Morphy’s April 11-13 Firearms & Militaria Auction to offer extraordinary quality, rarity and provenance

DENVER, Pa. – At every level of the antique firearms hobby, savvy collectors are guided by three non-negotiables when considering a purchase: impeccable provenance, genuine rarity and unimpeachable condition. They will find all three qualities in uncompromising abundance at Morphy’s April 11-13 Firearms & Militaria Auction.

From a documented Springfield M1903 recovered from the USS California at Pearl Harbor to the only known privately held Tallassee Carbine to a five-star license plate from General Douglas MacArthur’s Korean War command vehicle, the 1,238-lot auction delivers some of the rarest and finest firearms and military relics ever to reach the open marketplace.

Featured sections include unique and highly sought-after Class 3 weapons, including an MK4AS Silenced Sten machine gun; premier sporting arms, highlighted by a George Hoenig rotary rifle; and a spectacular array of investment-grade Colts. The latter grouping includes a newly discovered Colt .45-caliber Single Action Army Revolver that was one of 18 of its type to be displayed by Colt at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.

The collector market for Class 3 weapons has continued to heat up as the supply of these strictly controlled firearms has dwindled. Morphy’s will offer several very rare and desirable Class 3 guns, each requiring BATF approval prior to transfer. A top entry is an early and exceptionally rare Soviet DHSK-38 .50-caliber heavy machine gun accompanied by its carriage and an extensive complement of accessories. Its 1939 marking dates it to the first year of the model’s production. This highly coveted weapon, which was formerly part of a museum’s collection, is likely one of the four known to have been used by the Finnish military during World War II.

Another stellar Class 3 weapon is a Colt-manufactured Browning Model 1917 water-cooled machine gun – the only known example of this particular model that is still available to acquire for private ownership. Colt produced only 500 Browning Model 1917s, and nearly all went to Europe for use in World War I, but the gun consigned to Morphy’s was a rare exception. It was instead sent to the Hercules Powder Co., for purposes of testing their powder. 

The parade of illustrious Colt handguns is led by the aforementioned .45-caliber Single Action Army Revolver, one of 18 of its type displayed at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. It was part of Colt’s legendary “Wheel of Colts” display and is documented as such in the 1877 (Henry) Folsom List, which details some of the arms Colt exhibited at the event. This newly discovered connoisseur’s firearm has an ivory grip, nickel and gold finish, and is exquisitely factory-engraved. 

Yet another magnificent Colt – documented and 100% original – is a No. 5 “Texas Model” Paterson Single-Action Percussion Revolver, a type associated with the Republic of Texas and noted for its use by Texas Rangers and the Texas Navy. Approximately 1,000 Texas Patersons were produced – all between 1838 and 1840 – and were serial-numbered from 1-1,000. The auction example is numbered 996. It has a long and distinguished line of provenance and will convey with a 2006 John Sexton appraisal document. 

A stunning survivor, a .40-caliber percussion Kentucky long rifle made circa 1835 by master gunsmith John Armstrong of Emmitsburg, Maryland, is one of only four known original Armstrong percussion rifles. Its stock is superbly carved, and it boasts a brass inlaid plate on the barrel signed JOHN ARMSTRONG and a handmade percussion lock script-signed J A. This Golden Age rifle in impeccable condition was previously in the Joseph Kindig collection.

Strong competition is expected when an extraordinarily rare Confederate Tallassee percussion carbine crosses the auction block. It is one of only 500 that were manufactured, all between June 1864 and April 1865. Few extant examples are known, with most residing in important museum collections. The carbine is marked CS / Tallassee / Ala. and is dated 1864. It is the first and only firearm of its particular type ever to be offered at auction. It will be accompanied by a Statement of Provenance.

Two shotguns, in particular, could easily be described as “fit for a king.” A circa-1988 Armi Fabbri bespoke over/under shotgun with demi-bloc 27-inch nitro proof blued steel barrels and Italian proof marks was expertly decorated by Master Engraver Claudio Tomasoni. The motif includes game scenes, floral bouquets and tight scrolls. It is a flawless example in a fitted Fabbri leather case.

The second shotgun of note is a British treasure – a circa-1977 James Purdey 20-gauge side-by-side that presents in near-perfect condition. The Purdey name and address are shown on the barrels, and the decorative program includes artful images of game birds and lush foliage created by Master Engraver KC Hunt. In a fitted Purdey case with accessories, this fabulous sporting arm could reach $30,000-$50,000 on auction day.

There are three auction lots, in particular, that deserve special recognition. The first is a rare, ornately polychrome decorated Havana map powder horn with the name “James Hobert.” The main inscription above the map image reads: THE CITY OF HAVANA ILLUMINATED AT THE EMBARKATION / OF THE BRITISH TROOPS JULY THE 7TH 1763. This particular horn appears in a 2-page spread in Nathan Swayze’s book Engraved Powder Horns of the French & Indian War and the Revolutionary War Era. Its extensive line of provenance includes Swayze and Joe Kindig III, amongst others.

The second “unicorn” is a lock of hair taken from Abraham Lincoln’s hair after his death. The hair is tied with a small black ribbon and housed in a leatherette photographic case together with an engraved portrait of Lincoln. The revered presidential keepsake was formerly owned by Dr John K Lattimer, author of Lincoln and Kennedy: Medical and Ballistic Comparisons of The Assassinations. 

The trio of “uniques” is rounded out by a 5-star license plate that was affixed to the front of General Douglas MacArthur’s command car in Asia. It is documented as having been the first plate used by MacArthur after his promotion to 5-star general in 1944, hence the five-star pattern. The plate was brought home from Korea by Major General Henry K Kellogg. It is offered with paperwork.

Morphy’s April 11-13, 2023 Firearms & Militaria Auction will be held at the company’s Denver, Pennsylvania gallery, starting on all three days at 9 a.m. EDT. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through Morphy Live. Questions: call 877-968-8880 or email info@morphyauctions.com. Online: www.morphyauctions.com.