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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

German Military Investments

For those not familiar, Rock Island Auction Company sent out a series of emails containing some of the highlights in our May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction.  These messages covered a number of popular genres and gave a first look at some firearms that are bound to attract the attention of some of the world's foremost collectors and investors.  This blog, and the ones to follow, are a reprint of those emails for those who do not receive that type of communication.  As an added bonus, these blogs will also include many photos that did not appear in the original emails in order to keep them at a reasonable size. We hope you enjoy these collectible firearms and their multitude of photos!

If you like what you see below, be sure to check out our Photo Preview4-page Sneak Preview, or our full 16-page mailer.



All items contained in this series will be available in our May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction to take place May 2-4, 2014. Today's items are those used by members of the...



The first piece we'll see today is an engraved Johann Springer bolt action rifle made for none other than Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor and King of Prussia. Perhaps modest compared to some of the glamorous presentation pieces given to kings, sultans, or emperors, this piece maintains a stately, handsome elegance. Most striking when viewing the photos below is the wood used in the stock. Many collectors are more accustomed to seeing wood grain that wraps around the gun, but when they traverse the length of this Mannlicher stock, it has a striking effect. Add to that the cheekpiece, fine checkering on both the grip and the forearm, and a horn forend cap and you've got a setting for the mechanics of a fine rifle.



The receiver of the rifle enjoys bright case coloring as a canvas for the extensive and delicate floral scrollwork and the deep relief carved royal monogram of the former monarch. This engraving continues down the bolt handle and finishes with a checkered bolt knob. It has a double trigger and a lightly embellished trigger guard extension, adding again to the high end feel of the gun, without crying out for attention. The rifle is rich in materials and ornate enough for a king, yet does not cross the line so as to be unusable nor gaudy.






Bonus Photos







The second item we'd like to share with you is a group of engraved Walther pistols that will be appearing in the May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction. While there are nine engraved Walthers in this auction, we only have space to show you a few of them. Please enjoy these historic works of art.


This pistol bears an expertly applied oak leaf and acorn engraving, but upon closer inspection reveals a much more impressive trait. A banner has been engraved into the slide that reads, "Dem Tapferen! Vom Reichsfuhrer - SS H. Himmler." This Walther presentation pistol was created especially for Nazi Heinrich Himmler to be given to German soldiers for significant acts of valor and bravery or perhaps even to senior SS or Nazi party members. These pistols that bear the facsimile of Himmler's signature are exceedingly rare and will easily become a focal point in any German military collection. Even the trigger guard, trigger, safety lever, and even the exterior chamber area of the barrel has been engraved with a cross hatch pattern. This is an impressively decorated pistol made for those one would not want to disappoint.





Bonus Photos

View from under the barrel.

Back strap.

Front of grip.




This pre-war Walther Model 9 pistol comes in a striking package: a handsome brown russet leather presentation case, a gold-colored border trims the inside of the box, and a blue velvet lining. The gun itself is also highly decorated with gold line borders, ivory grips that bear the blue enamel inserts and a silver "SA" emblem, as well as some heavy engraving on the rear of the slide. However, it's only when we turn the gun over do we realize its most desirable trait: the identity of its former owner.

This pistol was presented to Dr. Otto Hellmuth likely sometime in 1938/39. Hellmuth was wounded four times fighting for the Germans in World War I, but had to stop fighting due to being gassed. He joined the Nazi party in the 1920s and eventually was appointed as the Gauleiter of Lower Frankonia. He survived WWII, was tried at Dachau, sentenced to death, but had that sentence commuted to life imprisonment and was released in 1955. The history that a collector can hold in their hand and is available at this auction is astounding.


Bonus Photos









Top of the case





This presentation grade Walther PP is silver plated and shows various gold plated parts. The engraving, already adding to the guns desirability, is a seldom seen scroll and vine pattern with a punch dot background. It is Nazi proofed and while it has no specific inscriptions or markings, it certainly has all the ear marks of a special order pistol for a person important to either the Nazi party or the Walther Company.

Backstrap


Bonus Photos



Front of grip.

Underside of barrel.




Our third and final source of excitement comes from the Von Norden Collection. We have not yet photographed these guns, but when you see the gun room that they came from, we're sure you will share our excitement! Stay tuned to future emails and social media updates for more on this fabulous and excellent collection.





Bonus Photos
Some of these photos are the first look at this illustrious collection!  You saw it here first!

Fully Functional World War II "bnz" Code Steyr Manufacture German MP 40 Submachine Gun


Highly Desirable Fully Automatic Class III/NFA World War II Nazi MG-42 Medium Machine Gun with Anti-Aircraft Mount, Original Optical Sight Field Tools Drum Magazine and Original Field Manual




Highly Collectible Fully Automatic Class III/NFA World War II Nazi Early Production MP43/1 Assault Rifle.
One of 2 MP43 rifles appearing in our May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction






If you're a German military collector these pictures should have your blood pumping. These are all high condition pieces from studious collections! Add to that their historic provenance in an already desirable genre and you have a significant building block in an auction that will have collectors and investors alike buzzing with anticipation before the big day. Keep watch in the days that follow for even more jaw-dropping artistry and fascinating history to appear in Rock Island Auction Company's May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction and thank you for taking a moment of your day to view these spectacular German arms.


Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Gold Standard Winchesters

For those not familiar, Rock Island Auction Company sent out a series of emails containing some of the highlights in our May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction.  These messages covered a number of popular genres and gave a first look at some firearms that are bound to attract the attention of some of the world's foremost collectors and investors.  This blog, and the ones to follow, are a reprint of those emails for those who do not receive that type of communication.  As an added bonus, these blogs will also include many photos that did not appear in the original emails in order to keep them at a reasonable size. We hope you enjoy these collectible firearms and their multitude of photos!

If you like what you see below, be sure to check out our Photo Preview, 4-page Sneak Preview, or our full 16-page mailer.


We'll spare you most of the email intro...

We have recently been receiving such extraordinary, high quality, rare, and historic pieces that we simply cannot keep them to ourselves! For the next nine days, Rock Island Auction Company is going to have featured auction items. The emails will be brief, show many breathtaking photos, and are sure to activate the salivary glands of collectors everywhere. These exciting items featured will all be available in our May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction


Our first Featured Item is a Winchester Model 1885 adorned for even the most discerning collector. It has been featured in R.L. Wilson's Winchester: An American Legend and also his The Book of Winchester Engraving. The books gush this gun's praises and rightly so! Its numerous special order features would alone set this rifle far ahead of its peers, but when J. Ulrich has chosen to use this rifle as his personal canvas, it truly is set apart in a class all its own.

Fabulous Documented Winchester Special Order J. Ulrich Engraved and Gold Inlayed Winchester Model 1885 with Carved Stock and Forend Special Sporting Rifle

Its wide gold inlaid borders surround two master engraved panel scenes of a bull moose and ram as well as scroll work that is as abundant as it is meticulous. The engraving spreads to nearly every surface of the gun and cost $60.00 when it was manufactured in 1903, around $1,500 in today's dollars! The barrel in addition to showing some of Ulrich's engraving also has gold and platinum bands around the breech and a single gold band by the muzzle. Truly one of the finest and most impressive Winchester 1885 rifles that RIAC has ever had the privilege to sell.






The "J. Ulrich" signature immediately behind the trigger.


Now for some bonus shots not shown in the email!


The factory letter listing the $60.00 engraving charge!
Here is the gun shown in R.L. Wilson's "Winchester: An American Legend"
Here it is shown in his "The Book of Winchester Engraving"
It even comes with a spare barrel manufactured by "A.O. Zischang" also with beautiful engraving on the breech and muzzle ends and with the gold and silver inlaid bands.
The original barrel.



Our second item is an all original, special order, factory engraved Winchester Model 1907 semi-automatic rifle engraved by the extraordinarily talented, but little known Winchester factory engraver Angelo Stokes. Also featured in "The Winchester Book of Engraving," this rifle's receiver is nearly awash in the detailed and fastidious work of this artist. A gold bull moose and gold stag embellish each side, each in their own marsh scene and framed by sprawling floral engraving. Even the top of the frame features its own panel scene of a bobcat, framed with a contrasting silver and floral engraving, which is itself surrounded by a textured background before being stopped by a border bookended by two fleur de lis.

Exceptional Presentation Grade Original Angelo Stokes Signed Factory Engraved Deluxe Special Order Winchester Model 1907 Semi-Automatic Rifle with Gold/Silver Inlayed Game Scenes and Carved Stock and Forend




The wood work is performed with distinction on a 3X grade, extra fancy walnut stock and foregrip in the highly desirable and beautiful Winchester "Factory A" pattern - the highest offered by Winchester.  Starting at the end closest to the receiver on both the forend and the stock, it features a large heart filled with ivy leaves and berries before spreading further with continued vinous scroll work.  This is the chance to own a masterpiece of a less common rifle by a wondrously talented artist.




The artist's very small signed initials.

Bonus Pictures
As the rifle appears in "The Winchester Book of Engraving"

Beautiful engraving near the magazine well.


Silver barrel band neat the muzzle and half nickel front sight.



Our third and final item, has a factory letter that says it all: "In my opinion, it was the finest 71 Winchester ever produced by Winchester Repeating Arms."  After being made to show off at exhibitions and shows, this beautiful Model 71 lever action rifle was stowed away in the Winchester vault until the mid to late 1960s, but it's making up for lost time now as a featured item for the world's #1 auction house!  It boasts four gold inlaid animals and many more gold wire borders than one typically sees even on a gun of this magnitude.  Even the barrel and forend enjoy golden accents!  Each scene is engraved with a crystal clear background scene to each inlaid animal.  Outside the panel scenes each gold border is flanked by the engraving of geometric shapes and floral vines, which carries to almost every surface on the gun.  The fancy walnut stocks have been painstakingly carved to complement this eye catching receiver.  Clearly, no expense was spared in the crafting of this masterpiece rifle.  Surely as the golden mountain lion stalks the elk on one side of this receiver, so too will many collectors attempt to hunt this prize and make it their own.













Bonus Photos



The extremely flattering factory letter that details its exhibition origins.





And that's the end of just the FIRST email!  Hope you enjoyed the photos and the bonus photos.  Some of those photos will appear in our Premiere Auction Catalog, but there are some that will only be seen on this blog.  Keep your eyes peeled in future weeks for more of this email series and more photos that you can only see right here.  This is going to be an auction full of highlights and we can't wait to share these phenomenal collector and investment grade firearms with you.