Colt revolvers and sporting arms from legendary collections, Class III full auto offerings, and outstanding antique percussion and flintlock firearms highlight Rock Island Auction Company’s Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction in Bedford, Texas.

Charles Marx and Norman R. Blank amassed legendary collections making this a terrific opportunity to obtain amazing guns from these once-in-a-lifetime collections. Marx, who started collecting in the 1970s, has an encyclopedic gathering of Colts with variations of grips, barrel lengths and chamberings. Blank was known for his vast collection of highly embellished European percussion and flintlock firearms.

This Colt Single Action Army Sheriff's Model from the Charles Marx Collection has a 7 1/2-inch barrel and pearl grips.

Guns from the Marx Collection that will be on offer include Colt Paterson revolving carbines and a rifle, a Single Action Army revolver with a rare 12-inch barrel , examples of Bisley SAAs, a fluted frame SAA,  a Colt 1878 Omnipotent, and a number of 1871-72 Open Top revolvers.

Pieces from the Blank Collection include both antique and modern arms, like an engraved Alexander Henry underlever hammer double rifle, an engraved and gold inlaid Durs Egg single barrel flintlock shotgun, pre-war Winchester Model 70 rifles and a Ugartechea Model 30EX double barrel shotgun.

A sampling of firearms available in Rock Island Auction Company's Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction.

The Legendary Colt Walker

Headlining the event is E Company No. 35 Colt Walker, one of only 19 known surviving E Company revolvers. Many of these revolvers were destroyed in service in the 19th century and others lost over the years. There were 120 revolvers marked for E Company out of the 1,000 U.S. contract revolvers. The gun is noted in the book “The Colt Whitneyville-Walker Pistol,” by Lt. Col. Robert D. Whittington III.

Another legendary early revolver from Samuel Colt, a Patent Arms “Colt Belt Model Paterson” No. 3 revolver, will be available in the auction. Only around 850 No. 2 and No. 3 Belt Model "Paterson" revolvers were manufactured in 1837-1840 making them desirable and hard to find for dedicated Colt collectors. This revolver precedes the Colt Model 1849 Pocket that became Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Co.'s most popular model.

E Company No. 35 Colt Walker, right, and Patent Arms "Colt Belt Model Paterson" No. 3, left, revolvers available in the Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction.

Class III Firepower

Modern machine guns along with combat arms of World War 1 and World War 2 are available in the February S&C. They include a Colt AR-15 SP1 select fire rifle, a U.S. Savage Arms Model 1918 Lewis Machine Gun, a U.S. Inland M2 select fire carbine, a Medea Corp M3 submachine gun, a MP-40 and Thompson submachine gun. The auction will also feature examples of the Stemple Model 76/45, a Voere/American International 180 M2 and SWD M11 with a drum magazine.

A Beretta Model 12S with three extra magazines and a manual.

Antique Guns

Rock Island Auction always has a terrific assortment of flintlocks and wheellocks on offer and this auction is no different. Among the selection that will be available are a Revolutionary War-era marked Dublin Castle short land pattern Brown Bess musket, a cased pair of Irish flintlock “Manstopper” coat pistols by Fowler of Dublin, a mid-17th century made northern Italian-style snaplock carbine, a British Ketland & Co. Brown Bess attributed to the York City Volunteer Militia and an engraved wheellock sporting rifle with scrimshaw mounts. Blunderbuss selections in this auction include a Ketland & Co. brass barrel flintlock blunderbuss, an E. Nicholson flintlock blunderbuss and a late 17th century engraved R. Silke flintlock blunderbuss.

This Durs Egg single barrel flintlock shotgun from the Norman R. Blank Collection is available in the Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction.

Bringing Out the Big Guns

Following on the heels of last year’s sale of the JDJ Fat Mac, a massive MMCI bolt action rifle chambered in .700 JDJ and a huge McMillan Bros. 14.5mm JDJ bolt action single shot rifle will be available. A desirable World War 1 German Mauser Tankgewehr Model 1918 bolt action rifle is on the auction roster along with a pair of CZ 550s chambered in .600 Overkill and .550 Magnum, respectively. A bit of a peculiarity is the Arsenal Firearms 2011 Dueler Prismatic double barrel semi-automatic pistol based on the Model 1911.

