The Liberal Gun Club Forum

For automaton fans, these are impressive.
Christie's estimates the value to be $2,000,000 - $5,000,000 for the pair.

http://www.christies.com/features/singi ... 422-3.aspx

Done in an age of hand tools only. Absolutely amazing. The action of the bird is one thing but when the video started the chirping had my cat running out into the den.

I see no evidence that they shoot anything. I'm not sure I understand the point of making a pistol this rare and expensive unless it has a projectile. Otherwise good for nothing. Should be called a bad music box. Unless I'm wrong, what's the caliber?

OK, I wasn't expecting that. That was pretty damn impressive.

Obviously, no one will be shooting these now but the idea is interesting. How did the thinking go for this? "Ok, the minute I pull the trigger and pop a cap in this bastard, I want a sweet little bird to pop up and start singing me a beautiful song. Oh, and make it all gold and diamonds and shit... .lots of bling."

They're not real weapons, of course, but these were made by a watch company, not a firearms manufacturer. The pistols are just an element of the entire composition. A piece of art. Certainly Eelj had it right when he pointed out the craftsmanship required to make these. Also, there's a bit of romance in the action of the device. Instead of a violent "BANG!" when you pull the trigger, you get this magnificently engineered bird chirping and fluttering in a very natural way.

rglad wrote:They're not real weapons, of course, but these were made by a watch company, not a firearms manufacturer. The pistols are just an element of the entire composition. A piece of art. Certainly Eelj had it right when he pointed out the craftsmanship required to make these. Also, there's a bit of romance in the action of the device. Instead of a violent "BANG!" when you pull the trigger, you get this magnificently engineered bird chirping and fluttering in a very natural way.

that should have been obvious to me. I have seen some ornate dueling pistols, so my brain went with it. That was sort of dumb of me.

mark wrote:

rglad wrote:They're not real weapons, of course, but these were made by a watch company, not a firearms manufacturer. The pistols are just an element of the entire composition. A piece of art. Certainly Eelj had it right when he pointed out the craftsmanship required to make these. Also, there's a bit of romance in the action of the device. Instead of a violent "BANG!" when you pull the trigger, you get this magnificently engineered bird chirping and fluttering in a very natural way.

that should have been obvious to me. I have seen some ornate dueling pistols, so my brain went with it. That was sort of dumb of me.

Not dumb at all. These things are basically just jewelry. Something fun to look at.

Very very very nice wind-up toys. Just kidding. True to find the pleasingness in the idea of the bird and how it works. Billy the Kids nightmare...

I've had cigarette lighters that looked like guns. I think they are easily worth 6mil and if I were filthy rich I wouldn't rest till they were mine. One of the reasons that I love guns is the close and precision workmanship it takes to design and build one, I feel the same way when I take the back off of my Hamilton 992 pocket watch my father bought used when he started on the Great Northern RR and gave to me when I started in 1972. Nobody is making much stuff like that any more. I said much stuff because I'm sure someone can find something just as fantastic but its not as prevalent any more.

eelj wrote:I've had cigarette lighters that looked like guns. I think they are easily worth 6mil and if I were filthy rich I wouldn't rest till they were mine. One of the reasons that I love guns is the close and precision workmanship it takes to design and build one, I feel the same way when I take the back off of my Hamilton 992 pocket watch my father bought used when he started on the Great Northern RR and gave to me when I started in 1972. Nobody is making much stuff like that any more. I said much stuff because I'm sure someone can find something just as fantastic but its not as prevalent any more.

I have a Hamilton 993 that my grandfather used as a conductor on the RR (Florida East Coast Railway and Atlantic Coast Line), and then my father used as an engineer (ACL, Seaboard Coast Line, CSX). Its the same watch as the 992 except its the 'hunting' version - with the closing case. I also have an 1880s Elgin. Its not nearly as nice, but as you say, both are amazing pieces of machinery.

mark wrote:

eelj wrote:I've had cigarette lighters that looked like guns. I think they are easily worth 6mil and if I were filthy rich I wouldn't rest till they were mine. One of the reasons that I love guns is the close and precision workmanship it takes to design and build one, I feel the same way when I take the back off of my Hamilton 992 pocket watch my father bought used when he started on the Great Northern RR and gave to me when I started in 1972. Nobody is making much stuff like that any more. I said much stuff because I'm sure someone can find something just as fantastic but its not as prevalent any more.

I have a Hamilton 993 that my grandfather used as a conductor on the RR (Florida East Coast Railway and Atlantic Coast Line), and then my father used as an engineer (ACL, Seaboard Coast Line, CSX). Its the same watch as the 992 except its the 'hunting' version - with the closing case. I also have an 1880s Elgin. Its not nearly as nice, but as you say, both are amazing pieces of machinery.

I have my grandfather's Hamilton Railway Special, he worked on the New York Central for over 35 years, he started off as a brakeman by the time retired he was the station house manager on the Columbus Ohio branch line.