I have a antique dealer freind of mine who just bought out an estate of a 70 year old women who lives in northern NY. Her entire family lived in this rural home for 3 generations and it still doesn't have plumbing or electricity. The antique dealer who is a good freind of mine has offered me to come up and look at, in order to purchase, a colt carbine 5 shot with a cylinder and marked with a patent date of nov 24th 1857. Besides the history and the fact that it was found in a whole in the wall (literally) I am fairly certain between her examing it and when I examine it we will be able to tell if it is a reproduction. I found out about it becuase she left a message on my machine so that is all the info I have now. I will of course have ample opertunity to look at it in person before I purchase it but I don't want to ask to many questions on the phone as I want to be fair with her but still get a good deal. What can I do to determine it's model and value? WHat is the relitive rareity? Any tips on assesing condition? thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
[This message has been edited by ajacobs (edited May 20, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by ajacobs (edited May 20, 2000).]