Morphy’s high-powered Dec. 16-18 Firearms & Militaria auction topped $7M

DENVER, Pa. – An expertly-vetted selection of rare and historical guns, armor and military artifacts drew brisk bidding at Morphy’s final Firearms & Militaria auction of 2025, which totaled more than $7 million. The 1,343-lot sale held at Morphy’s flagship gallery in Pennsylvania offered collectors a comprehensive choice of premier sporting, civilian and antique guns, as well as coveted NFA and other prized military weapons.

A British brand known for its exquisite custom-made sporting shotguns and rifles, James Purdey & Sons, rose to the top of prices realized. The esteemed London company holds Royal Warrants of appointment as gun and rifle-makers to the British and other royal families, so there can be little argument that a Purdey production is, in every way, fit for a king. Morphy’s offered bidders a 28-bore J Purdey & Sons over-and-under ejector game gun with 28-inch file-cut vent rib barrels, a gold-inlaid serial number and Prince of Wales stock with blackleaf scroll and game-scene vignettes by master engraver Giancarlo Pedretti. Housed in a brass-cornered oak and elephant-hide presentation case containing French blocked accessories with buffalo-horn handles, this exceptional sporting gun commanded $209,100 against an estimate of $80,000-$120,000.

Another premium-quality game model, a Beretta SO10 20 bore pinless sidelock ejector over/under shotgun ignited strong competition and claimed a final price that was more than four times its high estimate. Installed with Briley thin wall chokes, the gun featured 28-inch barrels, straight hand stock, a single selective trigger on a square bar action, detachable locks, a non-auto safety, and a solid cross-filed rib with a brass front bead. Engraved with small scroll and game scene vignettes by Bettaza and Toresani, it also displayed a pierced hold-open top lever, the gold-inlaid word “SAFE” ahead of a safety catch that incorporated a barrel selector; a rolled-edge trigger guard, segmented drop points, a borderless checkered wrist and forend, and a Deeley forend release. Housed in a compact Beretta case of dark brown leather, it conveyed to its new owner for an astonishing $90,000. Its pre-sale estimate had been set at $10,000-$20,000.

Two extremely fine NFA lots in the December auction earned top-10 status. A factory-original 3-position “S E F” selector Heckler & Koch MP5SD3 registered-receiver 9mm Luger machine gun bore an “IE” proof code on the top of its receiver, confirming it was manufactured in 1984. It was marked Made in W Germany / HK Chantilly, Va on the right side of the magazine well, and HK MP5 SD on top of the receiver. Fitted with a telescoping stock and an immediately recognizable screw-on factory silencer, it also retained its original fixed shoulder stock, four original straight MP5 HK-marked magazines dated 11/67, one ID-marked 20-round magazine, a green three-cell magazine pouch, and an original H&K sight adjustment tool. It sold above its high estimate, for $84,000.

The second NFA lot of special note was a very early German Model MG42/59 machine gun imported and registered by Cadillac Gage (Warren, Mich.) and used to bore-sight vehicle turrets. It had a scarce configuration with a 20-inch barrel and factory-correct 7.62x51mm (.308) NATO caliber/bore using M13 disintegrating links. Significantly, it was marked with a very low serial number: 61-00001. Also, at the left side of the receiver, forward of the factory markings, it was marked RHEINMETAL GmbH/FRG CADILLAC GAGE WARREN, MICH in electro-pencil. The absolute first of the MG42/59s, it sold just above its high estimate, for $80,400.

A Japanese-made World War II rarity, a highly-desirable Type 5 Garand semi-automatic rifle, one of approximately 125 of its type assembled in early 1944, represented an experimental example in standard Japanese 7.7mm chambering and was numbered 13 on the underside of its barrel. Its action operated nearly identically to a standard American Garand, although the 8-round enbloc clip was replaced with a fixed internal 10-round magazine which extended past the woodline. The gun was accompanied by an original March 14, 1946-dated capture certificate listing "ONE JAPANESE RIFLE" as the property of Colonel Walter D. Buie (a 1920 West Point graduate), as well as a period shipping crate addressed to Major Walter Buie at Fort Leavenworth and also to his wife in North Carolina. Outstanding and well-documented, it realized $48,000.

Manufactured in 1871, a fabulous Conrad Ulrich-signed Model 1866 Winchester rifle was built in .44 Henry Rimfire, was factory-engraved and of exhibition quality. The blued rifle-length octagon barrel was marked toward the breech with a second-style two-line address. It had a drift-adjustable German silver-blade front sight and ladder rear, and its gilt-finished brass frame was signed on the left side of upper tang with three of Ulrich's discreet boxed C F ULRICH touch marks. Its highly-detailed engraving included imagery of a Native family with a crocodile, a buck and doe in the woods, a saddled horse, Western animal vignettes of a charging bison, a standing grizzly bear, a skulking cougar, and more. It settled above its high estimate, at $44,400.

An excellent USMC-issued Colt Model 1911 U.S. Navy .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol had been shipped on May 12, 1914 to the USMC, 1100 Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. (per Goddard, Pg. 237 THE GOV'T MODELS). It was inspected by Walter C Penfield and marked UNITED STATES PROPERTY on the left side of the frame. Mechanically excellent and one of the finest Navy-marked Marine Corps examples known, it sold for $20,400 against an estimate of $8,000-$12,000.

The militaria category was led by a distinguished entry: the USMC uniform of Major General Smedley Darlington Butler (1881-1940), one of only two Marines to be awarded two Medals of Honor, and the only officer to claim the title. Butler was one of the most decorated US Marines of all time, with an active-duty career that began in the Spanish-American War. He received 16 medals, including five for heroism and the Marine Corps Brevet Medal. The unlined summer uniform auctioned by Morphy’s was made by a Chinese tailor and bore inked Chinese letters to the inside. It is believed to have been made during Butler’s 3rd Brigade’s China Expedition. Its cloisonne ribbon bars were unquestionably made in China, likely Shanghai, and corresponded to Butler’s awards. The uniform (including undershirt and tie) remained with Butler’s family through the early 2000s, before entering the collector community. In VG condition, it sold very near its high estimate, for $24,000.

To discuss consigning a collection or individual item to a future Firearms & Militaria Auction at Morphy’s, please call Dan Morphy personally at 877-968-8880 or email him at info@morphyauctions.com. All discussions are kept strictly confidential and there is never an obligation to consign. Online: www.morphyauctions.com.