Wallis & Wallis (Feb)

The internet appears to be taking a larger and larger part in our sales these days, with web buyers from around the world using the-saleroom.com buying a large number of lots throughout the auction.

Firearms

We move to firearms with a .577/450 inch Martini Henry Mark II rifle. It measured 491⁄2 inches long with a 331⁄4 inch barrel. The frame was marked with a crown over “VR/B.S.A & M. Co./ 1877/ II”, with sling swivels and cleaning rod. It was in good working order and condition with some pitting and the stock had been re-finished. It made £480.

Another .577/450 inch Martini Henry rifle, supplied to the South African Republic, measuring 491⁄2 inches long, the 331⁄4 inch barrel with Birmingham proofs. The frame was unmarked except for large “Z.A.R. /8636”. Sold for £430.

De-acts

There is a growing interest in deactivated firearms these days, causing prices to increase. This auction saw the first half of a large collection of 20th century deactivated firearms of all types. They each had their deactivation certificate and were of different dates of deactivation, some of which were the more highly sought after ‘old spec’.

A .44 inch WCF Winchester Model 1873 full tube magazine underlever rifle, the round barrel 211⁄4 inches long, number 385763 (for 1891), with address and patent dates on barrel and London nitro proofs. It was in good working order and condition and after several internet bidders dropped out it was finally bought by a bidder in the room for £1000.

A WWI German 7.9mm Gew 98 bolt action military rifle, number 5443, the breech stamped with crown over “Danzig/1917”, the beech stock with sling swivels. In average condition, the metalwork had a blackened finish over light pitting. It sold for £400.

A 6.5mm Japanese Model 38 (Arisaka) bolt-action rifle, number 1272963, with sling swivels and cleaning rod. It was basically in good order and condition with service wear overall, bolt cover and magazine base plate missing. It made £260.

A .303 inch SMLE rifle, number 42775, the frame stamped with “SRG” in triangle and “BSA Co”, and Birmingham military proof, with magazine cut off. In good working order but worn overall and with a large hole drilled through breech. It went for £130.

A US .30 inch MI carbine, number 3013176, with replacement magazine. In good working order and condition and with some light surface rust and service wear, it sold for £440.

A good .45 inch US Model 1928 Thompson Sub Machine Gun, number S-159511, bearing British military marks, with drum magazine. It was inoperative and in nearly good condition. It made £750.

Great Guns

A good modern six shot .45 inch Colt single action army revolver, number SA05173 (for 1979), the 71⁄2 inch barrel with 1871 and 1875 patent dates and black hard rubber grips embossed with rampant Colt medallion and American eagle. It retained nearly all original blued and colour hardened finish but there was a small patch of recent rust on the cylinder. It sold for £900.

A six shot .455 inch Webley Mark VI double action service revolver, number 375692, the frame dated 1918, with various ordnance inspector’s marks, checkered hard rubber grips, and lanyard ring. It was in working order and basically good condition (lightly worn overall and a patch of recent rust to the cylinder. It was an ‘old spec; deactivation and sold for £450.

A .45 inch Colt M1911 A1 US Army self-loading pistol, number 2381981, by Remington Rand Inc, Syracuse, NY, USA, with chequered wood grips. It was in working order but worn overall and the grips were modern replacements. It had 1991 Proof House marks and went for £600.

A civilian purchase .45 inch Colt Government Model 1911 self-loading pistol, number C25470, with patent dates to 1913, Colts Hartford address, German Munich proof marks and checkered wood grips. It was in good working order and condition although again somewhat stiff to strip. It had a patch of recent rust to the slide and had been re-blued. It came with a correct early magazine with hoop on the base-plate (sadly someone had blued the bare metal upper section of the magazine) and sold for £800.

A WWII 9mm P08 Luger self-loading pistol, number 229, the breech dated 1940, the toggle stamped with gothic S/42 (Mauser Werke A.G, Berlin, Spandau), with checkered flat wood grips and later magazine. It was somewhat stiff and difficult to strip but was heavily competed for and it made £480.

Lots of Lots

A WWI 9mm P08 Luger self-loading pistol, number 8333, the breech dated 1915, with “DWM” cypher on toggle, German commercial and military proofs, later brown Bakelite grips, and replacement magazine. It was in average working order and condition with patches of light pitting and some recent rust, and made £480.

A WWI 9mm P08 Luger self-loading pistol, number 7952, the breech stamped with “G” and with crowned “Erfurt” on the toggle, with German commercial proof marks. It was worn with some pitting, the magazine a later replacement. It sold for £430.

A WWII 9mm Walther P38 semi-automatic pistol, number 202e, with maker’s code “ac 44” (Walther Waffenfabrik) with Waffenamt marks, one-piece black Bakelite grip, and correctly marked magazine. It was nearly in very good working order and condition and retained some original finish (small patch of rust to the slide). It made £370.

A good WWII 9mm Walther P38 semi-automatic pistol, number 352l, with maker’s code “byf/43” (Mauser Werke AG, Oberndorf-am-Neckar), with Waffenamt marks, one piece brown Bakelite grip, and correct magazine. It was nearly in very good working order and condition and retained some original finish (small patch of rust to slide) and made £390.

A nice looking 7.65mm Walther Model PP self-loading pistol, number 456386. In good working order and very good condition, but with a small patch of rust on the slide, it had 1992 Proof House marks and sold for £230.

A WWII 7.62mm Russian Tokarev self-loading pistol, number 3A3662, dated 1945 and engraved on the slide and frame “ZA-1451”, with ribbed Bakelite grips. It had service wear and the magazine was possibly an incorrect replacement. It was an ‘old spec’ deactivation and sold for £170.

Painting Pictures

The following lots were not illustrated, but because many collectors will be interested we list them here:

A WWI .303 inch SMLE Mark III* bolt action rifle, number G2174, the frame stamped with crown over “GR/ BSA Co/ 1917/ Sht.L.E./ III*”.Basically in good condition and with service wear overall, there was no magazine. It went for £220.

A 7.62mm LIAI self-loading rifle (SLR), with plastic furniture. Number AD 6324155. It was in working order and good condition but was lacking the gas cylinder and piston. It went for £340.

A .303 inch Bren Mark I Light Machine Gun, number A2212, by Lithgow 1942, with bipod stand and magazine. It was in near very good working order and condition and sold for £390.

A 7.9mm German Kar 98 rifle, number 6119, the breech marked “S/147” over traces of date “1936”, with numerous Waffenamt marks. In good working order and condition, the metalwork with most blackened finish. It took £320.

Finally a 7.62mm (x39) Chinese AK47 selective fire assault rifle, number 3328, with magazine. It was in reasonable condition and sold for £440.

The next sales at Wallis & Wallis are on 9th June 2015, 21st July 2015 and 25th August 2015. For more information visit www. wallisandwallis.co.uk or call Wallis & Wallis on 01273 480208.