Reports of the death of the double gun market are greatly exaggerated.
The numbers of Parker’s or Winchester M21’s for sale are quite small in relation to the numbers produced and surviving. Fine guns are often owned by older shooters who can afford them. The market has always turned over due to age and death. I suspect that old editions of SHOTGUN NEWS or the later GUN LIST would show similar numbers 20-40 years ago. It is possible that due to INCREASED prices and availability of information relating to these prices that non shooting heirs move collections at a higher rate than in the past.
Also, fine gun owners today are often well aware that their heirs are not in a position to market their collections at favorable prices so they do so prior to passing. I suspect that in the past fine gun owners had little more interest in the value of their guns than they did their family silver or Packard automobile.
The internet has educated sellers and freed up some inventory no doubt.
Quality will retain value. Sale of QUALITY shotguns will ebb and flow just as other art forms do. The trends will be upward.
The education of the buying public will lower the prices of low quality guns this will include worn or abused guns, low grade hardware store guns, about all American guns other than Parker or Winchester 21’s. High grade Parker’s, small bore Parker’s and pristine M 21’s will continue to climb. Fox, LC Smith, Ithaca, LeFever and various other guns have been overpriced for many years. The cult like following of a couple of authors (who incidentally owned no fine guns apparently) pushed prices beyond reason for some poorly designed and cheaply built American guns. The “high grade” examples of these guns are exactly like the lesser grades beneath the surface. Stocks and springs break in the same places at similar rates. Expect some correction in those to continue.
The vast majority of doom and gloom I hear comes from people who don’t own fine guns and seem resentful of those who do. They appear to relish the plummeting prices they predict. Sorry, it’s just not happening in truly fine guns.
In no particular order the market will be sustained or increased for
pristine guns, small bore guns, long barreled guns, high grade guns. By name think Boss, Holland and Purdey. American guns Parker and Winchester M 21. There are other fine English guns but they will almost certainly drop regardless of quality.
I also wonder why we focus so much on price. The cost of a truly fine gun seldom exceeds the cost of a couple of first rate shooting trips. The buyers of motorcycles, boats, SUV’s, motorhomes and other luxury items of a recreational nature expect rapid depreciation and certainly get it. Fine guns will outperform these items which is not saying much of course.
BTW, I’m looking for a 32” Parker 28 bore gun in B grade or higher in the event I’m wrong it should be easy to find.
