A magnificent royal wheellock, the presentation revolver of a legendary Wild West lawman, beautifully embellished shotguns, a lever action rifle with an amazing story and even a World War 2 tank are among the top items sold by Rock Island Auction in 2024.

The company celebrated its first anniversary in its magnificent Bedford, Texas venue by collecting more than $100 million in auction sales for the fourth straight year, in part because of these amazing objects that all landed squarely in six-figure territory. Take a look.

1) King Louis XIII’s Wheellock, $881,250

From the opulence of French King Louis XIII’s Cabinet d’ Armes came this magnificent piece.  An avid collector, Louis’s assemblage of guns has become legendary, and this breathtaking wheellock is embellished with scrolling, mythical beasts and classical nudes. It is bejeweled from stock to muzzle and the trigger plate has pierced panels with engraved borders and scarlet textile backing decorative plaques inset into the stock makes the gun’s fantastical level of adornment makes this gun a pinnacle of collecting.

2A) Winchester One of One Thousand Model 1873, $528,750 (tie)

This Winchester Model 1873 “One of One Thousand” is an exceptionally documented rifle, with mentions in several Winchester reference books and through a factory letter. The “One of One Thousand” program was announced in Winchester’s 1873 catalog as guns offered for their immense accuracy and were sought out by serious sportsmen and frontiersmen for hunting and defending their homesteads.

A book published in 1996 identified only 57 “One of One Thousand” rifles. This one is shown in Edmund Lewis’ “The Story of the Winchester 1 of 1000 and 1 of 100 Rifles” and in James Gordon’s “Winchester New Model of 1873: A Tribute Volume II.”

2B) Pat Garrett’s Presentation Engraved Colt Model 1877, $528,750 (tie)

Legendary western lawman Pat Garrett, known for killing Billy the Kid, was presented this historic Colt Model 1877 Thunderer in 1902 by a group of his El Paso friends. Garrett was a well-known lawman who tried to go into business several times before returning again and again to law enforcement.

This gold-plated revolver is discussed in a specific chapter devoted to Garrett in the “Guns and Ammo” book, “Guns and the Gunfighters,” as well as illustrated in “Firearms of the American West, 1866-1894, making this immensely historical gun certainly well documented. A gold presentation badge of Garrett’s was also auctioned in the same sale and earned $235,000.

2C) Master Simon Coggan-Engraved Trio of Engraved Purdey and Sons 28 Gauge shotguns, $528,750 (tie)

This trio of 28 gauge shotguns show the amazing craftsmanship and precision that can only come from a bespoke gunmaker like Purdey & Sons. These sidelock over/under shotguns are marvels to behold with broad leafy scrollwork and game scenes that leap from the coin finish. The game scenes include a pair of doves in flight over a field, a pair of quail in flight in a desert with cacti and a windmill, and a pair of woodcock taking flight from a tree. The triggers are also gold plated. A two-barrel set in .410 and a set of accessories that are as adorned as these sub-gauge beauties are also included.

3A) Fabrique Nationale M240 Machine Gun, $470,000 (twice, tie)

Only 11 fully transferable Model 240 machine guns from Fabrique Nationale exist on the NFA registry, making this iconic military firearm an extreme rarity, but Rock Island Auction had the pleasure of selling two in 2024 and both achieved the same price.

An M240 general purpose medium machine gun achieved $470,000 in RIAC's May 2024 Premier Auction.

3B)

Inspired by the German MG42 and American BAR and originally developed by FN, this machine gun is still in use by some militaries, including the United States after its adoption in 1977. The M240 has a reputation for ruggedness, reliability and relative ease of maintenance.

An M240 GPMG, the second of two examples that became the most expensive machine guns at Rock Island Auction Company.

4A) Colt Third Model Dragoon $440,625 (tie)

This cased and high condition Colt Third Model Dragoon shipped in 1861 as one of only a few made with an 8-inch barrel instead of the usual 7 1/2-inch barrels.

