Collectible guns create buzz at Amoskeag Auction event

Amoskeag Auction Company conducted their 96th firearms and militaria auction on Aug. 3 and boasted more than $2 million in sales. The auction featured a wide variety of collectible guns from shotguns, to military rifles, 20th century sporting rifles and a plethora of Randall knives.

The sale boasted more than 760 registered bidders, representing 48 states and 8 foreign countries, in addition to more than 1,400 registered bidders online. With more than 300 bidders in the gallery at the beginning of the sale, some traveling from as far away as Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma, the energy and buzz in the room was signaling a successful day, and a successful day it was.

A fine small bore Parker VH double in 410 bore sold over estimate at $26,450 to a buyer on the floor. An engraved Volcanic pocket pistol which had nice condition and a somewhat unusual engraving pattern hammered for $14,950 to a Canadian buyer.

There was a large collection of very fine and very rare Winchester Model 70 rifles from an old New Hampshire collection. The model 70 rifles were in high demand and all sold very strong. A Pre '64 Supergrade rifle in .250-3000 sold within estimate at $8,625 to a Pennsylvania bidder on the phone while a Pre '64 Supergrade in 300 Savage sold for $10,925 while another in 35 Remington sold for the same price.

A rare Springfield Model 1903 Air Service rifle sold for $33,350 to a California phone bidder and a superb Springfield 1903 rifle equipped with the Rare Pedersen Device sold for $48,875.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was a Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum revolver with special order finish. The revolver was finished in standard blue with nickel plated cylinder, extractor, latch and all pins and screws; certainly an unusual finish. The revolver garnered lots of interest and after spirited bidding, it left its (5000/7000) estimate in the dust selling to a Southern phone bidder for $27,600.

A fine factory engraved Winchester model 1886 rifle sold to a Midwest buyer for $31,625 while a factory engraved Savage Model 1899 rifle sold to a South Dakota buyer for $11,500. A 28 ga. Parker VH double shotgun found a new home in Texas at $16,100 while an Iver Johnson Skeeter in the desirable .410 bore went to California at $5,400.

The biggest guns of the sale also did well with a U.S. model 1836 six pound field cannon selling within estimate at $16,100 and a finely made reproduction Agar Coffee Mill gun sold at the same price to a Florida buyer.

There were over 100 Randall knives in the sale, part of a massive collection Amoskeag will be selling over the next year, prices on knives were equally strong as the firearms in the sale.

The live auction featured 1,020 lots. The associated silent auction which features accessories and lower valued firearms featured 2,316 items and brought $353,603, boosting the days total sales to $2.13 million.

To learn more about Amoskeag Auction Company, visit www.amoskeagauction.com.