W&S 12 Bore 702

[wymberley]

By chance, does anyone have any records of what the Subject gun would have cost new in 1960?

Cheers

[London Best]

1 minute ago, wymberley said:

By chance, does anyone have any records of what the Subject gun would have cost new in 1960?

Cheers

I have a Parker Hale catalogue from 1958. I think it’s in there. Will dig it out and check for you.

[wymberley]

1 minute ago, London Best said:

I have a Parker Hale catalogue from 1958. I think it’s in there. Will dig it out and check for you.

Brilliant, that's close enough. Many thanks.

[London Best]

Found it!

In 1958 a basic 700 cost £77 11s 8d.

               a 702 cost £91 17s 6d

               a 701 cost £122 10s 0d

all inclusive of purchase tax @ 22.5%

Hope this helps

edit: Just to put these prices into perspective, my father was a police constable earning £10 per week at the time. My pal’s dads varied around the £12 mark in their jobs. So ten weeks wages to buy one of these guns.

Edited September 5, 2020 by London Best

[adzyvilla]

10 weeks wages. Incredible. My father bought a w&s 701 in 1967 when he was 21, and he's still got it. Never knew it was worth that much new back then. I suppose 10 weeks wages for me now, I could probably afford entry level perazzi. Not that I would dream of spending that much on a gun. 

[figgy]

Odd that the 701 is more than the 702, you'd think the models would go up numerically in value.

A lot of money for a plain gun.

Edited September 5, 2020 by figgy

[wymberley]

8 hours ago, London Best said:

Found it!

In 1958 a basic 700 cost £77 11s 8d.

               a 702 cost £91 17s 6d

               a 701 cost £122 10s 0d

all inclusive of purchase tax @ 22.5%

Hope this helps

edit: Just to put these prices into perspective, my father was a police constable earning £10 per week at the time. My pal’s dads varied around the £12 mark in their jobs. So ten weeks wages to buy one of these guns.

Superb, thank you very much indeed.