MOLINE, Ill. — The Rock Island Auction Company has announced the firearms and estate of Wilbur Henry Hoffeld will be auctioned on December 6, 7, and 8, 2008 here. Proceeds from a portion of this auction will benefit the NRA Foundation.
The auction will include more than 1,000 Colts, 8 Patersons, 2 Walkers, more than 350 Colt Percussions, more than 80 Colt Brevetes, more than 100 Colt First Generation Single Actions, dozens of 1877s and 78s, more than 300 Winchesters, 5 Henry Rifles, Civil War items, and more.
“This is a tremendous sale headlined by the Will Hoffeld Estate. We are very proud to be chosen to present this fantastic grouping of firearms,” commented Pat Hogan, owner of Rock Island Auction Company. “The old-time collections are drying up and it was a fantastic experience seeing how Will surrounded himself with his collecting passion. His collection speaks volumes about who he was. Each and every firearm has a card detailing who he purchased from, where he purchased it, the date and usually how much he paid. The cards themselves are a journey back in time with names such as Red Jackson, Herb Glass, Norm Flayderman, Al Kelly, Bill Locke and others.”
Wilbur (Will) Henry Hoffeld was born in July 1920. After his father died in 1930, Will and his brother and sister were raised by his mother during the Great Depression. From 1942 to 1946, he served in the Army Air Corp, where he achieved the rank of Sergeant. A few years later, he began his extensive collection of historical Civil War firearms and swords, along with colorful Old West firearms. His passion for Colts fueled his extensive collection which includes a complete collection of Brevetes.
Hoffeld was known for his tireless research and quest for information about every piece in his collection. He won numerous gun show awards and at any given time you could find four to five collector enthusiasts seeking Hoffeld’s expertise at his shop “The Eagle’s Nest,” a military antique store in Los Angeles, California.
This auction has more than 1,000 Colts containing over 350 Percussions, led by a historic Extremely Rare C Company Walker Colt Revolver owned by Confederate General Joseph William Burton Edwards, of the Georgia Militia (estimate $490,000 – $650,000). This auction also contains over 175 Single Action Army Revolvers including a Colt Model 1873 ‘Pinch-Frame’ Single Action Army Revolver with “U.S.” marked frame verified by John A. Kopec (estimate $175,000 – $250,000).
This sale will also include a Rare Colt Texas Paterson Revolver with Seven German Silver Bands and Ivory Grips ($125,000 – $225,000) one of eight Patersons in this auction – all of which are unreserved! Another Colt masterpiece of this auction is an ultra-rare mint-condition historic Colt Double Barrel Rifle, NRA best firearm of the year award winner. Most of the Colt Double Rifles were specially manufactured for friends of Samuel Colt’s son, Caldwell Hart Colt. It is inscribed “Blair D. Taylor/U.S.A.” a Colonel in the U.S Army ($85,000 – $130,000). This auction has over 80 Colt Brevetes featuring a magnificent exhibition quality N. Gilon Liege engraved Brevete Colt Walker Model Revolver.
For a complete listing and more details visit www.RockIslandAuction.com.
