What makes this Blackhawk box so special?

[Rdtay10]

This is the link to a Blackhawk box on Ebay that the current bid is $260.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F382586134895
What makes this box so special as opposed to other OM boxes? Please educate me.
Thanks,
Rodney

 

[Rclark]

Yikes. And all the purchaser is getting is some cardboard for that amount of money! I can't explain it.... But then I never understood why box and papers are worth anything. Just me though...

 

[Luckyducker]

I think that is a very good deal "if" they leave the revolver in the box! Otherwise that is just nuts. I can say that because I don't intentionally keep the boxes they come in. On second thought though maybe I should have......!!!!

 

[SBH4628]

Un-cataloged flattop box.50 plus years old
Great shape hard to find box with the paper work.
May even go higher

 

[rugerguy]

I agree, so far a heck of a deal, and YES it should go higher...it is ,what it is as noted above

if you do not know what it is, and why it is worth so much, then you do NOT know Rugers :?

as often said over the years, "get, and read the books....." 8) :roll: :wink:

 

[contender]

While some folks do not understand why "cardboard" sells for so much,, others of us do,, and wonder why it goes so cheaply sometimes.

Yes,, it's a cardboard box.
BUT,, it's the type of box it is,, that makes it valuable,,,,,,,,,, to collectors.

A collector likes to have an "as shipped,, original, complete package." From displays to general collecting & all,, the small items,, OTHER than the gun,, can be harder to find.
Why? Well, as many allude to,, they trash the box,, & keep the gun. That makes boxes harder to get than guns. And when you have a rarer gun,, the boxes are even rarer.

Go price a Tri-Color Lightweight,, gun.
Then,, go price either box they may have shipped in.
There were 2 different boxes,, one with a green wreath, and one with a black wreath.
Green wreath boxes,, JUST THE BOX,, collector grade,, value $1600,, while a black wreath box is worth about $900. But the guns,,, between $650 and $950.
Why? Not many green wreath boxes,, with more being black wreath ones,,! BUT,, due to buyers trashing the boxes,, more COLLECTOR value is placed on the good boxes,, than the more plentiful guns.

There are many examples of this,, but it boils down to COLLECTORS,, vs shooters.

 

[Hondo44]

This is the link to a Blackhawk box on Ebay that the current bid is $260.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F382586134895
What makes this box so special as opposed to other OM boxes? Please educate me.
Thanks,
Rodney

Boxes are just like guns; there's the run of the mill and then there's the scarce and rare model guns that command a lot more! Notice there's no barrel length listed on that box, and for when the gun was made with only a 5 digit s/n, that box is in great condition.

Although I'd rather buy another gun for what that box will sell for.

 

[Rdtay10]

Jim,
How can you tell about the serial number?
Or the model #?
Thanks to all for the education!!!
Rodney

 

[Doc4429]

A .357 Blackhawk with a serial number in the 20000 range would date to 1959 and has the brochure, warranty card, and Anderol lubricant card. The entire "package" is in great shape for being nearly fifity years old and many collectors would love to have it. If you look at the bid history, it looks like a one or two person auction. Who knows how high it will go, particularly if both really want or need it for their collection.

Bill Cross

 

[contender]

Rdtay10,,, we collectors get the books, we study & know what goes with what. The cheapest & best info is the Red Eagle News Exchange. Join, and you get the Ruger Reference Guide. It's invaluable.
Now,, it doesn't have everything you need,, but it does have more than most will ever use.
One of the basics,,, model info.
Look at the box mentioned. It doesn't have the "BKH-34" that later guns would have printed on their box ends. Why? Because when the Blackhawk first came out,, it was in one caliber, and one barrel length. When the 6-1/2" barreled guns came out,, the box had to be longer to accept the longer guns,, AND then the models had to be distinguished from each other for shipping & selling,, so they were given model info,, such as BKH-34 or BKH-36. In fact,, due to the age of that box,, the model for it was first called; ".357 Blackhawk from 1955-1957."

A lot of this information is what we collectors study & look for in an original package of a gun, the paperwork, and even the shippers. The shippers are even more rare,, & can command huge premiums,,, due to the fact that different, more detailed information was found on the shipper,, not on the box.

