DENVER, PA — Despite a saturated market, Morphy’s December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria Auction attracted high-profile bidders and fetched nearly $6.8 million. The event saw fierce competition for engraved antique and first-generation Colts, along with other rare or unusual pieces in exceptional condition.
The auction highlighted the collection of the late Richard “Dick” Burdick, including a historically significant Colt .45 Single Action Army revolver. The firearm, featuring steerhead pearl grips and geometric and floral factory engravings, was initially sent to George W. Shreve in a one-gun shipment in 1891. According to The Colt Engraving Book Volume I, Shreve was a Revolutionary War veteran’s grandson and a former Confederate Army soldier. This firearm, accompanied by extensive paperwork, including Colt Factory letters, surpassed its estimated value of $40,000-$60,000, selling for $104,550.
Another gem from the Burdick collection was a rare Colt .45 Sheriff’s Model Single Action Army Revolver. The firearm, one of only two known factory-engraved guns of its kind with a 3½-inch barrel, was initially shipped to Simmons Hardware in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1898. This piece outpaced its pre-sale estimate of $60,000-$100,000, selling for $184,500.
The selection of antique American longarms was led by a factory-engraved and silver-plated Model 1860 Henry rifle, produced in 1862. This piece, whose engraving pattern matched one shown in The Book of Winchester Engraving, sold for $92,250, exceeding the estimate of $70,000-$100,000.
Leading the Class 3 section was an original Colt 1921/28 .45-caliber Navy Thompson machine gun. John Keene, Morphy’s Class 3 firearms specialist, hailed it as the “finest specimen of its type” he’d ever seen. The firearm fetched $90,000, at the upper end of its estimate.
Other notable sales included a circa-2013 Hartmann & Weiss 16 bore side-by-side shotgun that sold for $74,400, a “US”-marked Saco-Lowell Maremont M-60 machine gun that fetched $82,800, a classic Will & Finck California-style dirk that brought in $39,360, and a French and Indian War powder horn attributed to “The Master Carver,” which sold for $48,000.
Morphy’s December auction results underscore the enduring appeal and value of antique and rare firearms among collectors, even in the face of a high-supply market. These sales provide a clear indication of the robust demand for unique and historically significant firearms, demonstrating the resilience and dynamism of the firearms collectibles market.
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