Unloaded 30
Added 2020-12-25 05:00:27 +0000 UTCWe decided to give this to all of you patrons early as a present so Merry Chrimmas and enjoy!
Othais and Danny Michael, Associate Curator of the Cody Firearms Museum, delve into the story of R. L. Wilson and his spread of misinformation in documented Colt revolver history.
https://centerofthewest.org/our-museums/firearms/
https://twitter.com/codyfirearms
https://www.facebook.com/CodyFirearmsMuseum
Comments
1953
Dr Don Hurley
2021-03-28 23:31:08 +0000 UTCFrom "Murder in the Gunroom" by H.Beam Piper..
Dr Don Hurley
2021-03-28 23:30:50 +0000 UTCKinda late to party but I'd love to hear you guys go down the rabbit hole for another few hours.
Gerald Drake
2021-01-15 15:33:59 +0000 UTCSadly that would add a fair bit of overhead for little gain. I also don't think we should be a true source, as we are really an amalgamation and retelling. Instead we just include our sources in each video, so people know how to dig deeper.
C&Rsenal
2021-01-12 04:22:00 +0000 UTCOthais, you made a good point about not being able to cite sources for individual claims in your presentations. I'm not sure how feasible this is, since it may make presenting your show more difficult but hear me out. You know how when you show an image, you cite the owner of the image at the bottom, like Rock Island or whatever. Maybe, for the important, really juicy details in a gun's history, you could do the same thing, like cite the source at the bottom of the screen. Like, say for example (totally making this up) you're presenting some rare BAR variant that was adopted by North Elbonia. When you tell us "North Elbonia contracted with Microsoft to build 5,000 guns and they were delivered between 1948 and 1953", show us the title of the book or link the article that was the source of this info in one of those small pop up links at the bottom or in the corner of the video. Obviously the smaller details come from many different sources, and that would be a lot of pop ups and citations, but maybe you'll consider something like this? Might add some value for those who use your material as a reference (which you don't seem thrilled about lol).
Chris Ramirez
2021-01-07 05:47:39 +0000 UTCThe first place I would look for info on an old collection would be the bank and lawyers who handled the estate. There may not be an inventory still in existence, but they would have at least had one at one time.
Gary Hassler
2021-01-07 04:41:35 +0000 UTCfunny you mention ian because hes the reason im here
Megabob777
2021-01-06 04:29:30 +0000 UTCFound the topic so fascinating that I listened to twice, and maybe will do a third
Mark Loomis
2021-01-06 02:37:39 +0000 UTCDefinitely want to hear about this situation.
Mark S
2021-01-05 20:04:24 +0000 UTCThis is great! An expanson of Ian's discussion.
Scott Gardner
2021-01-05 19:50:37 +0000 UTCFascinating! Is Mr. Michael's article about this available online?
Lynn Phillips
2021-01-04 15:57:58 +0000 UTCFun listen. Thanks!
Ian F
2021-01-03 02:48:51 +0000 UTCI can’t think of a more fitting legacy for Sam Colt with his traveling roadshow of nitrous oxide and failed business deals than this insane story.
alphawhiskey
2020-12-31 18:07:35 +0000 UTCGreat stuff, gentlemen. Danny, it sounds like you were far TOO circumspect about the chicanery at hand!
N.R. Jenzen-Jones
2020-12-31 05:27:10 +0000 UTC"a guy named Chernoff" that sounds suspicious all by it self.
Derrick Smith
2020-12-30 16:49:59 +0000 UTCLove the Newhart reference!
Joshua Alberry
2020-12-29 21:55:24 +0000 UTCAgreed, Othais tends to sell himself short in what he does, I respect how humble he is but he is opening up a new area of hands on research of historical firearms that has been overlooked for far too long and is such a big part of the history of firearms.
Sleepy's good boy
2020-12-29 07:07:13 +0000 UTCA good approach is to always assume its fake unless proven beyond a doubt otherwise. You can buy the item, not the story.
Gage
2020-12-28 02:24:06 +0000 UTCExcellent episode. Thank you for taking the time and effort to record and post this!
Jeremy
2020-12-28 01:06:55 +0000 UTCThis should be distributed so everyone gets to understand the specific situation and the wider need to be careful when collecting. As a wwii reenactor, one of the things I don't collect is German, especially SS. Just too many instances of 'modifying' or someone trying to sell a $50 Chinese repop as original SS blood oath whatever.
TankDestroyerSarge
2020-12-28 00:27:54 +0000 UTCI read a John Sandford novel involving the appraisals, pricing and donations to museums coupled with tax writeoffs and valuations of handmade, famous quilts, in a similar yet different fashion about valuations, donations, and, in the end, money and greed. It's almost always very interesting to read or hear about elaborate crimes like art theft, diamond heists, or elaborate bank robberies. Both how the crimes were committed, and how the crooks got caught.
Drizzle
2020-12-27 21:48:08 +0000 UTCI really enjoyed this one. I had no idea about any of this history and it's quite fascinating.
James Bond
2020-12-27 13:37:31 +0000 UTCThey could make a movie out of this! Great podcast!
Carter Walshe
2020-12-27 09:57:03 +0000 UTCOne of your best podcasts
Chris Marchi
2020-12-26 23:56:15 +0000 UTCVery interesting presentation, thanks! Will have to visit the Cody Firearms Museum next time I’m out that way.
Ryan Case
2020-12-26 23:09:36 +0000 UTCI'll try this again, (I'm also a "Persistent Idiot"); I love the work that you and Mae do.
Art Massing
2020-12-26 22:00:45 +0000 UTCI Love the work that you and do.
Art Massing
2020-12-26 21:54:59 +0000 UTCWhat an awesome, sordid story of late 70's early 80's excess and greed at its best. Thanks Danny and Othias for sharing.
