Rock Island Auction Company Anticipates December Premiere Auction to Shatter All Previous Industry Sales Records

AUCTION HIGHLIGHT:  Two Exquisite Firearms with Gettysburg Association: Magnificent Historical Deluxe Rosewood Cased Gustave Young “Masterpiece” Engraved “TEARS OF GETTYSBURG” Model 1861 Colt Navy Percussion Revolver and The Victor of The Battle of Gettysburg General George Meade Presentation Nimschke Engraved Ivory Stocked Cased Remington New Model Army Revolver.

With the anticipated success of the upcoming December Premiere Auction, RIAC expects to achieve yearly sales of $25 million.  This is a huge industry milestone as no firearms auction house or firearms division has ever exceeded 20 million in yearly sales.  This astounding total shatters the industry record (19 million) set by RIAC last year.

Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premiere Auction will be the finest auction in our history and will feature Part II of three very important collections: The Frank and Karen Sellers Collection (Sharps firearms, patent models, unusual serial #1’s, Kentucky and half stock rifles, oriental art and more); The William Powell Estate (outstanding Colt New Services and Smith & Wessons); and the Val Forgett Collection (Kerr Revolvers including Serial #1).  The auction also features very important single shot rifles from the estate of Max Goodwin.

This auction will feature one of the finest groupings of Colt manufactured arms to ever come to auction.  Over 600 Colts and Colt related items will be offered, including over 60 engraved Colts, 100 Single Action Army revolvers, approximately 70 New Service revolvers, many Colt 1878’s, Colt percussions, double actions, long arms and more.  The Winchesters available in this auction will be led by a new, in the original box, finest known factory engraved three-inch Volcanic pistol, as well as rifles starting with Volcanic carbines and pistols and outstanding Henry rifles.  Winchester 1866 brass frames, nickel plated and late production muskets, rifle models 73’s, 76’s (50 Express, special order, nickel receiver, deluxe and Hawaii Citizen Guards), 86’s, 92’s and 94’s (takedowns, trappers, muskets) will be featured as well. The Civil War collection, led by Major General George Meade’s Remington, will include many rare, mint and unique carbines, trial guns, muskets, swords and more.  Military arms will be represented by German Lugers, P-38s, snipers, shotguns, Japanese snipers, type 44s, U.S. Garands, M1 carbines, trench shotguns and more.  Sporting Arms include a very nice selection of Browning Olympic Rifles and Over/Under Shotguns; single-shot Scheutzen rifles, Maynard Rifles, Stevens’ rifles and more.  The auction has over 300 lots of Oriental Art including carved ivory, jade, amber, cloisonné and cinnabar pieces, as well as netsuke, snuff bottles, inro and samurai tachi, tanto, and wakisashi (many of which are from the Sellers Collection).

In its entirety, the December Premiere Auction will feature over 2800 lots. This December auction is catalogued in a full-color two-volume 650 catalogue set, which can be ordered through the mail ($60) and also viewed on their website, www.rockislandauction.com.

With items of such diversity and quality, Rock Island Auction Company is looking once again to continue their trend of industry record-breaking successes for the fourth consecutive year.

Owner Patrick Hogan states, “This auction has incredible historical significance.  The diversity of items is amazing.  This is a very important sale in terms of the highest quality offered in many diverse collecting genres.  Once offered for sale many of these items will not be seen for a lifetime.”

Quick highlights of the December auction:

• Over 2,800 lots
• Over 1000 Antique Firearms
• Over 600 Colt arms and Colt related items– including many engraved and historical pieces. 
• Over 250 Winchesters
• Hundreds of Military Arms, including U.S., German and Japanese arms.
• Great selection of Sporting shotguns to include manufacturers such as Winchester, Holland & Holland, Parker, Browning, Beretta and Perazzi.
• Over 300 Lots of Oriental Art

Auction times:

Auction begins 10 am December 8, 9 & 10.

Full day preview Friday, December 7 from 10 am – 6 pm

Preview December 8, 9 & 10 from 8am – 10am, and during the auction for items not being sold that day.

Location

Rock Island Auction Company’s newly increased 23,000 square foot state-of-the-art auction facility is located at,

4507 49^th Avenue, Moline IL 61265

Phone 800-238-8022, Fax 309-79-1655, email info@rockislandauction.com

www.rockislandauction.com for more location, directions, and hotel information

More in-depth information about this auction on the following pages:

The Frank and Karen Sellers Collection – Part II of a rare and unique collection

Sharps rifles with panel scenes and two rare pistol rifles. There are many special pieces as one would expect from the author of the book Sharps. Many Sharps will be featured, such as the 1855 Rollin White, engraved 1878, factory engraved pistol rifle, engraved 1851 Carbine, 1869, 1859 Berdan, 1851 Navy Carbine and many more.  The collection also contains unbelievable quality flintlock Kentucky's and half stocks as well as miniature flintlocks from Sellke, Brooks and Long.  This lifetime collection of one of the "icons" of firearm collecting is truly a unique opportunity to enhance any level of a firearms collection.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Lot 3096 – Extremely Rare Extra Fine Grade Factory Panel Scene Engraved Slant Breech Sharps Model 1853 Sporting Rifle, estimated at $37,500 - $55,000
• Lot 3135 – Fine Custom Sharps Model 1874 Sporting Rifle by Henry Slotterbeck, estimated at $25,000 - $45,000
• Lot 1902 – Very Rare Sharps Model 1855 Navy Rifle with Rollin White Self Cocking Mechanism, estimated $25,000 - $35,000

