Morphy’s May 12-14 Firearms Auction Highlights
The Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction returns for a three-day live and online sale at the company’s Denver, Pennsylvania gallery, with 400 lots of antique and collectible firearms of superior quality and historical significance. The sale features a special selection honoring the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, alongside the lifetime collections of David Grunberg and Gary Schlosstein. Bidding links to individual lots from the Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction are included in each item description below. For prior coverage of this auction house, see our $7.5M Firearms & Militaria Auction recap from earlier this year.
Inside the May 2026 Sale
The Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction takes place at Morphy’s Denver, Pennsylvania gallery, with all three days starting at 9am EDT. All forms of bidding are available, including live online via Morphy Live, plus absentee and phone bidding. The fully illustrated auction catalog is available at auctions.morphyauctions.com.
The Collectors Behind the Auction
David Grunberg was born in Argentina and clearly recalls from his youth the day a police officer let him hold his Colt .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol — the heft of the weapon stayed with him. Years later, after his family had emigrated to the United States, he served in the US Army, where he was issued a Colt .45. That began a lifelong fascination for fine firearms and inspired what would become an exemplary collection. To this day, David remains passionately interested in second- and third-generation engraved firearms.
Gary Schlosstein was born in 1928 and was stationed in Europe during the final months of World War II. He started his collection at age 10, when he bought a Civil War musket at a secondhand store in Winona, Minnesota for just $3. That ignited a lifelong passion for collecting historical memorabilia that continues to this day. Gary is the founder of Castlerock Museum in Alma, Wisconsin, which houses ancient and medieval arms and armor and more than 100 period firearms.
Featured Lots from the Morphy’s May 12-14 Firearms Auction
Custom Set of Colt East-West Single Action Army Pistols (Lot 1284)
Lot #1284 is a custom set of Colt Single Action Army pistols, so-named the East-West guns because they were ordered from Colt to pay homage to the Transcontinental Railroad, which joined the East and West Coasts. Each gun was dedicated to one of the iconic engines and their respective companies, with the Jupiter representing the Central Pacific and the Engine 119 representing the Union Pacific. They were built as black powder frame guns and shipped “in-the-white” to noted engraver Leonardo Francolini, who worked his magic and made these Colts true masterpieces — headline lot of the Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction. Estimate: $400,000-$800,000
First-Ever DWM 1900 Swiss Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol (Lot 1179)
Lot #1179 is the first-ever DWM 1900 Swiss Luger semi-automatic pistol, made by DWM in May 1901 with serial number 1. While many military handguns are specific to their respective nations, the Luger is the “World’s Pistol” and has been called the most identified and prized collectible pistol known. The pistol has a prestigious pedigree and was in the collections of both Hank Vissner and Geoff Sturgess. It represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction. Estimate: $400,000-$600,000
Singer Model 1911A1 .45 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol (Lot 1187)
Lot #1187 is an outstanding Singer Model 1911A1 .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol, manufactured by the Singer Sewing Machine Co. (Elizabeth, NJ) in 1940. It is well known as the most desirable pistol among .45 automatic collectors worldwide. This example, one of just 500 produced from an original contract, was only recently discovered and has never before been offered for public sale. It is in pristine condition, retaining more than 97 percent of its original dark DuLite finish. For background on the platform itself, see our article on The 1911 Pistol Legacy: Fierce Warrior for over 100 Years. Estimate: $165,000-$225,000
Cased Purdey .410 SLE Over/Under Shotgun (Lot 1370)
Lot #1370 is an exquisite circa-1994 Purdey .410 SLE shotgun with case. The svelte “ribless” over/under barrels are fitted with a bead front sight on a small 1¼-inch island with smooth ramp and matte textured rib. The shotgun is engraved J Purdey & Sons London in Gothic script. The weapon retains its factory finishes throughout and is mechanically fine. This is an outstanding small-bore shotgun from one of the best makers — a flagship lot in the Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction sporting-arms category. Estimate: $150,000-$250,000
Hartmann & Weiss Bolt-Action Takedown Sporting Rifle (Lot 1371)
