Premier Firearms Auction #70

May 2017 Premiere Gun Auction

Auction begins on: 05/05/17

Antique Firearms Catalog

Curio and Relic Firearms Catalog

Modern Firearms Catalog

Class III Firearms Catalog

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Click here to view our 16-page Online Preview Booklet!

Following in the footsteps of the top selling year ever for a firearms auction house, and still glowing from the largest Regional Auction in company history, Rock Island Auction Company is proud to announce our incredible May 2017 Premiere Firearms Auction, to be held May 5 - 7. It defies convention that so many outstanding firearms should pass through one set of doors in such quantity, yet here we stand with another exceptional offering, bound to impress with its strong showing in a number of collector favorite genres.

Click to read more about the Elvis memorabilia in our May Firearms Auction

Winchesters

As always, Winchester Repeating Arms will have an incredible presence in this sale. They will, of course, appear in a myriad of models, finishes, calibers, special order features, decorations, and unimaginably high condition. Leading this pack of pristine historic pieces will be two rifles, each of which has earned its own name. “On the Rocky Mountains” is a treasure in the field of fine arms collecting. This iconic Model 1866 is the only known factory engraved panel scene piece by Ulrich that is placed with a fantastically figured maple stock. The whorls and loops of the wood grain give the appearance of a fingerprint, and like a fingerprint, give this gun an identity all its own. The Ulrich work is truly exceptional providing wondrous detail, surprising depth, and near perfect craftsmanship. It’s provenance is a “who’s who” of fine gun collecting and it is the piece de resistance of a famed and documented series of 1866 exhibition rifles in the 79,000 serial number range.

The second Winchester headlining this event is the “Midas Bull 1 of 1,000.” It is a rare Winchester Model 1873 “1 of 1,000” rifle that, as its name implies, bears a lustrous golden finish. This exquisite piece has also been given a unique factory engraving, that of two distinct panel scenes, with each side’s scene depicting a large game bull. One side bears a Bull Moose and the other a Bull Elk. Besides its one-of-a-kind engraving, the rifle is only one of three, possibly four, “1 of 1,000” rifles to be lavished with factory engraving and gold plating. However, it is the only one of the known specimens that remains in original condition. It is the ultimate in rarity, special order features, and exhibition quality work.

High End Sporting

The selection of high end sporting arms has never been more desirable. Cased pairs, master engraving, and intricate inlays from the world’s finest manufacturers have arrived at Rock Island Auction Company in droves. Over 700 spectacular sporting arms will be available in this sale including remarkable examples from Boss, Westley Richards, Holland & Holland, Rigby, Perazzi, Connecticut Shotgun, Krieghoff, Blaser and more. To describe even one of these arms in detail would require at least a page, so we’ll let this picture be our thousand words.

Class III

Also worthy of note, and of great excitement to collectors, will be the outstanding selection of Class III and fully automatic weapons presented. Over 100 Class III items spanning the 20^th century will be available including 20mm anti-aircraft guns, dual mounted 30 cals, Thompson machine guns, a Krieghoff FG42, numerous military rifles and LMGs, plus a generous helping of suppressors, SBRs, and many others.  If that weren’t enough firepower, there will also be two Gatling guns and a Hotchkiss revolving cannon! There’s more than enough fun to go around, and we look forward to helping move some collections to the next level with the addition of a full auto collectible or one of these remarkable centerpieces.

Of course, all of this is in addition to the regularly astounding variety of Colts, military weapons both foreign and domestic, investment grade antiques, and the world-class collections that grace our auctions. The Piedmont Collection of World Class Kentucky Flintlocks will be making an incredible fifth appearance, another grouping of incredibly preserved militaria from the Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection is sure to please military enthusiasts, the Landmark Collection of machine guns and other class III/Title 2 items is already garnering much attention, and we are honored to again host a selection of superlative items from the extraordinary Robert M. Lee Collection.

All this and more awaits you at Rock Island Auction Company’s May Premiere Firearms Auction. Stay tuned to our social media pages or subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more exciting updates and impressive photography.

About our Premiere Auctions

Auction Begins Each Day At 09:00 AM CST - May 05-07, 2017 Preview Day May 04, 2017

Our Premiere Auctions take place three times a year, each over a three-day period. A preview day is held all day on the preceding Thursday and the items are sold Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A Premiere Auction consists of approximately 2,700 antique and collectible lots. Each of these auctions is made up of rare, unusual, mint, and highly collectible pieces. We produce a minimum of 5,500 full color, 3-volume catalog sets featuring each lot with in-depth descriptions, a high and low estimate and multiple high-resolution photos. Each volume of the catalog corresponds to a day of the auction. The three Premiere Auctions are typically held in April, September, and December. Our Premiere Firearms Auctions have made international press and are renowned for offering the most significant, historic and important firearms. It is not uncommon for us to set a world record in any given Premiere Auction.

Each auction routinely covers the main genres of collecting from antique to modern Winchesters, Colts, U.S. and European Military, Sporting, etc. Our Premiere Auctions also offer swords, bayonets, military artifacts, and other related material. Our website features the entire auction catalog online and is searchable by model, serial number, manufacturer, lot number, keyword, and more.