Those who display guns and other items at gun shows all have their own unique methods of identifying items on their tables...I've seen those who merely lay the items on the tabletop and leave the browsers to ask for information...At the other end of the spectrum are some commercial vendors with elaborate banners to beckon those sightseers from across several aisles, even using lighted flashing signs, having printed tags and cards with complete details and pricing on each item...My own method is to my knowledge unique, and it has evolved over the years from my beginnings several decades ago...
I am now retired from the commercial end of the firearm industry, preferring to only enhance and improve my own private collection of S&W revolvers...I display my guns to encourage discussion, always trying to spread what knowledge I've gained, and of course to learn more about the history of firearms and those who collect them for personal enjoyment...
During those many years, I have learned to anticipate the remarks and questions raised by what I have on my tables...Many are repetitious, and some even annoying although I try to be polite when I detect sincerity in the inquiries...After kickstarting my collection again a few years ago, I began by handwriting on index cards what I believed would answer most questions, I.E. manufacturer, model, caliber, etc...As time went on the cards evolved, adding what I thought pertinent and using color to draw attention and delineate certain features...The more additions I made, the more it seemed my poor penmanship created misunderstanding...
I finally settled on investing in printing equipment, and began to develop a system of display cards, some to be placed with each revolver and others to impart general information to those who stopped to read them...I now have several cards that are intended to answer most of the more frequently asked questions...I also developed a color coding system which I will try to explain here, illustrated with the two cards pictured below...
The first, and most obvious difference between them is the colored lines surrounding the main identifiers...With some of my guns I include a box or presentation case with the collection, others have no box...A blue line indicates a gun with a box, the red line guns have no box...In the smaller print below I indicate if it is known that the box/case is original to the gun...If I am unsure of the originality of the box, or if it is a box or case which I have added from spares I have collected, the word "original" will not appear...If the card says "original" then I have confidence it was shipped with the gun from the factory...
One of the most frequent questions is, "How much is that one?" or "How come I don't see your prices?" understandable because most display tables contain items brought in to sell...I am no longer in the firearm business, and I don't display prices because I don't bring my guns in to sell...Mine are available for discussion, and I also trade if I see a chance to enhance my collection to my advantage...Sometimes a trade includes a cash exchange, either incoming or outgoing...In those cases a value in dollars must be agreed upon, and that's where the little numbers in the corners of the cards come into play...
The number corresponds to the order in which I acquired the gun, and I keep a list in my pocket of the value I have assigned to each gun...When I get the inevitable inquiry of "price" I quote the value from my list after looking up the number...I tend to set that number high because I believe I have premium guns that are seldom seen elsewhere...I also believe the cleaning process each gun gets, and my effort to fully document the history of each one merits a premium value...If a looker does not agree with that philosophy he or she is welcome to keep looking, there are plenty of tables with cheaper guns...For those who can understand how I value my collection, an exchange of some sort might happen...But in all instances, I observe strict adherence to all federal and state laws...Having been a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) for a few decades, I understand and observe the law...
To continue explaining my method, many people with whom I have not spoken before see the little colored sticker on the butt of all my guns as pictured below...An unknowing visitor might see it and start counting out $140 thinking it represents a price, even though there is no dollar sign on the sticker...I've had others see the sticker and try to offer even less thinking cash gets an even better bargain...A polite "no thank you" and an explanation that the number only identifies the gun on my list usually draws a disappointed frown...The number is the same as on the display card corners, and also gets the same color coding as told above... All items that go with the gun, including boxes, extra stocks, letters and other documents and paraphernalia are similarly stickered...
The QR code seen on the upper right corner of all my display cards correspond to the blog article I write for each of my revolvers...They are a new addition to my ever evolving cards, and are intended for those people who want to look at any of the items that are included in my collection for each of my guns...For instance if a visitor asks to see the S&WHF letter of authenticity for a gun, all he has to do is scan the QR code with a cell phone and see the gun with every document and item from all angles which I include with each article I write...
The printed area below the model descriptor and caliber contains brief explanations of what I consider prominent features pertinent to the collector...One question I often get surprises many with my answer: "How does it shoot?"...When told I haven't shot any gun in over a dozen years because I already know any of my S&W's shoot better than I am capable of, some don't realize that the condition and history behind each of my guns matters a lot more than how tight of a group they'll make on paper...Besides that, ammo is expensive, and I'm on a tight budget...
Under the QR code on the cards a viewer will find capital letters with color coding...As seen in the top photo every gun I acquire gets a cleaning with my Dunkin Gunwash method, following which it gets a photo session indicated by "P" in a green mark...Under that when a S&WHF letter of authenticity arrives an "L" in a yellow mark is added...A "D" in a red mark tells of a digital file with all photos, information and documentation that is held on my computer..."DD" in a purple mark means that the extra cost Deep Dive into company records has been performed after the S&WHF letter has been added..."H" in an orange mark is added after I have written a separate research paper containing the complete history of the gun as I know it...This paper can include a discussion of any features of the gun which interest me, and the history of the person or company to which the gun was shipped...Everything I can find in my search is included in the paper..."LE" in blue means there is a law enforcement connection with the gun, whether it shipped to a primary police distributor, or an individual law enforcement agent or judicial figure, or if I happen to know for certain it was carried on or off duty by a police officer...
As my custody of each gun increases with time, I add whatever marks are appropriate with my research...I also display the card below on each of my glass cases at the shows to help newcomers understand my system...
I have other cards with other information such as the one pictured below, taking visitors to hopefully informative articles I have written...Questions or critiques are welcome in the comment section below...