Winchesters

There are over 250 Winchesters including Volcanics, Henrys and Winchester lever action rifle models 1866, 73, 76, 86, 92 and 94’s.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Historical Early Production Brass Frame Henry Lever-Action Rifle With Family Documentation (Affidavit) as Being Used by "Sam Bass" A Noted Outlaw and Train Robber, estimated at $60,000 - $90,000
• Lot 3411 –Rare 50 Express Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Inscription, estimated at $12,000 - $20,000
• Lot 2332 - Rare Early Production Three Digit Serial Number Winchester First Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle, estimated at $10,000 - $15,000

Colts

The percussion Colts in this sale are nothing short of magnificent.  The “Tears of Gettysburg” 1861 Colt has nearly every deluxe feature one could imagine.  There is also an exceptional Colt Gustave Young Engraved, Presentation Model 1849 Pocket Revolver with Deluxe Carved Grips.  This auction also features an ultimate rarity in Colts, a Royal Presentation (in incredible condition) given to the Viceroy of Egypt.  The Colt single actions, numbering just over one hundred, feature quality, mint condition, engraved, and otherwise embellished examples.  The Colt New Services and Target Masters are from the fantastic Bill Powell collection.  Simply stated, there is a Colt for every level of Colt collector.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Lot 3239 - Magnificent Historical Deluxe Rosewood Cased Gustave Young "Masterpiece" Engraved "TEARS OF GETTYSBURG" Model 1861 Colt Navy Percussion Revolver, estimated $300,000 - $650,000
• Lot 2089 - Monumental Finest Known Factory Cased Serial Number 51 Colt No. 3 Belt Model Paterson Squareback Cylinder, Flared Grip Percussion Revolver with Extra Matching Cylinder and Accessories, estimated at $275,000 - $425,000
• Lot 3259 - Magnificent Deluxe Factory Engraved and Inscribed Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver Presented by Samuel Colt to the Viceroy of Egypt, estimated at $90,000 - $140,000

The Civil War/ Indian War Era

This auction has a fine Maynard collection from a well known single shot collector, Max Goodwin.  There are many fine Civil War era pistols in the sale, such as Whitney Navy, Remington Beals, exceptional Rogers and Spencer, Pettengill, Starr, S&W, and others.  Civil War era swords are well represented with many models and makers such as Tiffany & Co., R&C, Rare Fisher, Horstmann silver mounted, Emerson & Silver, Roby, P.S. Justice, Sheble & Fisher and others as well as presentations.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Lot  3347 - Scarce Issued 1st D.C. Cavalry Civil War U.S. Contract Martial Henry Lever-Action Rifle, estimated at $35,000 - $47,000
• Lot 3290 - Unique Serial Number One Extremely Rare London Armoury Company Kerr Double Action Percussion Revolver Serial Number 1, estimated at $20,000 - $40,000

U.S., Japanese and German Military

Spectacular German WWI and WWII long arms are well represented in this auction;  98K High Turret Sniper, WWI KAR 98, rare mint condition Luftwaffe O/U drilling and shotgun, K43 sniper and a rare WWI Mauser prototype "assault" rifle and others too numerous to list.  Japanese military arms are represented by a very rare Paratrooper Sniper Rifle and Baby and Papa Nambus.  The U.S. portion of this group contains a very large number of Colt 1911 and 1911A1s, Remingtons, Union Switch and Signal, 38 Supers, Aces, National Matches, Government models and more.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Lot 3692 – Extremely Rare and Exceptional Finest We Have Ever Offered WWII U.S. Singer M1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol, estimated at $40,000-$55,000
• Lot 2506 Extremely Rare And Desirable Mauser 1916 Dated Caliber 7.92 MM Aircraft Self-Loading Carbine, estimated at $50,000 - $70,000
• Lot 2490 - Exquisite Factory Engraved Walther Model PP Presentation Pistol with "Eva Braun" Association, estimated at $30,000 - $50,000

Sporting Arms

The collection of sporting arms is extensive, including the rare and desirable Smith & Wessons from the Powell collection, such as factory engraved hand ejectors, model 29, model 36, prewar and unique Smiths.  There are also many quality sporting bolt action rifles including several pre-64 Winchester model 70’s in calibers such as 45-70 .375 H&H, 270, 243, 264, and more.  There is also a large selection of sporting arms in the “Black Gun” category, such as Armalite AR180, FN-FAL, LAR Grizzly, AR-15’s and many more.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Lot 701 - Magnificent Cased 'Debrus' Gold Inlayed Factory Engraved Superlight Belgian Browning Presentation Grade 4 Superposed 410 Gauge Shotgun, estimated at $13,000 - $19,000
• Lot 617 - Cased Engraved Holland & Holland Sidelock Double Barrel Hammerless SXS Shotgun, estimated at $11,000 - $16,000
• Lot 3630 - Magnificent Smith & Wesson 1908 First Model "44 S&W" Long Barreled, Factory Engraved, Hand Ejector Target Model Revolver, estimated at $18,000 - $27,500

Oriental Art

This auction has the added twist of containing the Sellers’ Oriental antiques and weapons as well as Oriental antiques and weapons from various other consignors.  This is quite a diverse group with types of matchlocks, swords, vases, cloisonné, cinnabar covered pieces, and carvings in jade, amber, ivory, bone and other materials.

Notable Lots of this Group:

• Lot 66 -  Extraordinary Relief Carved Hardstone Covered Bowl, estimated at $10,000-$15,000
• Lot 314 - Unique Temple Offering or Exhibition Grade Japanese Matchlock Pistol, estimated at $3,500 - $5,000
• Lot 254 - Important Samurai Katana, estimated at $25,000 - $35,000

Top 20 Lots by High Estimate

For more info or photos contact Rich Washam or Judy Voss at info@rockislandauction.com or

800-238-8022.