WWA Info Exchange

In the past few days dozens of rare antique firearms were recovered by the FBI and returned to 16 different museums in several Eastern and Southern States. These guns were stolen back in 1970 by one man (a collector) who was obsessed with simply owning them. He never sold any of them, even tho at least one is worth over $1,000,000.

In MS, it was a 1841 Eli Whitney .54 caliber rifle.



In other States a variety of pistols, muskets, rifles, and accessories. Here's the stories:

Mississippi:
https://www.wlbt.com/2023/07/22/19th-ce ... -help-fbi/

Massachusetts:
https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/03/s ... utType=amp

Delaware:
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/ne ... 991485007/

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I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

I understand donating an iconic piece to a museum in perpetuity for others to enjoy. Stealing one from a museum to have for your own makes no sense to me. Glad they got them back!

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"To all those who work come moments of beauty unseen by the rest of the world." Norman Maclean

Im glad they got them back, that collector was plain selfish. He took them for his own enjoyment rather than letting others enjoy the as well. Hope they lock his butt up for a very long time

Nope. He was sentenced to 1 day in jail a couple years probation and $65,000 fine.

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

Yea he got off easy. One thing I have learned in life :Things are just things". It doesn't matter weather they are stolen or worked for, things are still things. Just yesterday we gave a microwave and a window air conditioner to a family in need that had been just sitting around not being used.They were doin g no one any good sitting around not being used.

Don you are so right, my Mother really stressed that "Things are just things to her kids." I still get amazed how much emphasis some people put on things, especially things that are beyond what is needed to live.

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"To all those who work come moments of beauty unseen by the rest of the world." Norman Maclean

He went from collector to common criminal...thief at that point.

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Mango
The land some where in the middle
20 47 00N -156 26 00W

True. Interesting story tho. That kind of thing was pretty common in the art world back then and usually successful, as the story notes.

BTW, I've been reading about the fire on Maui the last couple days. Very bad from what the news says. I guess you're ok since you obviously are still alive. Many years ago when I was stationed SoCal, I and a boy scout troop I was shepherding, barely made it out of the mountains in front of a fast moving fire. Scary stuff.

On the good news front, I finally got a new rig for my old big iron (Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag, 6.5" barrel).

Drop leg holster from Diamond D Leather, Belt from Old Fat Guy Belts.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNR6WrtuhGo

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

nice holster rig Gene. Ive been wanting to get a holster for my Ruger GP103 wheel gun. Just havent got around to it. There is a place here that makes custom leather holsters. I got to get over there get one then strap on my wheel gun and go visit tombstone :>D