Is this a forgery?

[desidog]

I was just cruising Gunbroker and saw this listing.

I am inclined to believe that while the pistol is authentic, the shoulder stock is a reproduction that has been stamped with the pistol's serial number. However, the "1" doesn't have a serif at its bottom. Also, the wood patina on the stock vs. the grip is different.

What do you think?

 

[Old Fuff]

I think you are probably right, and I don't see people standing in line to bid.

 

[rcmodel]

I agree.
The woods too new looking.

And even an apprentice worker at the Colt factory would have been reassigned to shoveling coal to the furnace if he fitted a butt-plate & tang to the wood that poorly.

rc

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

Looks to be a bit overpriced.
Like maybe 12,000 or so, if the wedge matches.

Agree that the wood on the stock has that European walnut look to me.
I also believe two different sets of number stamps were used on the stock.

Honestly, I would call it a joke rather than a forgery as the poor quality of the 'replacement'
stock, numbering, and attempted brass aging would definitely not fool any collector.

Except maybe the current owner!

Funny stuff there, Thanks for sharing.
JT

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

I wonder if the would be seller carefully stated "This is a orginal Colt 1860 Army Revolver with matching shoulder stock" instead of "This is a original Colt 1860 Army Revolver with Original matching shoulder stock"

From the Urban Dictionary...
orginal
Marked by extreme comfort and style, despite the inadequacies and ineptitude of the creator.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=orginal

 

[Midwest]

$135 to ship?

.

 

[4v50 Gary]

rcmodel says it. Wood looks too new. Fitting is not to old world (meaning 19th Century) standards.

 

[Jim K]

The gun looks OK and in pretty good shape except for the mismatched cylinder, but the value would be about 1/4 of the buy now price. The stock is modern, numbered (in a modern font) to match the gun.

Jim

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

We have been discussing the sellers Colt's offerings over at the Colt Forum, with pretty much the same general opines.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

I particularly admire what appears to be a contemporary rectangular sling loop on the bottom of the stock. quien sabe?

 

[royal barnes]

Looking at the marks on the top of both sides of the stocks I believe this Colt had a shoulder stock on it for some period of time. Just not the one pictured.

 

[JohnnyCremains]

Almost all of this guys stuff is counterfeit. The guy's a con artist. We've been discussing his forgeries at length on the coltforum. Stay away from this seller. He should be in jail as far as I'm concerned.

 

[desidog]

So my suspicions are confirmed... thanks for the replies!

 

[Jim K]

No questions on the modern stock, but if that gun is a fake it is the best one I have ever seen, and I have seen a goodly number. I say the gun is real and matching, with maybe some minor touchup (cold blue?) on the frame.

If I am wrong, I would appreciate comment and what is the tipoff that I am missing.

Jim

 

[Skinny 1950]

The revolver is real, the stock not so much, I have an original 1860 made in 1862 it was used a lot..you can't fake honest wear to the degree that this gun exhibits and yet it still shoots, the nipples are too big for #11 caps but if you work them on it goes bang.
I paid $1200 for it.

 

[Crawdad1]

Used in the Civil War Skinny??

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I heard of a guy who is no longer with us who was quite good at taking a $500. Colt peacemaker and turn it into a sheriff's model, and selling it as the real deal. This guy even had Colt's letterhead and would forge a signature as to the gun being the real McCoy. He was so good that Colt swore they made one of the guns that a guy bought from him and to this day I doubt anyone, but a select few of his friends could tell for sure. He did something different with the front sight and that's all I'm going to say.
This guy was a genius for sure and I'm afraid there are others that do the same thing.

 

[PRM]

If it looks too good to be true - it probably is. Re-working or adding numbers to a shoulder stock is would pretty easy to get done. There are several vendors who even specialize in re-touching lettering on vintage guns. Bottom line, there are fakes, and there are really good fakes out there. I was serious about a high dollar item, I'd get it inspected by a reliable third party before completing the transaction. If the seller wouldn't agree to that - there's your flag.