In 1986, a painting was discovered in the attic of a small rural church in West Newbury, Massachusetts. Appraisers determined the work was a 16th century masterpiece from the Italian Renaissance. In January 2000, the Andrea del Sarto painting finally hit the auction block, selling at Sotheby’s for a staggering $1.1 million.

The story is similar to another Massachusetts attic treasure that garnered worldwide press last August. The Marshfield Find, a near-pristine Winchester Model 1886 rifle preserved in its original shipping crate for nearly 140 years, surpassed its high estimate and realized an impressive $352,500 at Rock Island Auction Company, demonstrating the excitement that new-to-market items can garner in the high-end collectibles landscape. Like Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb, the uncovering of such pieces can resonate with an audience far beyond their traditional niche.

A 19th century time capsule unlike anything ever offered to the collecting public, this fresh to market Winchester Model 1886 achieved $352,500.

“There is a special place in the collector’s heart for objects hidden away,” said Conor FitzGerald, noted author and arms and armour historian. “Discovering something that few have seen, and that in the end only one person may possess, is the acquisition of a lifetime, and that is what such passions are for.”

Fresh to Market Firearms

While genuine attic finds are a comparative rarity, there’s no question that the public debut of scarce items has long shaped the trajectory of the fine arms and broader collectibles markets. New discoveries and works previously hidden in private collections create anticipation, public awareness, and drive industry growth.

In May of 2022, an extraordinary pair of revolvers owned by General Ulysses S. Grant were unveiled to the collecting public for the first time, garnering international interest leading up to and following their historic $5.17 million sale at Rock Island Auction Company. Later that year, we presented another elite first-time offering, Han Solo’s blaster from the original 'Star Wars' film. The $1.06 million Guinness World Records-setting movie gun captured global headlines and created a crossover moment between high-end collectibles and mainstream entertainment fandoms.

Public Debuts

In addition to fresh-to-auction treasures, prestigious pieces that have been out of the public eye for an extended period can elicit the same enthusiasm, particularly when they come out of a notable grouping like the Norman R. Blank Collection. Mr. Blank, an accomplished collector of classic Ferraris, fine wine, antiquarian books, and European artwork, also assembled a remarkable antique arms collection.

King Louis XIII's gold and silver ornamental and bejeweled royal presentation wheellock, from the king's fabulous Cabinet d'Armes, realized an outstanding $951,750 in RIAC's August 2024 Premier Auction.

The auction world took notice when Mr. Blank’s collection began to pass the podium last year, including the ornamented wheellock of King Louis XIII, an exceptional piece that set a new record for its genre and realized $951,750 after all associated costs. The prior December, a cased pair of presentation pistols by Parisian master Gastinne-Renette, another pillar of Blank’s collection, achieved $411,250.

These exhibition Gastinne-Renette pistols, displayed at the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris and The Great London Exposition of 1862, achieved $411,250 in RIAC's December 2023 Premier Auction.

In previous decades, reselling a premium collectible such as a museum-grade painting was often less lucrative if the item hadn’t been off the market long enough to build anticipation. Today, an elite piece can command attention again after a comparatively brief hiatus, particularly in growing sectors like the fine arms field. With a steady influx of new buyers entering the global marketplace and the availability of accessible online bidding options, pinnacle arms are increasingly recognized as blue-chip assets.

Rising Demand

In 2011, Heritage Auctions sold “The Millikin Dragoon,” a stunning cased percussion Colt, for $805,000. Eight years later, the same revolver realized $1.67 million at Rock Island Auction Company. An even shorter holding period between resale was observed in 2017 when another top-of-its-class collectible arm, the finest-known Singer 1911A1 pistol, sold for $414,000 and broke its own $166,000 record from seven years earlier.

While newly revealed treasures and fresh-to-market finds will always grab the most press, the expanding bidder base these high-profile pieces attract contributes to greater visibility and rising demand throughout the arms collecting landscape.

In May of 2019, this Gustave Young master engraved cased Colt Third Model Dragoon percussion revolver, known as "The Millikin Dragoon," sold for $1,667,500 at Rock Island Auction Company.

Examining the most expensive items sold at Rock Island Auction Company, we find that top 20 of those sales were fresh to the private market. Of the items that had been previously auctioned, most came out of distinguished arms collections, highlighting the importance buyers place on pedigree. A piece that has passed through the hands of a renowned collector carries an additional prestige that’s reflected in its sale price.

Documenting History

Many investment-grade arms have been featured in prominent publications, and items from scholarly collectors like Greg Lampe or Brig & Louise Pemberton are often accompanied by years of meticulous research, a value-added in an industry built on provenance. Sometimes a collectible has a deeper story that goes untold and additional documentation can elevate the status of an established item.

