A heads-up and some shameless self-promotion - I'm doing a display this coming weekend at the Virginia Gun Collectors Show in Manassas Virginia. It’s at the Prince William County Fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday. Come on by and “set” awhile. p/s Some of the other displays might be worth looking at too.
Here it is - From the left 1842rifle and a cadet musket, Gras rifle with firing and non-firing cadets, Lebels, 1874 Gras converted to 22lr, Berthier 22lr, MAS 45, MAS 36 Tir-reduit, MAS 49/56 MSE. On the table the two MAS 36 are displaying a Viso Scope and a Campana device. I also have on the table a Gras cadet bayonet with its big brother and other training items.
:grin: View attachment 299940
I'm back home and recovered from the weekend. Have you ever noticed how exhausting it is just sitting at a show.?
I did get lots of great feedback from the show vistitors, It's really nice when people take the time to stop and ask if that's your display and then tell you they think it is great or ask questions and actually listen to the answer.
I had a sale table next to it so I was almost always there. Sold a bunch of stuff too, mostly odds and ends from before I started to concentrate on things French. I have also started to sell off my handgun collection so I can concintrate on longguns.
I picked up a fighting knife made from a British P14 bayonet, I've seen these in photographs from Indochina.
Thanks for the great comments.
Keep it going; think of different angles to present. You will soon become known as the resident French specialist and between the dealers and the public you will see (and maybe get a crack at) anything French that shows up.... ask Frenchy 24RI.
Wapruf2 is right!!!
I had a guy walk in at one of the shows up here about 3 years ago, and thru some horse trading= got a minty VB launcher WITH ORIGINAL CASE FOR FREE !!!!!!
Launchers can be found BUT, the cases are UNHEARD OF!!!!!!!
I did manage to find a repro case to use in my outdoor exhibits. The original case is only for indoor exhibits, because of it being in fair condition at best.
nATURALLY, there will be alot of other stuff to walk in and be offered that is of no use to me yet, I still thank the person for thinking of me.
The VB launcher and case is by far the best thing yet!
Common courtesy goes a long way!
Most of the dealers and public at the shows up here, know me quite well by my exhibits, and when not having an exhibit, I walk around in one of my numerous WW2 thru Modern French kits.
Trust me= just walking around in uniform, definitely raises some eyebrows, and alot of decent questions too.
I'm very very jealous of all the stories about US gunshows, here is Europe it just seems to be mostly hawkish dealers trying to rip you off, and of course the shear range of arms for on sale is vastly inferior due to tight licensing.
I'll have to skip across the pond one day to see how it should be.....
I should have asked whose display this was when I first saw it. I saw no one around that looked to be the owner of what I though was a ONE OF A KIND display and very professionally done. There were things on display that
just never crossed my path in 63 yrs.
Anyhow: if you missed seeing this display: YOU MISSED SOMETHING UNIQUE.
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