'Antiques Roadshow' crowd lets out a huge gasp after expert revealed the value of a rare revolver
While die-hard fans of "Antiques Roadshow" are used to hearing big valuations, the live audience at various venues often isn't. That was evident in one episode where the crowd was left in disbelief after hearing a six-figure appraisal for an old revolver. The show's expert, Bill Harriman, called the "early Colt revolver" an iconic item before putting an auction estimate of a whopping £150,000 (or approximately $200,000) on it. While the guest welcomed the appraisal with a smile, the crowd around him let out a huge gasp.
In the episode, Harriman examined the old gun, which was made in the early 19th century. "I've had it for over 40 years, and I've always collected antique arms. My primary interest in the early days was size," the guest shared. Harriman then took over to explain the provenance of the early American gun. "This pistol was made by Sam Colt in Paterson, New Jersey, and his patent was filed in 1836. Production started probably in about 1837, and looking at this, I think this is from very early in the series," he explained.
"This is one of the most iconic firearms ever," Harriman stated. He explained that it was a gun without a trigger, as it used a percussion cap to fire. "Let me show you. As you pull the hammer back—bingo!—out comes a little trigger, and so you pull it and the hammer falls and that would set off the percussion cap, which in turn sets off the powder charge," the expert shared. He added that the revolver held five shots, and Colt patented it after perfecting it. "In my opinion, this is the most important firearm ever made in the development and history of firearms," Harriman stated. He went on to explain that the revolver made the old flintlock pistols obsolete, as people didn't need to reload after every shot.
Before coming to the appraisal, Harriman asked the guest about how he got the gun and how much he paid for it. "I've had it for 40 odd years and I paid £150 for it. It was a fair sum, but I thought it was worth it when I looked at it," the guest remarked. The expert admitted that he had made a great decision, as it was one of the rarest guns on the market.
"I have to say that I haven't seen very many of these. I think in my career I've actually sold one, and obviously I've seen them in museums," he said. He added that to gauge the true value of the item, they will have to get it verified by historians. "If it is [the right one], then I think it's got to be a £150,000 ($200,000)," Harriman said, causing the crowd to gasp loudly.
In the end, Harriman asked the guest what he planned to do with the item, and the owner responded with a grin, "Well, I'm open to offers!"
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