WILLOUGHBY, OHIO.- Milestone’s October 26-27 Premier Fall Firearms event held at their spacious suburban-Cleveland gallery attracted strong bidding and scores of above-estimate prices across all arms genres. The 1,271-lot sale closed the books at a solid $1,418,000, inclusive of buyer’s premium.


Griffin & Howe classic Mauser 98 custom sporting rifle, manufactured 1945, 25in barrel, chambered in .270 WCF cartridge. Exquisitely engraved by Joseph Fugger with foliate scrollwork with oak-leaf vines and detailed vignettes of whitetail deer, bighorn ram, and bull moose on floor plate. Special-ordered by Harold Erdrich in 1944 before returning home from WWII combat and bearing a gold-inlaid monogram ‘HE.’ Production verified by Griffin & Howe records, with Serial No. 1771 indicating it was the third rifle shipped in 1945. Sold within estimate range for $10,530


The impressive lineup of longarms was well stocked with sporting shotguns and rifles by Winchester AH Fox, Remington, Parker Brothers, Ithaca, Marlin and many other desirable manufacturers. A top entry was a Griffin & Howe classic Mauser 98 custom sporting rifle issued in 1945. Built with a 25-inch barrel and chambered in .270 WCF cartridge, this substantial gun was expertly engraved by Joseph Fugger, an Austrian-born artist who was Griffin & Howe’s engraver in New York from 1927-1960. The decorative program chosen for this rifle included foliate scrollwork with oak-leaf vines and detailed vignettes of whitetail deer, bighorn ram, and a bull moose on the floor plate. The maker’s records showed that the gun was special-ordered by Harold Erdrich in 1944 before returning home from WWII combat, hence the gold-inlaid monogram “HE.” Its Serial No. 1771 corroborated the timeline and the fact that it was the third rifle G&H shipped in 1945. It sold within its estimate range for $10,530.


1903 British M1888 Lee Metford MK1 .30-caliber rifle. British proofs throughout. Left side of socket dated ’05; cartouche on right side of stock dated 1906. Matching serial numbers on receiver, barrel and rear sight. Hard to find in untouched condition, as was the case with this example. Sold for $6,150 against an estimate of $1,200-$1,800


A 1903 British M1888 Lee Metford MK1 .30-caliber rifle with British proofs throughout was doubly-dated, with ‘05’ on the left side of the socket and ‘1906’ on the cartouche to the right side of the stock. As further provenance, matching serial numbers were visible on the receiver, barrel and rear sight. According to Milestone’s catalog, a gun of this type is hard to find in untouched condition, a fact that was not lost on bidders who pushed it to a winning price of $6,150 against an estimate of $1,200-$1,800.


Rare IBM Corp., line-out M1 Carbine Type 1. Barrel: 18in. Caliber: 30 carbine. Manufactured February 1944, assembled by AUTO ORDNANCE. Parkerized finish. Flip-style rear sight and flat side bolt with letter N and AO stamped below serial number. Underwood 2-44 dated over flaming bomb. Letter P stamped in middle of barrel. Sold for $4,797 against an estimate of $2,000-$2,500


Another fine WWII-era firearm was a rare IBM Corp., line-out M1 Carbine Type 1, in 30 carbine caliber and with a Parkerized finish. It was manufactured in February 1944 and assembled by AUTO ORDNANCE. The letter “N” was visible on its flip-style rear sight and flat side bolt, while “AO” was stamped below the serial number and “P” on the middle of the barrel. Further, it was “Underwood 2-44” dated over a flaming bomb. It sold for $4,797 against an estimate of $2,000-$2,500.


World War II captured Japanese Type 99 bolt-action rifle, Series 1 made at Nagoya Arsenal. Barrel: 26in; caliber 7.7. Included papers stating the gun was captured by a Private Young in 1946. No import marks found. Matching serials on receiver, bolt, dust cover and front band. Accompanied by original cleaning rod, monopod and brown leather sling. Sold for $3,321 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,500


Another wartime prize was a captured Japanese Type 99 bolt-action rifle, Series 1 made at Nagoya Arsenal. With a 26-inch barrel and built in 7.7 caliber, it included papers stating the gun was captured by a Private Young in 1946. Matching serial numbers appeared on the receiver, bolt, dust cover and front band. Accompanied by its original cleaning rod, monopod and brown leather sling, it rose to $3,321 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,500.