Lot #1371 is a magnificent custom-crafted Hartmann & Weiss (Hamburg, Germany) bolt-action takedown sporting rifle, with the two barrels engraved “CAL. .300 JARRETT” and “CAL. .416 RIGBY.” It is in excellent condition, retaining virtually all of the factory-applied blue on both sets of barrels, and the bores are fine and bright with crisp, well-defined rifling. This is an outstanding and versatile rifle of the finest quality for the discerning sportsman and gentleman collector. Estimate: $80,000-$150,000
Browning Automatic Rifle Model 1918 — Hollywood Film Prop (Lot 1010)
Lot #1010 is a fantastic Browning Automatic Rifle, accompanied by a signed letter from Sydney Stembridge stating the gun was used onscreen for the films For Whom the Bell Tolls starring Gary Cooper and The Sand Pebbles starring Steve McQueen. The Marlin Rockwell-manufactured BAR Model 1918 includes a correct WWI-era flash hider. It’s in the original World War I configuration, fully refurbished and refinished to top condition. For the platform’s development and combat history, see our article on The M1918 BAR: Development, Manufacture, and Usage. Estimate: $80,000-$150,000
Colt 1851 Navy Pistol Presented to Brigadier General J. R. Anderson (Lot 1228)
Lot #1228 is a historically important Colt 1851 Navy pistol presented to Brigadier General J. R. Anderson, a Confederate Civil War officer and owner of the famous Tredegar Iron Works, a supplier of vital munitions to the Confederacy. This weapon, well cut throughout with crisp engraving, reflects Colt’s predilection for soliciting multiple sides in conflicts and his tendency to present elaborate arms as a way of currying favor for business. Estimate: $60,000-$90,000
Circa-1754 Musket with Virginia Militia Provenance (Lot 2091)
Lot #2091 is an important, circa-1754 musket with regimental provenance traced to Virginia militia soldier William Field. It is quite likely the only major material survivor of General George Washington’s 1754 Ohio Valley campaign against the French. The extraordinary small-caliber longarm, made by Richard Wilson of London, has historical ties to the land speculation firm The Ohio Company of Virginia. It has a nice brown patina. For broader context on the era’s gunsmithing tradition, see our article on Martin Meylin’s Gunshop: Early American Gunsmithing. Estimate: $50,000-$100,000
WWII German Waffenwerke Brunn ZB-26 Machine Gun (Lot 1005)
Lot #1005 is a World War II German Nazi-proofed Waffenwerke Brunn ZB-26 machine gun, a fantastic specimen of one of the best light-to-medium machine guns of WWII. It boasts a deep, lustrous blue finish on the metal surfaces, with a stunning finish on the barrel cooling rings. Its Nazi proofs only add to its desirability in the American market. It’s hard to imagine a finer specimen will ever surface for private ownership in the States. Estimate: $40,000-$80,000
Hizen Tadahiro Katana Attributed to General Yoda Shiro (Lot 1309)
Lot #1309 is a Hizen Tadahiro katana attributed to General Yoda Shiro, a major general in the Imperial Japanese Army in the interwar period of the first half of the 20th century. Signed “Hizen Kuni Ju Omi no Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro” for the second generation, the 71.2cm-long sword is accompanied by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers attesting to the authenticity of the signature and quality of the blade. Its identification to an infamous general who carried it throughout his career makes it an important historical collectible. Estimate: $30,000-$35,000
How to Bid in the Morphy’s May 12-14 Firearms Auction
Bidding in the Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction is open to absentee, phone, and live online bidders through Morphy Live. Phone-bid reservations and absentee bid submissions can be arranged in advance by contacting the auction house directly.
Auction Details
The Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction, featuring a special selection that celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, will be held at Morphy’s Denver, Pennsylvania gallery, with all three days starting at 9am EDT. All forms of bidding are available, including live online through Morphy Live, plus absentee and phone bidding.
For more information, contact Morphy Auctions toll free at 877-968-8880, or email [email protected]. Online: www.morphyauctions.com.
About Morphy Auctions
Morphy Auctions is one of the leading auction houses in the United States for antique and collectible firearms, militaria, and Americana. Headquartered in Denver, Pennsylvania, the company conducts firearms and militaria sales multiple times per year at its purpose-built gallery, with all forms of remote bidding available through Morphy Live and the major auction platforms. The Morphy’s May 12-14 firearms auction continues a track record built on quality consignments and historically significant lots has made it a destination for serious collectors of fine firearms, edged weapons, and military artifacts.
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