Rudi asked: "Is there an economist among us that could give a ball-park figure of what the 1890 Farrow rifle would have cost in today's dollars?"
I am and I can.

The inflation calculator, at (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links); says that $1 in 1890 is $17.71 in 1998.(1999 isn't over yet, making calculations for this year tough)
(The pre-1975 data are the Consumer Price Index statistics from Historical Statistics of the United States (USGPO, 1975). All data since then are from the annual Statistical Abstracts of the United States.)

So the short answer is that the Farrow rifle that sold for $50 in 1890 should sell for $50 X 17.71 = $885.50 in 1998. The "Cost of living" multiplier is 17.71.

Economists don't like to give short answers about prices over time. Here's why.
(The following from the "Old Colony Memorial" from 1890, copies of the Plymouth Town Report, and some other reference books. in the Plymouth MA public library.)

In 1890, coal was advertised for $6.25 per ton delivered, today's quote was $171 per ton delivered. $171/$6.25 =  27.36 is the "Coal " multiplier.
The 1890 Old Colony Memorial was 5 cents; today it's $1. $1/$.05 = 20 is the "Newspaper" multiplier.
The Governor of Massachusetts made $5000 per year in 1890, and  makes $90,000 per year today.$90,000/$5000 = 18 is the "Governor" multiplier.
Strawberry, Blackberry or Raspberry vines were 10 cents per dozen in 1890; and are $1 each today. $1/(10/12) = 120 is the "Berry" multiplier.
In 1890, Piano tuning was (upright)  $2.50, in 1999,  $65.  $65/$2.50 = 26 is the "Piano Tuning" multiplier.
In 1889 the Plymouth Superintendant of Schools earned $1200 per year, in 1999,  $100,000. $100,000/$1200 = 83. 
Massachusetts Legislators made $650 per year in 1890, $46,000 per year in 1999. $46,000/$650 = 71.
In 1889 the High School Principal made $1500 per year, in 1999 the job paid $79,896. $79,896/$1500 = 53.

I have found this whole thread fascinating.  My questions are "Who bought them then?" and "Who is buying them now?"

Harry used a Colt Walker as an example, but the Walker has a historical use/romance or "macho" factor that is lacking in the Long Range Borchardt example.  The buyers of what are now & were then "single-purpose" target rifles were financially secure and reasonably well-educated men engaged in a sport or game that was beyond the $$ reach of ordinary working stiffs.

The same thing can be said for high-end Schuetzen or Indoor Gallery rifles.  The people who are buying $50,000 antique target rifles today are in the same economic class, financially secure people who are buying hedges against inflation.

joeb:  can you do 1998/2013 updates on the multiplying factors?

SSShooter wrote on Jan 13^th, 2014 at 8:47pm:


Modern Borchardt reproductions are available from two sources in the USA. firstly from Argus Barker and secondly from Joe Lozito. Both men make their rifles to order and you may have several months if not more to wait for delivery. Neither maker has mass production facilities. I understand Joe Lozito has just returned to work after a period of illness so is unlikely to be back up to speed yet. In either case a new repro Borchardt is going to cost you over 5G's and possibly more if you want additional features like engraving, inlay work, fancy stocks etc.

It does appear that the Borchardt that Shiloh Sharps was planning to produce is on the back burner now with the company tied up in making an additional model of the Sharps side hammer and producing casting kits of the 1885 High Wall.

Harry

SSShooter,

your calculations may be off, as is your knowledge of Al's business.  My brother and I had dinner with Al at the Quigley in 2017.  I ordered an action then.
Last week I got a phone call from Al while I was at my Ranger Company Reunion in Niagara Falls.  My action is finished, and the total cost, to include shipping and insurance was less than $2700.  I rounded that to $2700, and told him to put any extra in the coffee fund jar.  Just in case Jeamie dropped by.

Rich

As an FYI here is an inflation calculator by Bureau of Government Statistics - you can compare any two years between 1913 and Dec 2022; e.g. what $1 in 1925 is today or what $1 in 1995 was in 1915
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