Over the years I have periodically reported on historic or collectors guns that have come up for auction.
A few years back a revolver once owned by Elvis Presley came up for auction and the opening bid was set at $275,000. A Walker Colt used in the Mexican War in from 1846 to 1848 sold at auction in 2008 for $920,000. During World War II several unusual companies manufactured guns for the military.
Along with the traditional gun makers like. Colt, Ithaca, Remington, & Winchester, guns were also manufactured by Kelvinator, the Union Switch Company and the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Singer only manufactured 500 of the 911 45 automatics and delivered them to the Army Air corps. They are now incredibly rare and only about 175 of them are known to have survived the war. If you could somehow get your hands on a Singer 45 auto it would be worth a king’s ransom.
When General Custer died at the Little Big Horn River there were over 250 of his troopers who died with him. Each cavalryman carried an 1873 Trapdoor 45-70 Springfield rifle and an 1873 Colt single action revolver in 45 caliber. After the battle numerous people searched the site and the guns. Today they are known as “Custer Guns” and depending on provenance and condition can be worth as much as $25,000 or more.
Recently I got a notice from The Rock Island Auction Company that they will soon be auctioning a Colt 1849 Pocket Revolver that was the personal gun of Brigham Young. It was presented to him by a large gun distributor when Young was Governor of the Utah Territory. It has his name engraved on it and is in near mint condition. It is still owned by descendants of Brigham Young and there is a letter of authenticity signed by Young’s great grandson. The folks at the auction company expect that the Brigham Young Revolver will sell for between $550,000 and $850,000.
While the Brigham Young Revolver is a little out of my price range. If I should hit 6 out of 6 numbers in the power ball lottery, I just might be a bidder. Just don’t tell my wife.
Antique guns are one way of owning a piece of history in your hands. They are physical reminders of the American Revolution, The Civil War, World War I and II, and even the creation of the State Of Utah. Who knows? If you’ve got an extra million or so lying around, maybe you might want to bid on The Brigham Young revolver.
Until Next week,
Tight Lines
