The December Premier Auction is mere days away, so this primer highlights the outstanding offerings beyond the flagships riding a true tidal wave of amazing Colts from seven fantastic collections that make this a once in a generation sale.

The Dec. 6-8 Premier Auction has 1,807 lots and kicks off at 9 a.m. each day, with a full-day preview on Dec. 5 at Rock Island Auction Company’s world-class Bedford, Texas venue.

Five examples of the Colt Paterson genre as well as a historic selection of Colt revolvers are offered this December at Rock Island Auction Company.

Elvis Presley Presentation Smith & Wesson

Rock Island Auction has had the immense privilege to previously offer guns of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, selling an exhibition quality engraved Bicentennial-themed Smith & Wesson Model 53 in August, 2023 and highly embellished Colt Python and Smith & Wesson Model 19-2 in May 2017.

Now available is a Smith & Wesson Model 29-2 adorned by “engraver of the stars” Joseph Condon, of Las Vegas. The gun was a gift to Elvis’s life-long friend and Memphis Mafia member, Lamar Fike. Condon’s engraving on this .44 Magnum revolver pops off the blued finish, with inlaid gold accents at the muzzle, on the cylinder and along the top of the frame and barrel. Fike was likely mesmerized by the beautiful scrollwork and stippled background and delighted by his inlaid gold initials to go along with a bighorn sheep in a mountain scene in relief gold inlay. The flamboyant rock and roller made sure there was plenty of gold on this gift gun. The ejector rod and cylinder latch screw are also gold-plated. The extravagance spilled over to the carved grips and their oak leafs and acorns on a stippled background.

This Elvis Presley-presented engraved Smith & Wesson Model 29-2 retains 99 percent of its original blued finish with minimal handling marks and crisp engraving and carving and is a fantastic piece linked to one of the greatest and most extravagant entertainers of the 20th century.

Elvis’s revolver isn’t the lone celebrity firearm in the auction. From the days of radio, are this amazing pair of Colt Single Action Army revolvers with blued barrel and cylinder and casehardened frame presented to Brace Beemer, the radio voice of the Lone Ranger.  An outstanding pair of Colt Single Action Army revolvers owned by actor and comedian Red Skelton were featured in the 1961 episode “Dead Eye & the Gun Slinger,” of the “Red Skelton Show” are available in this auction. Actor and stuntman Ray “Crash” Corrigan’s unique Single Action Army revolvers along with his silver mounted leather holster rig by Edward Bohlin will be on offer. These guns have Corrigan’s name in raised relief on both sides of the grips along with a bronco rider on one side and a steer head on the other. Corrigan, whose career spanned the 1930s to 1950s also owned a ranch where several silver screen cowboys, including John Wayne, shot films. Speaking of Wayne, the film legend’s Colt Model 1860 Army and cavalry saber documented to his collection and with a display case is available. The revolver and saber are previously attributed to being used by Wayne in “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.”

This brilliant pair of pre-war post-war Colt Single Action Army revolvers owned by Brace Beemer, the radio voice of the Lone Ranger, retains 95 percent of its blued and casehardened finish. These guns are accompanied by a dual holster Hollywood-style belt rig made by famous Hollywood maker Arvo Ojala.

Fabrique Nationale M240 Machine Gun

Sitting at the pinnacle of Class III firearms collecting is the Fabrique Nationale M240 general purpose machine gun, an iconic military machine gun in widespread U.S. military service today. Reportedly, as few as 11 fully-transferable M240 machine guns exist along with less than 20 limited pre-86 dealer samples making this firearm incredibly rare. This rugged and reliable machine gun is mechanically excellent and a can’t-miss opportunity for the military arms collector. Rock Island Auction offered an M240 in its May 2024 auction that realized $470,000.

This Fabrique Nationale M240 general purpose machine gun is the crown jewel of Class III collecting.

Unserialized Singer M1911A1

Rock Island Auction has proudly offered some of the finest Singer Model 1911A1 pistols and this rare unserialized World War 2 prototype/presentation model is another outstanding example that will cross the podium in Bedford, Texas. As part of an educational contract, Singer manufactured 500 pistols but was unable to meet the 100 pistols per day that was wanted. Singer declined further gun production and the equipment was sent off to other companies. This pistol has no serial number nor inspector marks and appears to have been earmarked as a presentation piece near the end of the production process.

This unserialized Singer model 1911A1 retains 90 percent of its original high polish, blue finish.

An interesting piece of World War 2 memorabilia is an historic swagger stick of Gen. George S. Patton from when he was a lieutenant general. He passed on the stick to a friend after being promoted to full general. This fantastic pistol and swagger stick stand among the amazing World War 2-related items in the auction.

Bearing the three stars of a lieutenant general, this swagger stick, a symbol of authority, belonged to Gen. George S. Patton who passed it along to his friend General Geoffrey Keyes after Patton received his fourth star and made a full general. A photo of Gen. George S. Patton on right.

Colt Single Action Army Presented by Theodore Roosevelt

The high-conditioned and the highly embellished guns of the Brig and Louise Pemberton Collection have received quite a bit of attention, but this Theodore Roosevelt presentation SAA deserves the spotlight, too. The revolver was presented by Roosevelt, long a favorite of Rock Island Auction Company, to James R. Gregory, Chief of Colorado Springs Police.

The revolver, finished in gold and silver, features scroll engraving with beaded backgrounds, a decorative border at the rear of the cylinder, as well as scrollwork the length of the barrel. The pearl grips have a carved eagle perched on a shield. This is a terrific revolver with 90 percent of its original silver that has attribution to Theodore Roosevelt as a presentation piece, an excellent opportunity for a collector of historic six guns.

