Got the beater on RIAC

[alvin]

Conehammer (CH) with thin receiver is relatively rare. A few hundred of those were made before the Turkisk contract. Most CH in the U.S. had provenance of British empire, but those British ones were after Turkish. Probably that's why early ones do not show up for sale here in the U.S. very often. Including this one, I have seen two for sale publicly in a few years. The other one was 98%, but that one was refurbished. This one fills one hole in the collection.

[padredan]

doesn't look like a beater to me, nice one.

[Edward Tinker]

I agree, looks nice to me!

[alvin]

That's comparing the condition with English Conehammers. British knew how to take care of guns, many Conehammers were preserved well in original shape. So we still see nice CH from time to time even after 100 years. The provenance of this one is unknown. Probably not English nor Irish.

[padredan]

It still looks very nice, congrats again on your find.

[alvin]

Thanks. Also watched a small ring C96 carbine, but that one is out of my affordable range (sold 30k before BP). Putting down three bids, only this one comes. Missed a very nice Japanese military Shin Gunto, also missed a miniature Thompson.

[pitsword]

Beautiful. Nice work Alvin. Thanks for sharing your collection and knowledge with us.

[alvin]

Originally Posted by postino

Alvin only collects the best...To him, this is a 'beater'...

For most small ring hammer variations, maybe that's true. Many of them survived. It's not hard to find a nice one. All I have to do was holding my other desires and saving money.

But some Broomhandle variations, regardless of condition, seldom show up. Flatside Bolo? Large Ring six-shot? Long barrel Royal? etc.... Too few were made initially. If they are in NRA Good condition, I will consider.

[alvin]

Actually, there is no rare gun. Only rare money

Looks like refurbished though.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=283200937

[alvin]

I never understand this. Quite a few documented C96 have refurbished recently in the past 20 years. Who cares that extra 10% condition? Many nice C96 were ruined this way.

Before internet era, I guess many collectors did not realize the importance of "keeping it as is".

[MikeP]

Agree.
I do not get the "restoration" craze that seems to be sweeping the hobby.

Guess I'm getting old.

[wlyon]

Me either Mike. I suppose in a few years the restorations will be sold as original linen drawer specials. Bill

[CJS57]

I don't get the refinishing craze either. Refinished or restored guns just have no history, no charm no charisma. I always want to sell them right away! I think this trend is because of "new" or even younger collectors who don't really "get it" yet. They think it is like cars where restored is ok.

[wlyon]

When we have someone who can restore like Thor it makes me realize why some like it. What a master craftsman!! Bill

[saab-bob]

Alvin
I watched the RIA auction this weekend as well.As usual, I didn't see many deals. Lots of so-so guns went for big money.
I do not understand what the attraction was for a Navy luger that went for 100k!? A nice cased luger carbine went for 20k,not bad.I guess it was refinished,however.

The old car hobby seems to be turning away from restoring every old car to better then factory new condition. Led by the Europeans,if a noteworthy car is found in unrestored (but well preserved condition),it is now considered bad form to restore it. There is now a preservation class at the Pebble Beach Concurs for unrestored cars. At some of the high end auto auctions,the well preserved cars are bringing all the money. The reasoning is the same for the cars as for the guns. You lose all sense of history of the item.
As the pundits say in the collector car hobby " a car is only original once!"
That being said,the collector gun hobby is truly blessed by having a Master Craftsman like Thor doing gun restorations. If he decided to restore old cars instead of guns,with his attention to detail and perfectionist attitude,he would be earning 100 times what he is earning now.
Bob

[alvin]

Bob, I agree that restoration makes sense in some scenarios. But for the above mentioned Large Ring Bolo listed on gunbroker.com, it's a perfect chance to look at "before" and "after".

"before" as printed on Erickson & Pate page 178 (bigger picture on page 182) was a 90% gun, refurbish a 90% to 98%, on such a rare variation,,,, that's beyond reasonable. That's not restoration. That's damage. Another example was the Conehammer on page 36. It's now also refurbished to 98%.

If it were a 1930 or postwar Bolo in poor shape, sure, restoration could be considered.

[saab-bob]

Alvin
I totally agree with you. Why take away the originality and history of a well cared for gun,just to make it more shiny???
That is what I was trying to say with my talking about the attitude changes in the collector car hobby with well preserved original cars.
Bob

[alvin]

Some items are good deal in Hermann-Historica.com yesterday.

Item #951 minty Imperial Stock sold 320 Euros. That's ~USD$520 BP included. Very fair. I had considered that one, and thought about online bidding... but I forgot that auction yesterday.

[alvin]

Received the conehammer.

It's a very honest gun inside and out, in "NRA Good" shape. The gun had its hammer broken in the past, and was replaced by a unnumbered one and put into service again. The bolt stop, sear spring, and disconnector are unnumbered as well, but the shape are period and fit well. The finish is original. The bore is good, matching overall condition.

It's interesting to note how hard it is to take the firing pin out, and even harder to put it back in due to the very strong firing pin return spring. Was this universal on low serial C96? I don't know. On 5 instances of later "Standard Conehammer" that I've gotten chance disassembled, removing and putting back firing pin was easier.

Will make an ammo with primer only to test how hard this hammer/firing pin hitting the primer.

[alvin]

Just got conehammer #973 from Julia. This pistol in the topic was #974. So they are consecutively numbered! They must be made in the same day in 1897. After 116 years, they re-united again.

#973 loses all its finish, no blue left, and the stock is a replacement. But unlike many other poor Mausers that I have met, it does not have rust or serious defects on the steel. The whole pistol is covered by patina, and looks much better than seller's photos suggest.