This exceptional Colt 1851 Navy revolver, the only known example with gold plated grip straps, came out of The Greg Lampe Collection and sold in 2023 for $352,500.

In the digital age, combing through historic archives and connecting with experts around the world makes researching easier than ever, and in many instances the most exciting discoveries aren’t found in a forgotten attic or storage container but are hidden in plain sight.

Rock Island Auction Company's Lead Historian, Seth Isaacson, has uncovered numerous treasures with little prior documentation, including Civil War presentation pieces like Major General Henry W. Halleck's Tiffany & Co. silver officer's sword to crown jewels of European artistry such as French naval officer Cesar-Joseph Bourayne's gold mounted Boutet flintlock pistols.

Rock Island Auction Company's Lead Historian Seth Isaacson examines the Duke of York's Tatham & Egg over/under flintlock pistol.

"While some historic arms have been featured in one or more well-known publications or arrive at Rock Island Auction Company with an archive of information on their history and documented provenance, the vast majority arrive with little to no information," Seth says. "However, some have clues to their past that provide the start for uncovering fascinating tales long forgotten. The first clue might be a name or presentation inscription on the back strap of a Civil War era Colt revolver, an inscription on the scabbard of a sword, or the initials and/or coat of arms of the original owner of a pair of dueling pistols on the wrist escutcheons. Each of these present an exciting research opportunity."

The Tiffany & Co. silver Civil War officer's sword of General Halleck sold for $74,750 in RIAC's September 2020 Premier Auction.

"One example that I remember especially vividly is the Cesar-Joseph Bourayne presentation Boutet pistols," Seth recounts. "They came in with some references to Bourayne, but the original case had long been lost. Through some digging through French publications of the period, I found a reference to “pistolets de prix” (prize/award pistols) presented to Bourayne indicating the long lost case had a presentation plaque that read "Le commerce de l Ile de France à monsieur Bourayne capitaine de vaisseau 22 septembre 1808" (The traders of the Ile de France to Mr. Bourayne captain of the ship September 22, 1808)."

These pistols, presented to Bourayne by the merchants of the Ile de France due to his success in defeating the British H.M.S. Laurel which was blockading the island during the Napoleonic Wars, sold for $575,000 in RIAC's June 2020 Premier Auction.

Treasure Hunting in the Digital Age

Technology has continually driven growth in every segment of the fine arms domain, including new and rare-to-market pieces. Leading auction houses like Rock Island Auction Company have set the standard by offering web catalogs with high-resolution photography to facilitate fast and accurate evaluations. Social media drives higher participation rates and broadens global reach.

Digital bidding channels have significantly streamlined transactions for collectors, arms enthusiasts, museums, historical societies, and investors seeking portfolio diversification. Online options are not only secure and convenient for buyers, they enable global participation without the burden of travel costs.

RIAC’s online auction catalogs offer collectors an invaluable resource and allow a firearm to be viewed in detail from any computer or wireless device.

In 2024, the popularity of Rock Island Auction Company's live streaming bid platform, Rock Island Live, surpassed its 2023 figures in every major metric, with a notably higher percentage of total bids, registered users, and first-time bidders. Online bidding has especially resonated with a new generation of buyers, an expanding demographic in the fine arms auction sphere that’s eager to acquire the best of the best.

Discovering the Exceptional

Selective sellers, be it the initial collector or their heirs, have taken notice of this uptrend in the global marketplace. Previously unavailable pieces have surfaced more frequently in recent years at the most prominent auction houses, with marquee arms from Europe, South and Central America, and Asia being offered in response to growing demand.

In its first year alone, Rock Island Auction Company’s new venue in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has unveiled numerous fresh discoveries to an eager global audience, with the company’s upcoming May 2025 Premier Auction anchored by numerous highlights from The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection, The Charles Marx Collection, the Norman R. Blank Collection, and more.

El Libertador Simon Bolivar's historic flintlock sporting arm by Baucheron Pirmet of Paris, one of the treasures available this August at Rock Island Auction Company.

Uncovering an attic treasure like an Andrea del Sarto painting or an antique Winchester in pristine condition can serve as an industry’s Howard Carter moment, earning worldwide recognition and expanding the reach of an entire field. Whether it’s a long-forgotten rarity, a masterpiece emerging from private hands, or a crown jewel collectible returning to the podium, each auction offers the chance to unearth something truly extraordinary, and the investment potential has never been higher.

The collectibles market has been thriving in recent years, with fine arms prices setting records in every genre at Rock Island Auction Company.