North American Arms sighting

[Johnny Peppers]

North American Arms did have a contract to build the 1911 pistol during WWI, but none were completed before the war ended. Just like the other WWI contractors that did not deliver any pistols, the contract was cancelled with the end of the war. The specimens seen today were made up following WWI.
As to prices, a year of so back a British proofed Singer in really nice condition but with an incorrect magazine sold at auction for $80,500 including the buyer's premium. A lesser condition Singer with an incorrect magazine and barrel sold for somewhere in the $60/70,000 range.

[Duane Hansen]

The NAA that I saw in Reno was for sale for $18,000. It had very little finish left. As far as Singer 1911A1 pistols go, I believe a very nice one sold last year in the $70,000 to $80,000 range if my memory serves me. It is impossible to compare apples to apples here, but my money is still on the Singers as far as disireability goes. This is only my opinion though.

[browningautorifle]

My question remains, has anyone seen a NAA for sale and if so how long has it been since that?? How much$$$

[Rob Greer]

Logic would have the prices of NAA's higher then Singer's because of the scarcity of the pieces. But the market for these pieces has been a very different story.

Bottom line is the values of these rare pieces depend on what people are willing to pay for them. The recent Singer sales I know of have all been well north of $50,000 - with exceptional pieces pushing $85k to $90k. NAA's that I know have sold recently have sold quietly through private hands and were significantly less money... in the $20k +/- with a 90% for a little more than $30k. So, more people desire the Singer than NAA for whatever reason.

[browningautorifle]

So if a rough NAA sold for $18,000, then what would a nice one go for? There aren't enough around to be sure. Has anyone seen a good one sell?? If so, how much$$$? What year was that?

[browningautorifle]

I kind of messed up my posts guys, sorry bout that!!

[Rob Greer]

Most North Americans are not in very good condition... at least not the ones I have seen either in person or in print. The one at (I believe) the Citadel in Quebec is the nicest one I have seen... with original finish. The finish on these pistols tended to flake off much like a Black Army looses it's finish. If you look at the picture posted of that pistol in Quebec, you can see some of the flaking at the muzzle end of the slide. Typically, this flaking is all over. I guess this is a long winded way of saying that there are not many very nice examples left. I know one sold at Rock Island Acution (last year, I think) for $32k... it was in 90% or so condition. There have been refinished examples, but I never did check to see how much they brought.

[Scott Gahimer]

I believe the primary reason Singers have always sold at higher prices than the NAA pistols is because Singers are military pistols, and the NAA, while contracted to be a military pistol...isn't. As Johnny notes, they were completed post-WWI and sold commercially.

Technically the NAA is therefore not an M1911, as M1911 is a military pistol that was accepted by the U.S. Gov't.

Even some Singers that were not accepted by the government have sold for healthy amounts of money in the last few years. I don't believe they are worth what some people paid for them because they, too, are technically not a military pistol, but their values are probably carried by the values of the military Singers.

Either way, a nice original NAA is a desirable piece. They're just not desired by as many collectors as are the Singers...and apparently not as desirable, based on the prices paid.

In the last 15 years, the Singers have appreciated at a much faster rate than the NAA pistols. In the mid-1990s a nice Singer was about $20K. A really nice NAA (if you could find one) brought about $12-15K. Today Singers are 3-1/2 times the price of the '90s. The NAA has perhaps appreciated to the $20-30K range for a really nice one. Those not really nice don't seem to apprecaite much at all...unlike a Singer. Even ratty Singers have appreciated to beyond what a nice NAA normally brings.

It is all about supply and demand...with an emphasis on demand.

[emmagee1917]

Ok , think of this. You have one of these two pistols in mint condition. Your best friend comes into the other one , also in mint condition , and asks you if you'll trade straight across. You jump at the chance.

What did you end up with? Chris

Me? A Singer.

[Rob Greer]

The above scenario is one you can't loose! ... having a North American is not bad for "second place"!