An unexpected surprise at the AACCA gun show

[From The Hip]

This year was my first opportunity to have an MAS display table for miniature firearms at the AACCA Easter gun show.I paid for my display table as well as the 2 days for parking at the CES grounds not expecting or actually seeking to sell a single miniature.

As allways I get all of the "ooh's and ahhs" and the common refrain of "I had no idea miniature firearms existed" not to mention the flabbergasted responses when people were told what miniature firearms actually COST.The immediate response to the cost of a 1:3rd scale Colt Patterson at $1100 is "yeah I can buy it in full size for less".....yeah well good luck buying a Colt Patterson with all of the goodies in even ****e condition for $1100 and even if you buy it for $5000 in ****e condition it will need to be refinished/reconditioned.

All told this weekend I sold 8 miniatures when I did not even expect to sell even 1 miniature and I also sold 2 books on miniatures.One guy bought my cased pair of Daniel Osterman Colt #2 derringers on day 1 and not 15 minutes after I set up this morning he hammered out a deal for both of my Larry Smith 1/2 scale miniatures as well as my 1/2 scale Miniart artillery luger.Towards the end of the show he hammered out another deal for all 4 of my 1:5th scale russian miniatures.All told he dropped down $6100 on miniatures and I did not expect to sell even 1 miniature.

In the grand schem of things I set up for the gun show with my display case on Thursday night and today at the end of the show I walked out with a pile of cash thick enough to choke a moose.

I definately did not expect it or even think about it.

FTH

[catnthehat]

GREAT! Now you have to look for more miniatures !!
Cat

[Norman]

Have you posted pics of them before? I'd love to see some of them, didn't know they existed

[xxclaro]

Never heard of them either. Are they functional at all, or just for looking at?

[From The Hip]

Originally Posted by xxclaro

Never heard of them either. Are they functional at all, or just for looking at?

Not jumping on you with regards to your ignorance about the subject.I will say it as I said many times this weekend.The practice of making miniature arms dates back to the guild system in Europe.When and "apprentice" wanted or felt he had achieved the rank of a "master" he had to make a "master piece"...if he was an amourer/gunsmith he would make a miniature of his selected work in 1:3rd scale to prove that if he could make it in miniature he would easily be able to make it in full size hence the term "master piece".

Way back in the day....right about the time firearms slowly evolved from matchlock to flintlock to the revolution in firearms which was the first cased/cartidge firearm which was the 1873 CAA and then on to the next step which was an automatic which utilized a cased round of ammunition.From there firearms got nastier into the next evolution wich jumped to fully automatic....meaning that you could pump 100 rounds out of a gun in short order.

2 Centuries ago skilled gun smiths travelled the land and sea to sell the arms that they could make and to make things easier they travelled with their "master pieces" to induce a particularly large order of what they could produce as "masters" they as "master" gunsmiths would part with a couple or a few of thier "master pieces" and during that period the owning of something as fancifal as "miniature firearms" was for the most part only to the enjoyement of royalty and heads of state.

In the last 50 years there has been a small expansion of the makers of miniature firearms with quite a few of them dying within the last 10 years.Stanley Blashak comes to mind as does George Wenzek.Both of those artisans have passed on.At the same time other makers are still alive.A good example is Robin Armstong who resides in the UK and who was a master of flintlocks...sadly he was stricken with Parkinsons and when he got the diagnosis he utterly quit making miniatures as what he could have made would no be to his standard.Larry Smith wan an incredible miniature maker but he now refishes old firearms rather than making miniatures as it is far more lucrative.

The finest miniature maker on this planet is David Kucer and he is Canadian.He lives in Montreal and his miniatures have been displayed in the Royal Ontario Museam as well as the Tower of London.He is the only non asian member of the Japanese Carvers Guild and 2 of his netsukes are in the personal collection of the Emperor of Japan.


Miniature firearms are not cheap....BUT....if you can appreciate both craftsmanship and a labour of love then the price simply does not matter.

FTH

[Matt L.]

Umm, the 1873 SAA was not the first metal cartridge firearm, never mind cartridge firearm.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Matt L.

Umm, the 1873 SAA was not the first metal cartridge firearm, never mind cartridge firearm.

^^^^ that would have made a great PM.......

[Matt L.]

Originally Posted by hal53

^^^^ that would have made a great PM.......

Why's that Hal? Was just making an observation.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Matt L.

Why's that Hal? Was just making an observation.

if you have to ask, you missed the point ...carry on....

[Bushrat]

Got any pics of the miniatures?

[Zip]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Got any pics of the miniatures?

X2...as I have said here many times,I love pics...of all kinds of neat things!

[From The Hip]

Here are a few pics.

FTH

[Zip]

Very cool pics...thanks for putting them up! Awesome..

[mikefromcanmore]

Silent Salesman were minitures of Fine Furniture most were of major pieces i.e. wardrobe dressers ,china cabinets and dining room sets.They followed the same as the guns in this articule.Craftsman had to make these up for stores,some very fine workmanship went in to them.Some pieces at auction will get sometimes up to 3 times the asking price of the same full size furniture.As most were lost as they were given away as doll/dress up when new styles came and better printing of catologues.The work and details is very, very hard to find in todays mass market.