BONHAMS ARMS ARMOR SWORDS MILITARY - NOVEMBER 2008

THIS AUCTION IS FOR A NEW CATALOG

The Fall offering includes a number of Colt revolvers and features two of the finest examples of their respective types known. A cased Texas Paterson, serial number 84, was formerly in the noted William M. Locke Collection and has not been seen on the market since that collection was dispersed in the 1970s. In excellent condition, it is expected to bring $300,000-500,000. A fabulous and possibly unfired Colt single action army revolver engraved by L.D. Nimschke and cased by Schuyler, Hartley and Graham for New York Mayor and business tycoon W.R. Grace is being offered to benefit the Old Westbury Connecticut Police Benevolent Association, to whom it was given by the Grace family in the 1940s. The pre-sale estimate is $80,000-120,000.

Historically important firearms include a Winchester Model 1866 rifle with strong provenance to the famed Sioux Chief Sitting Bull. It was given to the Chicago Historical Society in 1921 by Dr. Nicholas Senn, a prominent Chicago physician, with a notation that it had been used by Sitting Bull at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The rifle has been exhibited at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming, and was the 1976 recipient of the NRA's Weapons of Important Historical Value award (est. $80/120,000).

Another weapon with important Native American association is a “Custer Range” Trapdoor Springfield attributed to Oglala Sioux Chief Crazy Horse. This firearm was purchased in 1933 by collector M.I. McCreight directly from Sioux Chief Flying Hawk, cousin of Crazy Horse and nephew of Sitting Bull. It comes to auction with a letter of provenance to Mr. McCreight from Flying Hawk, and is illustrated in the book Flying Hawk's Tales, published in 1936 (est. $80/120,000).

Other Winchesters of note include a rare Model 1873 One of One Thousand, one of the guns discovered during the search sponsored by Universal Studios as promotion for the Jimmy Stewart movie Winchester 73. It was found in Lodi, California and had been used by the then-owner's grandfather in Calaveras County (est. $60/80,000). Also featured is a Model 1886 with factory inscription “Arapahoe County,” one of 50 guns ordered from Winchester factories in 1894 by Arapahoe County, Colorado Sheriff William Burchinell during the famous “City Hall War” in Denver (est. $20/30,000).

A very important California related item in the sale is an Ames Mfg. Co. Mexican War era sword presented to early California settler John A. Sutter of the famed Gold Rush Sawmill that bears his name. It was given to him in Sacramento in 1853 (when he was Major General of the California militia) by Captain Abraham Andrews “late of the 2nd Ohio Volunteers.” Andrews was a prominent Sacramento and later San Francisco jeweler who was promoted to Colonel in the California militia serving as Sutter's aide-de-camp. According to Arms Dept. specialists, very few personal items belonging to Sutter ever come onto the market (est. $30/50,000).

Scottish weapons, often crafted with unique designs, are always of interest to collectors and on offer from California collector Marshall “Bud” Forbes come a number of early broadswords, dirks and Highland all-steel pistols.

Antique European firearms are also well represented in the sale, including a number of examples from Spain, France and England. Cased guns include an extravagantly gold Damascened Deane, Adams & Deane Model 1851 percussion revolver decorated in India, its grips and full range of accessories of elephant ivory, finely carved with lotus plants, the grips further adorned with garnets (est. $30/50,000).

Edged weapons in the sale range from the early 17th century through World War II and include a U.S. Marine Corps NCO sword presented by famed Marine ace Col. Greg “Pappy” Boyington to his longtime friend, journalist Ray Carnay -- as well as a fine group of Moro swords and spears from the Burlingame collector Clarence Navare Wolfe, Sr.

Fine sporting guns are represented by an outstanding pair of custom Browning superposed shotguns gifted to Standard Oil of Indiana chairman John Swearingen (est. $30/50,000).

I WILL SHIP WORLDWIDE !!

PAYMENT BY PAYPAL ONLY !!!