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A veteran of the Mexican War, this rare Walker Colt sold for a record $920,000 at auction in Fairfield, Maine. Image courtesy James D. Julia Auctions.

Colt Walker pistol hits record $920,000 at James Julia auction

A veteran of the Mexican War, this rare Walker Colt sold for a record $920,000 at auction in Fairfield, Maine. Image courtesy James D. Julia Auctions.
A veteran of the Mexican War, this rare Walker Colt sold for a record $920,000 at auction in Fairfield, Maine. Image courtesy James D. Julia Auctions.

FAIRFIELD, Maine – With the world economy under siege, a Colt Walker pistol came out blazing to set a record at James D. Julia Inc.’s firearms auction Oct. 7. The rare and historic Colt Whitneyville-Walker pistol, made for use in the Mexican War, sold for $920,000, inclusive of the 15 percent buyer’s premium.

Considered the finest example of a martial Colt Walker extant, the pistol had been estimated to sell for $500,000 to $1 million. The sale price represents the most expensive single firearm ever sold in North America and is believed to be the most expensive ever sold in the world.

The historic Colt was issued at Vera Cruz in 1847 to Pvt. Sam Wilson, a Texas Ranger. Brevet Maj. Gen. John Reese Kenly of Maryland eventually obtained the gun after Wilson was killed in the war.

Julia’s held the past two world records for Colts with previous sales of $480,000 and $432,000.

Julia’s assemblage of rare antique guns brought extraordinary results despite turbulent economic conditions. The two-day auction totaled $11.5 million with 75 percent of the lots selling.

Another rare Colt cased fluted Army revolver sold for $454,000. In all nine objects realized more than $100,000, 32 sold above $50,000, 119 sold for more than $20,000, and 278 topped $10,000. The average sale value of approximately $11,400 is the highest average ever achieved by an auction house for firearms.

For details contact James D. Julia Inc. at 207-453-7125 or visit the Web site www.jamesdjulia.com.


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

James D. Julia auctions the record-setting pistol at his sale Oct. 7. Image courtesy James. D. Julia Auctions.
James D. Julia auctions the record-setting pistol at his sale Oct. 7. Image courtesy James. D. Julia Auctions.