This will be the final auction held at Julia’s fabled Fairfield, Maine auction barn before all future auctions move to Morphy Auctions Locations in Denver, Pennsylvania and Las Vegas

Fairfield, ME ~ March 2, 2018 – In December 2017 James D. Julia Auctioneers merged with Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pennsylvania. In February, Julia’s conducted their last Fine Art & Antique auction in Fairfield, Maine and on March 21st, 22nd and 23rd will conduct the last auction of any type to be held in Fairfield, Maine by James D. Julia. All future auctions will be held at Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pennsylvania. The auction should prove to be a most notable one including extraordinary collections such as the Ray Bentley Collection of rare Winchesters, and numerous other outstanding and rare items including Louis XV extraordinarily rare and exquisite repeating flintlock rifle made by Sebastian Hauschka.

James D. Julia Auctioneers has been in the auction business for nearly 50 years, and for the last 15 years has been the leading auction house in the world for high-end, rare and valuable firearms. Julia’s has sold more rare and valuable sporting arms than any other auction house in the world, is the world’s leading seller of important Civil War and Confederate items, and has also sold more Class 3 weapons than any other auction house in North America. As James D. Julia Auctioneers concludes its business for the last time in Fairfield, Maine with this auction, the spirit of the Julia’s brand will be perpetuated by its merger with Morphy Auctions. Both companies take pride in having the most talented and knowledgeable experts in the industry, and the blending of both teams of leading experts will enhance processes, descriptions and valuations and create a synergistic team of passionate staff members to better serve their customers and strengthen the antiques and collectibles industry for years to come.

Headlining this auction, Julia’s will present the first phase of the magnificent lifetime collections of the late Ray Bentley. At the time of his recent passing, Ray’s Winchester collection was regarded as unquestionably the finest and most important of its kind in the world today. In fact, more than 100 of Mr. Bentley’s high quality, rare and valuable Winchesters and Henrys will be offered in this auction, and many of them are the finest examples that Julia’s has ever offered. The ultimate highlight from the Bentley Collection is one of the finest “One of One Thousand” Model 1873 Winchester rifles (lot 2017, $250,000-350,000) ever to be offered for sale, accompanied by rock solid provenance including a factory letter that verifies all the features of this outstanding firearm. This “One of One Thousand” bears serial number 27141 and is in the most desirable configuration, with full magazine, octagonal barrel, rifle butt with crescent buttplate, chambered in 44-40. Additionally, it was one of the first rifles to be identified as a result of the search for these ultra-rare and desirable rifles by Universal Pictures as publicity for their iconic Western film Winchester 73 starring Jimmy Stewart. All superlatives are entirely appropriate when applied to this incredibly beautiful rifle, and it is one of the very best ever offered for sale. Also from the Bentley Collection of Winchesters is quite possibly Conrad Ulrich’s greatest masterpiece and a legendary Winchester collector’s icon for nearly half a century, the magnificent gilded, high-relief engraved and fully signed Winchester Model 1866 lever action rifle, serial number 7994 (lot 2010, $175,000-275,000). The ultimate engraved Model 1866 Winchester rifle, it is one of the most famous of all Winchesters. As a work of 19th century art this rifle transcends the fact it is a firearm, with its interpretation of Hiram Power’s “Greek Slave” sculpture making it worthy of display alongside one of Powers’ sculptures or the finest American 19th Century paintings. Among the many great Henry rifles is a fantastic early Hoggson engraved and silver-plated Henry rifle with deluxe wood (lot 2004, $100,000-150,000). Engraved with flowing foliate patterns and finely cut borders, features typical of Henry factory engraver Samuel J. Hoggson, this splendid example of an early engraved Henry rifle saw little use and was just put away.

In addition to his incomparable Winchesters, Mr. Bentley amassed innumerable other collections with the same discerning eye. His spectacular silver trophy collection is like nothing you will probably ever see again. This includes a historic, sterling, oversized beaker to Baron von Richthofen, aka The Red Baron, from Kaiser Wilhelm (lot 2143, $20,000-30,000), an incredibly detailed sterling scale model of the British-built Brazilian battleship “Minas Geras” (lot 2145, $10,000-20,000), a rare and historic, finest known Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund £100 Battle of Trafalgar trophy, one of only 15 awarded after the famous 1805 engagement (lot 2142, $50,000-70,000), and many more.

