Those are the optional stands. There were (are) at least 3 styles. I've got the one's you describe with 4 or 5 inch vertical pipe welded into a "t" shaped floor piece made of rectangular stock to provide some height. One of the other styles is similar but with out the vertical pipe/riser portion. On ebay there are pics of each style for sale with various speakers. To answer your question though, unless you are familiar with the size differences between models 1, 2, & 3, the way to tell would be to read the name plate on the back. The dowels I was refering to are inside the cloth sock in the front of the cabinet itself.
In general, in the used market, 1's go for about $300 &up; 2's go for $450 & up (depending on version); 3's might be $600 and up. Obviously, if the speakers are newer and/or signature models, the price is higher. These are just very general guidelines...
The bottom line is, even if they are 1's, they are nice speakers, especially given the price your uncle is asking for them from you. New price on 1's is around $900. Hope this helps- Jim
