'Splain this to me...

[Frenchie]

What in the name of topless beaches makes this rig worth more than, say, $120.00, postage paid?

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7536935&aa=%20%20%20Hawes%2036%20cal%20-black%20powder%20-%20short%20navy%20revolver

[Dr. Bob]

Frenchie,

Must be doing some heavy duty drugs!!

[Frenchie]

Maybe the Buy It Now! price of $525.00 has made people think it must be worth a lot of money. It's a Hawes; it has a brass frame, for pity's sake! The case is worth more than half what the pistol is! What the heck is going on?

I wish I knew the reason, I could make a nice pile of money selling stuff for several times its real value.

[Delmonico]

It's simple, some yuppie type thinks it's valuble and wants it fer decoration.  I see it all the time in many "Western Items", that type of decor is popular right now, I know a farrier that had a cheap rusty snaffle bit layin' in the back of his truck bed.  One of his yuppie customers seen it and was doin' that theme in his basement, offered him $200 for it.  Guess what he did.

I've seen em go into shock when find out I have horse shoes for as low as $1.24, they are payin' $20 bucks or more at antique shops for them.

[Sundown Storm]

Del - I may take you up on some o' them thar hoss boots
whatsa pony express charge to texas?

[Lone Gunman]

I'm guessing it's the unique grips, I've never seen the screw in that position before.      Actually I've been looking for one of these (although in the <$100 range) to go with the brand new 1970's vintage conversion cylinder I picked up last year. It was specifically made for the brass frame Hawes '51 Navy and is chambered in 38 S&W. The Hawes differs enough from all other '51 reproductions that the cylinder won't work in anything else.

[Silver Creek Slim]

The fellar is crazy! 

Slim

[Delmonico]

That's exactly what I said in more words.   Probbally see it show up on one of those house makeover shows.  Most likely the one titled "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home."

[RRio]

It's simple, some yuppie type thinks it's valuble and wants it fer decoration.  I see it all the time in many "Western Items", that type of decor is popular right now, I know a farrier that had a cheap rusty snaffle bit layin' in the back of his truck bed.  One of his yuppie customers seen it and was doin' that theme in his basement, offered him $200 for it.  Guess what he did.

I've seen em go into shock when find out I have horse shoes for as low as $1.24, they are payin' $20 bucks or more at antique shops for them.

You are exactly right, Del. I see a lot of stuff out here that is bought mostly the Yuppie crowd for decor that is unbelieveable. Like a a "Plains Indian War Lance" for $275. Made mostly of items that could be purchased at Tandy for about $75.

[El Peludo]

Must be that "GOLD" plating, and all of that "hand engraving", and that mar that says it was made in Italy, well that must be a sign of an old gun.      There are so many folks out there who don't have any idea about a lot of stuff, and got money to spend, so  -- -- -- 

I built an "indian" war bonnet for the YMCA Indian Guides program, back in the early seventies - cost me less than a hundred bucks, and forty or so hours of time.  It was sure purty, but in no way was it authentic, except in it's shape.  My Son told me he had been to an auction in that same area some time back, where they were selling off an estate, and there were some western and indian "artifacts" in the collection.  Well, you can probably see where I am going with this tale: that war bonnet that I made (I had put some identifying markings in it, and he checked) sold for over nine hundred dollars; he said it was beat up and dirty, but all of the parts were still there.  He just didn't have the gumption to let the auctioneer in on the secret. 

[Ol Gabe]

"...Hawes 36 cal. short Navy...ther is some scaring on the cylinder, but it is a very fine piece."
Hmmmmm, "...scaring...", I'm sure the seller meant 'scarring' on the cylinder, but obviously his knowledge of roll engraving is nil. If one looks closely, the "...scaring...' appears to be one of the acceptable and well-known standard roll-engraved scenes, this one looks like the 1830's Dragoon scene, albeit not very well done, unless my old eyes and brain have failed me, and of course that is entirely possible! Besides, if it was a 'Navy' and had a roll-engraved cylinder, wouldn't it be the one with the 3 and 4-Master ships and all the cannon smoke? Perhaps we have a mislabeled or mismatched cylinder, it is possible, but probalby the seller just thought it was a 'Navy', who knows and who cares, right? Like P. T. Barnum said, "A...", well, you know what I mean.
Best regards and good researching!
'Ol Gabe

[River City John]

To me, look at the photo of the underframe showing the two serial numbers stamped into the frame and the rammer channel. The fit is either extremely poor, or my guess is that someone had real trouble separating the barrel from the frame and tried to drive a knife edge or similar into the gap to separate them and bunged up the fit between these two parts.

They've seen guns in cases bring big bucks and are hoping.

[Books OToole]

That is a pretty nice box for a POS.

Books

[Bristow Kid]

Maybe I aughta put my Walker in its box and post it on there.  Maybe I could get enought to buy another gun.  It has a nice box for a POS

[Frenchie]

I have it on my Watch List. Let's see if it actually gets any bids, let alone sells.

[Frenchie]

Ol' Gabe, that is the right engraving for a Navy Colt, it's the Texas Navy defeating the Mexican Navy in 1843.

[Ol Gabe]

Frenchie,
Thanks for the heads up. Ah, yes, the fabled sea battle between the Texas Navy & the Mexican Navy, what a story, and truly what legends are made of! To clarify, here is a short excerpt from the TEXAS RANGER DISPATCH Magazine:
"One of the possibilities for the use of the term Navy may have been the cylinder scene engraved by W. L. Ormsby. In tribute to the Texas Navy's initial purchase of his Paterson revolvers, Colt had the battle between the Lone Star fleet and the Mexican Navy roll-engraved on the cylinder of the new model with 'Engaged 16 May 1843' appearing below it."

The DISPATCH is loaded with info about the revolver and other Texas history and can be seen at: www.texasranger.org
Best regards and good reading!
'Ol Gabe

[Frenchie]

I suspect another reason for the "Navy" designation is that the initial USN orders for Colt's Model 1851 were for .36 caliber revolvers. That and the orders from the Army for .44 caliber can explain the designation of "Navy caliber" for .36 and "Army caliber" for .44.

So why did the Navy want a smaller caliber? You don't need big balls (tsk, tsk - you know what kind I mean!) when you're grappling and boarding an enemy vessel - you're already at point-blank range even before you've crossed your own gunwales. Smaller, lighter and faster works just fine at cutlass-and-boarding-axe distances.

[Delmonico]

There were no 44 caliber 1851's till the repo's came out in it when ever they added it.

Till the 1860 Army your choice in the 44 after the Walker was the Dragoon.

[Frenchie]

There were no 44 caliber 1851's till the repo's came out in it when ever they added it.

Correctamundo! .44 caliber 1851 Navy Colts make my teeth ache, and the ones with brass frames give me the willies. They are not historically correct. Even the brass-framed Confederate copies were never made in .44 caliber.

Till the 1860 Army your choice in the 44 after the Walker was the Dragoon.

There is just something about the .36 that calls to me... love them '51 Navy Colts!