Speaking of law enforcement firearms, the outstanding Colt Single Action Army carried by Texas ranger and U.S. Marshal Jack Dean is available in the auction. Dean, who arrested Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson, for the assassination of a federal judge, carried the Cuno Helfricht-engraved revolver on duty.

The Colt Single Action Army of Texas Ranger and U.S. Marshal Jack Dean.

Colts! Colts! Colts!

Colt fans should be able to find anything their heart desires in this auction through the classic collections already mentioned but those lean toward the 19th century legends, including deluxe double actions, but there is so much more. Someone looking for a Colt snake gun, or looking for one of those “must-haves” from Colt, can find them in this auction along with an immensely diverse range of Colt semi-automatic pistols from the Model 1900 to the M45A1, including an early production, serial number 15 Colt M1911. Just remember, with all these Colts, the .45 ACP versus 9mm argument has already been resolved.

Sporting Gun Excitement

A set of 11 Winchester Model 70 Ultra Grade Featherweight rifles, each chambered for a different caliber, offers subtlety in its refinement with finely figured black walnut stocks, scroll engraving and gold accents that pop off the deeply blued finish of each.  The guns are chambered in .222 Remington, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, .25-06 Remington, 7mm Mauser, .30-06, .308 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum and .270 Winchester. This is a fantastic opportunity to own one of only eight complete sets of the Winchester Model 70 “Ultra Sets.”

This set of 11 Winchester Model 70 Ultra Grade Featherweight rifles are consecutively serial numbered with special “UG” serial numbers.

The auction offers some fantastic opportunities for sub-gauge shotguns, elephant guns and elite bespoke sporting rifles from the likes of Boss, Purdey, Westley Richards and W.J. Jeffrey, Holland & Holland and Winchester. And don’t forget Winchester lever guns and shotguns, including serial number 2 Model 1912 shotgun.

The auction offers a fantastic lineup of long guns from sub-gauges to lever actions, like these consecutively serial numbered Winchester Model 1866 nickel-finished musket (serial number 61216) at top, and Winchester 1866 nickel-finished carbine (serial number 61217), below, both engraved by C.F. Ulrich and offered in consecutive lots on the auction’s opening day.

Very Fine Flintlocks

The regal antique firearms from the Norman R. Blank Collection have drawn plenty of interest in previous auctions. Utilitarian but no less extraordinary is a John Armstrong-made flintlock American long rifle. It has a full-length maple stock with raised relief floral and scroll carving in classic Armstrong patterns. The silver cheekpiece plate is engraved with a federal eagle and shield design along with a distinctive four-piece, finely-engraved patchbox.

John Armstrong, who made this beautiful American Long rifle, was an active gunmaker in Maryland during the early 20th century.

Among the antique firearms is a flintlock pistol owned by notorious American Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold. The pistol is one of a pair owned by Arnold when he betrayed the fledgling United States and joined the British. The auction also has a number of outstanding blunderbusses that have long drawn the interest of collectors.

This iconic British Long Sea Service pistol was one of a pair owned by traitor Benedict Arnold at the time of his treason.

Classic Class III Firearms

Among the roster of Class III offerings in the auction are classics from World War 2, but this Thompson Submachine gun is documented as shipped to the Mattoon, Ill., Police Department in 1930. This Tommy gun, with several accessories and a case, is one of 12 Thompson Submachine guns in the auction. They are joined by Along with World War 2 throwbacks like the M2 Carbine, a 1945 StG44 Sturmgewher, and a German MP40 are modern examples like the M60 and the Cadillac Gage Stoner 63, stalwarts of the Vietnam War, along with the M16and AK-47.

This Colt Thompson 1921 Submachine Gun, once in the armory of the Mattoon, Ill. Police Department, comes with a carrying case and several accessories.

Collections! Collections! Collections!

Did someone mention Colts? This auction offers the most complete and historic offerings of Colt firearms amassed over 250 years of combined collecting. The finest and rarest examples offered from the collections of Brig and Louise Pemberton, Charles Marx, Robert M. Lee, Greg Lampe, George S. Lewis Jr., TTTand Andrew Singer will awe collectors.

These include a beautiful Colt Single Action Army in .44 Russian with the serial number “JTC” for sub-inspector John T. Cleveland from the Brig and Louise Pemberton Collection, a “pinched frame” Single Action Army from the Charles Marx Collection, an outstanding cased Colt 1860 Army from the Greg Lampe Collection, an engraved Colt 1862 Police revolver with factory presentation inscription of the George S. Lewis Jr. Collection, a factory engraved Colt Single Action Army with steer head pearl grips from the TTT Collection and a pre-Civil War U.S. Army Contract Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver of the Andrew Singer Collection.

Not to be outdone are the finely curated Tom Selleck Collection, the antique European arms of the Norman R. Blank Collection, magnificent German pistols of the Jan Still Luger Collection, Colts and Winchesters of the Gateway Collection and the World War 2 memorabilia of the Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.

A Colt Single Action Army flat top target model at top and a Single Action Army Bisley Model below it from the Charles Marx Collection.

Fine Firearms for Sale

The Dec. 6-8 Premier Auction is an amazing cascade of Colt firearms, from the legendary Single Action Army to beautifully engraved double actions and historic Patersons and a Walker revolver to standout semi-auto pistols. The three-day sale presents amazing breadth, from flintlocks to full auto firepower, guns from the Civil War, Wild West and two worlds wars will have collectors clamoring.