I agree with Jim. Americans are obsessed with as-original antiques and collectibles. Europeans are meticulous about annual scheduled maintenance and touch-ups every year are to be expected.
I personally like to buy shotguns that are "living legends" in that they are built like Swiss watches and would cost in today's dollars, about $100k-$250k when new 100 years ago. I like them "ruined" (restored) because it liberates me to use them in the field without worrying about natural wear and tear. Every so many years I'll have the stock touched up or some other detail reworked without fear of negative financial impact.
Put simply: Restored or not-quite-original English shotguns are an incredible value and are meant to be used and worn, properly serviced and repaired, and then used again.
I remember going to a car show years ago where I looked at a bunch of old rust buckets with gold ribbons and trophies adjacent to the cars. It was the "unrestored, original condition" section. While it got many ooohs and aaahs from some people, the fully restored section that contained cars that looked like they just came off the assembly line was far more inspiring to me. It's just a preference and I'm sure many people on this forum will disagree.
Last edited by Rookhawk; 12/21/11 04:53 PM.