And,, if you really want sticker shock,, I have seen JUST a box sell for as high as $2700,, for an OM 357,, the BKH-30. It was on sleezbay if I recall correctly,, and a few members here were after it as a gift for a prominent collector. They stopped at $2500,, if my faded memory is correct.
Currently,, according to the RENE price guide, here are a few examples of box prices. (JUST the box,, no extras or shippers etc.)
Non cataloged .357 box, (like the one mentioned here,) $435
Non cataloged 44 mag Blackhawk; $560.
BKH-30; $1600
BKH-46; $1550
BKH-47; $935
BKH-40; $1450
Hawkeye; $545

These are but a few examples,, and all this info came from the RENE.
It's all about rarity, and collectors who desire a complete package.

 

[BlkHawk73]

It's about having the complete package. A collector may have the gun and it's worth, as an example, $500. They buy the box for $300 and now as a package it's worth $1000. The ones only looking at it as a cardboard box are the same ones that only see the gun as another ol' shooter.

 

[Rdtay10]

Thank you all very much for the education. What does LHS #747", and "859" mean on the box?
Rodney

 

[Hondo44]

Thank you all very much for the education. What does LHS #747", and "859" mean on the box?
Rodney

Rodney,

The serial # is in red grease pencil on the left side of the box label.

These LHS #747" and "859" are not factory notations; most likely something to do with the dealers inventory control #s.

 

[Rdtay10]

Ah Hah! Thanks Jim.
Rodney

 

[Coop]

I cannot speak for the Blackhawk. However, I purchased Ruger Gold Label shotgun bunch of years ago. It was a firearm writers test gun, and came to me used directly from Ruger for employee price, courtesy of Mike Fifer. It had the original box and all the documentation. Buddy of mine and I fired it up a local range, trap shooting. That shotgun handled beautifully. BUT, the joint between one barrel was not completely sweated, leaking cleaning fluid. Called Ruger, sent it back, came back to me fixed. BIG mistake, I sent it back in the original box and they sent back to me in a new box. SOBBB. I didn't know what I was thinking.

After a few years this gun was meant for upland game and NOT sporting clays, which I am into. Put it on the Ruger Forum, and it was sold to a collector in Texas. We discussed it at length, came to an agreed price significantly more than I paid for it. He then told me if I had the original box, he would have probably added $700.00 to his offer.

I am not a collector, but the buyer was very tickled to receive the shotgun and all the provenance that it came with.

Coop

 

[Joe S.]

Maybe the box i have listed here should go on ebay.

 

[dixie cat]

it went for 405+8.95 shipping insanity!

 

[chet15]

it went for 405+8.95 shipping insanity!

No, not really.
You guys that throw the cardboard away when you get a brand new gun are the reason there are so few of these original cardboard boxes left.
Most people also think that guns are just guns (heck, even the Ruger factory thinks that)
But some people recognize the rarity of some guns and collect them (like the coin collector who just paid over 4.5 million dollars for a 1913 nickle recently). It is all about supply and demand (check your change...some 1969 lincoln pennies with the "S" mintmark are worth from $7K to over 100K depending on the condition!). :shock: But to many of you, a nickel will always be just a nickel.
If you are a collector, you realize the value of having a complete package, even if it is a common gun, it can be a "condition rarity" if it has the original box, outer shipping carton and all the original papers.
Probably 90% of all Ruger Old Models no longer have their original boxes. So if a collector finds a gun that doesn't have a box, they will generally try to find a correct era box to go with it. The benefit of this is that when you sell the collection, a boxed gun of a particular variation will always be easier to sell than a gun of similar variation without the box.
The record for Ruger cardboard is in the $2,200 area....yes, true because I'm the one to sold it to another collector on ebay, and there were several other collectors who pushed it to that level.
Chet15

 

[Rclark]

You guys that throw the cardboard away when you get a brand new gun are the reason there are so few of these original cardboard boxes left.
Most people also think that guns are just guns (heck, even the Ruger factory thinks that)

Hey, I resemble that remark . My enjoyment is shooting them and hitting what I aim at. That's what Ruger designed them for . Guns belong in a holster and used . That said, I do understand the obsession of collecting (guns/boxes, coins, paintings, baseball cards) somewhat. I mean, why do I have 'several' .45 Colt revolvers when one would do? We each enjoy guns in different ways!

 

[dixie cat]

You guys that throw the cardboard away when you get a brand new gun are the reason there are so few of these original cardboard boxes left.
Most people also think that guns are just guns (heck, even the Ruger factory thinks that)

Hey, I resemble that remark . My enjoyment is shooting them and hitting what I aim at. That's what Ruger designed them for . Guns belong in a holster and used . That said, I do understand the obsession of collecting (guns/boxes, coins, paintings, baseball cards) somewhat. I mean, why do I have 'several' .45 Colt revolvers when one would do? We each enjoy guns in different ways!

