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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Magnificent and Extremely Rare Anna Pottery's Cornwall Kirkpatrick's Fair Jug Commemorating the Southern Illinois Anna Fair of 1884

Rock Island, IL. September 12, 2011 Over 300 Pieces of Stoneware.
The largest pieces to exists from Anna Pottery are also referred to as "Fair Jugs" these large cylindrical vessels commemorate the social highlight of the year. This jug commemorates the Southern Illinois Fair held at the fairground in Anna Illinois on August 26, 27 & 28, 1884. Aside from the imposing size the most distinctive feature of these jugs is that they have overall incised tubular design consisting chiefly of row after row, column after column, list after list of names. Fairs were the most important social and cultural events of the season in Southern Illinois. For most rural people the coming of their local fair was "the big event of the year". The Union County Fair was held annually in Jonesboro beginning in 1855. The annual Southern Illinois Fair began in Anna in 1880. From the start of the Anna fairs, Cornwall served as secretary for their association's board of trustees. Wallace frequently served as superintendent of amusements for the Anna fairs. He was in charge of the midway, Eight of these fair directories are known to exist, six made for local fairs, one for a Carbondale, Illinois fair plus the one made in 1879 for the Inter-State Industrial Exposition in Chicago. The core lists of incised names on the local fair directories consist of the names and titles of the officers, the names of members of the executive committee for the particular association sponsoring the fair, the superintendents and titles for each of the one to two dozen premium categories, and the names of each member of each superintendent's committee of fellow judges for each category.

View in Catalog Lot # 3506 will be auctioned off September 12, 2011.

September 2011 Firearms Auction Lot Index

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SESSION I - Friday, September 9th
Commencing at 10 a.m. selling between Lots 1 and 932
SESSION II - Saturday, September 10th
Commencing at 10 a.m. selling between Lots 1000 and 2011
SESSION III - Sunday, September 11th
Commencing at 10 a.m. selling between Lots 3000 and 3770
The Pottery will be sold at approximately 1 pm after the morning firearms session (Lots 3500 - 3770).

Friday Lots 1 Thru 932
Smith & Wesson Revolvers 1-29
Antique Long Arms/Kentucky Rifles 30-64
Antique Derringers 65-131
Antique European/Pinfires/Swords 132-232
Baby Hammerless Revolvers 233-245
Cannons/Winchester Rifles/Bronzes 246-335
Webley & Scott Revolvers 336-349
German/European Military 350-540
Sporting Arms/Bronzes/Randall Knives 541-712
U.S. Military 713-827
Sporting Pistols 828-932


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Calling All Luger Collectors!

Rock Island IL, September 9, 10 & 11, 2011

Rock Island Auction Company is pleased to present a fantastic and large grouping of Luger pistols as well as many more German and European firearms and Militaria. How many Lugers you may ask? How about over 350! Nearly every manufacturer and every possible date is represented in this auction. From the beginning Luger collector to the most advanced German Military collector this auction WILL have something for you! Over the past several years we in the firearms collecting fraternity have seen a tremendous boost in WWII interest which makes this auction a must attend for anyone looking to enhance their collection or for investors looking for a secure place to put their money!

This auction will feature:


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Putnam Green Collection


Yes, Rock Island Auction Company is proud and privileged to welcome back the outstanding PUTNAM GREEN Collection of rare and important German and U.S. Military Firearms and Militaria. Many will remember the truly remarkable PUTNAM GREEN collection which embodies everything a collector desires: UNIQUENESS, CONDTION, and RARITY. Once again you have to opportunity to own a piece from arguably the greatest military collection in private hands. If you are looking to own the best in U.S. and German Military this is the auction you can not afford to miss!

Select Highlights include:

Monday, August 15, 2011

Museum Quality Remingtons from the James Tipton Collection

Hang on to your hats Remington shotgun collectors because RIA has the finest collection of factory master engraved gold inlaid Remington shotguns ever offered at public sale. I have worked here almost 7 ½ years and have never seen the likes of these spectacular shotguns. The collection includes a One-of-a-kind consecutively serial numbered four gun set of R.P. Runge Master Engraved Model 1100SF Premier Grade semi automatic shotguns in 12, 20, 28 and 410 gauges Lot 1594. The shotguns are “F” Grade which was the exclusive product of the Remington custom Shop and are made with masterfully hand fitted components, superbly embellished and signed, and dated by the engraver. All are mounted with extra fancy high grade checkered walnut forearms and stocks. There is a unique sequential set of four Remington Custom Shop Model 1100-SD Skeet Tournament Grade semi automatic shotguns in 12, 20, 28 and 410 gauge. The Model 1100s continue with Model 1100S skeet Premier F Grade custom Shop factory engraved by Master engraver Don Talbot Lot 1603. Talbot is a master of the American style of game scene engraving as well as a practitioner of the Italian “Bulino” school which uses near microscopic line and dot work to produce shading and depth rarely seen on American arms. And yet another Model 1100 Premier F Grade factory Custom Shop engraved Lot 1595, gold inlaid and signed by

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

September 9, 10 and 11 2011 Premiere Firearms Auction Categories

Guns & Firearms, Antiques, Edged Weapons, & Military Artifacts in our Upcoming Auction

With over 2,700 lots in the upcoming auction we have broken most of the items into easily searchable categories. 

Click any category link below to go directly to those items on our online catalog.

Reflections on the Putnam Green Collection: The World War 1 Collectables

This September Rock Island Auction Company is proud to offer museum quality military collectables from the Putnam Green Collection. This fantastic collection spans two world wars and features some of the best American and German military collectables Rock Island Auction has ever offered. This article will focus on the U.S. World War I collectables of the Putnam Green collection. Writing for the Military Trader and Military Vehicles Magazine blog the JAG File on February 23,2011, the magazine editor John Adam-Graf notes a rise in the popularity of World War I collecting (See article here). A renewal in World War I collecting has turned to robbing French military museums. At the Verdun Memorial 40 of the museum’s most valuable objects were stolen and there were other robberies at Fort Vauz and Fort de la Falouse. The director of the Verdun Memorial referred to the robberies as “stealing to order”, believing that collectors had become thieves or collectors had hired others to steal for them. While the French have possibly tuned to theft to meet collecting demands, here in the United States the renewal of World War I collecting is less dramatic, but are on the rise. As the 95th anniversary of America’s entry into the war approaches, “collecting has surged—both in the numbers who collect and the prices being paid.” Material that has taken the lead in desirability have included aviation, Tank Corps, uniform groupings, weapons and helmets, and examples from each category are featured in the Putnam Green collection this September.