Garth's Announces Firearms & Americana January 6-7 Auction to start 2012 With 465 lots of firearms, bladed weapons & related material to be sold in the same weekend with 600+ lots of fine Americana including formal and painted furniture, folk art, ceramics, fine art and mo
News-Antique.com - Dec 22,2011 - FIREARMS: The Collection of the late Stephen H. Romanoff of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania plus additions.
The first part of the Romanoff collection was featured in a highly successful October 2011 session at Garth’s with 435 lots sold and highlights including a fine Moore’s Patent belt revolver with gilt brass frame and ivory grips selling for $32,900, a Winchester Model 1876 lever-action rifle reaching $8,225, and an ID’D New Haven volcanic lever-action repeating pistol garnering a top bid of $11,750. This session will be just as exciting for bidders as it includes a wonderful continuation of this collection including more rifles, revolvers, swords, and accoutrements from makers such as Winchester, Smith and Wesson, Remington, Whitney-Kennedy, and a variety of European makers, as well as a handful of additions from other consignors.
One of thirty-three Winchester rifles in the sale kicks off the Friday morning January 6th session beginning early at 10:00 am to accommodate participants of the weekend show held by the Ohio Gun Collectors Association in Wilmington, Ohio. Lot 1 is a Winchester .44 caliber “Yellow Boy” Model 1866 lever-action rifle estimated at $2,500-3,500. Another 1886 lever action example was a special order in .33 caliber with a 24” nickel steel barrel. Displaying clear Winchester logos on the grip and butt plates and accompanied by a factory letter, the rifle is also estimated at $2,500-3,500. Other 1873 and 1892 models will be offered in the $1,200-1,500 and $1,500-2,500 ranges. A Winchester Model 1897 cartridge board will also be sold. This "Double-W" version has two hundred twenty-six items affixed to the board including nine containers of caps, twenty shotgun shells, and one hundred ninety-seven rifle and revolver cartridges over chromolithographed images of a moose, the duck (his bill partially concealed), and pair of bear hunters. Retaining the factory label, as well as "No. 635" stenciled on verso, the piece is mounted in its original oak frame and carries and estimate of $10,000-15,000.
An assortment of European rifles will draw rapid fire from bid paddles. A German, mid 19th century, .58 caliber double barrel percussion sporting rifle has gold inlay, finely engraved hammers, lock plates with maker's name "I. Adam Kuchenreuter in Regensburg" and a patchbox, all with Alpine hunting scenes. The carved wooden trigger guard and a carved walnut half-stock adorned with hunters and dogs will all contribute to a sale price in the $2,000-4,000 range. An officer’s style percussion .577 rifled musket by Reilly (Reilly, 315 & 302 Oxford Street London) is expected to reach $1,500-2,000.
A rare, cased pair of pinfire revolvers marked with a crowned "AF" is probably from Belgium, mid 19th century. Estimated at $5,000-10,000, they are each approximately .47 caliber with a six-shot cylinder, 6" octagonal barrel, elaborate engraving, gilt finish, and carved ebony grip. Kept together in the rosewood case with brass plaques reading "General Brice" and "M.s. S.F. Durgold" (or "Purgold") with the ebony and ivory tools and pinfire cartridges, they are significant as Benjamin Brice (1809-1892) was born in what is now Harrison County,