JPhilibert
2020-12-26 21:44:25 +0000 UTCWow heck of a story, truly like something out of a movie. I can't wait til Covid is over and I can visit Cody Firearms museum in person, seems like a great place!
Eric Sammywaifu
2020-12-26 20:58:40 +0000 UTCAwesome podcast. Thanks! Not being a Colt collector, I had no idea of the RL Wilson story.
Glenn Miller
2020-12-26 20:36:26 +0000 UTCThis is the best Christmas present ever!
Doug G
2020-12-26 06:18:37 +0000 UTCIt is really really sad to hear this story of how one guy screwed a museum all for his own gain. Don't get me wrong, I love personal collecting and I support it, but I feel like a museum is a vault for everyone (poor and rich alike) to see and admire guns of all kinds. You only have to pay the admission, you don't have to buy all the guns yourself to look at them. Its disgusting to think there are people out there who would defraud historical artifacts just for money. If that wasnt bad enough though, the real horror is that he muddied the water forever as far as the information he published in the books (some might speculate he was covering his tracks, or as othias pointed out, they worked as sales catalogs). Some people believe him, and some people don't. Who can you believe in a "he said-she said" story? It's a fact of life, I mean people have been stealing, buying, selling, and collecting old stuff since there first became "old stuff", and some people have always tried to rig the system, but its still disgusting.
Gage
2020-12-26 06:18:02 +0000 UTCI agree with Ted Weldon; this needs a book. Fascinating!
William Earle
2020-12-26 03:11:30 +0000 UTCWhy is this not a movie or mini series yet. It has the plot of an Oceans movie, but good. You mentioned that YT has no good mechanism substantiating your conclusions. Is this something Utreon will fix? As for original research on C&Rsenal, I count the shooting segment and Mae-versation. How many collector grade books talk about handling and comparative ergonomics? Anyways, thank you for this holiday treat, and I hope the USPS did not eat any treats heading your way.
Andrey Gardner
2020-12-25 23:35:58 +0000 UTCSo frustrating. If only the library Board had done their job of oversight and governance. They may have been of same “interbred” ilk of corporate boards rubber stamping whatever the CEOs decide.
David Hemsath
2020-12-25 22:34:16 +0000 UTCThanks for the Christmas present!
Chris Marchi
2020-12-25 22:16:42 +0000 UTCLoved this one, a book should be written
Ted Weldon
2020-12-25 21:03:46 +0000 UTCI've thought about tossing my RLW books for a while, but as Danny points out, the photography is beautiful even if the descrptions may be suspect. Thanks for the 2-hour Christmas present! This also reminded me why I'm a Horace & Daniel guy. I don't need to worry about Jinks and Supica...
Alden Skinner
2020-12-25 19:00:01 +0000 UTCOn the 100% original front. I used to do car shows. I have seen brand new cars test driven from the dealer to the show, and lose scoring points on 'originality'.
Mark Becht
2020-12-25 17:33:56 +0000 UTCThe real story on Scrooge with no happy ending. Sounds like a true Grimms Fairytale.
Adam Junemann
2020-12-25 15:36:13 +0000 UTCThe way you describe Wilson's books is the same description for a sales catalog at an auction house. Because that's what they were. Every book Wilson wrote was an integral part of his lifelong criminal conspiracy. He didn't construct a historical book that could be corroborated, he created "books" that furthered what he was trying to sell. Unless you have some external provenance, I would assume anything he handled was fraudulent.
Jeff Price
2020-12-25 15:21:17 +0000 UTCGreat episode, merry Christmas all!
Andy Oshea
2020-12-25 14:45:02 +0000 UTCThis was amazing, heist of the century! definitely gonna go bore my friends and family now.
Leslie Alexander
2020-12-25 14:14:41 +0000 UTCThis was a terrific Christmas present. Thanks!
Wayne Dygert
2020-12-25 14:12:00 +0000 UTCI was toying with buying an original colt, now if I do I'm bringing four teenagers and their great dane with me
History&Coffee
2020-12-25 13:45:08 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas, Othias and Mae!
Royce Walker
2020-12-25 13:13:28 +0000 UTCRemember this when you hear about how much art is worth - the whole fine art industry is exactly like this, but with more money laundering and tax avoidance.
David Brewer
2020-12-25 12:38:24 +0000 UTCA good listen while I do some last-minute present wrapping! Enjoyed listening. It sucks the guy has forever muddied the waters of a certain small section of history, but at least it's something we're aware of now.
Pete Conneely
2020-12-25 10:10:45 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas ! Thank you guys !
HARALABOS TSIAKLIDES
2020-12-25 08:45:21 +0000 UTCSubscribed to History Unloaded.
David Axel Hansen
2020-12-25 08:04:17 +0000 UTCTwo hours of content? Legal and historical scandal? This is excellent. Merry Christmas!
David Axel Hansen
2020-12-25 08:04:00 +0000 UTCThanks very much. Merry Christmas.
Kerrin Zwart
2020-12-25 07:54:19 +0000 UTCUnloaded 30 was excellent. It was a great Christmas present. Thanks.
George Ambrogio
2020-12-25 07:26:13 +0000 UTCHappy Christmas!
Fringe_Division
2020-12-25 06:25:00 +0000 UTCThank you for the conscious effort to make the shooting itself approachable. I appreciate it.
David Axel Hansen
2020-12-25 05:32:34 +0000 UTCMurray Chrimmas!
Dino
2020-12-25 05:15:27 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas
Gage
2020-12-25 05:11:05 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas Y’all!
PHILLIP DOUBLE U
2020-12-25 05:04:57 +0000 UTC
