One of the first 150 civilian Colt single action revolvers ever produced brought $284,410 to lead Heritage Auctions’ $1.8+ million Arms & Armor Signature® Auction on Dec. 9.
More than 1,100 bidders competed for Colt rarities ranging from an exceptional 1860 Army percussion revolver, which brought $131,450, to an 1862 police percussion revolver, which sold for $41,825, and an exceptional cased Colt Model 1855, which surpassed its high estimate to sell for $33,460.
By far the most anticipated grouping of the day was related to the late Texas Ranger Senior Captain Clint Peoples, whose personally owned firearms and memorabilia sold for $118,000+, including a pair of custom U.S. Model 1911 Ithaca semi-automatic silver appliquéd pistols purchased by a floor bidder for $35,850 and a custom pair of Smith & Wesson double action revolvers, which brought $26,680.
A cased custom engraved Colt single action revolver with ivory grips owned by Peoples sold for $11,950 while his Senior Captain Texas Ranger badge constructed from a Mexican five peso coin brought $7,768.
“We’re pleased with how bidders responded to the array of rare Colt revolvers,” said Clifford Chappell, director of Arms & Armor at Heritage. “It was exciting to watch items in the Peoples collection blow their estimates out of the water.”
Bidders took advantage of a number of rare and desirable rifles crossing the block including an E. Dumoulin Sidelock Ejector Double with a three-barrel set including a .458 Winchester Magnum and additional barrels for 375 H&H Magnum and 300 Winchester Magnum and two Swarovski Telescopic sights, selling for $26,290, a rare Roberts Custom Model 70 Bolt Action Rifle made by Pachmayr selling for $15,535, and the famous “Betsy #1”, a 7mm Mashburn Super Magnum Mashburn Arms Bolt Action Rifle with Telescopic Sight, formerly owned by Warren Page, Field & Stream’s shooting editor from 1947 to 1972, selling for $10,755.
Other rifle highlights include a Winchester T3 semi-automatic carbine and accessories, selling for $9,560, a rare experimental Collis Breechloading Flintlock, selling for $7,170, and an Inland U.S. T3 semi-automatic carbine and accessories, selling for $7,170.
Additional rarities offered in the auction include but are not limited to:
A rare 123-pound African elephant tusk taken by Warren Page, selling for $29,875.
A large matched pair of African elephant tusks selling for $10,755.
A scarce 10 ½-inch folding style Bowie knife made by W & S Butcher, Sheffield, selling for $4,182.50
A rare boxed Sturm-Ruger Hawkeye single shot target pistol, one of only 3,000 ever manufactured in 1963, selling for $2,868.
A framed Tex & Patches Colt patent firearms advertising print by Frank Schoonover selling for $2,031.50 and a UMC Cartridges large advertising Bull’s Eye tin sign selling for $1,792.
