The Iconic & Legendary Black Beauty Colt Single Action Army By 19th Century Master Engraver L . D . Nimschke from the Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection
Magnificent Factory Master Ken Hunt Signed and Deep Relief Goddess Venus Engraved James Purdey & Sons Self-Opening Sidelock Double Barrel Shotgun Two Barrel Set from the Norman R . Blank Collection
building momentum for many years , its recent growth has been unparalleled . One example dates back to May of 2016 , when Rock Island Auction Company set a then-record for the most expensive single firearm sold at auction with a historic Winchester Model 1886 rifle that realized $ 1.27 million . Two years later , we eclipsed our own record with a cased Colt Walker known as “ The Danish Sea Captain ” that took home $ 1.84 million . Thanks to factors like the global reach offered by digital bidding platforms , the greater availability of prestigious arms collections , and a burgeoning contingent of buyers seeking portfolio diversification , the million-dollar firearm had gone from rare outlier to a status enjoyed by an ever-expanding pantheon of top-tier investment pieces .
The increased competition to own these giants in the genre can be illustrated by examples like “ The Millikin Dragoon ,” a cased percussion Colt in immaculate condition . The prized revolver earned $ 805,000 in 2011 with Heritage Auctions , only to more than double that sum eight years later with Rock Island Auction Company , breaking into seven-digit territory with an impressive $ 1.67 million . Elevated values are evident across every sector of the arms collecting landscape , including significant pop culture items . In August of 2022 , Rock Island Auction Company earned the Guinness World Records title for the most expensive prop gun ever auctioned with the $ 1.06 million sale of Han Solo ’ s blaster from the original Star Wars film . The record had already changed hands twice the previous year , with John Wayne ’ s revolver selling for $ 517,000 in October and Captain Kirk ’ s phaser rifle earning $ 615,000 the following month .
Historic significance and celebrity appeal are far from the only factors driving growth in the upper echelon of arms collecting . Condition , rarity , and exceptional artistry helped four of Rock Island Auction Company ’ s top performers attain seven-figure status . All three traits are evident in the previously mentioned Millikin Dragoon as well as a Winchester Model 1886 Express rifle engraved by master John Ulrich which earned $ 1.18 million at Rock Island Auction Company in 2018 . One of our sevenfigure runner-ups , a solid silver Winchester Model 1866 , exceeded its estimate by more than 50 percent as it gaveled for $ 977,500 in December of 2021 , a result achieved in large part due to the firearm ’ s spectacular engraving from master artisan Louis D . Nimschke .
Persistent high risers can be found within numerous segments of the fine arms field . Antique Colts and Winchesters , two 19th-century collecting cornerstones , jointly account for 39 of Rock Island Auction ’ s 50 most expensive firearms . Exhibition-grade flintlocks and wheellocks are another genre with no lack of demand . While items tied to influential leaders achieve the highest results , recently exampled by a garniture of arms presented to Napoleon Bonaparte that gaveled for $ 2.88 million at Rock Island Auction Company , many other instances of the genre have earned impressive prices solely due to their exceptional artistic merit . New records have been set in nearly every corner of arms collecting , and the sector ’ s extensive overlap with popular disciplines such as Western art , celebrity memorabilia , the decorative arts field , and historic military collecting has helped fuel an impressive uptrend in this thriving alternative asset class . As demand continues to grow , anyone seeking to add collectibles to their portfolio would be wise to consider the fine firearms market , where the patient investor will discover a high ceiling , a wealth of opportunity , and some of the finest treasures money can buy .
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