Auction Preview:Rock Island Premiere Firearms

In 2017, the Rock Island Auction Company hinted at the following year. After their April 2018 Premiere Auction they said “the best is yet to come”. Bold claims, both. But fi nally, it has arrived; and the 2018 September Premiere Firearms Auction looks to be making more than good on the boasts, promising to be the fi rearms event of the year, delivering to every collector in nearly every genre. The September 7th - 9th sale hosts no less than an incredible 18 named collections, led by such icons of the collecting community as Robert M. Lee, Allan Cors, Larry Jones, and Mac McCroskie.

By the numbers, the auction contains over 3000 items, which translates to over 400 Winchesters, more than 750 Colts, in excess of 500 U.S. military arms, 400+ military arms, almost 1000 sporting arms, and nearly 70 Class III items. But what those numbers don’t effectively communicate is the sheer, unbridled wow factor that so many of these items will bring to their new collections.

Tanks for the memory

Beginning with the elephant in the room: tanks. A wide variety of tanks, armoured fi ghting vehicles, and military vehicles will be offered and certain to impress. Seldom are such incredible items available to the collecting public, let alone in such quantity and condition. Regardless of whether you want to add massive fi repower, rescue vehicles, or daily military transportation to your collection, these vehicles are certain to deliver while adding their own undeniable presence.

Guns galore

Colt collectors will certainly have their hands full deciding which of the manufacturer’s incredibly rarities they want to take home most. A stunning, engraved Colt-Burgess saddle ring carbine would be a worthy choice, but so would the rare D Company Walker revolver. One could also debate between the immediately impressive Paterson Model 1839 shotgun or the factory engraved and inscribed Colt New Service Target double action that belonged to legendary handgunner and shooter Ed McGivern.

The U.S. military arms selection is led by the renowned Allan Cors Collection, an encyclopedic assembly of rarity, high condition, and the exceptional. Collectors of these fi rearms will be supremelypleased to not only fi nd a Singer M1911A1 pistol marked “Prototype No. 3,” but also a superb Singer pistol that is fresh to market and is accompanied by an archive of military history of its former owner, a World War II Airborne Offi cer, including its documented use in battle. In addition to a primer-actuated M1 Garand prototype will be arguably one of the centrepieces of the auction: M1 Garand serial number 1,000,000, which was presented to Inventor John C. Garand upon his retirement. This is truly a one-of-a-kind fi rearm and perhaps a once-in-a-life opportunity to own John Garand’s M1 Garand.

Lots of Lots

It doesn’t end there! The auction will also feature pristine Winchesters from the incomparable Mac McCroskie Collection, including the fi nest known Winchester Deluxe Model 1873, a trio of Tiffany swords as they appeared in their catalogue over 160-years ago and photographed in the hands of the generals who bore them, Herman Goering’s sidearm at the time of his surrender – a cased, factory engraved, and gold-plated Walther PPK pistol, and a legion of luxurious sporting arms. An auction, then, not only great in scale but also in variety.There’s a preview day for those Stateside on Thursday, September 6th and, of course, we’ll bring you a full rundown of how the hammer fell after the event. Stay tuned. www.rockislandauction.com