Morphy’s July 19 auction targets rare antique & contemporary firearms

DENVER, Pa. – A premium-quality selection of antique through contemporary firearms will be offered at Morphy’s July 19, 2014 auction in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Well over 1,000 lots of rare and desirable guns, boxed ammunition, swords and militaria await collectors, who can participate in the sale online through LiveAuctioneers.

Bidders will have to aim high to claim Lot 83, a pair of 1857 Colt Walker Type 3 Dragoons. The guns have consecutive serial numbers and were acquired from Colt Manufacturing by Lambert B. Wolfe. Family history shows Wolfe lived near Hanover, Pa., at the time of the guns’ purchase, but he later relocated to Ohio. He achieved the rank of captain during the Civil War, serving in the 142nd Ohio Infantry Regiment. A long and fascinating history accompanies the pistols to auction at Morphy’s, where they are expected to make $45,000-$60,000.

Other Colt highlights include Lot 201, an 1873 SAA US-marked .45 caliber revolver with an excellent bore, walnut grips and sharp metal stampings, est. $8,000-$12,000; and Lot 304, comprising two Colt Snake Eyes .357 caliber pistols. Both are new and unfired, and come with their original boxes. One is stainless and the other is blued. In near-mint condition, they are entered with a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.

One of the most unusual guns ever to appear in a Morphy sale is Lot 29, a “punt” or “market” gun. This type of firearm was widely used for commercial hunting of waterfowl in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially on the Chesapeake Bay and Susquehanna River. These oversize guns, each weighing 60 pounds, were literally small cannons and could be mounted to the gunwales of a punt boat. Federal legislation outlawed such guns around a century ago, making them especially desirable to today’s collectors. The example coming up at Morphy’s is estimated at $8,000-$12,000.

Among the shotguns to be auctioned are Lot 627, a Browning Superposed Grade III Belgian model with engravings by master engraver Felix Funken, est. $3,000-$5,000; and Lot 584, a Linder Charles Daly Diamond 12-gauge with no import marks, meaning it was a pre-1892 production. It is estimated at $3,000-$4,000. Lot 159, a Winchester 1894 Deluxe Takedown .25-.35-caliber rifle with Lyman receiver sight is in fine condition and potentially could sell for $6,000-$8,000.

A wide array of militaria includes Lot 931, a tunic for a Nazi lieutenant colonel, with an Adolph Hitler woven band around the left cuff and SS tag inside the left pocket. Together with a pair of trousers, the lot is estimated at $5,000-$10,000.

There’s never a shortage of bidders for antique and vintage boxes of ammunition. The graphics on early American ammo boxes were among the most beautiful examples of advertising art in their day. An example is Lot 736, a profusely decorated Winchester “Christmas Box” containing 80 original shells. It is estimated at $2,000-$4,000.

Questions about any item in the sale may be emailed to Kris Lee at kris@morphyauctions.com or Chase Johnson at chase@morphyauctions.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

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