Also offered from the Bentley collection will be countless other high condition longarms, Colt and S&W handguns, Gatling guns, edged weapons, rare ammunition and much more. Additional fine Winchesters and Colts from the Bruce Burtner collection will also be featured, as will treasures from the Fritz Baehr, Daryl Middlebrook and Robert Roughton collections.

As advanced collectors of rare Class 3/NFA machine guns have come to expect from Julia’s, over 100 NFA items will lead off the sale on the first day of the auction. This increasingly popular collecting genre is highlighted by an exceptionally rare Colt R-75A machine gun (lot 1065, $70,000-100,000). Among the WWII-era machine guns certain to attract the attention of discerning WWII collectors is a fantastic Mauser-manufactured German MG-42 on a Lafette mount with accessories (lot 1016, $30,000-40,000), as well as an exceptionally rare Hungarian model 43M machine gun which utilizes the powerful 9mm Mauser cartridge and saw service on the Eastern Front during WWII (lot 1028, $30,000-50,000). This auction will also include many additional and important Class 3 items such as Thompsons, H&Ks, Colts and superb advanced weapons of all kinds.

Top shelf offerings from the esteemed private collection of Rafael Cruz include an extraordinary Marlin 1893 Deluxe Rifle engraved with gold & platinum inlays presented by Marlin to history’s most famous marksman, Annie Oakley (lot 1421, $200,000-250,000). The receiver has special deluxe engraving with gold & platinum embellishments, most likely the work of the renowned Conrad Ulrich. This fine firearm has a very interesting history, chronicled in the book, Marlin Firearms by William S. Brophy and is pictured on pages 200, 547, and 548. Also from the Cruz Collection comes the only known matched presentation pair of Helfrecht-engraved silver plated Colt Single Action Army revolvers with a rich South Texas history (lot 1410, $150,000-225,000), and many others.

In addition to the world class Winchesters and Colts in the first session, an extraordinary offering of antique arms will come to the block, led by a historic Royal French Flintlock Repeating Rifle by Sebastian Hauschka for King Louis XV, incised with the inventory number of the French Royal Cabinet d’Armes #464 (lot 1138, $175,000-275,000), This extraordinary rifle exhibits the very highest quality throughout as befits a royal presentation piece, and is also an exceptional rarity being a repeating rifle built on the Lorenzoni/Berselli system. Another historic masterpiece of elegance in this auction is a cased four gun garniture by French master arms maker Nicolas Noel Boutet (lot 1139, $75,000-125,000). Boutet (1761-1833) was Napoleon’s personal armorer and examples of his work have graced the greatest museums in the world, including a fine collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Rare Civil War and Confederate items have always been a mainstay at Julia’s and this auction is no exception. The finest pair of consecutive numbered Confederate manufactured pistols known, Rigdon & Ansley revolvers SN 1774/5 (lot 1349, $60,000-80,000) and a fine Civil War Ames 1863-dated bronze 12-pounder Mountain Howitzer (lot 1346A, $45,000-65,000) are the headliners, along with a superb selection of edged weapons and Martial arms to round out this genre.

Great sporting arms have been a hallmark at Julia’s for decades and this auction does not disappoint with the offering of the “Miracle Six,” a battery of Holland & Holland Royal Doubles made at the turn of the 20th century for Boston tycoon Nathaniel C. Nash (lots 1180-1184, estimates ranging from $30,000 to $95,000). These guns were put into cold storage in 1915 and have been out of circulation for over 100 years, until now! Also, a magnificent pair of contemporary Holland & Holland 28 gauge gold engraved game guns (lot 1185, $125,000-175,000) and a host of best quality English and Continental guns will be sure to please. Fabulous American sporting arms from the estate collection of Daryl Middlebrook feature rare Parker shotguns and big bore fowling pieces. A one-of-a-kind consecutive serial numbered set of experimental Grand American style Winchester Model 21 Double Rifles (lots 1279-1286, estimates ranging from $20,000 to $35,000) anchor this category.

Julia’s Sporting & Collector offerings on the second part of day 2 and all of day 3 will feature over 650 modestly priced lots across all categories, appealing to a broad base of interests and budgets. Great items from the Ray Bentley collection will lead the session along with the final phase of the prestigious Warren Buxton collection of Walther related goods. Offerings from the Bruce Burtner and Robert Roughton collections will also be featured in the Sporting & Collector sessions.