These guns were highly demanded by soldiers on both sides of the Civil War that couldn’t get the lighter Colt Model 1860 Army. This revolver was shipped to J.C. Grubb & Co. in Philadelphia. This gun retained 90 percent of its blue finish on the barrel and cylinder and is one of the finest known 8-inch Third Model Dragoons.

4B) LePage Double Barrel Shotgun of President of Mexico, $440,625 (tie)

This gun is a work of art, with a carved ebony stock and amazing relief engraving completely covering the metal with grape vines and leaves, a lion fighting a serpent on one side of the receiver and hounds taking down a stag on the other side. The hammer on this percussion shotgun is sculpted to depict hounds leaping at foxes while other sculpted features include a pheasant eating grapes and a small rabbit.

This magnificent piece was manufactured by Le Page Moutier in Paris and completed in 1860. It served as an exhibition piece before being presented to Mexican President Manuel Gonzales Flores in 1879. The gun was once displayed at the Harolds Club Museum of the Old West in Reno, Nev.

5) Cased Baby Paterson Pocket Model, $411,250

This cased “Colt Baby Paterson” No. 1 Pocket Model revolver crossed the podium with 90 percent of its high blue polish finish intact and with a complete suite of Paterson accessories, including a spare cylinder.

This revolver is the father of the Baby Dragoon and the grandfather of the Model 1849 Pocket that would go on to be the most widely owned Colt revolvers of the 19th century. While the thunderous Texas Paterson was famous for its battlefield use, it would be too large to carry by a gentleman on the streets of America’s growing yet mostly unpoliced cities. These smaller pistols were marketed as easily concealed.

This was a highly attractive opportunity for a collector to own a high conditioned Baby Paterson that is one of the finest examples of the revolver known.

6) Trio of Pedretti engraved James Purdey Sons 28 Gauge Shotguns, $381,875

Fans of Purdey & Sons shotguns were again treated to an outstanding trio as this set crossed the podium in December. The tight curls that cover the guns’ receivers and trigger plate, again, showing off the immense craftsmanship and precision the gunmaker is known for.

The guns are signed G.S. Pedretti for Master Engravers Giancarlo and Stefano Pedretti, though Giancarlo died in 2016. The coin finish is an attractive canvas for the traditional bouquet and scroll engraving and gold inlays.

This trio of Purdey & Sons shotguns has beautifully intricate scrolling and roses by G.S. Pedretti, Master Engravers Giancarlo and Stefano Pedretti.

7A) Documented Colt Model 1907 U.S. Army Test Trials Pistol, $352,500 (tie)

This pistol surprised many when it hammered for nearly four times its estimated high price of $90,000 in RIAC’s May Premier Auction. Exceptionally rare, this well-documented Model 1907 is nearly the last stop on the road to Colt’s Model 1911 and the first chambered for .45 ACP. One of only 200 pistols manufactured for the U.S. Army field trials this pistol’s serial number is 91 and was shipped to the Fort Des Moines, Iowa for evaluation.

This pistol was among those Colt withdrew from the trials to modify and correct for initial deficiencies and then reissued. The gun is mentioned by serial number in “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920,” by Edward Scott Meadows.

7B) The Marshfield Find Winchester Model 1886, $352,500 (tie)

The remarkable story of this Model 1886 and its equally remarkable condition made this a highly sought-after item at auction in August. Nearly perfectly preserved, it was found in its original shipping crate by two grandsons in 1974 exploring the attic of the family’s home in Marshfield, Mass.

When the still-sealed shipping crate was opened, the boys discovered the rifle with its scabbard and boxes of ammunition. Fifty years after its discovery in the attic it was offered for sale for the first time in August by Rock Island Auction Company with its mint casehardened finish and first-year production serial number made this a true treasure proudly offered by Rock Island Auction.

8) World War 2 M3A1 Stuart Light Tank, $323,125

This amazing throwback to World War 2 was among 4,621 M3A1 Stuarts made by American Car and Foundry Company starting in May 1942 with the last delivered in February of the following year. Most of the surviving examples of this tank reside in museum collections so it was an honor to offer this vehicle.

Nicknamed “Honey” due to its smooth ride, M3 Stuarts were delivered to British and Soviet forces through the Lend-Lease program. They saw action in the Pacific, used in the jungles against Japanese tanks and in Europe alongside the bigger U.S. M4 and M4A1 Sherman medium tanks.

