Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.
If you have questions please email firearms@jamesdjulia.com.
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1500
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$19,550.00 |
ROYAL SAXON GUARD RIDER OFFICER’S HELMET WITH SILVER PARADE LION.Officer’s style body in tombac metal with silver trim. Immaculate highly polished tombac helmet body with no dents or damage. Body has excellent form and contour. No extra holes in helmet body. Frontplate is a large silver star with the center Royal Arms of Saxony device in gilt. Interior has tan colored sweat leather with leather tongue headliner. Interior visors also covered in matching tan leather. Large rounded tombac chin scales with cloverleaf rosettes over Reichs and Saxon 2 piece officer cockades (cockade positions switched). Parade liner in exquisite condition and still retains silver frosted finish. Only minor discoloration on back tail. Mounted to helmet with center wing nut. Rare and beautiful regimental helmet. PROVENANCE: The Doug Buhler Collection of Rare and Spectacular German Imperial Headgear and Pickelhauben. CONDITION: Excellent plus condition inside and out. Helmet body with only age related toning to finish. Interior shows minor wear and use. Parade Lion has no damage with only minor age discoloration to tail area. 51585-11 RT (25,000-35,000) – Lot 1500 |
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1516
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$74,750.00 |
SUPERB EARLY LOEWE BORCHARDT 1893 PISTOL, EXPERIMENTAL FEATURES, CASED WITH ACCESSORIES.SN 13. Cal. 7.65 mm. This is a very unusual Borchardt in several respects. Unlike a number of other pistols in this serial range that have a sear retained by a separately affixed spring, this gun has the later type sear. There are no proofs on bbl or toggle train, whose breech block is in-the-white. Similarly, there are no markings on right side of receiver. All the numbered parts are “13”, including the trigger plate, trigger, and right grip panel (left is unnumbered). The bbl is numbered “30” and is 7-1/2″ having pinned front sight and blade rear sight secured by two screws. Top of chamber marked “Ludw. Loewe & Co. / Berlin / 1893.” and “D.R.P./No75837.” on center toggle link. The main point of interest centers about the unusual attachment at the rear of the main spring housing. Instead of the usual lug, this pistol has a rotate-able tube that slips into a recess of the skeletonized shoulder stock. This unique form of stock and attachment is shown in early Borchardt literature. Rotating the serrated wheel advances a threaded screw to lock the back of the main spring housing onto the front of the matching numbered stock. At the rear of the stock is a loop for a shoulder strap, presently fitted with a modern replacement, that connects to the loop on the left side of the receiver. The ensemble comes with three original magazines, all with matching SN “13”, wooden hold open, wood screw driver handle with two blades, small oil bottle, and a larger grease tin marked “Virginia – Fett / Marked for Petri & Stark, Offenbach A/M”, and a pin punch. All components contained in an original period oak box, lid lined in green baize, whose base is lined in dark green felt and compartmentalized for the pistol and all accessories. Lid is secured with two rotating clasps and centered keyed lock. PROVENANCE: The Friedrich-Wilhelm Dauphin Collection – Germany. CONDITION: Pistol retains an amazing 99+% orig blue with the associated small parts and grips in the same condition. As mentioned, the breech block is in-the-white, most of the wear appearing on each side of the cocking knob and slight fading on the forward face of trigger and the right mainspring housing cover plate. Mirror bore and perfect manual mechanics. Comparable condition shoulder stock and each of the mags that show minor oxidative flecking on each side of their bodies. The dummy mag that appears near new, is of a very rare type seen in only one other cased early Borchardt. Near excellent screw driver handle and VG punch whose surface has been lightly cleaned. A spectacular, super low SN Borchardt, with experimental skeletonized shoulder stock and accessories, in beautiful period, deluxe presentation case. 49828-3 LMA (50,000-100,000) – Lot 1516 | Click here to view provenance |
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1528
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$0.00 |
