Collector letters from the 50's and early 60's

[ScottDallas]

I just signed up and want to see if documents that I have can be of help to collectors. My father was Jim Somers and he was a Remington collector in the 50's and early 60's. He one of teh founders of teh TGCA and teh American Society of Arms Collectors I have come across old letters to his friends like Bill Locke, Harm Leonard and several other Remington collectors of the 50's and 60's discussing life and collections in general as well as certain early Remingtons. Dad has also left a few books of pictures of his collection and that of others. If this might me of help in getting some info on an early piece, I will try to help with copies. This is a file of letters he received and copies of letters he wrote. Sure is interesting as to what the asking price of some of these guns were back then. I read a letter last night to him from a gentleman offering Dad a Remington marked "F.James 1862" ( I believe was the date).

Scott Somers
Dallas

[ForumAdmin]

I will make sure Roy Marcot see's this post, he is the keeper of records and makes them available to members...

[Roy Marcot]

Dear Scott,

Yes, I have heard about your father, but I never met him. I've been a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors since 1982, and have known and lost a great number of wonderful collectors in the past 27 years.

I have headed up the Remington research Team since 1991, the only non-employees permitted in the Remington plants to conduct historical research. I also manage the Remington Society Historical Archives, which presently is more than 139 linear feet of materials. I can tell you with all sincerity that we would welcome any or all Remington-related correspondence and other materials.

All my best,

Roy Marcot
Remington Historian

[ScottDallas]

Thanks for your reply.

It was surely an experience - even as a boy tagging along with my dad - to meet those icons of the 50's and 60's collectors. The stories that I heard and the collections that I saw. I think the last Society meeting that I attended with Dad was in the mid to late 80's at the YO. Dad and Charlie III talked me into shooting a repro Whitworth that Val had brought at, I think, 125yds, 250yds,350 yds and 500yds. Dad was grinning ear to ear at the hits were made.
Went to many of the Texas Gun Collector Association meetings with him. I really miss those days.

I am not sure that the letters would unearth staggering information but might shed some light on who might have owned what and values back then. I'm sure that Dad would want then to be passed on to help the cause. I will go through and pull out anything relating to Remingtons and get them to you. If you can put an mailing address my way scott@concordindustries.com I'll get it too you when I go through it.

I'm doing roughly the same with Ruger after I found my old Bearcat that was an inscribed gift to me from Bill Ruger in 1962 and factory lettered as "engraved with names" and special serial numbers.

Fun stuff.

Dad also took pictures of the guns in his collection at the time with serial numbers. Not real sure about letting these go right now, but would these be of use by the Remington Society?

I will ty and help if I can.

Thanks again

Scott Somers