Reference Thread - Poulins and James Julia Auctions (March 7-11, 2008)

[Badger]

I participated in the Poulin's Auction (click here) and James Julia Auction (click here) yesterday and today, which was primarily for many items from the late Bruce Stern collection.

From their web site:

12,700,000!!! This is the largest grossing firearms auction ever held in the world which exceeds the previous record of $11,235,000 set by this auction house last Fall which exceeded the earlier record of $9,200,000 set by James D. Julia, Inc. There were approx. 1270 lots sold and the final price was almost $4million above low estimate!

This extraordinary auction was extremely strong throughout. Included was the Bruce Stern Collection offering an extraordinary array of 20th Century military items and Class III weapons; spectacular collection of high quality shotguns; incredible Colts; beautiful Winchesters; portions of the Robert Sadler, Ron Gabel, & Hank Vogel Collections, the late Ron Kiser Collection of single shots; Civil War items and much, much more! Prior to the JDJ auction the Poulin Auction Company conducted a spectacular 3-Day auction grossing $1.5 million. A $14.2 MILLION combined total!!!!!

There's was a lot of excellent quality up for auction and I won some neat items, but I couldn't believe the prices some of the items went for. Here's an example...

Lot 2428. Ross Model 1912 Single Shot Training Rifle. Cal. 22. S# A172. Overall condition is good. Bore is bright. Receiver and barrel show approx. 80% of a blue scattered with brown with some apparent touch up on the front 2”. Barrel bands show approx. 80% original blue. Buttstock shows good with light scuffs and several dates and inspection marks on the right side. (07-2357 / BK / BS) Curio. Est. $ 500 - 700.

Sold for $4,600 U.S.

Price DOES NOT include auction house Buyer's Premium of 15-17%

I'll be putting together a photo montage in the next few weeks on dozens of various quality (some exotic) items and the values they sold for.

Regards,
Badger

Information

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[Badger]

How about this one ...

2430. British Godsal’s Patent, Manufactured by Webley & Scott in October of 1902, Bolt Action Rifle. Cal. 303. S# 22003 on bolt. Overall condition is good. Bore is bright and shiny. This rifle appears to have been the beginning of the bullpup frenzy. Rifle has a very short buttstock with a very long front end and has the trigger directly below the front ring of the receiver with the bolt and magazine behind the trigger. Rifle shows approx. 95% of the original blue with slight scattered corrosion throughout. Buttstock and hand guard are good with only light scuffing. A very unique British rifle, ahead of it’s time. (07-2360 / BK / BS) Curio. Est. $ 900 – 1500

Sold for $16,250 U.S.

Price DOES NOT include auction house Buyer's Premium of 15-17%

Regards,
Badger

[Badger]

Here’s an interesting one. I stopped bidding on this No.6 Mk1 very early, as it wasn't serial numbered between XP101 and XP149, which I believe it should be if it’s all correct? In fact, there was no serial number on it at all.

2307. Australian Lithgow No. 6 MK I Bolt Action Carbine. Cal. 303. S# 0A44 on striker. Overall condition is good. Bore is bright and shiny. These were a trials rifle made in Lithgow in very limited numbers. Metal retains approx. 90% of an arsenal parkerizing with the buttstock and hand guards showing good overall some light and very little moderate gouging present. (07-2302 / BK / BS) Curio. Est. $ 1200 - 2000

Sold for $6,700 U.S.

Price DOES NOT include auction house Buyer's Premium of 15-17%

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Regards,
Badger

Edit: UPDATE.....

Badger, I've just had a look at the pics from your link, it does seem a bit suspect to me as well. As far as I now they were ALL marked with the XP serial number. There was 194 made, starting with XP 101. That rifle would have been in the first lot of >50.

It should be marked like this (mine was from early in the third lot- standard buttplate, receiver mounted rear sight) although I'm not sure off hand if the first 97 built on ordinary receivers had the receivers made special at Lithgow or if they were just drawn from standard production. The later 97 were a new forging incorporating the rear sight mounts. (See pic below)

[Badger]

This will scare you ...

204 *MAUSER 98K SHORT RAIL SNIPER RIFLE WITH SLING AND BAYONET. SN 7674. Cal. 8mm. Fine example of a German 98K short rail sniper system with a 24" bbl. Manufactures proof CE/43. Short rail scope system. All matching. German sniper rifles were among the finest in the world and considered vastly superior to any sniping system the United States had with the possible exception of the USMC 03A1. All numbers and inspection stamps are as they should be on this wonderful and exotic rifle. PROVENANCE: Stern Collection. CONDITION: Rifle remains in fantastic condition with the receiver showing better than 95% of its orig finish, the bbl assembly shows approximately 90% finish with the muzzle and turning plum. Front bbl band shows only traces of orig finish but is correctly numbered to the gun. Middle bbl band shows better than 95% orig blue. Trigger guard assembly shows better than 95% orig blue with the floorplate showing approximately 70% and also turning plum. Bolt has approximately 50% orig finish with the primary wear being on the body from use. Numbered stock and hand guard are in excellent condition with only a few minor bruises on the buttstock and one small chip just below the reinforcing lug. Scope "BJM Code" retains nearly all of its finish with very clear optics. Mechanics are crisp and bore is bright and shiny with only a minimal showing of wear. All in all an outstanding example of a short rail 98K. Even the buttplate shows no abuse. Bayonet and sheath are in excellent condition and matching each other but not the gun. 4-34068 BK93 (5,000-7,500)

Sold for $24,150 U.S.