UNIQUE MAUSER PRE-STEPBARREL CARBINE.SN 9. Serial number 9 on firing pin, bolt, subframe, follower and floor-plate. With later correct type hollow wooden stock and attaching iron numbered 9 to match. Bears crown U proof mark. This is the only known Mauser factory prototype carbine identical to and possibly the very pistol illustrated on the frontispiece of SYSTEM MAUSER by Breathed and Schroeder as well as in THE BROOMHANDLE PISTOL 1896-1936. The photograph in black and white is credited to Herr August Weiss and the Mauser factory in Oberndorf. This is the only Mauser carbine known with a rectangular trigger guard with the pinhole through it, the same unique feature as the carbine in the Weiss photo. Another prototype carbine finished in the white is illustrated in the archives of the late Fred Datig which also has the square trigger guard with the pinhole. A similar ultra-rare Mauser carbine was sold in this room from the renowned Dr. Geoff Sturgess Collection however Dr. Sturgess’ carbine featured a later half round trigger guard. Serial number 9 is without doubt one of the very first Mauser carbines and the only example with these features known. A prize for the most advanced collector of C96’s or early shoulder stocked pistols. PROVENANCE: The Friedrich-Wilhelm Dauphin Collection – Germany. CONDITION: The bbl and action retains about 50% orig blue with considerable fading around the bbl and rails. The extractor is a replacement and most of the fire blue has faded from the small parts, excepting the safety whose fire blue has been enhanced. The attaching stock, recently manufactured, is in near new condition with only a few minuscule scuffs on wood and no appreciable wear on the lug. Dull bore with shallow rifling and considerable oxidation. Perfect manual mechanics. A very rare and unusual carbine. This conforms to the earliest pattern guns shown in most of the Broomhandle Mauser texts notably Breathed and Schroeder which illustrates a similar carbine in its end paper. Possibly the only opportunity the Mauser C96 collector will have to acquire an example of this type. The only other known sale also by James D. Julia was lot #3034 from the Sturgess Collection sold in March of 2014. 49828-194 (50,000-75,000) – Lot 1528 |
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1565
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$69,000.00 |
*◊ EXTRAORDINARY WALTHER ARMEE PISTOLE WITH LONG BARREL, ALLOY FRAME, MATCHING STOCK AND TWO MATCHING MAGAZINES.SN 010. Cal. 9mm. Walther only made 10 long bbl shoulder stocked Armee pistols for military review before production of the standard 5″ barreled APs, so only very rarely is such a gun offered for sale. As true for all of these early pistols, it has 7-7/8″ bbl with a ramped drift adjustable front sight and a 2-position rear sight. The reinforced AP slide has a 2-line address on the left side marked “Waffenfabrik Walther Zella Mehlis (Thur) / (Walther Banner) Armee-Pistole Cal. 9m/m.” The right side of the slide is marked “Walther’s Patent”. Most unusual in having an alloy frame, generally considered a later development. This all matching gun is serial numbered on the right side of the bbl, right side of locking lug, takedown lever, and right side of frame. Fitted with crisply checkered wood panels, each internally numbered “46” (crossed out), “12” (penciled out), and then “10” in pencil. All AP pistols in the series were shipped with two magazines that were numbered individually. In this case, the pistol would have been issued with magazine #010-19 (original) and #010-20 (a replacement). Complete with the orig matching stock made from two pieces of wood having the levered lug that snugly attaches to the tang. Complete with unique orig canvas carrier. PROVENANCE: Ex-Visser Collection; Collection of Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess; The Esteemed Collection Of Noted Expert And Author Warren Buxton. CONDITION: Superb 98% orig salt blue bbl and slide. Anodized frame with very slight thinning on the front strap. Comparable condition fire-blued safety. A previously noted stress crack near the rear of the slide cover has been perfectly repaired. Grip panels with orig varnish, deep crisp checkering, in same condition as the balance of the pistol. Mirror bore and perfect manual mechanics. Matching stock is in the same excellent condition with light unstained wood showing no cracks or chips. Original salt blue lug and hinge are in the same exemplary condition as is the canvas carrier. One of the most charismatic Walther pistols in existence, with important military history, and the forefather of the P38. 51568-20 LMA (60,000-90,000) C&R – Lot 1565 |
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1620
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$25,875.00 |
*ONE-OF-A-KIND KNOBLE .45ACP US MILITARY TEST PISTOL.NSN. Cal. .45ACP. This extremely well recognized prototype, pictured in every reference covering early US military arms development, is offered for the first time at auction. This exact pistol is illustrated as plate IV in The War Dept Annual Report, Vol. 6, 1907. The Knoble is one of very few toggle mechanism pistols and is the only example outside the Luger to have been submitted for military testing. This particular double action gun was patented by W. B. Knoble of Tacoma, Washington in 1902 and submitted as one of a pair (the other a single action) in November 1906 to Springfield Armory for formal review. Although impressive in any size, the examiners cited “they were so crudely manufactured as to render any test without value – smooth working being impossible. It was, therefore, decided