About James D. Julia, Inc.:
James D. Julia, Inc., a division of Morphy Auctions, has been one of the top ten antique auction antique houses in North America as measured by annual sales. In business for over 45 years, the company conducts high-end antique, collectible and fine art auctions throughout the year. The company has routinely established new world records through its auction events through three key divisions, including Rare Firearms; Fine Art, Asian & Antiques; and Rare Lamps, Glass & Fine Jewelry. Each division is regarded for its excellence and is staffed with world-class specialists to guarantee fair and professional authentication, identification, and valuation services. In December of 2017, James D. Julia, Inc. merged with Morphy Auctions of Denver, PA. Morphy Auctions and James D. Julia, Inc. share a common purpose of delighting collectors worldwide with aligned missions and unparalleled customer service standards. Joining forces creates a synergistic team of passionate staff members to better serve our customers and strengthen the antiques and collectibles industry. All future auctions will be held at the world class facilities of Morphy Auctions. For more information, please visit www.jamesdjulia.com.

Contact:
Scott Wentzell
Director of Marketing for James D. Julia, Inc.
SWentzell@JamesDJulia.com
207-453-7125
 

March 21st Extraordinary Session
• Lots 1000 – 1127 Class 3 Machineguns and Military Items
• Lots 1128 – 1326 Antique and Modern Sporting Arms
• Lots 1327 – 1391 Antique and Martial Arms/Swords (Custer/Indian Wars, Civil War)
• Lots 1392 – 1420 Colt Revolvers (Percussion and Cartridge)
• Lots 1421 – 1443 Marlin and Winchester Lever Action Rifles
• Lots 1443 – 1459 Misc. Gun Safes, Artwork, Fish Carvings

March 22nd Ray Bentley Collection (Extraordinary and Sporting & Collector Sessions)
• Lots 2000 – 2084 Bentley Extraordinary Winchester Lever Action Rifles
• Lots 2085 – 2104 Bentley Rare Cartridge Boards and Collector Ammunition
• Lots 2105 – 2128 Bentley Colts, Gatling Guns and Smith & Wesson Revolvers
• Lots 2128 – 2150 Bentley Saddles, Silver, Misc.
• End of Bentley Extraordinary
• Lots 2200 – 2243 Bentley Sporting & Collector Winchester Lever Action Rifles
• Lots 2244 – 2279 Bentley Sporting & Collector Colt Revolvers and Misc.
• Lots 2280 – 2327 Bentley Sporting & Collector Antique and Martial Arms/Swords
• Lots 2328 – 2395 Bentley Sporting & Collector Military Items and Misc.
• End of Bentley Sporting & Collector

March 22nd Sporting and Collector Session
• Lots 2396 – 2453 Sporting & Collector Winchester Lever Action Rifles

March 23rd Sporting and Collector Session
• Lots 3000 – 3047 Sporting & Collector Colt Revolvers/Accessories, Smith & Wesson

Revolvers
• Lots 3048 – 3119 Sporting & Collector U.S. Martial Arms Edged Weapons/Swords
• Lots 3120 – 3157 Sporting & Collector Antique Arms (mostly Foreign)
• Lots 3158 – 3317 Sporting & Collector Antique/Modern Sporting Arms (US and Foreign)
• Lots 3318 – 3429 U.S. And Foreign Military Items
• Lots 3430 – 3454 Misc. Colts and Sporting Arms

Image	Description
	Lot 1016. Mauser Manufactured WWII German MG42 Machine Gun on Lafette Mount with Accessories
	Lot 1028. Exceptionally Rare WWII Hungarian Model 43M Machine Gun
	Lot 1065. Rare Colt R75A Browning Automatic Rifle with Detachable Barrel
	Lot 1138. Historically Important Lorenzoni-System Flintlock Repeating Rifle by Sebastian Hauschka Made for & Presented to King Louis XV of France, circa 1735
	Lot 1180. Pristine Holland & Holland “Royal” Ejector .577 NE Double Rifle in Maker”s Case, Made for Nathanial C. Nash of Cambridge, MA in 1909, one of the “Miracle Six”
	Lot 1284. Rare Experimental Winchester Model 21 “Grand American” Double Rifle in 45-70 with Case and Factory Letter (1 of 8 consecutivly numbered experimental M21s being offered)
	Lot 1349. Finest Pair of Consecutively Numbered Confederate Pistols Known, Rigdon & Ansley Revolvers
	Lot 1410. Pair of Rare & Desireable Engraved & Inscribed Silver Plated Colt Single Action Arm Revolvers
	Lot 1421. Extraordinary Engraved Marlin 1893 Takedown Rifle with Gold & Platinum Inlaid Design Presented by Marlin to Annie Oakley
	Lot 2004. Engraved and Silver Plated Henry Rifle with Deluxe Wood from the Ray Bentley Collection
	Lot 2010. High Relief Engraved Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Rifle from the Ray Bentley Collection
	Lot 2017. “One of One Thousand” Winchester Model 1873 Rifle from the Ray Bentley Collection
	Lot 2142. Extremely Rare Lloyd”s Patriotic Fund £100 Presentation Sterling Vase from the Ray Bentley Collection
	Lot 2145. Scale Model of the British-Built Brazilian Battleship “Minas Gereas” from the Ray Bentley Collection
	Lot . Fine Civil War Ames 1863 Dated Bronze 12-Pounder Mountain Howitzer

