Class III weapons blaze the trail in Cowan’s October sale

CINCINNATI – Cowan's Auctions, Inc. Fall Historic Firearms and Early Militaria Auction on Oct. 22-23 realized $2.96 million. The two-day, 1,460 lot auction included historic firearms, class III weapons, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, swords, knives, helmets, uniforms, powder horns and other military accoutrements. Bidders battled competitively over the phone, Internet and on the floor for many of the lots. The auction featured a selection of class III and other military weapons from the collections of Dr. David M. Nash, Harold R. Peterson, Richard Wray and John J. Malloy.

“I was extremely pleased with the results of the sale,” notes Jack Lewis, director, Historic Firearms. “It shows a fantastic variety of participation from collectors all over the world. I was highly pleased with the prices for class III weapons and there seems to be a great resurgence in high prices for firearms from the 1900 to 1960 period.”

A number of class III weapons drove the final sales total for the auction. A Kreighoff Waffenfrabrik FG42 German Paratrooper’s Machine Gun sold to a bidder on the phone for $143,750, a Knight Armament Company Stoner 63A Machine Gun hammered down at $66,125, a pair of Swedish Browning Dual M37 Machine Guns realized $40,250, an Argentine Brass Maxim Machine Gun sold for $46,000, a German Model MG-42 Machine Gun realized $41,400, and a MG34 Ground Type Light Machine Gun brought $41,400.

Exceptional powder horns were featured and brought high prices in the sale. Two bidders on the phone battled back and forth for a Engraved Powder Horn attributed to Thomas Barber and dated 1780, which eventually more than doubled its estimate of $10,000/15,000 and realized $35,650, an Engraved Powder Horn by Samuel Davison sold for $6,900, and an Engraved Powder Horn dated 1775 sold for $4,025.

Weapons from the Springfield Armory performed well in the sale. A Springfield Model 1873 Trapdoor Carbine from the Custer Period sold for $35,650, a Model 1816 Springfield Flintlock Musket, First Type realized $11,500, and a Model 1855 Springfield Pistol-Carbine sold for $2,415.

Outstanding Colt revolvers and pistols were offered in the October 22-23 auction. A Colt Single Action Army Revolver realized $18,400, a Colt Second Model U.S. Marked Dragoon Percussion Revolver sold for $7,475 and a WWI Colt 1911 Semi-Auto Pistol owned by Captain C.G. Michalis hammered down at $4,315.50

Additional items in the sale included a Borchardt DWM C-93 Semi-Automatic Pistol, which eventually sold for $19,550, a Cased Pair of Percussion Target Pistols by Devisme of Paris realized $16,100, a Confederate Bowie Knife by Burger & Brothers hammered down at $12,075, a WWII Czechoslovakian ZK-391 Prototype Semi-Auto Rifle brought $17,250, a Framed UMC Cartridge Board sold for $15,275, and a Winchester Single W Cartridge Board dated to 1890 sold for $11,500.

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