Novak Special Ops by Kurt Wickmann

[BHP]

As a general rule, would my Kurt Wickmann built Novak Special Ops, built on a 1989 High Power, be valued in the same ballpark as pistols built by other well regarded Smiths, matching overall condition taken into consideration? I know Kurt has been out of the business for many years and just wonder how his work compares in value to smiths like Don Williams and Ted Yost, or companies like C&S.

That's a picture of it in my avatar.

[ToddSig]

BHP   there is a "possible" Wickman on GunBroker right now. About 20 hours left. As of now, no bids. Statring bid is $2,499. Not much info on, no build sheet or reciept. Only this in the description

"FOR SALE WE HAVE A BROWNING HI-POWER CUSTOM ENHANCED BY KURT WICKMAN OF NOVAK'S THE PERSON I AQUIRED THIS FROM WAS A RETIRED DEPUTY SHERIFF. HE SAID IT WAS CUTOMIZED BY KURT WICKMAN WHO WORKED AT NOVAK'S. KURT WICKMAN IS NOW RETIRED AS I UNDERSTAND. GUN HAS HAD LESS THAN 100 ROUNDS FIRED AFTER THE CUSTOM WORK. I WOULD WELCOME ANY ADDITIONAL INFO."

Cant see enough of yours in the avatar image to compare. But this might get you in the ballpark, and if yours is better, then higher.

With proper documentation I would say yes, it would be in the same range as most of the top HP smiths, such as Don Williams, Bob Cogan (APW), C&S, Karl Beining, etc. In my opinion, Yost has such a reputation for fine detail and work, he would be at the top of the specturm, the rest under Yost.

Link to the GB sale is, www.gunbroker.com/item/1031577026

[BHP]

That could be Kurt's work, but a few things caught my eye. I think the front sight may have come along after Kurt had quit at Novak's and I don't believe that straight trigger was being produced when he was still working. Also, that hammer is not done in Kurt's style and the stippling is not the same as mine. I suppose he could have changed his stippling style, though. Those are just foggy recollections and could be way off base.

My pistol was built in 1991 and I still have the original invoice. It has quite a bit more work than this example including being finished in Robar's NP3. It is also engraved Novak's on the right side of the slide.

Thanks for the info.

This is a pic of my pistol in its current configuration, just the way it came from Novak's. Spegel Delrin grips and C&S trigger.

imgur.com/a/WWfc2kt

[BHP]

Added a link to a pic.

[ToddSig]

BHP great looking custom HP by Wickmann at Novak.

I agree, the stippling looks totally different, and I believe Novak continues to use the Wickmann style of stippling. Great feel, good grip but not too agressive. The GB looks like a Garthwaite straight trigger, not sure when he started to have them manufactured. BTW, the GB offering did not sell.

I really question if the GB offerings is actually by Wickmann or Novak's. Probably why it did not sell.

Image of the stippling from the GB auction



Image of my Novak HP, (not a Wickmann, a 2017 build on a 74C), stippling is totally differnt. But it does look more similar to your Wickmann style stippling. The Novak stippling does not have the deep round punch marks as the GB example.