Exotic Taxidermy Recalls a Bygone Era at Cordier’s Summer Firearms Auction

July 2, 2015

The Summer Firearms & Militaria Auction at Cordier Auctions is slated for July 26. Highlights of the sale include a collection of African taxidermy, the life-long collection of Civil War items of a local educator, and a diverse selection of German militaria. The sale will be held at Cordier’s auction house at 1500 Paxton Street, Harrisburg.

The sale will offer antique, military, and modern handguns and long guns, edged weapons, military collectibles, and related art.

Antique long guns feature a Samuel Shuler (Liverpool, PA) Kentucky rifle (est. $1,500-2,000), and a Springfield model 1861 percussion musket (est. $600-1,000). Modern long guns will include multiple M-1 Garands (est. $800-1,200 each) and a specialized Winchester model 52C target rifle in .22 caliber ($700-1,000).

Among the handguns offered will be a 1939 dated Radom WZ-VIS-35 pistol in 9mm caliber ($1,500-2,000) and a Japanese type 26 Nambu revolver ($600-800). Edged weapons include more than 100 lots of collectible knives including Ted Miller and all of the major manufacturers.

A remarkable collection of African taxidermy is sure to impress bidders. The collection is of the late Warren Foltz of Belleville, who travelled to Nairobi on a hunting expedition in 1957. The mount of his first kill, a black rhino, is a star lot in the auction (est. $10,000-15,000). He proceeded to fell 32 animals, which were mounted by Clearfield Taxidermy. The trophies of all 32 will be offered; a pair of African elephant tusks is expected to fetch $8,000-12,000, an African leopard skin with head is estimated at $1,000-1,500.

The life-long collection of Ronald Miller, a Gettysburg educator, will also be offered. Mr. Miller was born and raised in Gettysburg, and collected from the town’s legendary fields his entire life. A member of the Adams County Historical Society and the Lincoln Fellowship of PA, collecting Civil War artifacts was his passion. The collection includes Civil War era edged weapons, buttons, cartridge and cap boxes, belt buckles (Union and Confederate), CDVs, photos, and dug relics as well as GAR collectibles.

Military collectibles include German militaria such as badges, buckles, hats, insignia, and posters. Other militaria include a grouping attributed to Sgt. William Anderson, one of the original Merrill Marauders of WWII and a pall bearer of F.D. Roosevelt (est $500-800).

African Elephant Tusks ($8,000-12,000)

African Elephant Tusks
$8,000-12,000

African Leopard Skin ($1,000-1,500)

 

African Leopard Skin
$1,000-1,500

 

Black Rhino Mount ($10,000-15,000)

Black Rhino Mount
$10,000-15,000 

Civil War Collection

Civil War Collection 
 
Radom WZ-VIS-35 (1939) Pistol ($1,500-2,000)
Radom Pistol
($1,500-2,000)
 
Samuel Shuler (Liverpool, Pa) Kentucky Rifle ($1,500-2,000)
Shuler Kentucky Rifle
($1,500-2,000)
 
US Springfield M-1 Garand - .30-06 Caliber ($800-1,200)
US Springfield M-1 Garand 
($800-1,200)