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Amoskeag Auction

otter6412
Anyone had any experience with the Amoskeag Auction Company? Have you found their gun descriptions and value estimates to be accurate? They have some nice guns but it's scary to absentee bid on a firearm you haven't held in your hands. Thanks
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Comments

13 comments

Date Votes
  • Bert H.
    Yes, I have had experience with them, and they are one of the very best auction houses to deal with. Their descriptions are right on the money, and their value estimates are sometimes too conservative.
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  • 1KYDSTR
    Amoskeag is a reputable, excellent company. I have only purchased one gun through them but all was as described (or better) and correct in every way. Rock Island is another favorite of mine...check them out too.
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  • Laredo Lefty
    I have bought from Amoskeag and had good dealings with them.
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  • nmyers
    I am fairly computer literate, but I spent 30 minutes trying to figure out how to navigate their website & look at auctions, without success. Until they get a new webmaster, I'm not wasting any more of my time.

    It's probably a good place to buy if you live close enough to visit.

    Neal

    EDIT: Bert makes a good point. The way that some collectors get into all the tiny variations, it would be impossible for any book author to provide a comprehensive & timely catalog of values without a huge (& expensive) book. OTOH, prices realized at auction may depend upon how savvy the bidders in each area are: I know a little about 1911/1911A1's, & Amoskeag's last auction had a 98% refinished Type 3 Remington Rand in a repro box sell for $2,100+ (my estimate, $800-1,000). A few months ago I bought a Type 3 R-R in 98% ORIGINAL condition on GB for $1,425! So, maybe the answer is: It depends.
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  • Wolf.
    This is my opinion regarding guns above a certain price (note that I did not say "value" or "cost"). This limit price is something each person would determine for themself, of course.

    My personal opinion is that unless I can put my hands and eyes on the gun and am allowed to inspect it with my lights and magnifiers and to disassemble it, or they are willing to disassemble it for me (all within the limits of reason), I would avoid remote bidding completely.

    Either the above or they give an iron-clad guarantee of buy-back, plus paying all of my expenses, if I find after purchase significant issue or issues with the gun that are unacceptable to me. They will never do that, so my opinion is that one would be better served by avoiding remote purchase of guns via an auction house.
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  • kimi
    I've submitted bids via phone where one of the representatives of a well known auction house placed my bids for me during the actual auctioning process. I won on two occasions and was extremely pleased with both purchases. As I recall, these reputable type companies do guarantee that the items advertised can be returned should they not meet the advertised descriptions.
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  • SP45
    I have known Jason (the owner) back before he started on his own and worked for his father and have been going to his auctions since he started. Absolutely 100% honest. His descriptions are the best and right on target. If he makes a mistake he will take the item back. Now that I am in the mid-west I seldom get to appear in person but leave left bids 5 out of 6 times. I have refered many people to him and will continue to do so.
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    Yes, I have had experience with them, and they are one of the very best auction houses to deal with. Their descriptions are right on the money, and their value estimates are sometimes too conservative.

    Greg Martin posts conservative estimates, too. I think they do that as a marketing tool to encourage bidding. A bidder is likely to bid higher if he thinks he's getting a "steal" rather than one where the estimate is at full retail or above.

    Still, I've gotten some good deals from Greg Martin and they stand behind their descriptions 100% with money-back guarantees. I know Amoskeag has that kind of excellent reputation as well.
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  • calsag
    I did some telephone bidding at the last auction 3/28/11, "won" one, and also monitored after auction prices.All items started at least $150 above current 100% Blue Book value and ended at prices that I assume were paid by totally ignorant, but wealthy, buyers- especially when the 15% buyer premium was added into the mix. I was able to purchase two items that I had bid on without success at Amoskeag on GB the same day, both are in 100% condition and sold for at least $250 each less than the final price at Amoskeag, without adding the additional 15% buyers fee. One item I wanted sold for almost four times its Blue Book value! I won one item (in retrospect should have quit bidding), and their customer service absolutely sucks!I have yet to receive the firearm - the ones I bought on GB came in last week. So much for their representation of shipment within 48 hours of payment via of UPS Next Day Air!I will never deal with them again - its too easy and much cheaper to buy elsewhere.
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  • tsr1965
    quote:Originally posted by calsag
    I did some telephone bidding at the last auction 3/28/11, "won" one, and also monitored after auction prices.All items started at least $150 above current 100% Blue Book value and ended at prices that I assume were paid by totally ignorant, but wealthy, buyers- especially when the 15% buyer premium was added into the mix. I was able to purchase two items that I had bid on without success at Amoskeag on GB the same day, both are in 100% condition and sold for at least $250 each less than the final price at Amoskeag, without adding the additional 15% buyers fee. One item I wanted sold for almost four times its Blue Book value! I won one item (in retrospect should have quit bidding), and their customer service absolutely sucks!I have yet to receive the firearm - the ones I bought on GB came in last week. So much for their representation of shipment within 48 hours of payment via of UPS Next Day Air!I will never deal with them again - its too easy and much cheaper to buy elsewhere.


