It seems that during the past two years the market for vintage English side-by-sides has been on a plateau. Advertised prices for these guns however have remained about the same. It is now a good time to buy an English shotgun?
Consider it unlikely that the prices will go down. If you find a gun that suits you at a fair price - buy it.
If you are buying a gun as an investment, the prices of good guns will always go up in the long term, not because of a shortage but because of the growing interest in classic guns.
Very difficult to say whether the gun market, like other markets, has reached a plateau or not, but you are almost certainly right except for shotguns with special engraving, gold inlay etc and big game double rifles. Are you talking about Purdey, Holland and Boss?
I think Trev's comments are 100%, but I would add that 2nd and 3rd division maker's guns are undervalued (2nd division being makers like Lang, Grant, Dickson, Churchill, Hellis, Hussey, and Boswell.
Top quality guns by 3rd division makers like Westley Richards, Greener, Cogswell & Harrison, Scott and Webley are certainly underrated; as such, they are not investment items in the same class, but functionally they are as good or almost as good as the top makers and in fact, they made a lot of the guns sold by most of the 1st and 2nd division makers who only finished, engraved and stocked them.
An Irish gunsmith I've shot with a few times maintains that in terms of functionality, no gun is worth more than £5000. I think that's correct and worth bearing in mind! Actually, I think he was repeating his wife's words!
I think you just need to buy wisely and aviod trends. If you are thinking about buying & selling guns as a profitable sideline, there are a lot of knowledgeable people out there playing the game and it will be tough.
However, if you buy for yourself and use your guns then you will rarely lose money when you come to sell.
At the moment non - ejectors are cheap and you can get good quality guns at below their 'worth'. Good English guns are solid and durable even in the lower grades.
In recent years 16 bores have become more popular - they were cheap not so long ago. Hammer guns have had a revival, largely due to the American market; they used to be cheap.
If you are in the market for a gun to use , you have a lot of choice and will need to budget and then compare what is on offer - take your time and go for a gun that suits you.
Good quality English boxlock guns are good value for money. £1500 will get you a very nice gun that will last two lifetimes if cared for.
Remember - there are very few English guns being made now and they are very expensive. The guns left are finite in number and supply and demand suggests that prices should remain in un upward curve.