I see "collectors" collecting guns they can't and won't shoot. what good are they? it's like having a car you can't drive. or knives you can't sharpen and use. or building a house and not live in it. what good are they? you are just going to die and leave this earth and someone else will use them. I am a user collector, I use what I collect,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[chet15]

You guys that throw the cardboard away when you get a brand new gun are the reason there are so few of these original cardboard boxes left.
Most people also think that guns are just guns (heck, even the Ruger factory thinks that)

Hey, I resemble that remark . My enjoyment is shooting them and hitting what I aim at. That's what Ruger designed them for . Guns belong in a holster and used . That said, I do understand the obsession of collecting (guns/boxes, coins, paintings, baseball cards) somewhat. I mean, why do I have 'several' .45 Colt revolvers when one would do? We each enjoy guns in different ways!

I see "collectors" collecting guns they can't and won't shoot. what good are they? it's like having a car you can't drive. or knives you can't sharpen and use. or building a house and not live in it. what good are they? you are just going to die and leave this earth and someone else will use them. I am a user collector, I use what I collect,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You invest in stocks, cash, gold, your house....I invest in guns. Same difference through different eyes.
Chet15

 

[Rclark]

Yep I agree. We all don't have to march to the same drum to enjoy our hobby/investment/sport here in America. A good thing!

 

[jack black]

I had 9 green wreath bxs from my fathers estate let a few go a few years ago and they went for well over 2,000 each. Decided to keep the rest for the children .

 

[chet15]

I see "collectors" collecting guns they can't and won't shoot. what good are they? it's like having a car you can't drive. or knives you can't sharpen and use. or building a house and not live in it. what good are they? you are just going to die and leave this earth and someone else will use them. I am a user collector, I use what I collect,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I know a lot of people who have rental houses they will never live in.
And whether you think you are a gun collector or not, if you have more than one you are a collector, because you can't shoot more than one at a time....
Wish Ruger would think the same way....because if they pushed a "collector" market for their guns, they would take more guns off the current market...yes, they aren't in the business to sell used guns, but if there were less guns in the marketplace, they would need to make more new guns to replace them.
Makes sense to me, but not the bean counters.
And I will always bang my head on the wall with those thoughts.
Unfortunately, millenials don't seem to collect anything today...so real collectors are becoming a dying breed, and Ruger will go down as being asleep at the wheel.
Chet15

 

[Ruger44fan]

I was the underbidder at $400 and had to stop at some point. The value is the label which says only Blackhawk and does not have a model number such as BKH34. I recently saw a Hawkeye box sell for $666 (actual not a ‘devilish’ make up) and I just lost a lightweight wreath box that I bid $1000 for and it sold for $1026; both on eBay.

 

[mohavesam]

Paper boxes are paper stock, glue, and ink. I would think that if a $500 profit can be made with a good printer and an hour or two of effort, we can expect many instances of counterfeiting. Selling to individual marks who don't quite know what to look for would represent the bulk of opportunity.

Personally, I like to have a "complete" package too, but I don't get all itchy about old Ruger boxes..

 

[Captain America]

To a collector it has value, to a gun owner it’s a gun box, to everyone else it’s a great place to keep your crayons and such.

 

[street]

To all of you that think that a cardboard box is just something to throw away please send me all of the old model ruger boxes that you have and I will gladly pay $10.00 each for them. As you think they are worthless $10.00 is way too much, but I am willing to give that for them. :wink: Thanks in advance for all that apply. :shock:

 

[Rclark]

I would if I had any. I'd feel really bad otherwise asking more for cardboard! $10 would at least cover the shipping. It'd that conscious thing you know...

 

[CraigC]

I love old packaging, especially gun and ammo boxes. A couple years ago I paid $200 for a replica Colt box for a 1929 Police Positive Target just because I wanted the complete package, the way they used to be. That's the catch though, OLD boxes. I have no affection for anything that was shipped from the factory during my lifetime. Biggest thing about boxes is that they're not worth anything until long after you've decided they were unwanted clutter. I used to save everything but have thrown away a lot of boxes in the last few years because I was tired of making room for them. Don't know if I'll live to see them worth anything or not and honestly don't care. I presume that my thinking is more prevalent than others, which is what makes old boxes rare and valuable.

if you do not know what it is, and why it is worth so much, then you do NOT know Rugers :?

I know Rugers and have bought about 60 of them in the last 30yrs. I just don't know much about boxes, or really care. No offense, it just ain't my thang.