Rock Island Auction

purdey gun
Fantasy engraving by Aristide Barre, unusual for 1912. Courtesy Rock Island Auction Company

Rock Island Preview

Rock Island’s second premier auction to be held at its new premises in Texas is…
The Adolph-Weber single-shot .22 target pistol as displayed in the Rock Island catalogue. Now really, who could resist?

Pistols & Mysteries

The name “Fred Adolph” prompted the vaguest of memories:  A custom gunmaker?  Gunsmith?  What?  As…
Howdah pistol by Lyon & Lyon of Calcutta, in .577 Snider, brought $7,000 at Rock Island’s August premier auction. Lyon & Lyon was a prominent gun dealer during the British Raj. Its guns were mostly made in Birmingham — Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Company

Rock Island Farewell (Sort of)

When I attended my first Rock Island auction in September, 2018, I little suspected I…
Gorgeous, no? Boss & Co. #6205, 20 gauge, made around 1915, is a self-opening over/under. It may be one of a kind. Or, it may not. Photos courtesy Rock Island Auction Company

Never Say Never.  Never!

Gorgeous, no? Boss & Co. #6205, 20 gauge, made around 1915, is a self-opening over/under.…
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…
Loading tools and accoutrements for the Pope-Stevens include a false muzzle, bullet starter, and bullet mould.

Hard Assets

The Rock Island premier auction that ended yesterday was an object lesson in the effect…
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…
hickok gun
It’s hard to say which is more famous: Wild Bill Hickok, Samuel Colt’s Model 1851 Navy, or the Dead Man’s Hand (black aces and black eights) that Hickok was holding when he was shot in the back.

Hickok’s 1851 Navy

One of the highlights of the mid-May Rock Island premier auction was a Colt 1851…
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…
rifle
This Stevens Model 47 Schützen rifle, in .25-20 Single Shot, was Wieland’s first impulse buy at Rock Island. It popped up on the big screen late on the last day, looked good, the bidding stalled, and Wieland took it home. He now has half a dozen more Stevens rifles of the same vintage, has written more than a dozen articles about them, and is pursuing yet another this week. Ah, well.

Rock Island Preview

This is the week of Rock Island’s second premier auction of the year, and I…