that these arms would be given no further consideration by the board”. The pistol being offered at auction, without any markings/NSN, has a 5.5″ rnd bbl and fixed sights. The geometry of the toggle action is different from the Luger, requiring that it be pulled upward and slightly forward so as to disengage from the breech before being pulled backward for casing ejection. There is no hold-open. Fitted with a deeply checkered spur hammer and a mechanism that allows both single and double action. The frame is fitted with separate, smooth walnut panels and has a checkered magazine release at the bottom of the backstrap. The frontstrap has a large, rectangular window that allows exposure/contact of the forward magazine spine. Should the single column magazine be stuck, it can be removed by exerting downward pressure on the exposed portion in addition to pulling on the small checkered ears that extend from each side of the base. Magazine presents as a single column design with a brass follower having open sides and a rounded base to conform with the bottom of the pistol. Included with this gun is a hang tag from early owner, Alex Montgomery. Montgomery was one of the very first major collectors of early experimental pistols. PROVENANCE: The Frank H. Wheaton, III Collection. CONDITION: The submitted pistol was presented in an unfinished form with the parts having been heat treated rather than blued. The bbl was heat treated to a fire blue with approximately 50% remaining. The receiver is now grey. The frame appears to have been heat treated to a fire blue, or given an oil quench blue, with moderate fading around the sharp edges and patchy discoloration. Grips retain most of their org varnish. Magazine in the white with comparable discoloration of the tinned surface. Bright bore with sharp rifling. Perfect manual mechanics with sticky action and tightly fitting magazine. 51516-1 LMA (30,000-60,000) C&R – Lot 1620 | Click here to view provenance |
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1623
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$25,875.00 |
*FABULOUS AND HISTORIC WHITE-MERRILL 1907 US TEST TRIAL PISTOL.NSN. Cal. 45. The 1907 White-Merrill was an extraordinary pistol designed through the collaboration of Joseph White and his partner Samuel Merrill, of Massachusetts. This massive single action blowback pistol, fitted with a deeply checkered spur hammer, could be cocked and loaded in the usual manner or with a single hand by means of a cocking lever, that the inventor called a a “loading spur”, located below the trigger guard. Feeding could be through the top, via stripper clip or more conventionally by way of a detachable 10-shot magazine. The left side of the frame is fitted with a hold-open/slide release, and one example had a left grip made of plexiglass, numbered “1,2,3”, to allow visual inspection of the loaded status. The magazine, made to hold a staggered column of cartridges, with open walls, was released by depressing a push button at the bottom of the backstrap. At least one White-Merrill pistol was submitted for formal military trial pistol competition and fired 211 rnds. Unfortunately, the number of malfunctions and failures to fire were such that testing was discontinued and the gun disqualified from consideration. This exact pistol is illustrated as plate VI in The War Dept Annual Report, Vol. 6, 1907. One example is pictured in Small Arms of the World by Ezell (pgs 326-327). This exact pistol is also pictured in U.S. Military Automatic Pistols by Meadows (pgs 273-274) has a 6″ bbl fitted with a half-moon front sight and a fixed rear sight. The top of the heavy slide is marked “PAT. APP’D FOR” and serrated at the rear for grasping. The frame is fitted with a hold-open, whose function is unreliable and separate grip panels. The left panel is made of clear, numbered plexiglass; the right panel, made of smooth brown Bakelite, is secured by two small screws. The heavy duty, open bodied magazine has a reinforcing plate on the back spine secured with six separate screws and a floorplate secured by an additional two screws. Accompanied by an archive of material on the M1906 pistol incl. rare original patent drawings, operation manual and blue prints. Also included with this gun is a hang tag from early owner, Alex Montgomery. Montgomery was one of the very first major collectors of early experimental pistols. This exact pistol is illustrated in a display article by Montgomery on pp.53-62 of World’s Guns and Other Weapons, 1958. Also included is a very rare White-Merrill stripper clip and 5 rnds orig ammo. Note: An extensive archive of related White-Merrill drawings, notes and patent related documents is being offered for sale as a separate lot in this auction. PROVENANCE: The Frank H. Wheaton, III Collection. CONDITION: Approximately 70% orig blue with most areas of contact subjected to handling having faded to grey, particularly the front of the trigger guard and the grooved surface of the cocking lever. The grip panels are in excellent condition with fewer scratches and mars than one might expect from a test gun. The magazine remains in-the-white without suggestion of polishing or enhancement. Mirror bright bore. Excellent manual mechanics with unreliable hold-open as previously mentioned. Truly an extraordinary, charismatic, one-of-a-kind test pistol that should be familiar to every enthusiast of military small arms. 51516-2 LMA (30,000-60,000) C&R – Lot 1623 | Click here to view provenance |
