Does anyone else have memories of the “Ye Olde Hunter” centre spread adverts in Guns circa 1960?

He was offering surplus service rifles, Vetterlis, Egyptian Remingtons and the like at $9.95 each.

In addition to the above catch phrase, did he coin the no doubt libellous “hardly used - only dropped twice” about some nation’s service rifles?

I thought of his adverts recently when I saw this offering Lot 371 in Southams sale on 8th June next:-

(S58) A cased pair of 18 bore percussion pistols by Hamburger & Co., each with a 7½ ins damascus twist octagonal barrel, the top flat inscribed London and the breech with platinum line inlay, both fullstocked with horn tip and a captive steel ramrod, the scroll engraved locks with side safety (1 a/f) and inscribed with maker's name, engraved hammers (the other a/f), engraved trigger guards with a pineapple finial and a chequered bag shaped butt with inset silver oval, in their fitted case with accoutrements comprising spring clamp, bullet mould, brass mounted rammer with worm, ebony handled nipple key, J. Barlow copper and brass powder flask. Hamburger & Co. gunmakers are recorded at 30 Kings Street, Covent Garden, London 1812-26
Estimate
£1,200 - £1,800

Buyer's premium: 21.00%

I spent many hours in my youth reading those ads. In my later years, I spent many hours in the Ye Olde Hunter retail establishment, wondering how I could get one of those cannons attached to the trailer hitch of my Suburban. Unfortunately, I didn't have a pintile hook on my vehicle. However, I made some great buys for my shotgun and ammunition collections from the inside of the store. I miss that place.

I wish i had ordered several of those Luger pistols shipped directly to my home! Bobby

On this side of the pond I was not in a position to order from him, but I did buy a few years later from a U.K. army surplus dealer a No. 4T ( in chest, with matching No. 32 sight etc.) for £22/10/-. I think Ye Olde Hunter described them as Royal Enfield, confusing RSAF Enfield with the motor bike maker.

One of a long list of guns and rifles I never should have sold.

About 1957 or 1958 I bought my first antique rifle from him. Egyptian rolling block for the $9.95 and it was delivered Railroad Express! That seems like a different century, well, I guess it was. Never shot it because I didn’t have any ammunition, but I did treasure it and sure wish I had it back!

While in the back area of the depot I well remember being fascinated watching the telegraph operator keying in his code (we ranched outside a small town). He was sending messages as easily as I am typing this. All gone now……progress?

2nd page
https://gunsmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/G0658.pdf

Thanks Drew,

I had forgotten his prices started as low as $5.58!

Thanks for the 1958 issue of GUNS -- a real visit to yesteryear. About that time I was a college kid who scraped $35 together and ordered a .45 ACP/AR caliber 1917 Colt revolver, Parkerized and marked "US Property," from Ye Olde Hunter, aka Hunter's Haven. They sent it through the US mail, no questions asked. Yes, those were the good old days!

Many years later, after retirement, i worked part-time for Legacy Sports, the successor to Interarms, which was housed in the warehouse next to Hunters Haven, and got to know John Richards and his son Steve, who ran YOH/HH. John was full of great stories of buying WWII relics by the barrel from Sam Cummings of Interarms, unloading surplus parts and ammo from freight cars on the railroad tracks that ran down Union Street in Alexandria at the time. The shop and warehouse are long gone, gentrified into an upscale hotel and restaurant the last time I looked. Tempus fugit, and all that...

Thanks Drew, Lion hunting with Elmer Keith for the bonus

The cased pair of Hamburger pistols mentioned at the start of this thread just went for a hammer price of £1,700 plus 21% buyer’s commission so £2,057 to get them out of the room.

Also my thanks to Drew - further down is an advert for Bausch & Lomb and their great scopes.

When I bought my Savage 99 in .300 Savage it turned up with a 'funny' scope - no turrets. Turned out it is a BalVar 2.5 - 4 power scope, state of the art 1955.
The price of $90 plus taxes seems like a lot back then, but it still works beautifully now.

HB