Among the big bore guns in the auction are a MMCI bolt action rifle chambered in .700 JDJ and a McMillan Bros. 14.5mm JDJ bolt action single shot rifle. seen here is muzzle break on the the McMillian Bros. 14.5mm.

Firearms Classics

Classic antique firearms always make their way to Rock Island Auction and this event is no different. Among the Colt Single Action Army revolvers are interesting variations like being shipped from Colt’s London agency, rare chamberings like a.22 Rimfire, fluted cylinders, Sheriff’s Models and flattops. Also on offer are a pair of Colt Model 1877 “Rainmakers,” including one in Sheriff’s Model configuration.

Among Civil War firearms are Griswold & Gunnison and LeMat “Grapeshot” revolvers on the Confederate side as well as Colt Model 1860 Army revolvers and Henry rifles of the Union. From Smith & Wesson is a desirable factory engraved Volcanic No. 2 lever action pistol, early production “oil hole” No. 3 First Model American revolvers and examples of the Volcanic No. 1 lever action pistol.

Bringing some European flair is a cased three-digit serial number Ludwig Loewe Model 1893 Borchardt pistol and a rare Mauser Model 1896 20-shot flatside cone hammer Broomhandle, a scarce German DWM Model 1902 Luger carbine with a shoulder stock and case and an early production, three-digit serial number DWM Model 1900 Swiss contract Luger.

Legendary Lever Action

There’s no talking wheelguns without mentioning antique lever action rifles and there are some fine pieces in this auction led by John Ulrich signed factory engraved Winchester Model 1866 and an engraved nickel with gold trim deluxe Winchester Model 1873. Also on offer will be other Model 187 and Model 1866 examples as well as Model 1892 specimens, a Model 1895 chambered in .405 WCF and a King Ranch branded inscribed Savage Model 1899H takedown rifle in .22 Savage Hi-Power.

Several Marlins will also be available, from a Native American decorated Model 1881 in .45-70 Government to a Model 1894CL in .218 Bee.

This John Ulrich factory engraved and signed Winchester Model 1866 is available in the Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction.

Sporting Arms

The Sporting & Collector Auction offers bespoke shotguns at accessible prices. Looking at sub-gauges, a Parker Brothers 28 gauge GHE Grade double barrel shotgun and a Parker Brothers .410 bore VH Grade double barrel shotgun top the auction roster. Of the more traditional gauges, two factory engraved Holland & Holland Royal Hammerless Ejector hand detachable sidelock double barrel shotguns are offered in separate lots as well as a factory engraved Beretta SO5 Sporting over/under shotgun and a factory engraved J. Purdey double barrel shotgun.

This factory engraved J. Purdey double barrel hammer shotgun was manufactured in 1872 according to page 193 of Donald Dallas' "Purdey Gun & Rifle Makers: The Definitive History".

Pieces of Interest

Korean War era heavy metal is available in the auction in a U.S. Willy M38 Jeep 1/4 ton 4x4 utility truck. A crate of 20 Soviet Mosin-Nagant Model 91/30 rifles. A grouping of OSS medals and patches of Sgt. Salvador Fabrega of the OSS who was part of the Tacoma Mission to shut down a German supply route in northern Italy during World War 2 is also in the auction as is a U.S. Bureau of Ordnance ammunition display board.

This Korean War era U.S. Willys M38 Jeep 1/4 ton 4X4 utility truck is available in the Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction.

Guns for Sale

The Feb. 21-23 Sporting & Collector Auction will have nearly 2,100 lots and almost 4,100 guns from a number of genres and eras, from percussion and flintlock guns, to the Wild West, guns of the World Wars, bespoke sporting arms and modern weapons. Visit on the preview day, Feb. 20 and see the fantastic inventory Rock Island Auction has to offer.