Official Guide to Art Week Great Falls, Montana March 15th-19th, 2023
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1092595
48 • portfolio Western Collectibles & Antique Gun Show Pistol Packin' Antique Lovin' Kind of Time western collectibles and antique gun show I By Ellie Stone f "trigger"nometry were actually a subject then the 16th annual Western Collectibles & Antique Gun Show would be the perfect place to study. Show organizer, Bryan Gillette, says his show draws thousands of people to the Exhibition Hall at Montana Expo Park and this year looks to be no different. One thing that never changes is the share of guns up for sale; shotguns, pistols, .44s, .45s, and .22s, Remingtons and Colts, tiny guns, big guns, old guns, and new guns. Well heck, maybe you'll even find a pair of ole' six shooters Billy the Kid once slung from his leather belt. You never know what will turn up at this show. "I never know what the selection will be until the venders set up for the show. Last year a very rare and very old pistol sold for seventy thousand dollars!" said Gillette. The show draws visitors from both inside and outside of Montana. While a few high-end buyers will visit the show looking for hard to find items, Gillette says most of his customers are the average guy and girl. "It's fun to see the lookie-loos – they come, take it all in and leave as a new gun owner," says Gillette. Demand for different types of guns fluctuates often and Gillette says politics play a big role in what people are purchasing. "During the Obama years, everyone wanted a black rifle, or as they called them, assault rifles, but now the demand has moved to small handguns, mostly for self-protection," says Gillette. But, despite what drives the market, Gillette says hot items like the old Colts and Winchesters are always big sellers at this show. Guns are not the only drawing card at this event. Frank Towsley returns this year with the world's largest Ruana Knife Display. These well-balanced Montana beauties continue to grow in popularity for two reasons according to Gillette: "Number one, they're made in Bonner, MT. Number two, Rudy Ruana, the founder, used a special stamp as a way of differentiating between a true Ruana knife versus one made by his son-in-law or grandsons. Since there are only a limited number of Rudy Ruana knives, the demand is high, and everybody wants to get a hold of one or two of them." While Towsley is a collector and his Ruana exhibit is only for display, "There may be other vendors at the show, selling or buying Ruanan knives," adds Gillette. There will also be quite the mix of antiques and collectible alongside all the guns and knives; elegant turquoise jewelry, enameled pots your great-grandma probably used to have on her kitchen table, heirloom furniture, faded tin types, yellowed books, and anything possibly infused with the musty, dusty smell of antiquity. The Gun and Antique Show opens its doors to the public on Thursday at 3 p.m. and a $5.00 admission for adults is good for the whole weekend. If you can't find at least one treasure here, you just may not be looking hard enough.