Mr. Keene’s appointment further strengthens Julia’s second-to-none firearms team, already well-established as the finest in the industry.
Fairfield Maine, May 5, 2014 – James D. Julia, Inc., one of the nation’s top ten antique auction houses, is excited to announce that Mr. Keene, who has been consulting with James D. Julia and sister company Poulin’s since 1997 on special projects, has accepted a staff position with Julia’s. Keene is responsible for identifying, evaluating, appraising, and cataloging specialty military firearms for auction. He specializes in Class III machine guns from the first half of the 20th century. He also has expertise with machine guns from the 1950s onward, as well as last century military firearms. Complementing this encyclopedic knowledge is his understanding of the complex rules and regulations associated with different machine gun classes as defined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF). As such, he is a huge asset to Class III buyers and sellers, being able to facilitate and complete transfer forms properly as well as make updates and corrections to the all-important BATF class III registry.
Professionally, Mr. Keene is a soon-to-be retired Army combat veteran who has proudly served our country for over 28 continuous years. Through his work with Julia’s and Poulin’s, he has been able to take his lifelong passion for firearms and build an extensive network of Class III enthusiasts, dealers, buyers, and sellers from every corner of the globe. Always interested in learning more about Class III weapons, Keene was a charter member and officer of the Hiram Maxim Historical Society, an organization of machine gun enthusiasts, through 2002. This association provided a great opportunity to observe and research machine guns on a national scale, as well as make and strengthen business connections in the Class III community.
Mr. Keene credits a series of enthusiastic and talented mentors for his personal and professional success with Class III firearms. As a young boy, he was encouraged by his grandfather and father, who were also veterans, gun collectors, and firearms enthusiasts. A. William Vallerand (1932-2007), the first Class III dealer in Maine, was a close personal friend who shared much knowledge and experience with Keene over the years. Today, Keene gives a tip of the hat to Edwin F. Libby, a retired professor and noted military firearms researcher featured on the History Channel’s “Tales of the Gun,” for the motivation to keep learning, discovering, and sharing everything possible about Class III firearms.
About James D. Julia, Inc.:
James D. Julia, Inc., one of the top ten antique auction antique houses in North America, is headquartered in Fairfield, Maine. The company also has an office in Woburn, Massachusetts. In business for almost five decades, the company conducts high-end antique, collectible, and decorative arts auctions throughout the year. Julia’s routinely establishes new world records through its sales events. The company consists of four key divisions, including rare firearms; fine and Asian art and antiques; lamps and glass; and important toy, dolls, and antique advertising. Each division is regarded for its excellence and is staffed with world-class specialists to insure fair and professional authentication, identification, and valuation services. For more information on James D. Julia, Inc. and the company’s fine firearms division, please visit https://www.jamesdjulia.com.
Contact:
Wes Dillon or Josh Loewensteiner
Co-Department Heads, Rare Firearms and Military Division
207-453-7125 or firearms@jamesdjulia.com