[Companyman]

Picked this up in a trade and thought I would keep it for the collection, but custom pistols like this are not my thing.I am considering offering it up for trade.Can someone give me a ballpark price?I have done all research and obtained documentation on this nice revolver.Model: Police Positive SpecialCaliber: .38 splYear: 1952Grips: IvoryAction: DABarrel: 5"Engraving: American Level CEngraver: Mike DubberMichael is a FEGA Master Engraver and a Colt Master Engraver. He is past President of the Firearms Engravers Guild of America and has worked and studied with Winston Churchill, Ron Smith, Phil Grifnee and Alain Lovenberg. He received the FEGA James B. Meek Award in 1998 for the "Lifetime Contributions to the Art of Engraving". Michael has created firearms or jewelry engraving for such notable individuals as Norman Schwartzkopf, Juan Carlos King of Spain, Pope John Paul II and Bo Derek and he has engraved industry guns for Colt, Holland and Holland and Purdey. He also created the "Show Guns" for the Colt Collectors Association in 2003 and 2006.Pictures:

 

[Radicalrod]

well I have no idea of your guns value.....but it is beautiful.....

I would think research what a standard gun such as yours sells for and then add what the engraver would charge to replicate it...good luck RR.

 

[Companyman]

Rod,Exactly what I thought when it was offered to me. Hoping I didn't step out too far on my trade. John

 

[elliotf]

I am sure others will jump in, but I did not know they made a PPS in 1952. Still a very nicely engraved gun.

 

[Companyman]

Anyone?

 

[Companyman]

Bump

 

[chaosrob]

beautiful pistol. When you figure out a price let me know, I may be interested.

 

[cubrock]

Rod,Exactly what I thought when it was offered to me. Hoping I didn't step out too far on my trade. John

Don't know what you put into it, but it is extremely rare to get the value of the gun plus the cost of the engraving on a gun like this. To do this, you would have to find the person who right now wants that exact model gun engraved by that engraver with those motifs and finish. Engraving taste is a highly personal thing and the aftermarket on non-factory engraved guns is usually much less than the cost to replicate. If the cost of your gun gets close enough to the cost of the engraving, most buyers would rather opt to have their own gun engraved to their specs. Just how close depends on each buyer.

Based on a good bit of experience with aftermarket engraved guns, I would guess you will get between half and 75% of what it would cost to replicate this. The model will play heavily into what you get, as well. I doubt the market for an engraved Police Positive Special is anywhere near as large as if the gun was a SAA, Python, New Service, N-frame S&W, etc.

 

[longranger]

It is a quality engraved gun with provenance from the engraver, He did the work early in his career, I could only imagine what his experienced years provided to his customers.
I will step out and say $1500.00 - $1750.00 would be nice for a buyer and seller.He is an impressive engraver to have done the work with hammer and chisel when the pneumatic engravers were just showing up at the time this gun was done. He was under the tutelage of an true artisan.

 

[kdave21]

Dubber = quality. Nice piece...

 

[rhmc24]

Experience item for comparison --- Maybe 10 years ago I got $1000 trade-in for my Pocket Positive, engraved, nickeled, scrimshawed ivory on a VGE S$W Triple Lock price of $1300. My Pocket Positive was one of my better DIY efforts in which started VG & I made it into a snub with rounded butt. The deal was with a dealer against the TL he offered on G-Broker. I drove 40 miles to his place for a face to face deal. My piece, one of my best, little jewel IMO, was NO WAY in the class of work of the above subject Dubber piece. Mine, one of very few of my DIY jobs I let out of family.

The point is, if there is one, value is like beauty in the eye of the beholder. My guestimate the Dubber piece at over $3K. I'd like to be able to trade for it.

Like maybe one of my Colt 1905 re-creations -----