Gun fans fix sights on antiques and bargains

Press, 21 October 1977, Page 13

Gun fans fix sights on antiques and bargains

After the report this week of falling prices for early New Zealand paintings at the national art sale in Wellington, collectors .of another item whose prices have inflated in recent years — old weapons — will be casting anxious ears towards the bidding on the first few lots at their annual sale day tomorrow. Labour week-end is traditionally the time when members of the New Zealand Antique Arms Association gather f.or their annual conference. Gun enthusiasts from all round New Zealand will meet for the conference, the annual black-powder shoot at Motukarara (with cannon, muzzle-loaders, and all), and — most importantly to those with some wall space .or spare cash left — the annual auction. This auction is open only to members of the association, and the public are not admitted, even to watch. But the prices paid at it usually set a norm for prices at more accessible sales during the rest of the year. It is a huge undertaking. Any member may submit any firearm, “edged weapon” or associated memorabilia, and this year the catalogue sent .out to members lists some 744 lots, ranging from a Victorian muzzle-loading target rifle expected to fetch something in the order of $2OOO to a lot comprising two cow-horns and a belt of empty machine-gun cartridge cases. Entries f.or the auction closed some six weeks or so ago, and all the items, whose combined value is probably many thousands of dollars, are stored in secure premises owned by a member of the association. For obvious reasons, the society is reluctant to disclose, publicly, his name and address. Today the collection

will be loaded into a covered truck — also owned by a member — and will remain locked in this until it is delivered to Shirley Lodge tomorrow morning. Collectors are not keen to speculate on the direction in which prices will go. For several years the antique firearms market has been buoyant, but some collectors feel that in the present restrained economic conditions, and after the sale in Wellington earlier this year of the huge Ongley collection which mopped up a lot of the demand, bidding might be slow. Another factor is that many items this year are

described as being in “relic,” poor, or only fair condition. Lower prices for these would bring down the average. But at the same time several items are likely to go into four figures, and many will go into the hundreds. Some of the most interesting lots are smallarms, and one of the outstanding items among these will go up very early, as lot No. 10. This is a

Tranter percussion revolver by Jones, in its original mahogany case. It is a fiveshot model in .44 calibre, and is described as “a very good collector’s set.’’ Potential buyers of another rare revolver — a London pocket Colt — which will go under the hammer later, will be listening closely to bidding on the Tranter. Experts confidently predict that the highest price will be paid for the Whit-

worth rifle. Originally designed by a famous engineer, Sir Joseph Whitworth, to provide a highly accurate rifled musket for the British Army, the Whitworth rifle was shown in trials in 1857 to be much superior to other military firearms of the time in accuracy and penetration. But it was rejected for military use because of its then small calibre (.45in), unconventional de-

sign, and difficultv of loading (it had a hexagonal bore and required special projectiles). Production of a civilian version continued for a short time, and the rifle gained a high reputation for accuracy. Whitworth died in the 1880 s. Several of the military rifles of the mid-nineteenth century that the Whitworth failed to replace are also in the auction; and they include a .577 calibre volunteer rifle possibly dating from the Maori Wars of the 1860 s. F.or collectors of military memorabilia — and there are many of these — the sale includes an assortment of items ranging from spare parts for Snider and Enfield rifles to a World War I German Iron Cross, a rare experimental S.M.L.E. rifle from World War 11, and even a Breda machine-gun (deactivated), for which the buyer will have to obtain a special permit from the Commissioner of Police.

By

DERRICK ROONEY