Page 7 - JOA_ 0720_ONLINE_REV

Rock Island Turns Preview Hall into Pop-Up Gun Museum

ROCK ISLAND, IL – Three times a year Rock achieved the highest price in the sale, command-
Island Auction Company transforms its Preview ing $575,000 for the pair.
Hall into a pop-up museum filled with the But it wasn’t just the “names” that stepped out
history, artistry, and notable names of the objects to attend RIAC’s first Premier Auction of 2020.
they offer to collectors. The recently held June The artists were there, too.
Premier Firearms Auction was no exception, • Tiffany & Company was represented
sparing no expense to make sure guests were both with two high-art embellished revolvers.
supremely impressed and safe. Nationwide visitors • The entire Ulrich family was in atten-
enjoyed a new hospitality suite anchored by a bar dance, unable to resist the pull of an event that
wrapped around an M4 Sherman tank, as well as featured works by John, George, and Conrad.
a complimentary bag complete with mask and Even Herman was there, who seldom makes such
sanitizer. The auction was also graced by historic appearances, and stole the show with his master-
figures throughout the centuries who flocked to piece Winchester 1866 from the Centennial
the auction house on the Mississippi to tell their Exposition that realized $161,000.
stories through their extraordinary collectibles. To Two of the high art revolvers • Samuel Colt, the marketing genius and
see more, visit Rockislandauction.com embellished by Tiffany & Co. legendary industrialist, showcased his first steps in
• The Man in Black, Johnny Cash, came the firearms trade with both a rare, high condition
up from Folsom prison to revisit a Spencer repeat- Left: Herman Paterson Model 1839 carbine as well as a historic
ing carbine once housed in his personal collection. Ulrich's and highly sought-after Walker revolver. The
It found a new home for $8,050. masterpiece Paterson saw $345,000 and the Walker stamped
• Al Capone took a break from running a Winchester right over its $250,000 estimate to find $431,250.
criminal empire to attend, employing a nickel- 1866 • Horace Smith & Daniel Wesson,
plated Colt Model 1908 pocket pistol. Its responsible for numerous industry developments, touted those
$55,000 high estimate was shot full of holes on the contributions by displaying a repeating carbine of their own
way to achieving $69,000. design, said to be the genesis of all lever-action rifles.
• Several of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Appropriately, it saw a realized price of $488,750.
Riders unsaddled long enough to bend an elbow, The pop-up museum also saw in attendance Medal of Honor
represented by a gold inlaid presentation revolver, as well an issued Colt recipients, dangerous game hunters, lawmen, cowboys, maharajas, pilots,
Single Action Army. and exhibition shooters all rubbing elbows in this outstanding and
• Baron de l’Empire Cesar-Joseph Bourayne turned heads, short-lived event. With such a star-studded celebration, it should come as
represented by a masterpiece pair of museum-worthy dueling pistols from no surprise that it was the highest-grossing event of its kind, reaching
Nicolas-Noël Boutet, each awash in gold and a sapphire-blue finish. They $21.1 million across the 3-day span.

July 2020 5