ROCK ISLAND, Ill – A rare Colt revolver was sold this past Friday by Rock Island Auction Company for $1.84 million, breaking the world record for a single firearm sold at auction. The firearm is a rare Colt Model 1847 “Walker” and it is thought that less than 100 were ever produced for the civilian market. This is the only known example in an original case. This holy grail of collector firearms was the flagship of the April 13-15 event which totaled $17.7 million for a single auction, also a new record for the Midwest auction house.

“This is a major milestone in the collecting community,” said RIAC President Kevin Hogan. “Not only is this a world record for a single firearm at auction, but further demonstration that the art and history in firearms is really catching fire. We value so strongly the aesthetics, history, and craftsmanship of paintings, fine automobiles and watches, but firearms that possess those same traits remain remarkably undervalued. It’s an exciting time to see the collector market making that discovery for itself and beginning to take advantage.”

The company has a history of setting numerous exciting world and industry records. RIAC made similar news in 2016 by selling a Winchester rifle with ties to Geronimo for $1.2 million and has sold numerous other significant items such as Teddy Roosevelt’s golden hunting knife and an M1 Garand rifle belonging to John F. Kennedy.

About Rock Island Auction Company

Rock Island Auction Company is the world’s #1 auction company for firearms, bladed weapons and militaria. Founded in 1993 by its current CEO Patrick Hogan, RIAC continues to lead the industry with record sales numbers and their extensive and beautiful marketing efforts. Their 150,000 square foot, two building campus hosts 8 live auctions each year. They actively seek consignments, be it a single weapon or a collection of hundreds, a thousand dollar item or one million. For more information about the April 2018 auction, to see upcoming auction previews, lean more about the company, or to consign in an upcoming sale, please visit www.rockislandauction.com or call 1-800-238-8022.