In our country, many people are interested in small arms. As a rule, these are hunters who prefer to use weapons for their intended purpose, but there is also a category of people who collect rare specimens. There are few such fanatical admirers, but the weapons collected in their collections can amaze many connoisseurs of the work of gunsmiths. And they spend all their free time in search of rare and valuable copies, studying the media and the Internet. Moreover, collectors are primarily interested in news not about the release of a new model hunting rifle, but auction catalogs and announcements of individuals offering unique samples for sale.
As a rule, gathering is haphazard at first. Once in the hands of an enthusiastic person, a hunting rifle arouses interest as a product, then curiosity appears towards the master who made it. If the first owner of the weapon was a person known in the past, then there is an interest in the details of his life and in weapons in particular. Often, the next exhibit is the personal weapon of another compatriot, famous for his military exploits in defending the Fatherland.
So gradually, various exhibits appear in the beginner's collection, which he seeks to exchange for items of interest from other collectors. Such phenomena are not uncommon in their environment, but secrecy is inherent in this hobby. Although, the latest news from the world of the auction sale instantly becomes discussed in such circles, since they allow you to find out the fate of many wanted items.
For example, the sought-after collectible specimen of a hunting rifle, donated to one of the USSR secretaries general by foreign guests, may well already be in someone's collection. Collectors are simply afraid of widespread publicity about the exhibits collected and stored at home, but in the midst of the new wave that emerged in the privatization years, such collections are often exhibited for all to see. Their owners, on the other hand, find interest not in contemplating alone the legendary and unique products of weaponsmiths, but drawing inspiration from the admiration of visitors to exhibitions.
Of course, you can buy a high-quality product from Italian or Russian gunsmiths directly, but such a purchase does not carry the historical component, which is the foundation of any collection that claims to be a status. For the collector, in addition to the product itself, historical documents are important, confirming the ownership of the weapon by the famous owner.
