Auction Preview: Julia’s March 14-15 Extraordinary Firearms Auction

Monday, March 14, will begin with Julia’s new Sporting & Collector Firearms Session. The first Sporting & Collector session premiered with Julia’s October 2015 sale. The special session was developed by the Julia Company to specifically serve clients with more moderately priced firearms.The Sporting & Collector session now includes more moderately priced guns, with average sale values in the range of $2,000-8,000.

Monday’s sale will include the Estate Collection of well-known Bill Stewart of Texas. Within the collection there is a Colt Second Model Dragoon with prototype or experimental back strap slot for stock carries, a Smith & Wesson #1 Volcanic, and a Winchester Model 73 Saddle ring Carbine with socket bayonet. Also for sale is a Winchester Model 86, known as the “Murder Steer Gun,” that once belonged to Private Jim Putnam of Company D of the Frontier Battalion Texas Rangers (1890-1893).

From the Collection of Joel Hankinson includes Colt SA Army Artillery for sale. The Brad Shepherd Collection of engraved and collectable Colts is also in this auction which includes Colt Second Generation SAs engraved by Jerry Harper.

The Dr. Robert G. Cox Estate Collection features a large offering of Colt New Line, House, Single Actions and others.

The Carmen Gianforte Collection of Reid Knuckle Dusters is believed to be the largest single collection of its type in the world. Featured in this sale will be his large frame .41-ca. Knuckle Duster.

Fine and moderately priced sporting arms are also included, including a number of Parkers. A Parker VH 28-ga., Lefever GE grade 20-ga., and a Winchester Model 42 Field Grade with its original box and hangtags are part of the sale.

From the Timothy Scott Collection of Sporting Arms is an engraved Krieghoff Ulm Brevis Double Rifle with extra combo barrels and two scopes.

A Nazi M-1940 Double Decal SS WWII helmet is part of Monday's sale. A Springfield Armorysenal Model 1922 Heavy Barrel Match Rifle will be on the auction block.

The Tuesday, March 15 sale will feature an impressive selection of high-end, expensive guns. This session will include pieces from the esteemed Collection of Paul Tudor Jones II, including his President Harrison shotgun. This is a Lefever Optimist 12-ga. and the highest quality shotgun ever produced by the Lefever Arms Co. Presidential guns from the south of the United States are also represented by his extraordinarily Nimschke engraved and ivory stocked Model 1866 carbine with a relief carved Mexican eagle. The gun was purportedly made for Emperor Maximilian and at one time in the collection of his Excellency Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico. The Tudor Jones Collection also includes two rare Winchesters. One is an 1876 1 of 100, in fine condition. Also from the Jones Collection is the 1 of 1000 Model 1873 in fine condition.

Probably the highlight of the antique Colt offering has to be the cased consecutive numbered pair of exhibition quality Model 1860 Army’s presented to General Joseph Hawley. These engraved guns with ebony stocks were virtually never fired and in almost new condition. The guns have formerly been in numerous renowned collections and now come as part of the Tudor Jones Collection. The Tudor Jones Collection also features a number of Bowie knives. Notable is an early 19th century American Bowie knife attributed to Samuel Bell of San Antonio, Texas complete with its original sheath and inlaid 5-point stars. His massive circa 1835 Broomhead & Thomas “Arkansas Toothpick” is also is also for sale.

From a prominent private collection is a cased Colt Patterson #3 belt model with 12 inch barrel. This gun, formerly owned by the Duke of Orleans was sold in the late 20th century when the effects of the last French royal family were dispersed. The Duke of Orleans was the son of King Louis Philip I and heir to the French throne. From the same collection comes another Paterson, a #5 Holster Model Texas Paterson complete with all accessories.

This sale will include various Volcanic arms. Most notable is a #2 Navy Pistol, once in Samuel Colt’s personal collection. A Winchester Model 1894 engraved with gold inlay, John Ulrich signed, is in exceptionally fine condition, this gun has engraved panels depicting North American game is. The sale also includes a Colt Model 1883 US Navy Gatling Gun on a tripod, in very fine condition and in cal. 45/70. Because of its smaller size, this model of Gatling gun has long been a favorite with collectors. This sale is extremely strong in quality Colt revolvers and certainly the finest cartridge Colt is a magnificent factory engraved SAA etched barrel Frontier Six-shooter with pearl grips, shipped to Charles Hummel & Sons, San Antonio, Texas in 1885. This black powder gun includes the original holster and belt that were purchased at the time. In 2009, Julia’s sold the engraved, gold inlay Cowboy Special SA that at one time was owned by the Sears & Roebuck, Co. The gun was part of the Dr. Joseph Murphy Collection and at one time belonged to famous crooner Mel Torme. The gun brought $750,000. This sale includes an exquisite copy of this same gun by Master engraver, Dennis Kies.

