RZM Fine Arts and Antiques Inc: Ask the Appraiser

I’m glad you write this column each week because it got me thinking about this old toy gun that apparently belonged to my grandfather who lived on Paramus Road in Paramus New Jersey, in the 1920s. When my parents emptied his house, sometime around 1960, this item was found in a drawer. It’s been in an old shoe box in my closet for close to 50 years now. Do you have any idea where it was made and perhaps what its value, if any, might be? I hope our pictures are clear enough for you to analyze this item. Thank you for your consideration and keep up the good work.

George in Pearl River

George let me respectfully inform you that you most certainly do NOT have an “old toy gun.” You’re in possession of a very real antique gun, known as a Protector Palm Pistol, made in the 1890s by the Chicago Firearms Company. I have owned one of these guns in my career as an antique dealer years ago. A little information about this item. It fires a 32 caliber extra short rimfire round. It is a squeezer type pistol with a rotary chamber, in other words a revolver. It should be equipped with hard rubber grip plates and marked CHICAGO FIREARMS CO. CHICAGO, ILL. along the sideplate. Your pistol was originally classified as a “curio and relic” under the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 and subject to its provisions, this arm has since been declassified and is now considered as an antique. The value of this interesting little object, in the current antique gun market is $2,000.00 USD. One more bit of information. Earlier this year an original wooden box for one of these Protector Palm Pistols sold at auction for $2,400 USD. Just the box alone. That’s correct, more than the pistol! Your pistol is fairly rare, but the original box is much rarer. As I frequently mention, collectors love the original boxes. If you happen to be in possession of the original wooden box for this item, congratulations. If so, you will now have a wonderful grouping with a value of $4,500.00 USD.