May Premier Firearms Auction

VOLUME I	VOLUME II	VOLUME III

VIEW THE HIGHLIGHT PORTFOLIO FOR THIS AUCTION!

Rock Island Auction Company’s May 2-4 Premier Auction will offer some of the finest Colt revolvers, a silver screen-documented Winchester, beautifully engraved masterworks and the largest-ever roster of Class III items.

“The Black Beauty,” Nimschke’s dazzling masterwork of engraving and gold inlay from the esteemed collection of Brig and Louise Pemberton Collection, commands the offerings of pinnacle pieces from several prestige collections that include Mac McCroskie, Charles Marx, Andrew Singer, Norman R. Blank, Robert M. Lee, Greg Lampe and Nick Shannon. Among pieces from these collections that will be available are a Colt Single Action Army “pinched frame” serial number 14, a cased presentation Colt First Model Dragoon to general and future president Franklin Pierce, an early production “wedge over screw” Model 1851 Navy revolver with highly ornate engraving and an exceedingly rare Cuno Helfricht factory engraved blued/casehardened Colt Model 1877 “Rainmaker.”

Magnificent pieces from the Robert M. Lee Collection propel the exceptional slate of embellished sporting arms. They include a pair of 20 gauge J. Purdey & Sons shotguns with engraved game scenes and gold inlays by Master Engraver Philippe Grifnee, a magnificent big five themed game scene engraved Holland & Holland dangerous game double rifle by Master Engraver Phil Coggan in .577 Nitro Express and a stunning elephant engraved Purdey & Sons dangerous game double rifle by Master Engraver Rashid El Hadi in .600 Nitro Express. The Norman R. Blank Collection offers a fantastic factory engraved Purdey & Sons self-opening sidelock shotgun from the Norman R. Blank Collection by Master Engraver Ken Hunt depicting Sandro Botticelli’s iconic Renaissance painting “The Birth of Venus.” This exceptional art object earned the Gold Medal Concors d’Elegance for fine guns in 2001.

The auction boasts a number of historically fascinating and rare firearms. From the Civil War comes Confederate T.W. Cofer and Dance & Brothers percussion revolvers. “Fast and Fancy” handgun history comes alive with the Montana-shipped Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police Model legendary handgunner Ed McGivern used to set a speed shooting world record. It will be available along with the target from that record-setting endeavor.

A trio of documented Winchester Model 1873 One of One Thousand rifles will be available in May. They include an exceptional and extremely rare factory-engraved and silver-inlaid Winchester Model 1873 “One of One Thousand” rifle that is the only example in .38-40 caliber, and an example featured in the James Stewart film “Winchester ‘73” that cemented the gun’s legendary status with a modern audience.

Among the extremely rare military arms is an extensively documented “Model Shop” M1 Garand with serial number “5” and a D Company No. 81 Colt Walker revolver along with a German World War 2 MG42 and a pair of World War 2 MG81Z twin mount machine guns. The auction has more than 100 Class III items on the roster, the Rock Island Auction Company’s largest offerings ever.

Rock Island Auction Company is proud to offer a fantastic roster of historic and masterfully embellished pieces from benchmark collections, multiple genres and eras that will be available in the May 2-4 Premier Auction, in Bedford, Texas.