Antique Arms & Armor Offered at Bonhams & Butterfields June 28th

Written by Levi Morgan Tuesday, 22 June 2010 21:21

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - International fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields will bring more than 450-lots of antique arms, armor and modern sporting guns to auction in San Francisco on Monday, June 28, 2010 featuring a large and impressive collection of Imperial Russian edged weapons and militaria, American, European and Middle Eastern weapons, and sporting guns – stemming from private and institutional collections. The illustrated antique arms auction catalog is online for review and purchase at the firm’s website, along with collector tips and upcoming sales schedules, see: www.bonhams.com/us. Previews of the offered lots open in San Francisco on Friday, June 25, continuing daily until the auction on Monday, June 28^th.

The June sale is robust with examples of Imperial Russian swords, led by a rare Imperial Russian Model 1798 officer’s sword with double award for bravery. Marked for the Zlataoust Arsenal and dated 1827, the 34-inch single edged blade is profusely engraved with 23 honors for various battles in the years 1812-14.The gilt brass hilt is inscribed twice in Cyrillic, displaying enamel badges for both St. Anne and St. George.Gilt brass decorates the leather scabbard and the sword is expected to bring $30/50,000.

Russian army officers’ daggers and Russian naval dirks will be offered, as will a rare Soviet Model 1940 13-inch Fleet Admiral’s parade dagger (est. $5/7,000) and a rare Russian bearhunter’s dagger marked St. Petersberg with an Imperial eagle on the ricasso (est. $6/8,000).Several Soviet uniforms represent officers in the Air Force and Navy with a Soviet submarine commander’s uniform ensemble, including a cased dirk and visor cap, estimated at $2/3,000.

Several Imperial Russian sabers were presented for bravery, and additional examples on offer are decorated with ivory and silver mounts, many representing specific regiments (estimates ranging from $2,000 to $15,000).An interesting lot is a Russian copper-covered and brass mounted diver’s helmet (est. $2/3,000).

Collectors will vie for a number of ornately decorated edged weapons, many with gold inlays, silver mounts, inscriptions or gem-set decoration.Two lots offered early in the sale feature jade hilts, pommels in the form of an ewe and a ram, ruby, diamond and emerald cabochon decorations, and red scabbards with pierced gilt brass mounts – the first is a 10-inch Mughal kard which could bring $3/5,000, the second, an 8 ½-inch Mughal khanjar which could bring $4/6,000.

Bowie knives, German crossbows, and a collection from the Fresno Metropolitan Museum will be offered.The Museum property comprises a series of US Army and Navy percussion conversion pistols by Simeon North and from a noted estate come several Remington and Smith & Wesson derringers and revolvers, several being Russian examples.

Additional auction highlights include a .357 magnum Ken Hunt-engraved and etched Smith & Wesson revolver for George Washington Vanderbilt III. Vanderbilt, of the prominent New York family, was an avid sailor and spent much of his life studying marine species. The revolver has an overall gilt finish with varied scenes of marine life - with a dolphin and fish, waterweeds and nautical motifs (est. $5/10,000).Cased revolvers are offered including a fine cased Gustave Young engraved Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver expected to bring $30/50,000 and a fine cased pair of English percussion dueling pistols with ties to South Carolina (which could bring $25/35,000).

A pair of early American long guns includes a rare engraved half-stock percussion rifle by Jacob & Samuel Hawken with a heavy 27-inch barrel, made in St Louis in the 2^nd Qtr of the 19^th century (est. $30/40,000) and an historic percussion rifle owned by California frontiersman Seth Kinman.Kinman named his trusty rifle “Old Cottonblossom” and the famous gun was never far from his side.The hunter and early California landowner was a friend to four US Presidents and was noted for his gifts of elkhorn chairs to Presidents Lincoln, Hayes, Johnson and Buchanan.An important Brady portrait captured Kinman with President Hayes seated in one of the horn chairs, Old Cottonblossom sharing the spotlight with the two gentlemen (est. $20/30,000).

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com (Feb. 2010).