Antique arms, firearms and swords will be sold Oct. 9 in Conn. Around 325 lots of antique arms, firearms, swords and more will cross the block on Sunday, Oct. 9, at Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, at the firm’s showroom facility in Windsor, Conn., at 11 a.m. (EST).
News-Antique.com - Sep 26,2011 - (WINDSOR, Conn.) – Around 325 lots of antique arms, firearms, swords and more will cross the block on Sunday, Oct. 9, at Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, in the firm’s showroom facility located at 25 Meadow Road in Windsor, starting promptly at 11 a.m. (EST). Windsor is located in north central Connecticut, just north of Hartford and not far from the Massachusetts state line.
The sale will be packed with over 25 highly collectible Winchester rifles, plus other rifles by makers such as Savage (two with bayonets), Springfield, Parker, L.C. Smith, Spencer Roper (three will be sold); Vetterlis, Henry (reproductions), Whitney, Bullard and various flintlock and percussion rifles. Swords will include an example used in battle by a general in the War of 1812.
Pistols will feature Smith & Wesson, Remington, Sharps, Derringer, Connecticut Arms, Cooper, Colt (Confederate, Navy, Army, London and replicas), plus boarding pistols. At press time, many fine late additions were continuing to pour in. Only a handful of lots – about a half-dozen – will carry reserves. The rest will be sold absolute (everything sells, regardless of price).
“We held our first sale of this type earlier this year, after spending about a year on the required paperwork and licensing, but it did well and was well worth the effort,” said Ed Nadeau, owner of Nadeau’s Auction Gallery. “Right now we’re the only auction house in Connecticut that holds an FFL (Federal Firearms License) and we hope to stage 2-3 such auctions per year.”
Previews will be held Thursday and Friday (Oct. 6-7), from 2-6 p.m.; Saturday (Oct. 8), from 8:30-11:30 a.m.; and on Sunday (Oct. 9, auction day), from 9 a.m. until the first gavel comes down (at 11 a.m.). Online bidding will be facilitated by Artfact.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. A full catalog may be viewed online, at www.nadeausauction.com.
Winchester rifles and shotguns are hugely popular among collectors. Three lots expected to do well include a Model 101 pigeon grade 3-barrel skeet shotgun, still in the original box (est. $2,000-$4,000); a Model 1895 .30-40 caliber lever-action rifle with nickel steel barrel (est. $1,500-$2,500); and a Model 1886 .40-82 caliber rifle with 22-inch barrel (est. $1,500-$2,500).
Other Winchesters will feature a Model 1894 .38-.55 caliber lever-action rifle with 26-inch round barrel (est. $800-$1,200); a Model 1892 .25-20 caliber lever-action rifle with 24-inch round barrel (est. $800-$1,200); a Model 1894 .38-55 caliber lever-action rifle with 26-inch round barrel (est. $800-$1,200); and Chief Crazy Horse Commemorative Model 94, new in box.
Colt is another name coveted by vintage firearms collectors. Two Colt pieces expected to do particularly well are a first-generation single-action U.S. Army revolver, 1904 production, with 85 percent finish (est. $2,000-$3,000); and a single-action .44 caliber special revolver, pre-World War II vintage, with a 5 ½ inch barrel and handsome leather holster (est. $2,000-$3,000).
Three other noteworthy Colts in the sale (all carrying pre-sale estimates of $1,000-$2,000) are a Model 1877 Department of the Army revolver, 1901 production, with 85 percent finish; a
