Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC) has traveled the country, from coast to coast, picking up one massive collection after another, viewing thousands of firearms. This tireless search has resulted in an event that will be packed with surprises and an occasion proudly presented as the 2015 September Premiere Firearms Auction. The sale will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 11, 12, and 13.
By the numbers, this sale will have over 3,000 items in over 2,800 lots, including over 350 Winchesters, more than 600 Colts, in excess of 250 foreign military arms, 400+ U.S. Military arms, over 850 sporting arms, as well as 60+ Class III firearms and nearly 800 arms in the auction that are classified as antiques. Combine these sheer numbers with the five outstanding collections appearing in this sale, and the result is an exciting event sure to have more than a few hearts racing come auction day.
The praise-worthy collections in this auction span a variety of genres and will present five centuries of firearm design, expertise and dedication. The phenomenal James Kerner collection houses beautiful and outstanding early European and high art firearms. Part II of The iconic Ralph Shattuck collection again ensures that German military arms will be especially well represented. The first installment of the Walker West collection of antique Colts and Winchesters contributes greatly to the impressive numbers in this sale and is certain to have collectors of these two extremely popular manufacturers clamoring. The G.S. Cooke collection contains the finest Winchester 1885s to come to auction. Last, and certainly not least, the Piedmont collection of world class Kentucky rifles is sure to impress the uninitiated and the expert alike with its exceptional array of early American masterpieces.
The upcoming three-day premiere auction also will have numerous single items with impressive history and provenance. The Nation Match M1 Garand belonging to John F. Kennedy is already creating quite a stir among collectors. An historic Cole Agee engraved, gold plated Colt single action Army revolver with pearl grips has come from the Roy Rogers Dale Evans Museum and is documented as being the holster gun of Roy Rogers, the “King of the Cowboys” himself.
One good single action Army revolver deserves another, so RIAC is also proud to be offering a documented and deluxe, Cuno Helfricht factory master engraved, gold-accented, Colt single action Army revolver owned by the founder of the Boy Scouts of America, Dan Beard. From the origins of the Scouts, the auction will go to the origins of the country with a pre-French and Indian War land pattern Brown Bess flintlock musket. This remarkable firearm is accompanied by a Revolutionary War diary, its full transcription, and a deluge of research documents.
This auction will also offer a pair of special order FBI Colt official police double action revolvers used to create a pair of bookends that were used in J. Edgar Hoover's office. There are numerous high art and expertly embellished presentation arms for princes, maharajas, military men of ages past, Nazi leaders, and even one presented to American inventor Hiram Maxim in this diverse sale. Also included will be a selection of Class III /Title II firearms. They span decades and cover all manner of highly desirable guns, mounted large machine guns and anti-tank rifles of the Great War, gangster-era Tommy Guns, submachine guns of the Axis and Allied powers, M16s, Uzis, suppressors, an assortment of smoothbore pistols, and even a rare FG-42.
The captions showcase a selection of the offerings.
For more information, call 800-238-8022 or visit www.rockislandauction.com.