A battery of Holland & Holland Royal Doubles made at the turn of the 20th century for Boston tycoon Nathaniel C. Nash

From the prestigious personal collection of 4-time Oscar-winning Visual Effects Icon, Richard Edlund comes “The Miracle Six”, an extraordinary battery of cased Holland & Holland Royal Models, made to order between 1905 to 1909 for prominent Cambridge, Mass capitalist and sportsman Nathaniel Cushing Nash.

Extraordinary True Pair of Holland & Holland Royal Ejector 12 Bore Heavy Proof Game Guns Made for Nathaniel C. Nash in 1904

Comprised of four Double Rifles (.577NE, .375NE, .360NE, .303 Brit) and a true pair of 12 bore heavy proof game guns, these remarkable specimens were in cold storage by Nash as indicated by the Metropolitan Storage Warehouse Co manila tags attached to each item and subsequently curated by Nathaniel C. Nash Jr. after his father’s passing in 1915. The group have remained under lock and key in Cambridge, MA until their probated liberation in 1986 following Nash Jr’s death!

These stunning reference examples remain in original time capsule condition and represent a true once in a lifetime opportunity for the most discriminating collector of English best quality arms!! Each lot is accompanied by copy of a comprehensive biography of Nash from The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, April 1916.

Pristine Holland & Holland Royal Ejector .375NE Double Rifle Made for Nathaniel C. Nash in 1900

Nathaniel Cushing Nash was born in Boston on April 4, 1862. He was the son of Nathaniel Cushing Nash, formerly of the firm of Nash, Spaulding & Co, sugar merchants of Boston. He graduated from Harvard College with the class of 1884. At that time, he married Nellie Munro Fessenden of Arlington, and lived in Cambridge thereafter. As sole heir of the family estate, he was engaged in no active business and turned his attention to many other interests.

Nash was deeply interested in rifle shooting, yachting, photography, fishing and hunting, and in the pursuit of these pastimes made many trips along the seacoasts of New England. Into the woods of Maine and New Brunswick, and even as far south as Florida. He was consumed with the outdoor pursuits in foreign lands, especially Africa, and amassed a prodigious library of sporting books. He was commodore of the Corinthian Yacht Club and president of the Massachusetts Rifle Association.

Case Label for Superb Condition Svelte Holland & Holland “Royal” Ejector .360 NE Double Rifle Made For Nathaniel C. Nash In 1906

In Cambridge, his business activities were principally centered In the Cambridge Trust Company, of which he was a director, and of which he had formerly been president for several years. He was a member of the Union Club, Algonquin Club, and Oakley Country Club. In 1911, a short time before his death he was credited with a record Caribou for the province of New Brunswick which by all accounts was the heaviest and had the most points of any ever seen in the east!

Nathaniel C. Nash (1862-1915)

Nash’s son, Nathaniel C. Nash, Jr., was educated at Noble & Greenough School, Harvard University (1907), and Harvard Law School (LL.B., 1911). He practiced law in Boston, Massachusetts, and served in the Ordnance Department of the Massachusetts National Guard, achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel in 1930. He served as President of the National Rifle Association from 1941 to 1942.

Featuring the finest and rarest deluxe antique Winchesters in the world

The newly merged and expanded firearms team of James D. Julia Auctioneers and Morphy Auctions is honored and extremely pleased to present the magnificent collections of the late Ray Bentley. Ray’s dad before him was a collector of firearms and the passion for collecting was passed on to Ray at a very early age. Ray’s Winchester collection, based on condition, rarity and value, is the finest of its type currently in private hands today.

