So here is some of the hard sell I told Vertigo regarding this gun.
1.) It is listed as a 7x65r AND a 375HH. The psychology of people is dumb but useful. Many people will not bid because its in a euro metric caliber, rather than saying "I don't care, just focus on the 375hh if you don't like two barrel sets, it's still a deal".
2.) Pay attention to the parts. 3 optics. 2 claw mounts. Ostrich case. There is $10,000 in extras in that case that you will pay zero dollars for at auction.
3.) It's a 375HH, common as dirt. 375HH is one of the best, but commonality reduces interest. It was ripe to be stolen at auction as most people are ready to be very stupid overbidding on 450-400s that are in fashion this week while ignoring 375s.
4.) Look at the Heym build sheet prices. A base model Heym is about $18,000. The average bidder is thinking about an $18,000 heym. They are not looking at $20,000 in engraving and $9000 in extra barrels and $10,000 in additional features added to what was a base gun.
5.) Get an expert to lay hands on the gun first hand. Expertise in guns is cheap. He hired one of the best gun men in the world to check it out in person. Costs less than an hour with an accountant. Great way to validate your emotions and hunches.
6.) It's off season. Safari season is about done for the year and most buyers stupidly buy safari rifles at auction during the season. You pay less when minds are not on safaris but instead on wingshooting and vice versa.
7.) Americans and Brits know very little about fine guns. The average person doesn't know what a Hartmann & Weiss is so they do not know who Andrea Scholz is as an engraver. People just bid "because its pretty" without appreciation for engraver skill or worldwide reputation. In America we only know who Winston Churchill, Angelo Bee, and Fugger are as engravers. Everybody else is a no-name and thus the engraving isn't going to be priced properly in the hammer price if the Brits and Americans are who shows up at the auction.
And sure enough, he stole it. He fricken stole it. I cannot believe it, he stole it.