How to sell antique firearms

Fritz423 said:

Doing this for widow, hate to trade convenience for better price, but my time isn't chopped liver either...

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I would go through Track of the Wolf, they probably reach a larger sales base than any of the other ones mentioned combined (except the big auction houses). I have sold many guns through them over the years, and have been very happy.

They do not charge a sales commission per say, as far as taking a % of what you are looking to get for a particular gun. They add their % on top of what you are looking to sell the gun for. For example, if you want $1000 for a gun, they will put the gun up for sale for appox $1200 to $1300. When the gun sells you get your $1000. Any negotiating on price with a potential buyer is done on that $200-$300 difference. At least that has been my experience.

If you need appraisals done, they will do that as well, and will be VERY honest on what to expect for prices. If you are realistic on what you expect to get for them, you will be very pleased with the work they do. They handle the advertisement, negotiation with buyers, and shipping. Takes a lot of the headache out of it.

crankshaft said:

Fees are high enough to surprise you.

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At auction, the buyer pays the commission.

Rifleman, at an auction, unless one is talking about a specific auction service, the commission fees in the past usually came from the seller's receipts. These days they may come from the buyer, seller, or both. It all depends on the auction service. Anyone selling or buying at an auction service needs to check up front so they aren't surprised by an unexpected commission fee.

Kansas Jake said:

Rifleman, at an auction, unless one is talking about a specific auction service, the commission fees in the past usually came from the seller's receipts. These days they may come from the buyer, seller, or both. It all depends on the auction service. Anyone selling or buying at an auction service needs to check up front so they aren't surprised by an unexpected commission fee.

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A local auction house does take their fees from the seller. But high end outfits, like Christie's and others, add it to the price paid by the buyer. Called a buyers premium. You are right, a potential seller should check up front and know what they are getting into.

I think selling of what may be valuable guns, be they "antiques" or well made "classics", or recently "well made; crafted pieces" should be approached as one would a serious medical question.
Get Two Independent Opinions at least, as to the value of each gun, so that you can better judge what is a proper price for each.
An auction house can have an "off day" just like anybody else, and if there isn't a pre-set minimum price (that also figures in the fee to the AH) where if it isn't met, the gun will not be sold..., the buyer may get a most excellent bargain, but the seller (in this case the widow) may not get a fair sum for the guns. A pair of independent opinions also helps the seller to avoid an Auctioneer from undervaluing the worth of a piece.

LD

If one isn't selling through a online auction with national exposure, then you need to look for a business with experience with firearms. In Kansas we have a few auction houses who do special firearms auctions several times a year. Still muzzleloaders are nitch within the larger market. I agree with Loyalist Dave on doing research. Also, if one is selling a number of guns at auction, the prices of some will be below what one would expect and some will bring more than expected during a normal sale. That is just the nature of the business. Also, where one lives and the popularity of specific types of firearms will effect the sale at a local auction. My guess is in the area where I live an auction with a mix of muzzleloaders and unmentionables, the muzzleloaders would bring less than if sold on this site.

This is helpful.