a general consensus is that when a piece has a fine patina, it should certainly be left intact and in no way marred or destroyed.
The creation of false patina is usually by means of a chemical. With iron the technique is most often some type of rusting or combination browning and rusting solution of which the formulas are numerous. Their purpose is to create in a few days or weeks an appearance equal to what would normally require years of honest use or aging. With woods, stains and varnishes are usually used to attempt the same thing. These processes are not necessarily detrimental to an antique gun, nor do they necessarily detract from value. They may be simply part of a very legitimate restoration or blending-over of a very minor and honest repair. Where they attempt to hide and conceal factors likely to significantly influence the value of that particular weapon, they are very much indicators to the buyer that he should proceed with caution.
G. REPRODUCTIONS
Quite a few faithfully copied, modern made reproductions of antique arms are on today’s market. The great majority are of antique Colt revolvers, but others are based on Remingtons, Sharps, Smith and Gallager carbines, Civil War 1861 muskets, the French Model 1763 Charleville musket, the famed British flintlock Brown Bess musket and many individually crafted Kentucky rifles and pistols. More will come as muzzle-loading shooting, the fast growing hobby in the firearms field, continues to mushroom. All these reproduction guns have been made with the most honorable intentions for the vast black powder market, including those groups specializing in battlefield skirmishes and reenactments. As to be expected, the temptation was great for the untalented faker to try his hand with these reproductions, and thus a small number of spurious examples have found their way to the antique gun market and are sold as originals. They are found with the modern makers’ markings removed and in a beat-up, battle-worn appearance with applied false patinas. Faked reproduction guns represent neither a threat to the collecting world nor to the forewarned collector, and in every case known to the author, the buyer exercised the most imprudent judgment in acquiring such a piece. As a majority of the reproductions are Colts, the subject is treated in greater detail in the text accompanying the Colt section of this book, to which the reader is referred.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
*Ackerman, R. O. Care and Repair of Muzzle Loaders. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Muzzle Loader’s Library, 1966. A small 24 page monograph directed to the person who can accomplish the job with but basic hand tools.
*Ackley, P. O. Home Gun Care and Repair. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: The Stackpole Company, 1969. A manual that has gone through numerous printings. Contains some good material on repairs and maintenance of collector guns.
*Angier, R. H. Firearm Blueing and Browning. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: The Stackpole Company, 1936. Practical manual on the chemical and heat coloring of all barrel steels and other gun metals from earliest soft carbon to the latest “rustless.”
Basic Gun Repair, Simple How-To Methods. Los Angeles: Petersen Publishing Company, 1973. Written for the beginner; shows some of the steps necessary in getting started. Some sections devoted to antique restoration.
Bish, T. L. Home Gunsmithing Digest, 3rd Edition. Northbrook, Illinois: DBI Books, Inc., 1984. Wide coverage from repairing, modifying, converting to maintaining and just “tinkering” with firearms.
*Brownell, R. Gunsmith Kinks. Montezuma, Iowa: F. Brownell & Son Publishers, 1969. Varied accumulation of shortcuts, techniques and comments by professional gunsmiths.
*Burch, M. Gun Care and Repair. New York: Winchester Press, 1978. Step-by-step “how-to” in words and photos on gunsmithing techniques.
*Carmichel, J. Do It Yourself Gunsmithing. New York: Harper & Row, 1977. 40 do-it-yourself installments by the respected shooting editor of Outdoor Life.
*Chapel, C. E. Complete Guide To Gunsmithing: Gun Care and Repair. Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes & Co., Inc., 1962. Has gone through many printings. Wide coverage from the selection of tools to checkering and engraving.
*The Gun Digest Book of Exploded Handgun Drawings. Northbrook, Illinois: DBI Books, Inc., 1992. Isometric views and parts lists of 488 modern and collector’s handguns.
*The Gun Digest Book of Exploded Long Gun Drawings. Northbrook, Illinois: DBI Books, Inc., 1993. Isometric views and parts lists of 488 modern and collector’s rifles and shotguns.
Lister, R. Antique Firearms - Their Care, Repair and Restoration. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1963. Describes and illustrates methods of stripping down, cleaning and reassembling the early firearms most commonly met with today; problems of rust, stubborn screws, damaged or missing parts, and general restorative work.
*Meek, J. B. The Art of Engraving. Montezuma, Iowa: F. Brownell and Son Publishers, 1973. Techniques of engraving and information on the subject in general to better judge the work of others.
*Mowbray, Stuart C. 331+ Essential Tips and Tricks; a How-To Guide for the Gun Collector. Woonsocket, RI; Mowbray Publishing, 2006. Broad coverage of all components of collecting; special attention devoted to restorations and fakes.
*Newell, A. D. Gunstock Finishing and Care. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: The Stackpole Company, 1949. Emphasis on modern firearms but some excellent material on antique and early gun stock finishes and refinishing techniques.
*Peterson, Harold L. How Do You Know It’s Old? New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1975. A practical handbook of fakes for the antique collector and curator.
*Smith, L. W. Home Gunsmithing the Colt Single Action Revolvers. Philadelphia: Ray Riling Arms Book Company, 1971. Detailed information on the operation and servicing of this famed handgun.
*Stelle, J. P. & Harrison, W. B. The Gunsmith’s Manual. New Jersey: Gun Room Press, 1972. An exact recreation of the original 1883 edition of this well known work. Much on making and repairing flintlock and percussion arms; the tools used for them.
Walker, R. T. Black Powder Gunsmithing. Northfield, Illinois: DBI Books, Inc., 1978. Wide coverage from replica building to the advanced, intricate art of restoration of antique muzzleloaders.
Walker, R. T. Hobby Gunsmithing. Northfield, Ill.: DBI Books, Inc. 1972. How to refinish repair, restore, restock, blue and accurize with simple tools.
Wood, J. B. The Gun Digest Book of Gun Care Cleaning & Refinishing: Book One—Handguns; Book Two—Long Guns. Northbrook, Illinois: DBI Books, Inc., 1984-85. Two-part series on how to care for, clean and refinish collector and modern firearms.
Wood, J. B. Gunsmithing: The Tricks of the Trade. Northbrook, Illinois: DBI Books, Inc., 1982. How to repair and replace broken gun parts.
*Wood, J. B. The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Part 1: Automatic Pistols, Revised Edition; Part 2: Revolvers,