This is a family business I would love to be part of!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-2223113/Christian-Alex-Cranmer-The-father-son-team--whove-fortune-trading-historic-weapons--waiting-.html
Imagine your job is scouring the world for antique weapons...bliss
Con
Did you see all the blunderbusses in that photo? I've always wanted one...
Yes, these guys actually have a TV show. I started to DVR it before I switched form cable to DirecTV. The show was OK, but what they did was pretty cool. I don't know how they got their money - they have a large warehouse filled with stuff. It's mind-boggling the money they have tied up in that business.
All homeowners need a good blunderbuss. That would be the ultimate in home defence and in times of hurricane storms a good looter deterrent.
Con
This reminds me...from my upstairs windows I can see Bannerman's Island.
On that island are the ruins of the Bannerman Warehouse and estate. Bannerman was a 19th century antique arms dealer who was forced by NYC to move to a less densely populated area...i.e., here. In 1918 Mr. Bannerman was investigated by the US gov't for alleged weapons trading with Germany.
After WWI his business and island began to decline and whatever was left blew up one night in 1969. The ruins are fascinating and eerie.
^Pics?
Here's a pic of the old arsenal...about half of it is left now. The past few harsh winters have not been kind.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cdn.tripadvisor.com%2Fmedia%2Fphoto-s%2F01%2F2d%2F73%2F5f%2Fbannerman-island-cruise.jpg&hash=3152679436d68380380f63c822e09acc17595810)
Beautiful. Looks like it could be a Celtic castle guarding a Highlands river somewhere. Wow.
Quote from: LongBlade on October 29, 2012, 11:37:52 AM
Did you see all the blunderbusses in that photo? I've always wanted one...
My dad actually has one on his fireplace mantle. It's more like a long pistol than a short rifle. I'll try and snap a pic next time I'm there.
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 29, 2012, 01:22:15 PM
Quote from: LongBlade on October 29, 2012, 11:37:52 AM
Did you see all the blunderbusses in that photo? I've always wanted one...
My dad actually has one on his fireplace mantle. It's more like a long pistol than a short rifle. I'll try and snap a pic next time I'm there.
Thanks. That would be cool. Family heirloom?
If you ever take a cruise to the Mediterranean, be careful.
They will try to sell all kinds of "antique" firearms to get that american dollar.
The Grogs here could probably tell the difference for the ones they manufacture to the tourist trade. They're really cheap and feels so fragile you know it is a paperweight.
However, there are some experienced guys who make some fake weapons that it takes a museum grade specialist to be sure if it is just a fake.
Be really careful if you are offered something "so good it won't be here tomorrow."