what does provenance have to do with value of a weapon?

[pelago]

just so happens by luck of the draw i have a erfurt armory 98 , and this particular rifle is listed in one of the premier reference books, by serial number and listed "in a private collection" i got it just by luck, saw it a dealer saw that it was probably miss listed, that is the rifle is a 98 but not a k98, so i bought it and researched it and lo and behold there it is in the book

funny how the Germans put serial numbers on just about everything that could take them probably the only thing that does not have serial numbers are the screws and actual sling attachment points, every thing else has them, bands, sights, butt plate, all the safety shrourds and so forth

[JBinIll]

Some folks attach great value to provenance.Depends on the gun,if you have a pistol with a chain of proven provenance to a famous individual it makes it worth a lot more.Firearms owned by famous collectors sometimes bring more,sometimes not,depends on how famous.Firearms listed as being in a reference book might or might not bring more,I've seem them before,they're not common but not rare either.Condition would still determine value.

Does it have any unit markings on it?

[pelago]

no, just a curiosity item very clean no pitting, good bore KAR 98 (a) from erfurt armory ser 7141, listed in the mauser book stock is very good, but some of the german stocks were quite good looking

[Thaine]

Another area that provenance would play a part in IMHO is in determining "origional" vs. "correct" If a firearm had been issued to Uncle Joe in WWI and stayed in the family until his son's death and I bought it, I would be more inclined to consider it origional and place a higher value on it than one that had all the "correct" parts but looked to be just that. A mixmaster of the right parts.
Thaine

[jgaynor]

Matching numbers does not equal provenance. Provenance is established when the gun (or other item) can be traced to a specific military unit or individual through some solid documentation. If all the numbers match so much the better. However since the US was an early master of interchangeable parts US weapons usually only have an s/n on one or two key parts.

Regards,
Jim

[dave]

If a rifle appears in a book or article you would need those items to go with the gun, otherwise its just a story.

[pelago]

if a individual owns a weapon that is specifically mentioned in "MAUSER MILITARY RIFLES OF THE WORLD" and is listed by serial number, is that provenance or just co incidence? maybe kinda neat, but not sure how that would add to or for that fact subtract value, would think that value would be established more by condition, than provenance. Now if someone owned a Colt that was supposedly owned by John Wesley Hardin and could prove it with either documentation or photo or both, that would establish quite a bit of provenance

just curious

[RCS]

What would you consider this buttplate: markings are Troop H 8th Cavalry trooper #18

1st Lt Geo Patton was in Troop H in 1916 during the Mexican Punitive Expedition

Stock is an early modified stock with a single cross boltAttachment 15947Attachment 15948Attachment 15949

[dave]

if a individual owns a weapon that is specifically mentioned in "MAUSER MILITARY RIFLES OF THE WORLD" and is listed by serial number, is that provenance or just co incidence? maybe kinda neat, but not sure how that would add to or for that fact subtract value, would think that value would be established more by condition, than provenance. Now if someone owned a Colt that was supposedly owned by John Wesley Hardin and could prove it with either documentation or photo or both, that would establish quite a bit of provenance

just curious

Your rifle is listed as being in one of the 'premier referance books', so you have 'provenance' to that reference book. How much is that worth? That depends on the individual I think. Your reference to John Harden ---now that type provenence has proven to be worth allot, but if it was Joe Blow, who nobody knows anything about, then what? I have an 1896 Krag carbine with provenence to 1st., Cav.Co H, 1899 at a Fort in ND. Been told that is worth an extra 100-150 bucks. (1st Cav. Co H. shipped to Phillipines couple months later.)

[pelago]

How much is that worth?
well said, and reality is reality, when i bought the rifle had no idea of anything other than i felt it was mismarked at the dealer, and i only paid 200.00 for it, and when got home found the reference i mentioned

just thought it was cool and the page listed the rifle as being in a private collection and i wonder how it got to the dealers rack??
curious