well I got a email the other day from an interested party and have been communicating for the last few days about it, now the guy wants to buy it! I haven't really been trying to get much exposure from it because I had no documentation. But ever since I had those pictures with the anchor ladies, I thought maybe with some news media exposure, but she's on vacation. I might of found out it might be worth more than I am selling it for ($1500.) then again maybe not. but this guy says he's already sending me a cashiers check. In a way I'm getting kind of cold feet I've had that baby for over 20 years, but on the other hand, I'm getting kind of excited! seems kind of hard to believe, I guess I will believe it when I see the check in my hand.
Or for some of you, and the gun slingers, do you think I sold it to cheap or am I getting away good?
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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1,500? Dude, a generic, run -of -the mill, ok condition Civil War muzzle loader goes for $1,500. And there are THOUSANDS of those laying around. Have you ever had it appraised by a dealer? I'd have to think the thing is worth at LEAST 5 grand. Get a good appraisale before you let it go for $1,500.
-------------------- Mark Rogan The Great Barrington Sign Company 2 Stilwell Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230 mark@gbsignco.com
"Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of fonts" Posts: 332 | From: Great Barrington, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Seriously, Cisco, Mark is 100% right. You need to find a competent appraiser, like the guys on Antiques Roadshow on PBS. There is a reason this guy is chomping at the bit to get that pistol....it's too cheap! He'll most likely turn around and sell it for triple the money. Love...Jill (I would feel creepy about owning that thing! )
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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I'm along with everyone else...get an appraisal. YOu never know, some buyer at one of the big auction houses may have a market and be able to sell it for 10's of thousands...we just don't know what collector's are willing to pay.
Send the guys check back with an apology. He is probably sitting on pins and needles waiting to see if you will actually sell it or change your mind.
If I had 1500. I'd buy just ot take the chance that its worth lots.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Wow, thank you so much for the feed back. Check it out I even got a call from back east, Bob Rochon from MA talked to me about the piece, I had to get my magnafying glass to see I misspelled Worester wrong I had a H, but that's cool, because now I know many weapons were made there in that area. Thanks Bob and great talking with you. The history you can learn here huh. Kind of like when I met P-King in Birmingham AL, he took me to where the soldiers used to make cannon balls in the hidden hills for the war in the south, now a big flea market, etc. (cool place!) Ok an update, I found an appraiser, I'll meet with him tomorrow, we'll see if making an apology letter might be needed, I might need your help Laura. I also called the newspaper to let them know about this piece. To let you know what homework I have done on this piece, I have contacted newspapers in different states, different reporters. writers on books on B&C, Whiskey Pete's outside of Las Vegas, where the car they got shot in is on display, no dice, without papers no buy period! I been around researching hours and hours trying. It's actually a job. and now I have a buyer who's ready to buy, but now when you look at the gun it in your possesion "it kind of makes you wonder?" (Look out Jill, it could get trippy, Bonnie might come in your dream and ask you what did you mean by that?) I don't want to trip to hard but tomorrow I'll have some new info and make my decision...
after I read the post Bob, yeah, the guy wants me to insurance it for (US) $3,000.
[ June 02, 2004, 09:49 PM: Message edited by: FranCisco Vargas ]
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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and get several appraisers to check it out.......even without documentation, it will go for well over 1500.
I can check into several reliable people that "know" what they're talking about if ya want me to...........there's a couple of them in the Fresno area too.
..cj
PS.........Proper Documentation is possible to get if you want.........
[ June 02, 2004, 09:57 PM: Message edited by: CJ Allan ]
-------------------- CJ Allan CJs Engraving 982 English Dr. Hazel, KY 42049
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apology letter?... just tell him, WHAT!!!! $1500?? WHAT KIND OF INSULT IS THAT!!! Can't you tell a typo when you see one on something this valuable?? who do think I am 15K or forget it dude!
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Are you loco? Don't sell that gun. Put it in a safty deposit box. That gun in real history. But if you really want to sell it, put it up for $50,000.00, Cash! Maybe some rich colector will buy it. But don't sell it cheap. And forget about an appraiser, you want a buyer who is really out of they mind crazy for that gun. And who will pay anything to get it.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3814 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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Cisco, you have received some very valuable advice, follow it. If you're serious about selling the pistol, I'd contact the manufactor of the weapon and have them direct you to a qualified and honorable appraiser. There is a serious hi-end gun show yearly in Reno, I've sold some hi-dollar artwork there. It's coming up in July, might be worth checking out if your seriously thinking of selling pistol. What is problem with obtaining paperwork on it? Is it in any photos of them? Are you sure it's the one? That's happened before. Also, as public as this forum is, don't you now worry about those out here that might want it more than you? I'd give it a good oiling and lock it up, save it for a rainy day, even w/o docs, it will fetch a pretty penny. Unless you would consider loaning it to a serious gun collector such as myself? No? thought so, had to try....
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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If you really want the money, put it on Ebay with a reserve of 10,000... You never know what's out there, but it'll only cost you $2 to find out.
