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Guy wants to sell me these 1860 Engraved Colts

altnuttaltnutt Member Posts: 80
edited October 2011 in Ask the Experts
Hello,

Reaching out for some professional help on these. Guy wants to sell me his pair of Colt SAAs engraved he says by Tiffany & Co, in the box as you can see. What do you all think by these pictures? I snapped some quick pictures. He told me they are museum quality and they look it. They are pretty amazing, the scenes of war are perfect quality. There are eagles on the bottoms of the grips, could be silver I imagine. What do you all think these should sell for? Anyone know of an auction where something like this has come up?

Sorry about picture quality I did it by my cell phone.
Colt-3.jpg
Colt-2.jpg
Colt-1.jpg

Comments

  • badsbsnf81badsbsnf81 Member Posts: 768
    edited November -1
    Depends on the price. I wouldn't touch them without a letter from Colt or Tiffany.
  • stegsteg Member Posts: 871 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If Genuine, a cased pair of engraved Tiffany armies are in the $100,000 class. Be very careful, regardless of their sale price. There are many phony guns of this type out there- even in original cases with original accoutrements, and forged Colt and Tiffany letters....and, the current owner may not know their set is phoney! Do not even put a deposit on them until you get them looked at by a professional. I would recommend Herb Glass, Jr., or Vinnie Caponi, both of whom have sites on the internet. The cost of having them come to handle and see the guns will be cheap-either way- to find that the guns are genuine or false.
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with the previous poster, with out ironclad authentication they are just neat looking percussion revolvers, (not SSA's, by the way). I would do the research though, i.e. documentation from Colt & Tiffany. If the seller knows that their not the real Mccoy he wouldn't have second thoughts about phoney Colt and Tiffany letters.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    The more money an original item is worth . The more likely someone will spend big bucks to Fake an reproduction item to look original. No one is going to spend money to Fake a GLOCK That includes Fake letters to go with the pistols. Because someone will tell you they are worth $$50,000 don't jump on the chance to buy for $10,000. Do high ends guns show up for sale without the owner knowing their value YES but it is a Long Shot.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,875 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Doesn't pass the smell test.

    No one says, "I want to sell you a (very expensive) gun; make me an offer." It sounds like the seller is trying to find out how much money you have, & that will determine how much is willing to sell them for.

    Neal
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are the screws on the box hinge steel and the hinge brass? Something about that combination does not look right.
  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Beautiful but steel screws on case hinges don't look aged (wouldn't be plated) and case doesn't have a slot for paper cartridge box.
    I'd be suspicious
  • thunderboltthunderbolt Member Posts: 6,038 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Maybe it is just the quality of the photos, but the loading lever looks like a cheap gold wash has been done.
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    That guy on the TV show would jump on them. Look what he paid for that letter about the Colt revolver.
  • KnifecollectorKnifecollector Member Posts: 3,270 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm thinking the flask should be marked COLTS, and the nipple wrench should be iron. It looks like a new case. I feel sure the guns didn't leave the factory in that condition.
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    Here's a genuine Tiffany Colt in the Gene Autry Museum. The grips look identical to yours so, if it's fake, somebody did one hell of a job recreating them. However, you definitely want to get it authenticated beyond any reasonable doubt before investing in it.

    May I ask how much the seller is asking for it?

    NOTE: Threads get locked after 10 replies. Please start a new thread titled something like "Tiffany Colt Part 2".

    http://theautry.org/the-colt-revolver-in-the-american-west/tiffany-grips?artifact=87.118.40

    87_118_40detail1.jpg?width=640&height=342
    87_118_40detail3.jpg?width=640&height=479
  • USN_AirdaleUSN_Airdale Member Posts: 2,987
    edited November -1
    just tell the "guy" they are FAKE, revolvers, flask , nipple wrench, etc., the mold block may be the only original piece in the whole set, just offer him $2,500.00 and closely observe his reaction, i am no expert, just 5 years as a partner in a gun shop, i have handled and seen some original colts and this entire set up just don't look original.

    go here to observe some examples of ORIGINAL Colt 1860 revolvers

    http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/show_inventory.php?catID=13&subcatID=151
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by USN_Airdale
    just tell the "guy" they are FAKE, revolvers, flask , nipple wrench, etc., the mold block may be the only original piece in the whole set, just offer him $2,500.00 and closely observe his reaction, i am no expert, just 5 years as a partner in a gun shop, i have handled and seen some original colts and this entire set up just don't look original.

    go here to observe some examples of ORIGINAL Colt 1860 revolvers

    http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/show_inventory.php?catID=13&subcatID=151

    I have no doubt that those are original 1860 Colt revolvers and would happily double your offer given the opportunity. The question at hand is whether they are genuine Tiffany Colts which requires further research.
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