Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

Bonhams Report Antique Arms, Armor & Modern Sporting Guns Auction Success

Bonhams announced a sales total of $1.36 million at its December 6 Antique Arms, Armor & Modern Sporting Guns auction in San Francisco.

Highlighting the auction was a historic, Paris-made Confederate artillery officer’s frock coat of Lt. Col. Richard Snowden Andrews that sold for $64,350 (est. $40,000-60,000), along with a number of uniform ensembles from the early Federal Period and Civil War. In addition to uniforms, the sale featured a single-owner collection of more than 400 lots of American militaria, including military headgear, edged weapons, firearms and accoutrements, illustrating all facets of military life, from the Federal Period through the Civil War.

Firearms present in the auction included a nearly complete sample of U.S. military, from surcharged Revolutionary War muskets to Civil War-era rifle muskets and carbines, as well has a selection of early single shot martial pistols through percussion revolvers by Colt, Butterfield and others. Out of the auction’s large selection of rifles and revolvers came top highlights such as a martially marked Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle that sold for $32,760 (est. 35,000-55,000); a factory engraved Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle that achieved $29,250 (est. $30,000-50,000); a martially marked Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle that hammered for $18,720 (est. $15,000-25,000); and a Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver with rare canteen shoulder stock that went for $11,700 (est. $5,000-8,000).

Highlights of pistols also brought success to the sale, with such examples as a rare U.S. Navy Elgin cutlass-pistol by C.B. Allen that brought $25,740 (est. $15,000-25,000); a cased and factory engraved New Haven Arms Volcanic No. 1 lever action pistol that netted $19,890 (est. $8,000-12,000) and a New Haven Arms Volcanic No. 2 lever action navy pistol that reached a bidding total of $11,115 (est. $8,000-12,000).

The auction featured more than 30 examples of rare headgear, many from the prestigious William H. Guthman Collection, including early Federal period dragoon helmets, elegant bell-topped shakos of the 1820s and 1830s, kepis and Hardee hats of the Civil War and elegant chapeau-de-bras bicornes. From this category, top sellers included an early New England dragoon helmet, circa 1800 that sold for $6,435 (est. $6,000-9,000) and a Pennsylvania militia dragoon helmet by Henry Cressman of Philadelphia, circa 1816-25 that brought $5,850 (est. $5,000-7,000).

Edged weapons from the period included a group of early contract cavalry sabers by Rose and Starr, fine examples of regulation weapons and a selection of bayonets. Notable sales from this portion of the auction included a U.S. Model 1807 dragoon saber by William Rose & Sons, circa 1808-09, that brought $7,020 (est. $3,000-5,000) and an American Revolutionary War era horseman’s saber, circa 1775-78, that sold for $4,680 (est. $3,000-5,000).

Additional highlights included a New Haven Arms Volcanic lever action carbine that took in $22,230 (est. $15,000-25,000) and an Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd Class, that was purchased for $14,040 (est. $5,000-7,000).

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