Curly trade guns

[Hungry Horse]

 My questions are, do first generation North Star "Curly" trade guns have more valuable than current production, if the conditions are equal? Also, are left handed versions, more, or less, valuable? Do chiefs grade guns have increased value?


                        Hungry Horse

[rich pierce]

Like Bill Large Barrels, GRRW hawkens, even Sharon barrels, there can be nostalgic value to a Curly NW gun that makes it worth more to an old timer who remembers the good old days of the 70's and 80's.  The products themselves are not necessarily better than what is available today, but the shinin times memories are priceless!

[Bob Roller]

Priceless times for sure. I remember well the smell of cutting oil and hot steel shavings and the sounds of running machinery in Bill Large's shop.

Bob Roller

[Don Getz]

Bob........yeah, I had a lot of oil on my hands too.   Funny thing tho, it really kept your hands soft, and actually wiped off
rather easily.    I remember the 70's, 80's and 90's at Friendship, had a lot of good times there, made some money there
too.  I also remember Curly, was part of that crowd.........Don

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Don, what are you going to bring to show us at CLA this year??

[Ray Nelson]

Curly the Polish #!*^# was real good to me back in those days. We had a few great times just rendezvousing and looking for more original NW Trade guns for his collection.

Ray

[Bob Roller]

I remember asking Curly if he was involved in the design and development of the "Smithinsky&Wessonovitch" Polish target pistol and he said he designed the sights.
For those of you who are not familiar with this pistol,when raised to eye level to sight and fire,you're looking into the muzzle and they were usually advertised as being for sale very cheap and fired once by the previous owner.

Bob Roller

[Don Getz]

Tim...........not working on anything right now, taking a break.   We are having Mark Weader shape some "Christians Spring stocks, and some generic lancaster's.  Also have a pistol to build for Ken Steinhauer up in Alberta, really should
get this finished.............Don

[Hungry Horse]

I think the all time funniest story about Curly is the one where he dropped his new dentures out of his pocket into the driveway, and found them after they had been run over, and presses into the fresh asphalt. 
 When I built my first Trade Gun, there were no Curly parts used on it. While discussing becoming a dealer for his guns, and parts, later on, he asked if I shot trade gun. I had to admit I did. And of course he asked about my gun. I described it, and there was a long pregnant silence, then he asked me, since it was a chiefs grade, if it had a indian thumb piece. I had to admit it didn't. He immediately growled it wasn't a real chiefs grade without one, and it should be sterling silver to historically correct. I realized he wanted to get at least one of his parts on my gun, so I ordered a silver thumb piece right then and there. From then on he alway asked how my junk pile trade gun was shooting. He was a real piece of work.

                          Hungry Horse