Price includes auction house Buyer's Premium of 15-17%

Regards,
Badger

[Steve1973]

Wow, 130K for an FG42!! I knew they were upwards of 100 now but wow....

[Claven2]

I can't believe the turk Enfauser went for $50!?! I would have paid $500 had I been in the know!

Looks like some guns went scary cheap and others went scary expensive.

Now that I see those other pics of the No.6Mk1 I am glad you didn't win it Badger. It ain't right in my books. Someone has CLEARLY spot-welded over the serial nuber, dressed the area, and reblued it. Those purplish circles where the serial number would be are areas where the metal composition is different. It's likely been tig welded with a nickel-rich rod, causing the purplish color.

It may still be real, but it's just as likely also a fake. Certainly I would be really worried about spending 6700 on it. DEFINITELY hesitant when coupled that lack of a legit XP serial number!!!

[Badger]

How about a Pedersen device from the James Julia Auction on Monday …

ULTRA RARE US MODEL 1918 - MARK 1 PEDERSEN DEVICE. SN 11677. Cal. 30. This Remington manufactured Pedersen device, number 11677, was manufactured for issue with the 1903 Mark 1 rifle. It is complete along with one box of ammo, two spanner/assembly/disassembly wrenches, one magazine, one magazine pouch marked "RIA 8-19" and a tool pouch also marked "RIA 8-19". Markings on the device are as follows: "USA 1918 Mark I 11677 Remington/Bridgeport, Pedersen's Pat. Pending". Rear of block inspected EEC, eagle's head/16. The vast majority of these devices were destroyed by the government and very few in any condition are a rare and expensive find. PROVENANCE: Stern Collection. CONDITION: Retains between 85-90% orig dark gray finish with the majority of marks being on the outside from having been installed. There is no rust or pitting evident anywhere and device appears complete, original and ready to use. Comes with a small amount of accessories that are in excellent condition as well as ammo which is sealed. There is no can present. 4-34193 BK106 (20,000-30,000)

Sold for $63,250

Price includes auction house Buyer's Premium of 15-17%

Regards,
Badger

[Claven2]

But would you fire a pedersen if you had one?

Actually, from the look of it, I could make one easy enough if I had a set of drawings. Looks pretty basic.

For that matter, you could chamber it for 7.62x25TT.

[Warren]

The reason they are so rare is they were all destroyed, save about 25 or so. Those that are floating around are the ones that were salvaged from the scrap heap when they were all burnt in a deac attempt. I've handled one and ALMOST got the chance to fire it..damned it... but it would not fit the Mk.1 Springfield we had for some reason. Was NOT about to start fitting it... I'm sorting pictures and "junque" now, so if I find the close ups I took I'll try and send them to the site here.

[Badger]

How about a Long Branch sniper in the James Julia auction that looked fabulous from the pics, but one of our Advisory Panel members Lance was there and got the opportunity to handle it.

He said: "Lot #277--LB No. 4 T sniper with REL Mk 3 scope. Remarks: Appears to of been at least issued or inspected as there is a 1950's British Broad arrow mark below safety. Forend s/n'd as British T's are. ***Scope can is a 1945 BE Ltd British can, it is s/n'd to the rifle but is a heavly painted, possible force match. Transit chest is also British that has the rifle s/n written in pencil on the end tag but is also painted on the chest (most likely a garage paint job, as most of the sniper chests there have the rifle s/n painted on the chest)."

As a result of his feedback, I cancelled my own bidding on it, as it's not a completely "all correct" piece and I think it went way over priced.

CANADIAN NUMBER IV MARK I (T) SNIPER RIFLE. SN 90L8122. Cal. 303. These rifles, as with the British, were converted by Holland & Holland and used various telescopes. This one is fitted with a No. 32 marked for MK3 manufactured by R.E.L. in Canada. Gun is in magnificent all around condition, matching with the exception of possibly the buttstock, which has the number 1090 stamped in the top but is in identical fit and finish to the rest of the rifle. It is fitted with a Enfield web sling and Number 9 Mark I blade bayonet. Rifle comes with transit chest. PROVENANCE: Stern Collection. CONDITION: Rifle is in magnificent condition overall, showing almost no use. Receiver and scope base retain better than 98% of orig dark gray Parkerizing. Telescope shows 95% blue with just a little enamel flaking around the knobs and on the sunshade. Optics are as good as they could possibly be, showing no fading, no dust and no dirt, just a picture perfect view. Bolt retains 85% orig blue showing scuffing on the body from being actuated. Bbl bands and front sight assembly show approximately 99% orig blue with the bbl showing 98% with just a little wear from the bayonet being installed. Upper handguards show no wear at all with just a couple of very light scuffs on the light one from being set in a rack. Lower handguard assembly (numbered to gun) shows just a couple of very light bruises with no finish loss what so ever. Triggerguard assembly shows 98% original blue with the magazine showing 80%. Buttstock is also in magnificent condition with light finish showing just a couple of nicks at the rear of the pistol grip and one or two slight bruises on the cheekpiece. Action is crisp and clean and the bore shows bright and shiny with almost no wear at all. blued buttplate has approximately 95% orig finish with just a little high edge wear and a pull-through in the butt trap. Sling shows just a little mildew, otherwise shows excellent. This long branch sniper rifle would be nearly impossible to upgrade. Transit chest in good condition. 4-34065 BK125 (3,750-5,250)

A side note. Although it refers to 1090 in the description, it was actually correctly marked on the wrist as 109C. Someone mistook the "C" for a "0".

Sold for $6,325 U.S.

Price includes auction house Buyer's Premium of 15-17%

Regards,
Badger