The top selling firearm in the sale was a historic Sharps Model 1874 rifle, which zeroed in on $7,963, more than four times over high estimate.
Review by W.A. Demers
CRANSTON, R.I. — A historic Sharps Model 1874 rifle hit a bull’s-eye price of $7,963, more than four times its high estimate, in Bruneau & Co.’s summer historic arms and militaria auction on July 17. The .44 caliber rifle featured a walnut stock with three mother of pearl inlays on the right side of the butt and a walnut hand guard with a pewter nose cap. The 30-inch-long barrel was marked “Sharps Rifle Manufg. Co. Hartford, Conn.” on one line, and the breech was marked “Calibre .44.”
The auction consisted of antique arms and swords, sporting arms and a large selection of World War I and World War II navy and marine corps uniforms, equipment and ephemera. This online-only sale had 298 lots, ranging in hammer prices from $50 to $6,500. Only three passed, resulting in a sell-through rate of nearly 99 percent.
Sadly, this was Bruneau & Co.’s last firearms and militaria auction — and the next-to-last sale ever as the firm winds down operations. Contacted after the sale, Kevin Bruneau said that with the departure of key executives, including Travis Landry, who is starting a pop collectibles business, and militaria specialist Joel Bohy, who is writing a book, running the company has become untenable. Its last sale is scheduled for July 31, a no-reserves online-only estate arts and collectibles auction.
This Sharps Model 1874 “Old Reliable” rifle, circa late 1870s, doubled its high estimate and sold for $5,400.
Another Sharps Model 1874 rifle on offer doubled its high estimate, coming in at $5,400. Circa the late 1870s, the .50 caliber rifle featured a walnut stock and forend. It sported a 28-inch octagonal heavy barrel marked with the model’s nickname, “Old Reliable,” in a banner and “Sharps Rifle Co Bridgeport, Conn.”
A cased over and under shotgun by the German Krieghoff company in Ulm earned $5,206. It was 12 gauge with a walnut stock and checkered wrist and forend. The receiver was engraved with foliate design and the case had three barrel tube sets.
The Winchester marque was represented by a Model 21 20-gauge shotgun that crossed the block at $4,800. This firearm had a walnut stock with a checkered wrist and forend. Fitted with a Pachmayr recoil pad, the shotgun was marked on the top of the right 30-inch barrel “Model 21-Winchester-20 gauge / Trade Mark.” The left barrel contained patent information.
Also in the Winchester camp was a Model 21 12-gauge shotgun selling for $3,300. Its walnut stock with a checkered wrist and hand guard was fitted with a White Line recoil pad. The barrel length was 26 inches.
Historic rifles across the block included a US Model 1803 Harper’s Ferry flintlock example from circa 1815. With a .54 caliber rifled bore, it did not carry a serial number. A walnut half-stock had a raised cheek piece on the left side of the butt. Brass fittings were marked on the lock “Harpers/Ferry/1815” with an eagle in front of the cock. The breech was marked “US” and “P” with an eagle’s head both in an oval cartouche. The barrel length was 33-1/8 inches and it sold for $3,900.
This restocked British 2nd Model “Brown Bess” musket was bid to $2,400.
There was a restocked British 2nd Model “Brown Bess” musket on offer, and it captured $2,400. Made during the last quarter of the Eighteenth Century, the .82 bore weapon had a maple stock, brass fittings and a reconverted lock marked “Tower” on the tail with a crown over “GR” in front of the cock. The firearm with a 41½-inch barrel was missing its ramrod.
A British India pattern flintlock musket, circa 1794-1809, surpassed its high estimate to bring $2,160. With a .79 bore and a walnut stock with a store keeper’s stamp on the right side of the butt, it also had a circular cartouche on each side of the butt with “P.L.D.,” “7” and other stamps. Brass fittings included a tail of the lock stamped “Tower,” with a crown over “GR” in front of the cock and a government ownership crown over a broad arrow stamp.
Going back even further in time was a Dutch flintlock musket with 42-1/8-inch barrel, circa 1755, bringing $3,300, twice its high estimate. It had a .79 bore, walnut stock, brass fittings, an unmarked original French replacement lock with a refaced hammer and a large brass front sight.
From Italian gunsmiths Perazzi, this MX8 Special over/under shotgun went out at $3,300. It was a 12 gauge featuring a walnut stock with a checkered wrist and hand guard and a vinyl cheek pad attached to the butt with Velcro.
Italian gunsmiths joined in with a Perazzi MX8 Special over/under shotgun also going out at $3,300. It was a 12 gauge featuring a walnut stock with a checkered wrist and hand guard and a vinyl cheek pad attached to the butt with Velcro. Marked on the left side of the barrel was “Perazzi SPA – Made in Brescia – Italy…” with a case marked “Ithaca” inside the lid.
A 1970s vintage Ithaca/Perazzi 12-gauge over/under shotgun and tube set came to the podium and was bid to $2,040.
Coming to handguns, an engraved Colt Bisley revolver took $2,700. Circa 1904, the .32 WCF caliber gun had white plastic grips, a commercially engraved frame, barrel and cylinder with foliate designs and a reblued finish. It was marked on the left side of the frame with patent dates, marked on the left side of the barrel “(Bisley Model) 32 WCF” and marked on the top of the barrel “Colt’s Pt. F.A. Mfg. Co. Hartford CT. U.S.A.”
A Griffin & Howe Mauser sporting rifle, circa the 1920s-30s, also found favor at $2,700 also. It was .30-06 caliber and had a walnut stock with a raised cheek piece on the left side of the butt, checkered wrist and forend, with a horn nose cap. There was a silver escutcheon under the butt, and the rifle was marked on the barrel “No 1542 Griffin & Howe Inc. New York.” Fitted with a Redfield scope, its barrel measured 23 inches long.
An identified US Marine Corps 2nd Division uniform and helmet was estimated $300/500 but did much better, realizing $2,400. Dating to circa 1918-19, the green Marine Corps tunic was identified to Pvt. David Earl Willard, 75th Company, 6th Regiment.
Now we come to the poignant part of the sale — uniforms and personal effects of American soldiers who fought in major wars. These were led by a large group of US Navy and Marine Corps awards that collectively beat their $200/300 estimate to finish at $2,700. The cased group included two Navy Good Conduct medals that were named, one of the Marine Corps Good Conduct medals that was named, along with a display card with descriptions of most of the medals in the display.
A World War I US Marine Corps tunic and map case that belonged to Theodore Cartwright also bested a low $100/200 estimate, reaching $2,700. The forest green twilled wool tunic with brown-painted copper and brass buttons featured an eagle, globe and anchor insignia on the collar. Cartwright’s Second lieutenant’s bars were on each epaulet, and a map case in the lot was marked “THC.”
In addition, there was an identified US Marine Corps Second Division uniform and helmet. The lot was estimated $300/500 but did much better, realizing $2,400. Dating to circa 1918-19, the green Marine Corps tunic was identified to Private David Earl Willard, 75th Company, Sixth Regiment with two eagle, globe and anchor collar discs, a Second Division patch on the left sleeve, a discharge stripe and a gold overseas stripe. Included were a pair of trousers and a helmet with a painted 2nd Division insignia, liner and chinstrap.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information, www.bruneauandco.com.
