Huge military auction equals huge success at Cady Auction

Rare c. 1860 adjustable leg irons sold for $7,000.

Cady Auction Gallery held a huge military auction in mid-December that turned out to be a huge success, organizers say. The military items were from the estate of a local collector and only one of the variety of genres he collected over the years. Subsequent auctions will be held in the future, with many different categories. Cady Auction Gallery had the look of a museum with all the war trophies displayed for viewing. With gallery standing room only, a very active on-line bidding crowd and phone bidding, the auction started off by offering lot #1 ca. 1909 Graphotype dog tag machine which sold for $300 to a local buyer. ( All prices stated do not include a buyer's premium.).

Some rare and hard to find items blew away their auction estimate: two training rifle cutaways each sold for twice the expected amount: anM1919 .30-caliber cutaway training rifle sold for $1,800, an MI Garand oversized cutaway training rifle sold for $2,500 and adismantled M1919 .30-caliber machine gun hammered for $1,300. Another machine gun, a WWII German MG34 sold for $2,000. Mortar launchers were also popular items. A WWII 80 mm sold for $2,100, a WWII 60 mm sold for $1,100 and an M159A1 missile launcher sold for $1,000. Continuing the WWII items, a infrared U.S. sniper scope for a carbine gun in its original case ended at $1,400.

WWII 60 mm mortar launcher sold for $1,100.

War trophies were not the only quality items for sale. A German / Prussian Kurassier officers sword sold for $1,300 and an unmarked Civil War curved blade bayonet rose to $2,250. A local buyer with an interest in scuba diving was the winner of a 1940s style diving suit, bidding against a phone bidder from New York where the final winning bid was $4,800.

There were more than 50 pairs of hand cuffs in this auction but one pair of leg irons turned out to be very special. The adjustable leg irons were dated 1860. After a battle with an Internet bidder, an out-of-state in-house bidder had the winning bid and they were sold for $7,000. "This is a good example of how important marketing and advertising is," noted Mike Cady, co-owner of Cady Auction Gallery. "If we had not had this listed on the Internet and advertised in numerous venues, the leg irons would probably have sold for under $100."

Navy diving suit sold for $4,800.

c. 1800 Cocked Queens body guard hat with original metal case sold for $1,450.

M1919 30 cal. machine gun on GI tripod sold for $1,300.

Curved blade bayonet with sheath, marked A19 sold for $2,250.

Missile launcher M159A1 sold for $1,000.

WWII German MG34 30/06 machine gun sold for $2,000.

German / Prussian Kurassier officer's sword sold for $1,300.

U.S. Sniper infrared sniper scope for a carbine with its original case sold for $1,400.

c. 1909 Graphotype dog tag machine model G sold for $300.

German P38 holster sold for $275.

USA deactivated hand held flame thrower sold for $480.

Pair of English boot daggers sold for $625.