A valuation from us is a written figure, on letterhead, that an insurer, a solicitor or an executor will accept. We do them for insurance cover, for probate, for divorce settlements and for people who simply want to know what a collection is worth before deciding whether to sell.
The figure depends on what the valuation is for, and we will say which basis we have used. Insurance valuations are done at replacement cost — what it would realistically cost you to go out and buy the same gun again in the same condition. Probate valuations are done at open market value, which is usually a lower figure, because that is the correct basis for HMRC. Trade or sale valuations are what we would pay, in cash, today.
To do it properly we need to see the gun. Serial numbers, proof marks, barrel length, chamber length, wall thickness, chokes, whether it is original or re-stocked, sleeved or unsleeved, and its actual condition all move the number, sometimes by thousands. Photographs and a description are enough for a ballpark, never for a certificate.
Single guns can usually be valued while you wait if the shop is not busy. For collections we will come out to you within reasonable travelling distance of Staverton, which is often easier for executors than moving a cabinet full of guns. Ring us to arrange it and to confirm the fee before we start.