Rare Walther Model PPK .32-caliber ‘Party Leader’ pistol, manufactured 1939, Serial No. 216873K. Marketed for private purchase and made available at a discounted price to Nazi Party leaders and officials. Emblematic of its carrier’s party devotion, such a weapon would have been viewed as a status symbol. Auction example sold for above-estimate price of $16,200


Eagerly pursued, a rare 1939 Walther Model PPK .32-caliber “Party Leader” pistol, Serial No. 216873K, was originally marketed for private purchase and made available at a discounted price to Nazi Party leaders and officials. These sorts of guns were viewed by peers as a status symbol, since they were emblematic of party devotion. The auction example sold for an above-estimate price of $16,200.


Colt 1911 Government Model .45 ACP pistol manufactured in 1970 and embellished by master engraver David Harris of Texas, who studied under Cole Agee. Complete ‘D’ coverage of Agee’s trademark cattle-brand style and fitted with steer-head-carved Emory 2-piece grips. Letter of documentation from Harris on his letterhead noting serial number, style, amount of coverage, and grips. Sold for $6,457 against an estimate of $3,000-$5,000


A beautiful Colt 1911 Government Model .45 ACP pistol manufactured in 1970 was embellished by master engraver David Harris of Texas, who studied under Cole Agee, inventor of the “Texas Cattle Brand” engraving technique. The auction example exhibited complete “D” coverage of the cattle-brand style and was fitted with steer-head-carved Emory 2-piece grips. An accompanying letter of documentation from Harris on his letterhead specifically noted the serial number, style, amount of coverage, and type of grips. The pistol sold for $6,457 against an estimate of $3,000-$5,000.


Very rare Colt Banker’s Special .22LR six-shot revolver. Manufactured in 1934. Two-line company address and patent dates on right side; caliber/model markings on left side. Colt Rampant Pony shown behind cylinder release with ‘VP’ marked on top of trigger guard. Matching serials on frame and crane. Sold for $3,936 against an estimate of $2,000-$3,000


Manufactured in 1934, a very rare Colt Banker’s Special .22LR six-shot revolver featured Colt’s two-line company address and patent dates on its right side and caliber/model markings on the left side. The distinctive Colt Rampant Pony was shown behind the cylinder release with “VP” marked on top of the trigger guard. Desirable matching serials appeared on both the frame and crane. The gun sold well above estimate for $3,936.

There was plenty of bark left in a circa-1890s “British Bulldog” revolver – likely made by Forehand & Wadsworth – in .38 S&W caliber with a 2½-inch barrel. Small but mighty, it was accompanied by capture papers stating it had been taken from the German town of Bad Lausick on October 12, 1945. Markings included “BRITISH / BULLDOG” on the top strap and matching serial numbers (3227) on the butt and cylinder. Presented in a velvet-lined book-style display case, it was chased to $1,353 against a $300-$500 estimate.


Sought-after Case (New York) Hunter Model 61215 switchblade knife. Size: 4 7/8in when opened with full blade. Mint-condition handles. Superb action, blade seats very deep and centered. Sold for $2,275 against an estimate of $1,000-$2,000


Many excellent knives had collectors on the “edge” of their seats, especially those made by the New York company Case. The present market for Case productions is very strong, with as many as 18,000 members currently active in the Case Collectors Club. Among the auction lots that found favor with bidders was a set of four Case XX 5111 ½ L folding knives with attractive stag handles, offered in a colorful Case-logo’d factory box. The selling price was $2,398 against an estimate of $800-$1,200. Also, a sought-after Case Hunter Model 61215 switchblade knife with mint handles and sized 4 7/8 inches when opened with a full blade, could not be faulted. Its action was deemed “superb” and its blade seats described as “very deep and centered.” This knife folded for the day at an above-estimate $2,275.

View Milestone’s Oct. 26-27, 2024 Fall Premier Firearms Auction catalog and prices realized at Milestone’s website or through LiveAuctioneers. To discuss consigning a single firearm or an entire collection to a future auction at Milestone, please call Miles King at 440-527-8060 or email info@milestoneauctions.com. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential and there is never an obligation to consign.