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Old January 15, 2007, 11:02 PM   #1
griswold_gunnison
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Authentic Griswald and Gunnison .36 - Value?

I have an authentic Griswald and Gunnison Revolver that has been in my family since my father was young (I am currently 54). As a teen he found it in the attic of his house. His father (my grandfather) had died and so there is no way to determine it origin. Some initial research as indicated that this is a rare and valuable revolver. This particular gun carries serial number 3585 on the stock and barrel and serial number 3552 on the cylinder. I would consider selling this gun.

How can determine it's value? How does the mis-matched serial numbers affect it's value?

As a side note: This sounds like a story... but the facts can be verified.
My father made a custom case for this gun. It is made from wood which came from a barn which stood across from our house. The barn was built by Mr. Reno, the father of the Reno gang. They are guilty of the first train robbery in the USA (1866). This all occured in Seymour IN.
http://www.historynet.com/magazines/...t/3025711.html

So.. the civil war revolver is housed in a custom case, the wood coming from the barn owned by the first train robbers in the USA!

Fron the linked article above:
Shortly after the Civil War began, Frank Reno and his friend Frank Sparks joined the Jackson County Volunteers. The oldest Reno boy was honorably mustered out in August 1861. In June 1861, John enlisted in the Indianapolis Grays, but deserted before the end of his enlistment and roamed the countryside for a time. William Reno's grave in the old city cemetery in Seymour has a soldier's marker showing he served in Company K, 140th Indiana Regiment, but no record has been found of his service.

The house where this gun was found is only 1/4 mile from the Reno barn! Could this gun have been used by the Reno gang???????
Makes one wonder!

Last edited by griswold_gunnison; January 15, 2007 at 11:34 PM.
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Old January 16, 2007, 10:57 AM   #2
Jbar4Ranch
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Fascinating story!
I've got a reproduction G & G made by High Standard that I've had for about thirty years.

I did a little Googling on them, and found the following prices on another board. I would imagine they would be similar in value to original 1851 Colts.

$8,000.00 in excellent condition.
$4,000.00 in good condition.
$3,000.00 in fair condition.
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Old January 16, 2007, 11:24 AM   #3
griswold_gunnison
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Jbar4Ranch..
thanks for the reply. I appreciate your input.

I'd done some research myself since posting and have had preliminary discussion with two collectors/sellers. Found one just sold at auction for $26,000 and found one currently on sale for $27,500. Only 3600 of these revolvers was produced. My revolver looks the same quality of those I've mentioned. The two collectors I've talked with are saying about same value (estimate from email/photos). Seems I have quite a little treasure here....

HERES ONE

HERES ANOTHER (search the page for "griswold" - it's about 1/3 down the page)

Last edited by Johnny Guest; January 18, 2007 at 09:57 AM. Reason: Fixed links.
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Old January 16, 2007, 11:57 AM   #4
skeeter1
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It might be worth more than you think. According to the 2007 Standard Catalog of Firearms, a 1851 Griswold & Gunnison Navy Type in .36 caliber, is listed as $30000 (good condition), $10000 (fair condition), and $2500 (poor condition).

If you're seriously contemplating selling it, I'd suggest you take it to an auction house and get a better appraisal.
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Old January 16, 2007, 04:49 PM   #5
Tom2
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I would ditto that. A confederate revolver is rather more esoteric than the usual run of the mill collectable gun, and a well known firearms and militaria auction house would be the ones to give an assessment and sell the thing. But they will get their cut from the sale, probably reasonable due to the big money clients that will be bidding on the thing.
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Old January 16, 2007, 08:52 PM   #6
timothy75
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I'd get really into the civil war and keep it.
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Old January 17, 2007, 05:52 PM   #7
tube_ee
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A gun like that, with that history...

I wouldn't sell it. But that's just me, and you're you, so...

If you decide to sell it, make sure you get the best representation you can. Contact several auction houses, get estimates and contracts from each, and figure out who can do the most for you. This isn't an impulse sale. You can get screwed quite easily on such a deal... seller beware!

To me, though, having two pieces of American history would be worth far more than the dollars they'd bring at sale. There's more to life than money.

--Shannon
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