-------------------- Mike O'Neill
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. - Arthur C. Clarke
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NEVER.......NEVER sell anything without knowing its value!!!! A true story! I took digital photos of an old Pershain helmet for a friend of mine to put on Ebay. It was in his grand mother's attic and they were cleaning out the house to sell it. Well, he put it on Ebay, called me a week later all excited. Sold it for $2,000.00. After the person drove up from NJ to pick it up in person, he started thinking..........took all the photos to an appraiser in Syracuse, 80 miles away (an expert in helmets) and guess what! Because he didn't have the helmet in hand, he gave a rough appraisal............$58,000.00 to $65,000.00!!!!!! Now he knows why the guy that bought it drove up at night to get it!!!
-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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AMEN Tony, Thats what I was trying to say. FranCisco, unless you are hard for money, keep it for your kids (if you have them). If not keep it for me. hehe
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Ok well, here's a mini update, I did meet with one appraiser, said "very interesting" but couldn't give me an appraisal on the gun without any proof. So I went to another appraiser, I said about the guy who wants to buy it and also wanting me to insure it for $3,000. he rose his eyebrows and said you could have something, but then again it could be a fake. And if you return the check, you loose out on $1500. Sort of a tough call, but he said he would make some calls and find out something. Far as eBay, weapons can not be sold there. Thanks for all your info and feed back, I'll do somemore checking, lot of time involved in this, but who knows huh?
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Cisco...... Like Magoo said.. Take the thing up to Reno next month to the annual "Custom Gun Makers Guild" in conjunction with the "Firearms Engravers Guild" and talk to some of those guys........they will definatly point you in the right direction at the very least....!! Besides.....ya might pick up some good work while you're there..............and at the very least....You will see some of the finest custom firearms you'll ever come across in your life..........
It's right around the corner timewise, and just a hop, skip, and jump from ya any-damn-ways.....
.......cj
-------------------- CJ Allan CJs Engraving 982 English Dr. Hazel, KY 42049
Bring to mazeppa next year and ask the Banker(Aka The "Gun Slinger") how much it would be...He deals guns all day long...sometimes he even deals in bank loans!!
Wanna go to Australia and New Zealand with me?
If you can't get rid of the gun, bring it here to Glesga Scotland to a fine shopping centre known as "The Barras" ask anyone who has been here.....
Have fun man....bye amigo
-------------------- Mike Meyer Sign Painter 189 1st Ave n P.O. Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956
We are not selling, we are staying here in Mazeppa....we cannot re-create what we have here....not in another lifetime! SO Here we are!!!!!!!
posted
well here's another piece of info, No one wants to appraise this baby. From one of the appraisers, got to hear some stories of Jesse James pistol that sold for about $75,000. Ripley's bought it because of the word from one of Jesse's family member, said as a kid rememebr about the gun. I did find a big dealer auction place in San Francisco guy name Greg Martin, from what I hear he's the one who sold Whiskey Pete's their collection of B & C. I made some calls to him, but form I hear he's right in the middle of a huge world wide gun show action in Frisco this Monday, I doubt he will have time to call me, if he does maybe he could give me some direction. I know what you folks mean about "don't sell it" wait it out. No I am not hurting for cash, sure I would love to have some extra. This also happened today, I got an disturbing email about canceling, since I made a "gentleman agreement" and settled on the price that it would be "Pretty Low" to back out. If I had doubts about the price I shouldn't have agreed. This evening a friend stopped by and I had to have a cold one to smooth out my path. He had asked me "what's your gut feeling" dDo you think you have something or not? I said yes "I do feel like I have somethig" but another thing also happened during this researching I went to the Newspaper, with the wooden box and some of the paper work I showed you folks here, at the front desk, I ask to speak with an editor, was told I have to make an appointment. I said if you could mention I have a story about Bonnie and Clyde's pistol they might be interested in, so they were looking at the paper work, and asked is there a gun in that box?" I said yes. and opened it for them with the top brake open like the photo, is it loaded? they were already on the phone with security "there is a gentleman in the lobby with a gun!" I reopened the box and showed them it wasn't loaded, they called security and mentioned that. Also said a reporter was coming down. I left the box at the counter, and went to sit down and told them I was going to relax, so they could be at ease till he arrived. The reporter listens and reads and comes up with the same BullS*%@ as everyone else, "if you had documentation we would be knocking on your door for the story, but an "iffy" story we cannot print. I said "if I had documentation, I wouldn't be here, I would have sold this baby for $50,000. Thanks Alicia, that's always been my favorite number.
I did contact some of the people mentioned here, but no answers. To go to the gun show is not a bad idea, I'll keep it in mind. Mike, can't say at this present moment about going down under with the Auzzies, sounds good! anyway folks I'm beat and going to crash...and that was what part of my day was like, how was yours??
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Hey Cisco! I'm not on the puter much and just saw this thread! I emailed ya and put the word out! Sincerely, Bobby Supporting Member: NRA (Natl Rifle Assoc) GOA (Gun Owners of America) NWTF (Natl Wild Turkey Fed) NAHC (North American Hunting Club) TNUSA (Ted Nugents Sportsmen of America)
-------------------- AirbrushBobby.com Clearwater, FL The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.1Cor1:18 “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord”Rom6:23 Posts: 505 | From: Clearwater Florida USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
I've had that baby for over 20 years, but on the other hand, I'm getting kind of excited! ![[Applause]](graemlins/clap.gif)
seems kind of hard to believe, I guess I will believe it when I see the check in my hand. 
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[FYI]](graemlins/fyi.gif)
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