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1630
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$80,500.00 |
*SUPERB UNISSUED SINGER MODEL 1911A1 PRESENTATION SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL.SN 0 0. Cal. 45 ACP. This pistol has all blue finish with 5″ bbl, standard fixed sights with the slide marked “S. MFG. CO. / ELIZABETH, N.J., U.S.A.” and without military acceptance proofs. Mounted with orig Singer checkered brown composition grips without donuts and without reinforcements inside. Accompanied by its orig Singer all blue magazine. Pistol has checkered slide stop, thumb safety, hammer spur, recoil spring keeper, magazine release and arched main spring housing with lanyard loop. This pistol is typical of the very small number of pistols made by the Singer Manufacturing Company, but lacks any marking any marking except the slide legend and a small “0 0” on the frame under the left grip. In April 1940 “an educational contract” was placed with the Elizabethport factory which called for the preparation of one complete set of tools, fixtures & gauges and the manufacture of 500 complete pistols (SN S800001-S800500), plus spare parts. The purpose of this contract was primarily to provide tools which would be available for further larger production orders and to familiarize the Elizabethport personnel with pistol manufacture. With the advent of WWII this original 500 pistol contract was re-designated for military issue. A few un-numbered pistols were made as overruns of the original order. After the war, most of these leftover pistols were simply brought home by Singer executives. This particular example was retained by Singer Chief Engineer/Production Manager, Mr. Wilbur Peets. Mr Peets was employed by Singer for 47 years before retiring in 1961. The Pistol remained in the Peets’ family until a subsequent private sale in 1981. Accompanied by copies of factory documents regarding Singer’s production of the 1911A1 pistol, Mr. Peets’ 1981 obituary, and documentation regarding the timeline and chain of possession of the pistol from 1981 until its offering at this auction. PROVENANCE: The Frank H. Wheaton, III Collection. CONDITION: A magnificent Singer presentation example. Overall a superb condition Singer Presentation Pistol that appears to be as it left the factory with the exception of a very small ding and wear mark. Small pit on left side mostly hidden by slide stop. Small ring scratch on front grip strap. Light pitting on side of mainspring housing. No apparent wear even to edges. No evidence of firing except for possibly proof firing, but no p mark on bbl. Slide has spot of finish deterioration on left front that appears to have been factory touched up as well as a shadow on right side that appears to be an artifact of when the hold open notch was factory hardened. Tiny spot on right muzzle and small ding on right rear. Receiver and slide have 99+% orig factory finish. Small amount of thinning on front strap. Stocks are Singer manufactured with typical Singer wavy checkering pattern. Grip screws are about as perfect as they can be. Magazine has typical Singer large headed rivets and large view holes. Sides of magazine show sanding marks that were not completely polished out. The condition is amazing with only a few very minor blemishes. Orig stocks are in near perfect condition as is the bbl. This pistol was obviously well-stored and never used or altered in any way. 51516-15 (50,000-80,000) C&R – Lot 1630 | Click here to view provenance |
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1665
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$69,000.00 |
*FANTASTIC AND EXTREMELY RARE POLISH WZ. 38 M (MAROSZEK) PRE-WWII SEMI-AUTO RIFLE.SN 1048. Cal. 7.92mm. 24-1/2″ bbl. Developed by Josef Maroszek and adopted by the Polish Army in 1938 as the Wz. 38 M. A limited production of 55 rifles was completed in 1938 by Warsaw Rifle Factory 2 (Zbr.2) before the German invasion and WWII. Only five known documented examples have survived and only 2 are in the United States. The 5 known examples are: #1014 in Poland in a private collection, #1019 in Poland at Uprising Museum, #1027 in Poland at Army Museum, #1030 in United States in private collection, and #1048 in United States, now being offered for sale by James D Julia Auctioneers. This 1938 dated rifle is marked on top of receiver “Zbr.2 1938” and incorporates several features developed during the same period which were later incorporated into German designs such as a fixed box magazine charged using stripper clips from the top. This Wz. 38 M rifle has a gas block and