doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com J.C. Devine Auctions

Gentlemens:

Have any of you good folk done any busines with J.C. Devine Inc.? http://www.jcdevine.com/index.htm
They have an item up for auction that I am having impure thoughts about. Are the discriptions reasonably accurate? How about the estimated selling prices? Anything?

Much obliged,

Glenn

I've checked out their stuff, but never bought from them.

That being said, I would never by sight unseen from any auctioneer - period. I've seen too many creative descriptions to trust them, even from people with great reputations.

OWD

BTW: If there's something there you want, I can put you in touch with a 'smith who can inspect it for you. He usually heads over there to inspect stuff for clients. I'm not sure what he charges, but it's money well spent.

Caviat Emptor !!!!
I have no direct evidence that a description would not be accurate, but I simply do not like the man. 'nuf said about that.
I would strongly encourage you toget any questions answered in writing or via email if written responses are not possible. Be specific, and to the tiniest detail, in all questions posed.
Good luck and my best,
John

What John Said!

My rule for ALL auctions houses on the East coast is if you ask enough questions and get more pictures you will have little problems. As to the bidding, no absentee bids, if you can phone bid OK or better yet have someone at the auction bid for you. With auction houses like Rock-Island and Little-John’s never a problem with absentee bids.

I wanted to wait till some others posted so as not to make you think I am trying to throw you off the trail of something.I will echo what OWD and John have said having been to a couple of his several years ago.
I would not buy on description alone and would certainly not without bidding in person (feel free to email and I will tell you why)!
That said,if you inspect it in person,and if you can attend with someone else to be sure to help keep a watch on "competitive bids" you can get a good deal. I have not returned to one of his in many years after some of what I saw, although some of the lots are tempting.
HTH

I have to heartily agree with John; in qualifying my statement I have found him to be disagreeable to deal with on a number of occasions(unless you are a perceived "heavy hitter" of course). Learned a few lessons about auction descriptions buying a few pieces there as well; there have been reported issues in the past on this site I believe (a supposed untouched original Lefever collection that didn't sell?!). I normally don't comment on negatives, but feel obliged on this occasion. I would certainly exercise caution as all have mentioned...
Rick

Glenn-

As others have mentioned, use caution. I have purchased from this company six times, and I only feel that I was misleading on one occasion- I bought a shotgun that had "added finish but the stock had not been sanded". Upon closer inspection at home, you can tell that someone had lowered the comb on the stock. Not a big deal as the stock fits well, the price was still right considering the condition, and I was going to get rid of the added high gloss finish anyways...Still, I should have caught that before bidding.

I have noticed that with shotguns, they rarely include stock dimensions, and never to my knowledge have they provided bore measurements (wall thickness, actual bore size and chamber length, etc.) in their catalogs. I always bring my own gauges to their viewings and highly recommend having someone look the item over for you.

They lied to me twice and screwed me twice. John Boyd

Bought a Tonks shotgun from them years ago . When I gat the gun
it had a diamond as the sighting "bead"-this was not mentioned.
At the same sale a Kirkwood Drilling was sold- the buyer was
pleasantly surprized it had Paradox rifling in the shotgun
barrells - again not mentioned. A major Gun auctioner should do his homework better.
Would be hard pressed to buy a gun at auction without having
a describtion by someone you KNEW had the knowledge to decribe
it correctly.
Regards
Bill McPhail

I have look at half a dozen items, there over the years, with every intention to buy them before close inspection. Took a lot of will power to pass and that is a item that I often lack when I want to buy a gun. Not gross lies, but certain clear omissions, oversights and optimistic descriptions were the basic problem. Do not bid based on the description unless you just do not care if or when it is "slightly off the catalog description".

Had I bid based on the catalog description I would have been six times mad and maybe three or four times screwed. No, strike that, after the first screwing I never come back. Ask my X.