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Columbia River salmon fishing
Columbia River salmon fishing

Different Strokes

In news last week that captured a lot of attention throughout the Pacific Northwest, anglers…
JIM BOWIE KNIFE
Jim Bowie’s famous fighting knife. This one brought $11,750 at Rock Island in August in spite of having no provenance or identification beyond the name “ET Henry” etched on the blade. Perhaps the bidders knew something no one else did. It measures 18⅜ inches. Courtesy of Rock Island Auction Company

Ten Grand No-Name

“There are strange things done, ‘neath the midnight sun, by the men who moil for…

Sea Trials

I’ve reported elsewhere that I’m not really a boat guy. Infatuated with the southern and…
icebergs painting
The Icebergs (1861)

Niagara Falls to the Andes, With Frederic Church

American songwriter Marc Cohn, of “Walking in Memphis” fame, is likely the only singer/songwriter ever…
The only print left on Wieland’s wall is a caribou by Douglas Allen. Allen was a commercial artist, commissioned to provide art work for Jack O’Connor’s 1960 book "Big Game Animals of North America." As a full-page color plate in that book, this painting ignited Wieland’s love affair with caribou.

Art for a Buck’s Sake

The very first magazine article I ever wrote was about hunting caribou in Quebec; the…
HENRY RIFLE
Alexander Henry hammerless single-shot rifle, chambered for the .450 Express 3¼”. An elegant rifle of flawless workmanship.

Notes on Alexander Henry

When we think of British riflemakers, the names that usually spring to mind are Holland…
rifle
If ever there was an American classic, this is it. This rifle brought $7,475. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction

The Latest From Rock Island

Rock Island holds three premier auctions every year. These are the sales where you see Wild…

Shad’s the Limit

Every year about this time, when the days are longest, the weeds tallest, the garden…
Photo by Tom Cheney, ASF

Will Non-native Bass Doom Miramichi Salmon?

In 2008 illegally introduced smallmouth bass, alien to the Miramichi system, turned up in Miramichi…
revolver
According to experts, a run-of-the-mill Walker with nothing special to recommend it should now change hands for a minimum of $250,000. This one had a better pedigree, and realized just shy of double that amount: $499,375. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Company

Old Colts and New Investments

As the stock market resumed its intermittent plunge last week, John Authers, a long-time columnist…
GRANT'S REMINGTON REVOLVERS
Pair of Remington revolvers, presented to Ulysses S. Grant, and retained in the Grant family until 1976, sold at Rock Island on May 13 for a realized price of $5,170,000.

Grant’s Remington Revolvers. Wow.

At Rock Island’s pre-auction viewing day last week, a common topic of discussion was how…

Got Yours?

You have to understand: I’m not much of a hunter.