operating piston and cylinder very reminiscent of the Browning Automatic Rifle design, such as a detent rotating pin like the B.A.R. except that this pin is at the right side of the receiver instead of the left. The operating rod resembles the B.A.R. in that it incorporates rails which fit inside recesses in the receiver with a compression spring providing forward impetus. It has a smaller diameter piston fitting within a cylinder which slides into the gas block in the same manner as the American B.A.R. does. The gas port nut on this rifle does not have variable apertures. The nut is held in place by the gas block itself once the assembly is in place, with an index mark on the left side to match the flat of the nut when the setting properly operates this rifle. The straightforward semi-automatic only trigger and hammer actuates a firing pin within the bolt which again looks very similar to the firing pin of the B.A.R.. The trigger and magazine housing assembly is locked in place by a tab at the rear of the assembly which fits into a tab in the rear of the assembly with the simple detent pin at the forward edge. The extractor necessarily is at the top of the bolt. The Wz.38 M is equipped with a simple compensator at the muzzle which also accepts the ring of the Polish bayonet. All Numbers are matching in this rifle. Sold without reserve. PROVENANCE: This Wz. 38 M was Liberated by a US Army Sergeant in Ordnance Tech Intel from a German Officers Barracks in Bremerhaven in 1945. Current consignor purchased it from him in 1972. Bob Faris of Yuma, Arizona and Dr. Novy collaborated on studying this rare rifle until his passing in 2012. Collection of Dr. Fred Novy. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish near mint with deep, lustrous blue finish on all metal parts with the exception of the trigger and the bolt which are in-the-white. Rear sight spring exhibits a straw color. There is some wear to the high edges of the buttplate and along the high edges at the back of the receiver. Bore is near excellent, shiny and bright. Wood is also approaching near excellent with some very light handling marks and dings. This model is so seldom encountered, it is difficult to imagine another opportunity to own this historic and extremely attractive and interesting pre-WWII semi-auto rifle. 51661-1 (40,000-80,000) C&R – Lot 1665 | Click here to view provenance |
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1700
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$149,500.00 |
**EXTREMELY SCARCE KRIEGHOFF FG-42 2ND MODEL MACHINE GUN (FULLY TRANSFERABLE).SN J.M.C. 04254. Cal. 8mm. 19-3/4″ bbl. Iconic and penultimate model German machine gun FG 42 Type G (2nd Model with 90 degree hand grip). Firing as a select fire machine gun, this rifle utilizes the full power 8mm Mauser cartridge and includes one orig 20-rnd magazine. Production of the earliest FG-42’s occurred in 1942 with the final prototype, the early Type C Model being presented to Hitler by Hermann Goring as a Christmas present. Subsequently, Hitler decreed that the Fallschirmjagergewehr 42 should be issued to the paratroopers. Specifications demanded a light, but robust automatic weapon, capable of reliable, accurate, long-range fire. There was an evolution of models culminating in this G Model offered here. Heinrich Krieghoff of Suhl with code (fzs) made most of the FG-42 type weapons which totaled, including all models, fewer than 7,500 units. This particular specimen was at one time deactivated by cutting the receiver underneath the wooden buttstock in two places. It was later re-welded and re-manufactured as a full transferable machine gun and will transfer as such. Reweld is totally invisible when buttstock is in place and does not affect the serviceability in any way. Firing mechanism moves smoothly when operated by hand, this weapon appears fully functional. Marked on underside of receiver behind pistol grip, “J.M. CARNEY / 7243 MAIN ST / WESTMORELAND, N. Y. ” with additional, “J.M.C. 04254”. This is a National Firearms Act item and requires BATF approval prior to transfer. This weapon is fully transferable on an ATF form 3 or form 4. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish extremely fine to near excellent. Orig smooth grey finish. Starting to turn a pleasing patina in places with about 90% of the finish remaining overall. Bore is extremely fine and bright with strong rifling. Grips are also an extremely fine, pleasing red-brown Bakelite. Wood is also extremely fine to near excellent with a small chip on the left side of the butt right at the very edge. It is this catalogers estimation after more than 30 years collecting NFA firearms that there are very few registered specimens of all models of the FG-42 within the United States. This offering is a significant opportunity for the advanced German military weapon enthusiast. These guns seldom surface for sale, and this specimen is exceedingly attractive, and would make a great display specimen, or gather crowds at the range. 51834-1 JWK (150,000-200,000) – Lot 1700 |
