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About this Auction
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to once again introduce you to another phenomenal Premier firearms auction, our final Premier sale of the year. I am not quite sure what it is, but our December sales always seem to have a heightened sense of special. This December’s offering is a continuation of that sentiment. Stellar firearms from every walk of life: the impossibly rare, the near mint condition, and, most notably in this auction, incredibly historic. The historic firearms come to us by way of both original ownership pedigrees, like Theodore Roosevelt’s Special Order Rough Rider New Model Number 3, and legendary collections, like that of historian, author, curator, and collector Jim Supica. A full page intro
is dedicated to Mr. Supica and his collections, and rightfully so, considering all he has done for this great collecting discipline and for the 2nd amendment. In that vein, I would like to take a moment and discuss a few other marquee collections featured across these three catalog volumes.
Last but certainly not least, is the Paul Crockett Jr. Military Collection. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to see Mr. Crockett’s collection in its entirety in his remarkable gunroom. As a caveat, I have to say that all gun rooms are special, but what Mr. Crockett had was unique. You could feel his passion in that room with your eyes closed. It
has been a long while since we have had such a complete collection of WWII US and German military firearms, not to mention his award-winning dagger collection.
Don & Carol Wilkerson
From one author to the next, we proudly offer the Savage Automatic Pistol Collection by Bailey Brower Jr. Unfortunately, Bailey passed just a few short weeks ago during the cataloging process. Bailey authored the definitive work on Savage autos, "Savage Pistols". Mr. Brower put on loan and donated a portion of his collection to the National Firearms Museum.
Kevin Hogan, President
Rock Island Auction Company
Paul Crockett Jr.
It is with great pride that RIA introduces the Don and Carol Wilkerson Collection in its entirety. Don passed over twenty
years ago, and for those of you who did not have the pleasure
of meeting him, you have perhaps read one of the ten books he authored on Colt firearms and related subjects. Mr. Wilkerson's books on Post-War Colt Single Actions and the Model 1878 remain "the bible" on the subjects. Don’s wife, Carol, not only kept the collection intact after Don had passed but continued to build on
its rock-solid foundation and turn it into what you see here today. Additionally, Mrs. Wilkerson continued to contribute greatly to
the Colt Collectors Association by authoring and editing articles
for the organization’s magazine, The Rampant Colt, fund-raising, and charitable activities with the Elizabeth Colt Legacy Foundation. Mrs. Wilkerson was a stellar human being and will be missed greatly by many in this hobby.
In closing, I want to say how grateful we are to have such wonderful people at RIAC. Your commitment to excellence and work ethic is humbling. Each one of these catalogs is the culmination of our entire organization's blood, sweat, and tears. It is amazing
to be a part of it. Cheers to the best team in the business for over twenty years in a row! To all of our consignors, I want to thank you for this opportunity. To all of our clients, we hope you like the catalogs and find the next great piece(s) for your collection. We look forward to seeing everyone in December! From our family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
You’re Invited Please Join us for an Evening of
Bailey Brower Jr.
This December’s auction marks part two, the final installment,
of the Joe Wanenmacher Collection. What a collection Mr. Wanenmacher had amassed, and what an impression he had made on the gun collecting community! This November 12th & 13th, Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show makes it 65 years! Over 4,200 tables and 11 acres of guns! To the Wanenmacher family, thank you for this tremendous opportunity.
Thursday, December 8TH (Auction Preview Day)
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Auction Hall
Joe Wanenmacher
Visit us at the RIAC Premier Auction cocktail party for hors d’oeuvres & drinks, live music by the Jimmy Welty Band along with plenty of reminiscing, gun talk and appreciation of your support!
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