Life is full of little moments of sadness. For me, one comes every time that I fold laundry and come across a sock without a partner. Balance is not restored to the universe until I find that missing sock.
Here is my situation: After a 15+ year hiatus, I re-launched my antique gun business. That was back in February. My biz is now called Elk Creek Company. I sell a lot of antique guns, and more than half of those are pre-1899 revolvers. Only a few of those guns are still paired with original boxes. I realize that most of the boxes were discarded long ago, but I know that somewhere out there are a lot of boxes without revolvers, to match. Over the years of these fairly sturdy little cardboard and very sturdy wooden boxes have been put other uses: jewelry boxes, pencil boxes, and so forth. Do you have one lurking in a desk or dresser drawer?
Here are some examples of what I’m looking for. I’m a buyer of boxes for any of the following gun brands:
- Smith & Wesson (S&W)
- Colt
- Hopkins & Allen
- Stevens
- Iver Johnson
- Forehand & Wadsworth
- Forehand Arms
- U.S. Arms Company
- Briggs & Hopkins
- Merwin, Hulbert
- Merwin & Bray
- Harrington & Richardson
- Marlin
- Remington
- Young America
- Allen & Wheelock
- Ethan Allen
- Chicago Firearms
- Dictator
- Manhattan
- Empire Arms
- Favorite
- Federal Arms
- American Bulldog
- Boston Bulldog
- Frontier Bulldog
- Bulldog
- Bacon Arms
- Spencer Safety Hammerless
- Bicycle
- Metropolitan Police
- Safety Police
- Adams
- Webley
- Gaulois
- Mauser
- Kolibri
- …and many others
The colors of the cardboard boxes vary widely: Black, maroon, blue, red, and even lime green. Both the wooden and cardboard boxes are most desirable if they still have their original dividers.
So I’m writing this as an appeal to my readers: I’m a cash buyer of any pre-1920 pistol and revolver boxes in decent condition. As with all other antique items, the price that I’m will to pay depends upon condition. And note that I’m also willing to take them in trade, on any of my other merchandise.
A special note: DO NOT “repair” boxes with broken corners with Scotch tape or glue. They are best left “as-is”, since such repairs ruin their collector’s value.
Even more scarce is finding original pre-1920 factory rifle and shotgun boxes and any factory sales rack “hang tags”. I of course also buy those!
Lastly, I also buy both wooden and skeleton shoulder stocks for revolvers, single-shot pistols, and early automatic pistols–especially Broomhandle Mausers. If you have one of those stocks that is without a partner, then drop me a line! Here are some examples of what they look like:
Please let me know what you have available, via e-mail. Many Thanks, – JWR