial prefix, and at the end of the period of shipping guns in cases the "ABC" prefix! The next problem is these case liners were made barrel length specific and not all type liners were produced in all the barrel lengths available on the N frames models. A case will not increase the value of the package by the $400 stated above. However, it does add value to the gun as a package and usually about $100-$200, depending on which model of gun being sold.
IMHO, jcelect
The bottom line of all this is "Some's good, more's better, and too much is just right!"
"Some's good" means you've come upon a gun you've been huntin' for a spell.
"More's better" means THE box comes along with it.
"Too much is just right!" means, not only does THE box come with it; but so do all the tools (still in their original wrapper)---AND all the paperwork---AND the original shipping carton.
At this point, "God's in his heaven, and all's right with the world!"---you can die a happy man.
That's what it means to the REAL lunatic fringe collector.
Then there are just the regular, everyday lunatic fringe collectors. That means they have a lot of guns. You can figure they've been at it for a looooooooooong time, OR they're newcomers who've been spending money like drunken sailors!
As for me, I had some of THE boxes. ALL of them fit quite nicely in one of those rather small plastic storage containers---and it was upstairs in an attic "closet". The guns were downstairs in a display case. (I collected target guns---from the very beginning to the end of the "5 screws". A good 60% of my guns were pre-war. I had exactly TWO THE boxes for all those guns. That was all well and good---happy to have them---couldn't care less about all those I didn't have---and never would have.)
When my first THE box came along, my reaction was, "Now what in the world am I going to do with that-------I collect guns, not boxes!" I understood the value of the boxes----also the value of everything that came in them besides the gun-----but I didn't care that much about that stuff one way or the other----nice to have, but most certainly not need to have.
All this comes under the heading of "Different strokes for different folks".
I don't look down my nose at the folks who gotta have a box---and will happily settle for an A box. I might not understand them, but they're who they are, and what they like/don't like is their affair---and not mine.
There's plenty of room for all of us!
Ralph Tremaine
"Some's good" means you've come upon a gun you've been huntin' for a spell.
"More's better" means THE box comes along with it.
"Too much is just right!" means, not only does THE box come with it; but so do all the tools (still in their original wrapper)---AND all the paperwork---AND the original shipping carton.
At this point, "God's in his heaven, and all's right with the world!"---you can die a happy man.
That's what it means to the REAL lunatic fringe collector.
Then there are just the regular, everyday lunatic fringe collectors. That means they have a lot of guns. You can figure they've been at it for a looooooooooong time, OR they're newcomers who've been spending money like drunken sailors!
As for me, I had some of THE boxes. ALL of them fit quite nicely in one of those rather small plastic storage containers---and it was upstairs in an attic "closet". The guns were downstairs in a display case. (I collected target guns---from the very beginning to the end of the "5 screws". A good 60% of my guns were pre-war. I had exactly TWO THE boxes for all those guns. That was all well and good---happy to have them---couldn't care less about all those I didn't have---and never would have.)
When my first THE box came along, my reaction was, "Now what in the world am I going to do with that-------I collect guns, not boxes!" I understood the value of the boxes----also the value of everything that came in them besides the gun-----but I didn't care that much about that stuff one way or the other----nice to have, but most certainly not need to have.
All this comes under the heading of "Different strokes for different folks".
I don't look down my nose at the folks who gotta have a box---and will happily settle for an A box. I might not understand them, but they're who they are, and what they like/don't like is their affair---and not mine.
There's plenty of room for all of us!
Ralph Tremaine
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The most I'd give for a box is about 4K.
But what a package it made.....
I'm trying to remember that story, but didn't it end with the box being burned up in a plane crash...or something like that???
Thank you for your kind remarks - you are WAY too kind! It was my pleasure and delight to meet you and all of the other folks at the Symposium. It is one of my favorite events of the year. It is so much fun to be in a huge hotel conference room, surrounded by amazing displays, with the access to the most knowledgeable and passionate S&W collectors in the world.
My display table was just across the aisle from THE Schofield display, which presented the most amazing collection of a gun that I know very little about. How fun it was to be tutored and educated by someone who has spent many years collecting and becoming an expert on that historic revolver... And that was just one display. So many more stories I could tell about wonderful displays and even more wonderful displayers.
If you have not been to a SWCA Symposium and are a member of the SWCA, I would encourage you to attend this year in Tulsa. If you are not a member of the SWCA and you find your S&W interests growing, I would encourage you to join...and then go to the Symposium.
Good Lord, some of you guys have quite the collection. Sorry for the late reply but lets consider a plain Jane MINT 19-2 with ORIGINAL box. papers, tools VS same gun only? How much to add for original box, papers, and tools. It is a no brainer to me, but not sure what $ to add or subtract.
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EDIT: Responding to RKmesa's post (I screwed this up somehow)
When does the Museum open Richard? I'll be first in line!
Mike
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OutAtTheEdge
Member
Ummm, Richard? Any interest in adopting a 66 year old S&W fan?
Just wondering....
Just wondering....
I would be willing to pay and extra $100 for an average condition 19-2 with original box & acc. and up to $200 for a LNIB outfit. Plus the different values of the guns of course. 19-2 revolvers are , like me, getting pretty old and tough to find with all the original parts.
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