Reputation of Gun Auction Houses

[scubatke]

Do the auction houses (Amoskeag. Morphy, Rock Island) make any effort to keep the fakes out or are they a free for all?

Are there any that are better/worse than others?

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[Neal Myers]

I think all of the auction houses try to describe items accurately. Most (all?) will give a refund if you are unhappy, regardless of their written policy. (You may still have to eat 2-way shipping.)

But, one person, or even a team, can't be an expert on everything. I think that, on certain expensive items, fakes & restorations are not uncommon. Most experts that I know will tell you that they can't authenticate anything unless they do a "hands on" inspection. But, most auction houses don't post the 10-20 photos, including macro close ups, that I need to come even close to deciding whether or not to bid on anything. The photos posted by sellers on Gunbroker are often far better than those posted by auction houses.

My thought is, if you want to buy a high dollar investment quality firearm, YOU have to be an expert on that particular gun. And, you need to do a hands on inspection before the auction. Otherwise, your heirs may be disappointed when they sell off the contents of your safe.

Neal

[ChipS]

My thought is, if you want to buy a high dollar investment quality firearm, YOU have to be an expert on that particular gun. And, you need to do a hands on inspection before the auction. Otherwise, your heirs may be disappointed when they sell off the contents of your safe.

I think that is pretty good advice - and 'high dollar' is strictly a personnal issue for each of us.

[wtmr]

I think all of the auction houses try to describe items accurately. Most (all?) will give a refund if you are unhappy, regardless of their written policy. (You may still have to eat 2-way shipping.)

But, one person, or even a team, can't be an expert on everything. I think that, on certain expensive items, fakes & restorations are not uncommon. Most experts that I know will tell you that they can't authenticate anything unless they do a "hands on" inspection. But, most auction houses don't post the 10-20 photos, including macro close ups, that I need to come even close to deciding whether or not to bid on anything. The photos posted by sellers on Gunbroker are often far better than those posted by auction houses.

My thought is, if you want to buy a high dollar investment quality firearm, YOU have to be an expert on that particular gun. And, you need to do a hands on inspection before the auction. Otherwise, your heirs may be disappointed when they sell off the contents of your safe.

Neal

Great advice. Too many restored guns with fake parts today to bid on any gun that does have either great fotos or have not do done the hand inspection.