Anatomy Of An Auction

Today, there’s no need to visit an auction room to bid for a shotgun. But is internet bidding better than raising a paddle? Or visiting a shop?

- Roger Field

It is 2 September 2020 and Gavin Gardiner’s sale of Fine Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns. A toxic combination of COVID-19 and La Sturgeon has killed off his annual jaunt to Gleneagles Hotel and we’re ‘online only’. I’m in my study, Freya the dog gonking at my feet. I’ve done my research. I’m preregistered to bid.

Target for today is Lot 112, a William Evans 12-bore, boxlock ejector, with ‘maker’s replacement barrels’, circa 1980, and 2¾in chambers, making it not only steel shot ready but ‘modern’ enough to cope with heavier steel loads; something older guns may soon struggle with. The 15½in stock is a major draw. Most old guns have variants on 14in as they were fitted to our short-arsed ancestors. It is cheaper and easier to shorten a stock than lengthen it; that is, if I even need to with this gun, the estimate for which is a tantalising £500 to £700. However, I haven’t seen it and I won’t know until I do whether I’ll need to spend £300 plus on getting it altered to fit. That’s roughly 50% of the likely purchase price. However, if it sells for low estimate £500 (or less), plus premiums (auctioneer’s 25%, the internet’s 5% – all plus VAT), then it will cost me £650. Simple question: if I saw this gun with a £650 price ticket, would I buy it? Absolutely. Question answered.