BEDFORD, Texas (March 24, 2025) – A Winchester Model 1873 “1 of 1,000” carried by Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart in the film “Winchester ‘73” leads Rock Island Auction Company’s roster of immensely historic and high condition offerings in its May 2-4 Premier Auction.

The Winchester Model 1873 is a firearms legend as the “gun that won the West” and the “1 of 1,000” is a true treasure to collectors, so this screen-used rifle is a true pinnacle piece, with a pre-auction estimate of $150,000-$325,000. The first scene in the 1950 film opens on this rifle, won by Stewart’s character, Lin McAdam. It changes hands several times before returning to Stewart by the film’s climax. The gun is highly visible in promotional photos for the movie, and the film’s marketing brought awareness to surviving “1 of 1,000” rifles, making these rare and deluxe rifles even more desirable.

The first Premier Auction of 2025, featuring more than 1,800 lots, will be Friday May 2 to Sunday May 4 at Rock Island Auction Company’s Bedford, Texas venue. A full-day preview will be May 1

The auction will showcase nearly 2,000 items, the guns of icons, historic items, beautifully embellished sporting arms and legendary 19th century firearms. Highlights include:

• A masterpiece of legendary 19th century Master Engraver L.D. Nimschke is the spectacularly engraved and gold inlaid Colt Single Action Army revolver known simply as “Black Beauty” (Pre-auction estimate $650,000-$950,000)

· The historic presentation Colt First Model Dragoon presented to President Franklin Pierce who presented it to Col. Thomas J. Whipple (Pre-auction estimate $250,000-$350,000)

· Gold medal-winning Purdey & Sons shotgun engraved by Master Engraver Ken Hunt depicting Sandro Botticelli’s iconic Renaissance painting “The Birth of Venus” (Pre-auction estimate $70,000-$100,000)

· Extremely rare Civil War Confederate T.W. Cofer percussion revolver (Pre-auction estimate  $250,000-$425,000)

• J. Purdey & Sons over/under shotguns with dazzling game scenes engraved by world renowned Master Engraver Philippe Grifnee (Pre-auction estimate $250,000-$375,000)
• The first assembled model shop M1 Garand owned at one time by inventor John Garand, the U.S. Springfield Armory T1E2 serial number 5 ($180,000-$325,000)
• Ed McGivern’s storied and record-setting Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 (Pre-auction estimate $85,000-$130,000)
• Civil War Confederate Texas Dance & Brothers revolver (Pre-auction estimate $55,000-$85,000)
• A pair of Colt Model 1861 engraved and silver-plated cartridge conversion revolvers carried by Will Smith in the 1999 film “Wild Wild West” (Pre-auction estimate $9,000-$12,000)

The auction will feature more than 300 Colts and nearly 150 Winchesters, many from the legacy collections of Brig & Louise Pemberton, Charles Marx, Greg Lampe, Norman R. Blank and more. The auction will have a significant lineup of machine guns not to be missed.

For more information on the upcoming Premier Auction, please visit www.rockislandauction.com.

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About Rock Island Auction Company:

Rock Island Auction Company is the world’s no. 1 firearms auction company, and has been since 2003. Founded in 1993 by CEO Patrick Hogan, RIAC’s current Bedford, Texas venue has become the world selling headquarters for fine and historic arms, hosting all the company’s in-person auctions. Led by President Kevin Hogan, the company lives by its mission statement to “Elevate firearms collecting. Sell with Passion.” Best known for selling headline-grabbing arms, the company’s multiple auction formats cater to collectors of every experience level.

For more information, please visit www.rockislandauction.com or call 1-800-238-8022.

Media contact: Joel Kolander, (309) 797-1500 or [email protected]