Tom D said
I used to own 684920. No, it did not have hand stamped martial markings.
Thank you Tom. This one does not either. This gun is the 2nd gun I have ever bought site unseen. It is also the 2nd gun I bought site unseen from Wards. I did call and ask questions though while he held the gun in his hands. Like the first one I bought, the condition is better than advertised. Based upon what I have heard and seen I got it for a moderate price. I prefer the WW I guns over WW II but I do wish it had the ordnance marks.
Chuck, I sold 684920 about seven years ago. The shotgun was in about 85-90% condition and the bayonet adaptor had the Patent mark with dates on it rather than the earlier “Pat Appl” mark.
Ten day wait period? You must be in California.
Post some photos when you get the trench gun.
deerhunter said
Very nice and sure looks much better in your photos. I think you got a great deal. The Ward’s photo is horrible…actually all of Ward’s photos are horrible. I bet their guns would sell for a lot more if they improved their photography and added more photos.
Don
Don’t tell them that. This was the 2nd gun I bought that is better than their pictures.
Thanks Bert.
On this topic, a few minutes ago, RIA sold their M1897 WWI Trench gun. Auction estimate was $5500 to $8500 and it hammered for $15,000. Add commission and tax and we’re talking some real money.
steve004 said
On this topic, a few minutes ago, RIA sold their M1897 WWI Trench gun. Auction estimate was $5500 to $8500 and it hammered for $15,000. Add commission and tax and we’re talking some real money.
Steve,
Not a big surprise when you factor in the graded condition of that gun.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
steve004 said
And another one just sold – hit the high estimate of the auction at $6500.
A WWII trench gun just sold at Little John’s auction last Tuesday for $2,200. Not the condition of the one at RIA. I didn’t bid on it but I was really thinking about it. It had an import mark that was so small that I doubt most did not even see it. My friend told me it was a local dealer and importer. You couldn’t make out some of the letters but there was enough for him to know.
I like the bayonet in the RIA photo. My friend showed me one of his this past week. Brand new. I didn’t realize that there was the distinctive black area at the base of the blade and the rest a frosty finish. He also showed me a brand new in the box with shipping papers 1911 A1 made by Remington. You could see the heat treat line on the slide. I love seeing stuff in original brand new condition.
A few years ago, I bought a near to mint WW1 M1897 Trenchgun. What set this apart from all those nice M1897’s that were sold in the Shotgun News
for $2,500 was the fact that mine was US marked. I had bought this shotgun from one of the biggest gun dealers of all, Felix Bedlan. I gave him $4,000 for it. I showed the gun to Mr. Archer of shotgun fame, and he told me it was the nicest US marked M1897 he had ever seen.
Long story short, I eventually sold the gun for $13,000, and now I am seeing a non US marked gun go for $15,000. The US markings up the value of these guns tremendously. Would not surprise me that my old gun is now worth $20,000. Oh well, you cannot keep them all. Big Larry
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