Opulent Relief Engraved Winchester 1866 Rifle

Starting in the 1960s, Ray began the pursuit of what would be a life-long passion. His goal was to amass the finest Winchester Collection in existence. For years, if a gun dealer got a spectacular Winchester, Ray was their go-to person. At the time of his recent passing, Ray’s collection was gun-for-gun unquestionably the finest Winchester collection in the world today. Many of his Winchesters are either the finest known example or one of only a couple in existence in such high condition. As such, the auction of his collection will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for connoisseurs of fine Winchesters. As a collection, there is nothing like this spectacular assemblage.

The extraordinary condition and quality is virtually breathtaking to any collector of fine Winchesters, and in addition to his world-class collection of Winchesters Ray amassed innumerable collections with the same discerning eye. His spectacular silver trophy collection is like nothing you will probably ever see again.

Fantastic Presentation Cased & Engraved w/All Accessories Colt 1851 Navy (Ray Bentley Collection)

Some of his other collections include rare fireman trumpets and equipment, fine sheriff’s badges and rare medals, an extensive collection of uniforms and hats, many belonging to famous personage; his collection of saddles, rare collection of ammo, rare and fine pistols, swords and knives and the list goes on.

The first session of the Ray Bentley Collections will be held at Julia’s auction facilities in Fairfield, Maine in March 2018 and will include many rare, important longarms, handguns, knives & swords, rare ammunition and much more. Future sessions will be held at the Morphy Auctions facility in Denver, PA throughout 2018.

A Sampling of the Fabulous Trophies and Awards from the Ray Bentley Collection

Session One will also include important items from Ray Bentley’s silver trophy collection featuring a historic, sterling, oversized beaker to Baron von Richthofen aka The Red Baron from Kaiser Wilhelm, an incredible detailed sterling British battleship, rare and historic, finest known Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund £100 Trafalgar trophy, only 15 awarded – “Wm. Hargood, captain of HMS Belleisle for his meritorious services…obtained over the combined fleets of France and Spain off Cape Trafalgar, Oct. 21, 1805” and a beautiful repoussé bowl with extraordinary scenes of rescue at sea for the Steamship San Francisco, and many more.

Raymond Bentley (July 31, 1935–November 15, 2017) birthday celebration at age 82

Ray was the consummate passionate collector, an accomplished and successful businessman, with a wonderful engaging personality and above all a gentleman of the finest class. If you are a collector of quality Winchesters this is a once in a lifetime event you will not want to miss.

Joe “J.R.” LaRue (1940-2017)

Please join us on the evening of Tuesday, March 20 as we celebrate the exceptional life of our friend and colleague J.R. LaRue. This is an opportunity to come together as a community to remember and honor a very special man.

This special event will be open to the public, however we kindly request the courtesy of an RVSP by February 16th if you plan on attending so we know how many people to expect and can plan accordingly.

WHAT:
A Celebration of Life in honor of Joe “J.R.” LaRue

WHEN:
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
6:00pm to 8:30pm

There will be a social hour until 7:00pm with a selection of hors d’oeuvres and a few of J.R.’s favorite cocktails, followed by a short program.

WHERE:
The Governor Hill Mansion
136 State Street
Augusta, Maine 04330

A block of hotels rooms with a special rate has been reserved and will be held until February 23rd; book online using the links below or call the hotel directly and mention the James D. Julia room block:

Hampton Inn by Hilton, Waterville, Maine: 207-873-0400

Hampton Inn by Hilton, Augusta, Maine: 207-622-4077

RSVP today:
RSVP and include number of people attending with you ASAP to Julie Killam at jkillam@jamesdjulia.com or 207-453-7125

PHOTOS:
We will be preparing a slideshow of memories with J.R., so if you have photos of J.R. that we can include please send them in digital format to Lisa Warren at lwarren@jamesdjulia.com

Click here to read Jim Julia’s hearfelt remembrance of his longtime friend J.R. LaRue.

In Lieu of Flowers
J.R. worked very closely with the Cody Firearms Museum and worked many years with his friend, Warren Newman. For those wishing to remember J.R. it was his specific request that a donation be made to the Cody Firearms Museum. To make a donation in J.R.’s memory, use the link below to donate online and be sure to indicate your donation is in memory of J.R. LaRue in the “Designation” section and your donation will be directed to the museum itself in J.R.’s name: