Morphy's Oct. 30-Nov. 2 Firearms Auction Features Wyatt Earp's Colt Revolver, Chief Rain-In-The-Face's Winchester Rifle

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Oct 26, 2018, 08:33 ET

DENVER, Pa., Oct. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Morphy's Oct. 30-Nov. 2 Premier Firearms, Militaria & Sporting Auction spans 350 years of firearms production, starting with a 1675 Dutch flintlock pistol and progressing through our nation's history at war.

Winchester Model 1873 lever-action rifle attributed to Lakota-Sioux Chief Rain-In-The-Face, who claimed responsibility for killing Gen. George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Est. $200,000-$250,000

Colt single-action Army revolver that belonged to legendary sheriff Wyatt Earp in the 1890s, extensive Earp family lineage and documentation. Est. $75,000-$100,000

Of special note are two well-documented guns of the Old West whose importance cannot be overstated: an 1890s Colt single-action Army revolver that belonged to Dodge City's fabled sheriff Wyatt Earp, and an 1873 Winchester rifle used by the legendary Chief Rain-In-The-Face. The Earp gun, which has extensive family provenance and documentation, is expected to make $75,000-$100,000; while the rifle belonging to the feared Lakota-Sioux Chief who claimed responsibility for killing General George Custer at Little Big Horn is estimated at $200,000-$250,000.

The event will open with one of the largest offerings of fully automatic weapons ever to come to auction. "This category is the hottest part of the gun market at the moment," said Morphy's Class III firearms expert John Keene.

Automatic weapons were once legal to purchase. "Anyone could go into a hardware store and buy a Thompson machine gun for $200, but with the rise of Prohibition, law enforcement discovered that criminals had better firearms than they did, so from then on, Class III weapons had to be registered," Keene said. He also noted that a wave of machine guns entered the ranks of private ownership after each of the 20th-century wars, when soldiers returned home with them. Over time, the number of Class III weapons legally available to purchase and register has dwindled dramatically. "However, collector interest has only increased, so they've become very desirable," Keene said.

Among the top highlights is an exceedingly rare US Westinghouse Browning .30-caliber World War I tank machine gun on 1918 tripod. It is one of the very first American-made machine guns designed specifically to go on a tank and is one of only two known in the original configuration with proper registration for private ownership. Estimate: $30,000-$50,000. A rare Colt Model of 1919 water-cooled machine gun is also estimated at $30,000-$50,000, while a 1944 German World War II Mauser MG42 machine gun could reach $35,000-$55,000.

A grim history accompanies the Colt Model 1924 automatic machine gun whose serial number confirms it was used by prison guards at the maximum-security Sing Sing prison. Estimate: $30,000-$50,000. A new, unfired Maremont M60E3 machine gun is also estimated at $30,000-$50,000.

Around 80% of the sale consists of exceptionally high-quality factory-embellished and/or historically significant Colt revolvers and early Winchester lever-action rifles. "There are many unusual examples, like the only known consecutively-numbered pair of Winchester Model 1893 riot shotguns," said Tony Wilcox, Morphy's expert on Colt Winchester and 19th-century militaria.

"In firearms collection, number one is hard to beat," said Wilcox, noting a Volcanic pistol carbine, technically the first cartridge gun ever produced by Winchester. It bears Serial No. 1 and is estimated at $17,500-$27,500. A lavishly engraved Colt Berdan trapdoor rifle, Serial No. 1, was the first cartridge rifle made by Colt. Estimate: $50,000-$75,000. "The phone calls on both of these guns have been nonstop," Wilcox said.

An extraordinary Colt 1849 pocket percussion revolver encased inside a book was a presentation item bestowed by Samuel Colt himself. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000.

It is unusual to encounter even one German-made Borchardt semi-automatic pistol at an auction. Morphy's will auction four examples. Other exquisite rarities include an 1862 New Haven Arms 'Iron Frame Henry' rifle, Serial No. 262 and one of fewer than 90 believed to exist, $85,000-$100,000.

All forms of bidding will be available, including live online. Tel. 877-968-8880, [email protected], www.morphyauctions.com.

Media Contact:
Dan Morphy
[email protected]
877-968-8880

SOURCE Morphy Auctions