Rock Island Auction Company Hosts August Premier Auction, Aug. 23 - 25

The premier firearms auction house will offer an extraordinary and rare collection of firearms, ranging from the royal palace halls of France to the American West

BEDFORD, Texas, July 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC), the world's leading firearms auction house, will showcase over 1,800 items in its highly anticipated August Premier Auction, including several historically significant pieces never before publicly offered.

Taking place Friday, Aug. 23 through Sunday, Aug. 25 in Bedford, TX, the sale boasts an impressive selection of exceptional antiques, elite Colts and Winchesters, rare military weapons and exquisitely embellished sporting arms.

The event will highlight several museum-worthy pieces that span centuries and continents, each with a unique story and provenance, from the royal palace halls of Europe to the Great Plains of the American West.

Three of the pieces never before offered to the public are:

• Gold and Silver Ornamented Royal Presentation Wheellock Sporting Arm Signed F.P. from the Cabinet D'Armes of King Louis XIII of France (Pre-Auction Estimate: $250,000 - $425,000)
• Newly discovered Winchester Model 1886 still in its original crate and five boxes of ammunition dubbed "The Marshfield Find" (Pre-Auction Estimate: $150,000 - $275,000)
• World War II U.S. Singer Manufacturing Co. Model 1911A1 Pistol Identified as the Personal Sidearm of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas R. Moss, Pilot of B-24 No. 27 "Invictus" of the 765th Bombardment Squadron, 461^st Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force (Pre-Auction Estimate: $275,000 -$425,000)

Other highlights include, but are not limited to:

• Historic Engraved and Gold Washed Colt Thunderer Model 1877 Revolver with Solid German Silver Grips Presented to Lawman Pat Garrett, Killer of "Billy The Kid" by His El Paso friends (Pre-Auction Estimate: $130,000 -$190,000)
• Historic 101 Ranch Associated Pair of Factory Engraved Silver-Plated Colt Single Action Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army Revolvers with Relief Carved Steer Head Grips and Factory Letter (Pre-Auction Estimate: $100,000 -$180,000)
• Exceptionally engraved Tranter revolver of famed 19^th century detective W. A. Pinkerton (Pre-Auction Estimate: $70,000 - $110,000)

Joining these extraordinary items are offerings from the Norman R. Blank, George S. Lewis Jr., Andrew Singer and the Greg Lampe collections. Items from these two landmark collections include John Ulrich engraved and signed Winchester Deluxe Model 1876 and a Cuno Helfricht factory engraved, silver-plated and pearl-gripped Colt first generation Single Action Army revolver. Also available for auction is a Colt Single Action Army revolver captured at the Little Bighorn battlefield.

"Our August Premier Auction is, pound-for-pound, as good of an offering of fine, historic, rare, and high-condition firearms that has been available in our field," said Kevin Hogan, President of Rock Island Auction Company. "We've curated a grouping of the rarest and most historic pieces, and are honored to offer the magnificent 400-year-old wheellock from King Louis XIII's Cabinet d'Armes. It's a tremendous opportunity collectors may not see again."

Collectors can view these historic firearms at RIAC's full-day preview event on Thursday, Aug. 22, beginning at 10 a.m. CT. This event offers attendees an opportunity to inspect every item appearing in the three-day auction.

For more details on the upcoming August Premier Auction, please visit www.rockislandauction.com and stay tuned for the online catalog release.

About Rock Island Auction Company:
Rock Island Auction Company is the world's no. 1 auction company for firearms, bladed weapons and militaria. Founded in 1993 by its current CEO Patrick Hogan, RIAC continues to lead the industry with record sales numbers and its extensive and well-crafted marketing efforts. The company's 150,000 square-foot Illinois campus consists of two buildings and serves as the company's hub for catalog and content production. The 90,000 square-foot Bedford facility opened in December 2023 and will host six of the company's 18+ auctions each year. RIAC actively seeks consignments, be it a single weapon or a collection of hundreds, an item valued at $1,000 or $1 million.

Media Contact:
Mattie Van Gundy
(713) 409-1835
[email protected]

SOURCE Rock Island Auction Company