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Old Colt 1911-new in box...

TBWTBW Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
edited October 2001 in Ask the Experts
My father-in-law just told me he has an original Colt .45 1911 from WW1 OR WW2, new in the box, unfired. I do have the serial number (Haven't seen the pistol, YET) but am wondering what the value of something like this is worth. If someone could help me out here I'd appreciate it.
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Comments

  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What are the #s?Just XX out the last two.cpermd
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  • TBWTBW Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The serial # is 91527
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  • TBWTBW Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The serial # is 91527
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  • nmyers@home.comnmyers@home.com Member Posts: 205 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That would mean that it was made in 1914. If it is really new-in-box, it could sell in the $2-3,000 range.Of course, the box and paperwork would help to determine if it is original. If it is refinished, or, worse, a fake, it is worth substantially less.Neal
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  • AntiqueDrAntiqueDr Member Posts: 691 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If there is no "C" in front of the serial number, then it would be a military model and substantially less likely to be found new-in-the-box. I would be exceptionally skeptical of such a claim - but if true, I would add 50-75% to the previous $ amount.
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  • SNIPER1048SNIPER1048 Member Posts: 144 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    TBW: BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXP. IT MIGHT BE WORTH HAND CARRYING THIS 45 TO A KNOWLEABLE DEALER WHO YOU CAN TRUST FOR AN ACCURATE APP.YOU DIDN'T SAY WHERE YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW IS BUT BASED ON INFO. IS THIS THING LOCKED UP SOME PLACE SAFE? HE COULD BE LOOKING AT ONE OF HIS GRANDKIDS COLLEGE EDUCATION MONEY.ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO; A GOOD GUY THAT I WORKED WITH SAID THAT HE HAD TWO LUGERS THAT HIS GRAND FATHER LEFT HIM. COULD I TAKE LOOK AT THEM AND TELL HIM WHAT THEY WOULD BE WORTH.SO I BRING MY BLUE BOOK AND LUGER INFO. AND HE SHOWS THEM TO ME. GRAND FATHER TOOK THESE FROM DEAD GERMAN OFFICER DURING BATTLE OF BULDGE. MATCHED SET BY SAME MANUFACTURER. ONE IN STD. 9MM; THE OTHER A BABY LUGER IN .30 LUGER THAT YOU KEPT IN YOUR BOOT AS BACK UP.SOME BODY HAD THESE MADE UP FOR HIS PERSONAL USE. I COULDN'T ID THEM EXCEPT FOR MANUFACTURER. SO WE CARRIED THESE TO A LUGER DEALER IN N. ILL. HE TOOK DIGITAL PIC'S AND SENT THEM TO A DEALER IN GERMANY. WE WERE NOT READY FOR ANSWER! ILL. DEALER SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO SELL HIS HOUSE IN ORDER TO BUY THEM. HE SAID TO TAKE THEM TO ONE OF THE BIG AUCTION HOUSES IN NY. TRY ALMOST SIX FIGURES!! THEY ARE NOW LOCKED UP IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN BANK WAITING FOR THE OWNERS RETIREMENT. I COULD HAVE BOUGHT THEM BOTH FOR $ 1000 AND HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY. BUT I AM TOO HONEST FOR MY OWN GOOD. BUT PROMISED ME 10% WHEN HE DOSE SELL.
    "START THE BALL ROLLING THERE, TECTOR"[This message has been edited by SNIPER1048 (edited 10-06-2001).]
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with the Doctor that it is very unlikely to find a military pistol "new-in-the-box." I know of none that were shipped in individual boxes. As far as I know, all military contract pistols were shipped in crates of hundreds of pistols at a time. There are two possibilities of why this pistol is in a box. First, it may have been placed in a box by someone for storage or shipping. (A description of the box would be helpful.) Kraft boxes are commonly sold and represented as military boxes, but I do not know the story on such boxes. (I think they may be DCM boxes.) My knowledge is not extensive on military contract pistols so I suppose it is possible that there were some that were "special-ordered" as replacements or VIP pistols, etc. that were shipped individually. I doubt it and have never heard of such a thing, but one never says never with Colts.My guess is that this may be a DCM pistol, and I would further speculate that it is a WWII rebuild of a WWI pistol. If so, the WWI blue finish will be replaced by a WWII parkerized finish. What is the finish? What is the style of the grips? ("Diamond" around the screws or fully checkered or?)If this is a DCM-rebuilt WWI pistol in its original DCM shipping box (with matching numbers, etc.), it is still a nice package, but its value is probably $1000 to $1500, maybe a little more to some. If it is some kind of "one-of-a-kind" original WWI pistol, I have no idea of its value, but I would assume in the tens of thousands. A factory letter would be worth the $100 on something like this. My bet is DCM without more information.[This message has been edited by JudgeColt (edited 10-06-2001).]
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  • TBWTBW Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you to everyone for your comments ! Keep the ideas coming and when I have a look at it (possibly today), I'll let everyone know.
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  • TBWTBW Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you to everyone for your comments ! Keep the ideas coming and when I have a look at it (possibly today), I'll let everyone know.
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