Numerous Percussion Colts will be offered in this sale, many of which have come from the Collection of Steve Ardia. His engraved Colt Model 1862 with carved ivory grips comes with its original book bound casings. Another highlight of the Ardia Collection is his cased Gustav Young engraved Model 1851 Navy with ivory grips. Also from the Ardia Collection is a Civilian Model 1860 Army with matching shoulder stock inscribed to Samuel Bowles for use during his 1865 voyage to the West.

The Don and Kathlee Bryan Collection of Confederate Revolvers is considered to be the finest of its type in existence. A Columbus Confederate revolver is one of only three specimens known to survive. Don's LeMat SN# 8, the personal side arm of Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard (who had a vested interest in the LeMat manufacturing firm) is believed to be probably one of the finest condition Confederate revolvers known. The Bryan’s Collection of Texas Confederate Revolvers is the most complete known and includes the only known surviving Sisterdale Texas Dragoon Army Revolver with its original horn grips. Another great rarity from the Bryan Collection is their Texas L.E. Tucker Lancaster, Texas Confederate Navy Revolver. It is one of only two known examples.

From the Estate Collection of well-known collector John Ashworth is a massive Memphis Novelty Works Confederate “Floating Cs” Clip Point Bowie Knife.

Civil War items are included in the sale. A Civil War Model 1861 Parrott Rifle Cannon made for the State of New York is believed to have been used by the New York Light Artillery at the Battle of Gettysburg in the wheat field.

Quality early arms include a cased pair of James Haslett (Baltimore) saw-handled flintlock dueling pistols. From the Spiropoulos Estate of Nova Scotia comes a fabulous cased Manton marked percussion Dueling/Target/Holster ensemble. A cased pair of gold inlaid Maurer pinfire revolvers bearing the Serbian coat of arms ca. 1860 are part of the sale. Two early European high-art examples by the Maucher family from the mid-17th century, including an ivory decorated flintlock pistol and an ornately carved Wheelock rifle should make a buyer happy.

Julia Company's Best Quality Sporting Arms at auction will add to the diversity of items offered. Standouts in this sale include a pair of “Golden Age” Purdey .410-ga extra- finish Kell engraved game guns extant. The lifelong collection of Herb Hyatt features British guns including a very fine Purdey O/U 12-ga game gun with extra barrels and a fabulous Early Boss O/U 12 ga heavy game gun with extra barrels. A private collection of English Big Bore Stopping Rifles features many examples from the Nizam of Hyderabad’s personal armory and obtained directly from Holland & Holland’s Library Collection. Nizam rifles include a colossal cased deluxe engraved 4-Bore in spectacular original condition and a gold encrusted 10-Bore cased with ivory accouterments. Another rifle included is a (1 of 37) W.J. Jeffery Snap Action .600NE. Continental sporting guns include fine examples from the Koilakos collection of Athens, Greece such as a trio of Ivo Fabbri Majestic 12-ga O/U game guns and a fine assortment of German multi- barrel sporting guns include a svelte Nazi-era lightweight side plated ”Dural Vierling” by Strempel of Suhl.

On behalf of the German Gun Collector’s Association, Julia’s will be auctioning off a contemporary flintlock Jaeger rifle made by some of Germany and the U.S.’s finest craftsmen – all proceeds will benefit the Arms Museum of Suhl Germany for future acquisitions.

Another offering will include a L.C. Smith “All Options” Premier Grade 12 ga Trap gun. Small bore Parker devotees will relish a GHE grade 28 gauge and many .410s including a VHE with hang tags. Winchester collectors will have the chance to own a ‘50s vintage Model 21 16ga 2-barrel set with factory #6 engraving. The final session of the Rod Fuller Estate Collection and select others will include Belgian Brownings such as Olympian grade rifles and Midas grade shotguns in various configurations.

Military and Class 3 weaponry close out the Day Two session with the final installment of items from the Dr. Geoff Sturgess Collection of Switzerland and include a Mauser c96 Flatside Commercial Carbine w/ 12” bbl., a 1904 Dutch Trials Prototype Luger, and a Haenel-Roth 1899 self-loading rifle. The lineup includes a German ZK-383 sub-machine gun, a U.S. marked Browning Water-Cooled .50 caliber machine gun on “Tora-Tora” mount formerly in the Evergreen Museum Collection, and a Polish MFG R.K.M. Browning WZ.

Full-Color Auction Catalogs: $39 each or both for $75.
Catalog 1: The Sporting and Collector Firearms Auction.
Catalog 2: Winchester, Colt, Confederate/Civil War, Antique Arms, Best Quality Sporting Arms, Military & Class 3.

For more information, visit http://jamesdjulia.com/division/gun/