need original appraised

[Fort Greene Ville]

Good day to all! My question to this thread is " Where and/or whom can I seek to have three original rifles appraised?" I am located in Troy OH. I have posted one of the rifles a year or so ago on this forum. It is a signed "M Sheetz". I now also have a stamped signed rifle of "J SHEETZ" as well as an unsigned half stock rifle.
I have seen the Library on a Jacob Sheetz but none of the pictures show the signature on the barrel to match to mine. I do wish to have some idea of their worth but good or bad I LOVE the old guns anyway. I done attend some of the major indoor shows so any guidance to an honest appraiser would be much appreciated.

Thank You Fort Greene Ville

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

If you contact me by personal email, I can put you in touch with reliable resources. You must, however, realize that appraisals are opinions and reflect a range. The real value can only be established upon sale and then that varies.
The general  rule I use for purchases might help, but it is my personal guide. Hands on evaluation is more reliable than photos.
1. Unadorned guns; usually far less than $2000.00 unless signed
2. Id'd guns ( signed or decorated consistent with a known maker)
        $2000-5000.
3. Signed, decorated, age and carved : $5000 and up into 5-6 figures
Factors which influence the place in range are: artistic merit, desirability, restoration, rarity of maker and most important, THE CUSTOMER and his or her passion for the gun.
Hurricane
fgarner@verizon.net

Of course I have no idea how the economy would affect this as many have a"need" to sell now. In general there is a stable market of passionate collectors to go to.

Be fun to see how others reply to the above.

[keweenaw]

It depends on whether you want them appraised for insurance or inheritance purposes or appraised to get an idea of what you could sell them for.  There are several M Sheetz makers, all part of the same family over several generations.  I'm assuming you have the later Ohio one with a signature that looks like
 

Tom

[Fort Greene Ville]

hurricane I will contact you via email and thanks for your posted info.

snyder my interest is more on the insurance side I guess. None of my originals are near the quality I see in the magazines. Now my signature is slightly different from you picture. I would insert a pictures but have no idea how to do so. Tried it, and it kicked me out! 

I have also just found a marking on the bottom side of the barrel of the "unmarked rifle".
It is stamped with" J Mc W" If anyone knows what this stands for? I am curious.

Fort Greene Ville

[flintriflesmith]

If you want an appraisal that will be valid for insurance purposes you need to talk to you agent about what they require. What is needed not only varies from company to company but by type of policy within the company. Some "fine art riders" can be written for any amount the owner decides/believes the object is worth -- as long as they pay the premium accordingly!

On phrase I have heard a lot is that an antique appraisal is only valid if it is made by a "dealer in the business of buying and selling similar objects."

Gary

[Dave K]

Tom, Not to hijack this thread, but I do have a M Sheets, marked just as the one you have shown. It is a full stock, percussion gun, shooting a .330 ball. The barrel is 41 1/2 long and is swamped, but not real pronounced. The lock is marked "T. Davidson & Co," Are there more pictures of these guns or another place to look for them?

[Robert Wolfe]

Dave,

I posted an M*Sheets on the old board and it is still in the archives. It was originally a fullstock but was cut back. It is in scrubbed condition. There are one or two others posted there as well. Do a search on M Sheets.

[wvmtnman]

Is there any possibility that the rifle marked J Sheetz is actually marked H Sheets? H Sheets senior signed is first initial with a lower case h.  In script it sort of looks like a J.  Or that is how it at least looks on mine. 
                                                                 Brian

[Fort Greene Ville]

Robert Wolfe, I believe I chatted with you on that post. I was on the old site. I will look at the archive.

wvmtnman, The marking is J (five dots forming a +) SHEETZ. I double check it with a magnifying glass.

Yes both of my "sheetz" rifles are in ruff condition as well but that is some of the beauty IMHO

Thanks FGV

[Dave K]

Robert, I had no luck finding it. I did a "search" and no help. Is there a seperate archive that I can't find? Maybe I am computer challenged.

[Fort Greene Ville]

Dave K
It's not you I could not find the archive as well.

Fort Greene Ville

[Robert Wolfe]

For searching the archives go to the old site ("Americanlongrifles.com") and search the archives there. There may be a link to them from this site but I could not see it.

Search in the Antique Gun Collection section under "Martin Sheets" and in the short list of posts you will see mine entitled "M Sheets Halfstock" and another by Snyder entitled "M Sheets Rifle." I just checked and it worked for me.

[Dave K]

Thanks, I found it. I was unaware that I had to leave this website, to go to another website. That is why I couldn't find it. I had deleted the old website when this one came on line.