    I would assume exactly 180 degrees opposite of what you have said. The bidders are well educated, and know what they are vying for, and the investment being made. On the otherhand, the Bluebook, has not a clue of what is going on, for value, serialization, nor some histories. The Bluebook, should in no way be viewed as the golden standard, but should be viewed for entertainment purposes only. Too many people think the Bluebook has it cast in concrete. Well, take a look at some of their listings, versus some of the auctions that have ended on the auction side here, that have actually sold. Look at the Winchester and Colt's, then tell me how far the Bluebook is off.

    Unlike the Gunbroker auctions, the auction houses have OVERHEAD they have to account for. They most likely get a buyer's fee, and a finder's fee from the seller. It is not like they don't tell you up front, because they do.

    Best
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by calsag
    I did some telephone bidding at the last auction 3/28/11, "won" one, and also monitored after auction prices.All items started at least $150 above current 100% Blue Book value and ended at prices that I assume were paid by totally ignorant, but wealthy, buyers- especially when the 15% buyer premium was added into the mix. I was able to purchase two items that I had bid on without success at Amoskeag on GB the same day, both are in 100% condition and sold for at least $250 each less than the final price at Amoskeag, without adding the additional 15% buyers fee. One item I wanted sold for almost four times its Blue Book value! I won one item (in retrospect should have quit bidding), and their customer service absolutely sucks!I have yet to receive the firearm - the ones I bought on GB came in last week. So much for their representation of shipment within 48 hours of payment via of UPS Next Day Air!I will never deal with them again - its too easy and much cheaper to buy elsewhere.


    If you expect to pay the prices listed in the Blue Book, you are living in a dream world. The Blue Book is a very poor source of information concerning the true values of collectable Winchesters. Final comment... those "wealthy" buyers are far from being "ignorant" concerning what the real values are[:0].
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  • fordsix
    price books for info only educate your self on real world prices on firearms
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  • kimi
    quote:Originally posted by calsag
    I did some telephone bidding at the last auction 3/28/11, "won" one, and also monitored after auction prices.All items started at least $150 above current 100% Blue Book value and ended at prices that I assume were paid by totally ignorant, but wealthy, buyers- especially when the 15% buyer premium was added into the mix. I was able to purchase two items that I had bid on without success at Amoskeag on GB the same day, both are in 100% condition and sold for at least $250 each less than the final price at Amoskeag, without adding the additional 15% buyers fee. One item I wanted sold for almost four times its Blue Book value! I won one item (in retrospect should have quit bidding), and their customer service absolutely sucks!I have yet to receive the firearm - the ones I bought on GB came in last week. So much for their representation of shipment within 48 hours of payment via of UPS Next Day Air!I will never deal with them again - its too easy and much cheaper to buy elsewhere.


    Good to great buys can be had at GB, which is a primary reason for its great success. I use the BBGV to my advantage by familiarizing myself with condition and listed prices, coupled with real world selling prices, on certain popular Winchester rifles, for example. By doing this, I have a solid understanding of how much of a premium that I should add, if any, should I want to make an effort to buy a particular piece. The BBGV is a guide only, but it can be a very valuable guide when buying or selling should one invest a little of their time to ensuring that it works to their advantage. The best way I have found to get great deals is to check a lot of GB auctions, for one.
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