Rock Island Auction Company Premiere Firearms Auction Realizes $14.5 Million Rock Island, Illinois. The Most Anticipated Firearms Auction in the company’s history grossed $14.5 million dollars in sales bringing Rock Island’s 2012 annual sales to over $34 million with one Pre
News-Antique.com - Sep 14,2012 - Colt Single Action Revolver Documented as Taken from the Dead Body of
Infamous Bank Robber Bob Dalton brings $322,000 at Auction
Rock Island, Illinois. The Most Anticipated Firearms Auction in the company’s history grossed $14.5 million dollars in sales bringing Rock Island’s 2012 annual sales to over $34 million with one Premiere auction left this year November 30- December 2.
The legend of Samuel Colt was alive and well as Colt firearms accounted for 8 of the top 10 items sold during the weekend for an astonishing sum of $2,012,500. The talk of the weekend was with out question the breathtaking original and ultra rare Colt 16 inch “Buntline Special” Single Action Army Revolver with its original Factory Stock which sold for a World Record $546,250.00 (lot 3228). Colt only manufactured ten of these iconic 16 inch “Buntline Specials” and this current result breaks the previous record set by Rock Island Auction in December of 2010 when they achieved a sales price of $368,000.00 for a 16 inch Buntline. “We are the only auction company to ever offer one of these magnificent and rare specimens to the collecting world”, said Patrick Hogan President and CEO of Rock Island Auction Company. Other notable Colts included two Colt Single Actions recovered from the infamous Dalton gang’s failed double bank robbery attempt in Coffeyville Kansas, one of which was documented to have been taken off the hip of the slain “Highwayman” himself Bob Dalton which sold for $322,000.00(lot 1281) and the other from the same shipment to the Dalton gang brought $109,250.00(lot 1282) respectively. A Colt 1851 Navy personally presented by Samuel Colt to his friend and famous 19th century Sea Captain J.J. Comstock of the U.S. Steamship Baltic sold for an impressive $276,000.00(lot 1201). While a Factory engraved Colt Single Action brought $103,500 (lot 1295) and Factory engraved silver plated Colt Bisley Model sold for $97,750.00. Rounding out the Colt’s was an impressive and rare original Colt Model 1890 Gatling gun with its original field carriage which fetched $253,000(lot 3279).
Colt’s major 19th century manufacturing competitors also experienced a banner weekend. An original nickel Plated deluxe case presentation Smith & Wesson 320 Revolving Rifle brought a World Record price of $97,750.00 and a beautiful Smith & Wesson Number 3 American brought $23,000. A scarce blue finish Remington 1890 revolver went for $28,750.00 and an ultra rare Factory engraved Remington Model 51 with its original box brought $11,500.00
Firearms from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and its predecessors were also in high demand. An extraordinary Factory documented Winchester Model 1873 “One of One Thousand” with an extremely rare half octagon barrel rang the bell at $402,500.00(lot 1007). A Factory engraved gold plated New Haven Arms Co. Henry Rifle brought an impressive $184,000.00(lot 1003). Both a Factory engraved Winchester Model 1866 and a special order Winchester Model 1873 sold for $80,500.00.
The September auction marked another chance to own a piece from one of the most significant U.S. and German military collections ever assembled
