Need advice, which auction house would/did you use?

[B. Dudley]

The photos are not an accurate comparison. Pugs are very dark, the the OPs are outside in the sunlight. Which will show condition much better. But based on what I see, I would say that the OPs is higher condition than Pugs. It definitely has better barrel finish and more case.

[Bill Murphy]

There is some folly in comparing prices with a gun offered for sale but not sold. Pug's gun at $3300 or such may have been for sale for months or years. If it hasn't sold for $3300, it may not sell for $2300 either. However, the poster's gun seems to be a better gun than Pug's gun and may easily be a $3000 gun. The auction house will get hundreds in commission and buyer's premium, however. The only way the seller will get $3000 out of a $3000 gun is to avoid auction houses and sell it privately. If my high school algebra is still ticking, a bidder at $3000 would pay a buyer's premium at 25% of $750. If the commission rate is 20%, a $3000 bid would get the seller $2400. But, to get that $2400, he would have to attract a bidder who was willing to pay $3750 for your $2400 gun. It isn't fair, but most consigners at that kind of auction are dead guys, not astute sellers.