SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Bonhams announced its auction of fine antique arms from the estate of Joseph A. Murphy achieved $3.6 million on November 10 in San Francisco.

The sale's leading lot was a cased and factory engraved pair of Colt Model 1861 Navy percussion presentation revolvers, serial numbers 11756 and 11757 for 1863, that sold for $425,000. The revolvers are likely attributed to Georg H. Sterzing and were presented to Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson of the 17th Army Corps from his friends O.N. Cutler and W.C. Wagley. McPherson (1828-1864) graduated first in the West Point class of 1853 and went on to serve in a great many posts. He was a Captain of Engineers, staff member of General Henry Halleck, and Chief Engineer under General U.S. Grant. He served at Forts Henry and Donelson and at Shiloh and Corinth. In 1862, after serving as Superintendent of Railways in East Tennessee, he was promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers and five months later to Major General of Volunteers. He commanded the XVII Corps during the Vicksburg Campaign. In the summer of 1863, he was promoted to Brigadier General in the regular army and then he commanded the Army of the Tennessee during the Atlanta campaign. He was killed by Confederate skirmishers on July 22 that year.

Near the top of the sale, a cased and factory engraved Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver, serial number 2383 for 1853, with engravings attributed to Joseph Delaney, took in $337,000 and a very important factory-engraved and silver-banded Colt 'Texas' Paterson No. 5 Holster Model percussion revolver, serial number 985, achieved $282,000. Regarding the latter, in the Wadsworth Atheneum, serial number 984 is identified as part of Col. Colt's personal collection. As the cylinder on number 985 appears to be numbered 984, there has been considerable conjecture that the two were once a pair owned by Colt himself.

Also leading the sale, a cased engraved and silver banded Colt 'Baby' Paterson Model No. 1 percussion revolver, serial number 98, brought $249,000; a cased Colt Paterson No. 3 Belt Model percussion revolver, serial number 169, realized $161,000; and a deluxe cased Gustave Young engraved Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver, serial number 5605 for 1856, sold for $161,000.

Colt highlights also included a Model 1911 Commercial semi-automatic pistol factory engraved by William Gough, serial number C140694 for 1925, that far surpassed its $10,000-15,000 estimate to bring $64,350; a factory engraved Model 1902 Military semi-automatic pistol inscribed 'General Victoriano Huerta,' engraved by William H. Dough that took in $81,900; and a group of Texas Paterson accessories that achieved $70,200.

Of further note, a Confederate infantry officer's presentation sword with a rare Jacob Fraser-signed and decorated blade by James Conning of Mobile, Ala., achieved $93,600. The sword was presented to Lieut. Charles B. Day at Clinch Rifles of Augusta, Ga., by the Blue Whistlers of Pensacola, Fla., circa 1861-1862.

Following the single-owner sale, Bonhams held an auction of antique arms and armor and modern sporting guns on November 11 in San Francisco. Highlights included a cased 20 gauge sidelock ejector gun by Boss & Company that brought $35,100; a Henry repeating rifle identified to Simeon Walker Jr., of the 60th Illinois infantry regiment that took in $23,400; and Henry Model 1860 lever action rifles that achieved $25,740 and 23,400, respectively.