This World War 2 M3A1 Stuart light tank realized $323,125 in May's Premier.

9A) Iron Frame New Haven Arms Henry Rifle, $293,750 (tie)

A piece of history as the most famous and desirable American lever action rifles that led to the Winchester family of lever action rifles, this Henry rifle is one of only 200-300 made with an iron frame before the company discontinued them in favor of the “brass” gunmetal frames. Only about 100 are known today.

Manufactured during the first three months of production from April to June 1862, this gun’s serial number doesn’t have a corresponding brass frame example. These guns were often purchased by soldiers drawn to the 15-shot repeating rifle. This rifle is in remarkably high condition despite the use most Henrys saw in the Civil War and in the latter half of the 19th century.

Only about 100 iron frame Henry Rifles are known to exist. This extremely rare example of the rifle that launched Oliver Winchester's lever gun empire hammered for $293,750 in the May Premier.

9B) Pinched Frame Single Action Army Revolver, $293,750 (tie)

An extreme rarity and documented in the book “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver,” by C. Kenneth Moore, John A. Kopec and Ron Graham generated quite a bit of interest heading into the final Premier Auction of the year. The gun realized a price that outshone its sale in 2012.

Only a handful of pinched frame SAA are known to exist with the pinched rear sight, located forward of the standard frame position at the extreme rear of the top strap. The revolver was accompanied by a seldom-seen nickel-plated skeleton stock.

9C) Ulrich-Engraved Winchester Pre-64 Model 70, $293,750 (tie)

The combination of the popular and respected Winchester Pre-64 Model 70 bolt action rifle, terrific engraving by a master engraver and chambered in a once-popular varmint round brought this eye-popping, world record price in the August Premier Auction.

Engraved borders surround a snarling wolf on one side of the receiver and a prowling mountain lion on the other side, both in gold inlays. Those are spectacular highlights of the extensive engraving by Master Engraver Alden George Ulrich on the near-flawless blued finish of this rifle. Manufactured in 1946, this bolt action is pictured and described in “The Model 70 Winchester, 1937-1964 by Dean Whitaker.

10A) B Company No. 102 Colt Walker, $264,375 (tie)

The gun that turned Samuel Colt’s business around, this Walker revolver is marked for Mexican general and governor of Coahuila Andres Viseca. The gun is marked “B COMPANY No 102” on the butt as well as the left side of the frame.  These guns were put through hard service during the Mexican American War. When the Texas Mounted Volunteers mustered out, 191 Walkers were turned in but 202 were lost or kept.

This revolver is identified as one of 150 surviving A, B, C, D and E companies, including this one in the book “The Colt Whitneyville-Walker Pistol” by Lt. Col. Robert Whittington III. Twenty-seven of those were from B Company. It is possible the gun came into Viseca’s possession after being lost during the Mexican-American War or through a Confederate soldier that made its way to Mexico after the Civil War.

The Colt Walker is a legendary and historic gun in fine firearms collecting circles, and this rare piece realized $264,375 in the May Premier.

10B) Squareback Colt Texas Holster Model No. 5 Paterson, $264,375 (tie)

This exceptionally rare 9-inch holster model No. 5 Paterson is one of 1,000 manufactured between 1838 and 1840. About 150 examples of the No. 5 Paterson exist today, including this one with the square shoulders on the cylinder.

This iconic gun is extremely rare and desirable ranking equal to or perhaps above the Colt Walker as the centerpiece for an advanced Colt collection so it is fitting that the Paterson and Walker are tied on this list.

This iconic squareback Texas Holster Model No. 5 Paterson revolver achieved $264,375 in May's Premier Auction.

Top 10 Guns of 2025

Rock Island Auction kicks off its slate of 2025 Premier Auctions on May 2 at Rock Island Auction’s state of the art auction venue in Bedford, Texas and will include superb examples from many of the elite collections that populated the 2024 Auctions. We hope to see you in Bedford.

RIAC’s schedule of 2025 auctions.