Well... How about... In 1972 Marlin introduced a Model 336 Commemorative. The "Zane Grey", a limited edition of 10,000. Below a few pix of its successor in "interest"! Marlin testing its "Commemorative wings" with the "Zane Grey Commemorative". Model 336, 22" tapered octagon barre, straight grip stock and squared off lever. Per Marlin... "Production to be "limited to 10,000." But wait! Even more limited!!! It didn't sell! Despite almost 8,000 produced, Marlin marked it up as a loss!
Two elements in both in guns reflecting relationship to historic figure, with a point. The fancy ultra priced unit and the snazzy Commemorative, values as the pieces in themselves. Such as ignoring the historic figure underlying. "The piece for what it is. The rifle itself for beauty, collector condition, rarity of model, etc, as Factor One. The other, Factor Two, as "connect" to the historical figure him/herself. One in direct and of provenance reasonably established. The Marlin just humbly as "Combating" But both highly dependent on that "connect with, as here, Zane Grey, the celebrity author. So two components to value. which can be judged separately!
I see a nifty embellished rifle, "if" you're into such. Personally or as investment. I'm not into these, so WAG of maybe $20-$30K??? Whatever the "rifle" the residual as the connecton to ZG. The point here of the latter Factor, as seeming to me, putting a huge premium that even by a half century ago, a "has been". History moving on. The 'connect with his writings of the old west, not on any best seller lists. More factually a "Say who?" on most lips nowadays.
An advertisement for this ZG original rifle, spending almost all of the words building a case for "recognition". Among the enduring great historic figures, he's not. "Hemmingway", faded but yet name recogintion still considerably greater - at least to my impression as 'nexus' to his guns.
Where you have to resurrect the name recoginition at all, maybe a 10% factor by my WAG estimate as "value added" to a fancy gun.
A few 'just bacause pix of my "Marlin Octagon" as of more interest to me than the ZG original! Just my take! John
