The starting price is likely to be beat by quite a bit. Just my guess. A well-appointed original Bucks County rifle is a rare bird. Where and when are collectors going to see another? If it was signed Verner or Weiker or Schuler, it would start quite a bit higher.
Ideas about restoration have changed and continue to change. From what I can see, 60 and 50 years ago, it was considered almost a duty to restore a nice longrifle to its original appearance. When I first started going to flintlock shows in the 70s, originals were almost always always shined up. Nobody proudly showed a gun in the state in which it was found, often with the forearm missing and converted to halfstock when converted to percussion. Those guns were for selling to someone who wanted to restore one. Those guns in "relic" condition were considered projects. How many of the longrifles in Kindig's Golden Age book were shown as found? Any?
However, nowadays it is fashionable to want to see guns as found. Sort of. Collectors and enthusiasts still want to see guns as found but dream of those found complete and never altered from their original appearance. Those are rare indeed among early and Golden Age guns. Much is made of attic condition but a worm eaten rust bucket isn't going to bring much.
Many longrifles have changed hands many times since found. So it is not often possible to know what was done in restoration and when. Careful examination can reveal some things, but it sort of takes a restorer to see everything. Some things are more obvious and could affect the value to some folks. Others would be happy to have an original Bucks County longrifle for what may be a good price for this climate.
