CRANSTON, RI.- Bruneau & Co.’s Summer Historic Arms & Militaria auction, planned for Thursday, July 21st, at 6 pm Eastern time, is loaded with over 300 lots of historic objects dating from the late 18th century forward, with a highlight on World Wars I and II, plus rare uniforms from a private collection. This is an online sale; no live bidding.
This will be the fourth Historic Arms & Militaria auction for Bruneau & Co., in the recently formed Arms & Militaria department headed up by director Joel Bohy, a seasoned veteran of the arms and militaria scene. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen some of these arms in this condition and quality,” he said. “This is a great opportunity to pick up some rare items.”
Kevin Bruneau, the company’s president and an auctioneer, added, “Having read about and watched movies and TV series about Word War II for years, it has been a pleasure handling and learning more about some of the historic uniforms, equipment and arms we’re offering in this sale. For me it helps bring more of an understanding of what our forefathers went through and what they carried during their military service. Now collectors can own these pieces of history.”
The catalog is packed with military antiques and historic arms curated from estates across the country. Lot #1 is a British pattern 1788 light dragoon saber and scabbard, from circa 1788 (est. $500-$700). The blade is 35 ¾ inches long and the overall length is 40 ¾ inches. Few examples of Britain’s first regulation pattern light dragoon saber survive with their original scabbard.
A World War II Pacific Stars and Stripes Model 41 U.S. field jacket, an olive drab cotton field jacket with captain’s bars on the shoulder straps, two patches on the left sleeve and a green wool lining, has a pre-sale estimate of $200-$300. Also, a World War II U.S. correspondent’s group that includes a fixed bale M1 helmet, a Model 41 field jacket with war correspondent patches on both sleeves, an “Ike” jacket with patches, a shirt, trousers and side cap should reach $400-$600.
Two European weapons from the 1880s will come up for bid. One is a German Mauser Model 71/84 rifle and bayonet, overall 50 ¾ inches long, the rifle 11x60R caliber with a walnut stock, the bayonet having a grass hilt, steel blade, leather scabbard and frog (est. $500-$700). The other is a British Model 1884 Enfield revolver, .476 caliber, with walnut grips, blued finish, a bright crisp bore, marked on the frame with a crown over “V.R. Enfield/1884/II” (est. $800-$1,200).
German World War II rifles will feature a circa 1943 G.41 rifle, 8mm, serial #4645a (all matching), 44 ¾ inches long, with a laminated stock and a receiver ring marked “G.41 duv 4645a” with a 214 waffenamt above, plus a cleaning rod (est. $2,000-$2,500); and a G98/40 bolt-action rifle, made in Hungary around 1944, 8mm, serial #6090 (matching), with a laminated stock marked on the butt, a stamped waffenamt, a cleaning rod, hood and sling (est. $700-$900).
A World War II USMC Johnson Model 1941 rifle and bayonet (missing the scabbard), circa 1941, .30-.06 caliber, serial #B6943, having walnut stocks, a dark parkerized finish, marked on the top of the receiver with patent dates and “CAL. 30-’06 Semi-Auto / Johnson Automatics / Model of 1941 / Made in Providence, R.I.,” and a parkerized bayonet, should fetch 2,000-$4,000.
Two World War II rifles with identical estimates of $800-$1,200 consist of a Japanese Type II paratrooper rifle and bayonet, circa 1939-1945, 7.7x58, serial #10110, with a walnut stock, blued finish and a receiver ring with intact chrysanthemum, 44 ¼ inches long; and a Russian Tokarev SVT-38 rifle, circa 1938, 7.62x54R, serial #YE393, overall 48 inches long, with a walnut stock and blued finish, the rifling strong, in overall good condition, the action functioning properly.
