On November 24, 2021, the 90th auction took place at the well-known Munich auction house Hermann Historica. Among other things, "Fine Antique and Modern Firearms" came under the hammer. No less than three pieces attributed to the "The Master of the Animal-Head Scroll" could be found in the catalog. all4shooters.com presents these firearms and other highlights of the auction. The auction on November 24, 2021 was well attended. Both in presence in the hall on site, as well as on the phone and on the Internet, a large number of bidders participated in the auction of almost 900 lots of firearms from five centuries. And where there are many bidders, there is often a real competition for some lots. This was also the case at this auction. Below we present some of the most exciting pieces from the auction:
A deluxe wheellock rifle from the armoury of the Princes of Esterházy
Lot 2062 was a luxuriously crafted wheellock rifle that was sold for an opening bid of 14.000 euro. The rifle originates from the armoury of the princely house of the Esterházy family. It was made by the gunsmith Matthias Staper (Stoper) in Vienna around 1730. The octagonal barrel comes in 14 mm caliber. The lock plate has a depiction of stag hunting, and the fire-gilt brass furniture is also striking. On the cheek rest plaque is the coat of arms of the Princes of Esterházy flanked by two Cupids. The wheellock rifle achieved a price of 52.000 euro.
Flintlock repeating pistols by Emanuel Wetschgin
A pair of flintlock repeating pistols by Augsburg gunsmith Emanuel Wetschgin (Wetschgi) achieved an equally good result: the bid was accepted at 28.750 euro. The new owner thus receives two pistols with a rare and elaborate repeating system – the auction house explains: “The chamber can be filled with powder and a bullet by pulling the loading lever. This also places the cock in the firing position and fills the pan with priming powder.” This system was probably invented around 1680 by gunsmith Michele Lorenzoni in Florence and slightly improved by Wetschgin. The guns themselves were made around 1715. A similar set is in the collection of the Ingolstadt Army Museum.
Modern guns: SIG P 210-7, Mauser/Koka Mod. 1884 and "Lange Pistole 08"
Of course, modern firearms also came under the hammer and again were able to achieve very high prices. Here for example a SIG P 210-7 Sport pistol in .22 LR caliber with matching numbered original box. With a result of 12.500 euro the starting price could be increased here by almost 10-fold.
In addition, the rare and here even matching-numbered cavalry carbine Mauser-Koka Mod. 1884 could inspire the bidders. In the end, the new owner had to pay 18,750 euros to call this very rare piece his own. What is special about this gun is that it has a tubular magazine under the barrel. This takes five rounds of 10.15 mm Koka Mauser cartridges. The total production of this carbine was only 4,000 pieces.
A gun that has always been in demand should not be missing: the "Lange Pistole 08". The piece that came under the hammer in this auction dates from 1915 and is in almost mint condition. In addition to the gun, the lot also included four matching-numbered magazines, a dark brown cowhide holster marked "J.Meckart Ulm 1915" with a tool wrench with acceptance and a cleaning rod with brass tip. Also enclosed were two brown double magazine pouches without manufacturer's markings. It is clear that the starting price of 2,500 euro was not enough – at the end the hammer fell at 13,750 euro.
90th auction at Hermann Historica – The post-auction sale
In addition to many new owners of first-class, collectible firearms and the sellers, the auction house itself was very satisfied too. Thus, they announced that they were pleased about the unprecedented, lively participation. In particular over their own platform.
By the way: ff you missed the auction, you have until December 23, 2021, to acquire pieces that did not go under the hammer in the post-auction sale. All information and an overview of the lots can be found on the website of the auction house Hermann Historica.
These were the highlights of the auction on November 24, 2021
The 90th presence auction of Hermann Historica auction house on November 24, 2021 includes nearly 900 lots of “Fine Antique and Modern Firearms”. As with every edition, there are of course real highlights in this auction: For example, nobly decorated wheel-lock guns, whose stock decorations come from the hands of the “Master of the Animal-Head Scroll”. In addition, there will be historical works by important gunsmiths, as well as more modern firearms: for example, a SIG Sauer P 210-L de Luxe with gold-inlaid line and acanthus engraving, will also be part of the auction.
Wheel-lock firearms: "The Master of the Animal-Head Scroll"
The stocks of three firearms in the catalog can be attributed to the Master of the Animal-Head Scroll. The activity of the master is proved between 1624 and 1659. Today it is assumed that his place of work was at the imperial court in Vienna. The importance of his work is also shown by the fact that pieces from his hands can be found in many international collections. For example, in the holdings of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
A firearm with the lot number 2054 is a luxury hunting wheel-lock rifle. The richly decorated stock of ebonised wood stands out with native and exotic wildlife, as well as mythical creatures hiding among leafy vines. The caliber of the rifle is 15.5 mm. It comes with openwork appliqués in fire-gilt brass, richly decorated in relief, at the muzzle and above the breech. The lock plate and patch box also have fine openwork appliqués of gilt brass. The lock features a semi-internal wheel. The trigger comes with a set trigger, but the release does not engage. The length of the gun is 106 centimeters. The minimum bid is 35,000 euro.
Also decorated by the Master of the Animal-Head Scroll, a pair of deluxe wheel-lock pistols. These guns were also decorated in the manner of the Master with richly carved floral decoration as well as lions and grotesque heads. The stocks are made of walnut wood. The pistols have octagonal smoothbore barrels in 13 mm caliber. The muzzle and breech ends are engraved with foliage décor. The lock plates also have remnants of silver inlaid tendrils. The locks come with a external wheels. The length of the pistols is 55.5 cm each. Lot 2069 is offered for 20.000 euro.
How to participate in Hermann Historica's 90th auction
Those interested have a variety of ways to participate in the auction at Hermann Historica:
- Quite classically, as a floor bidder live on site in Grasbrunn / Munich (Germany).
- Submitting bids in writing prior to the auction
- Submitting bids online on the auction house's website
- Participating as a telephone bidder
- Bidding live in the auction as an online bidder
You can find out about the details on the relevant pages at Hermann Historica.
The preview to the "Fine Antique and Modern Firearms" auction will take place from November 15 to 20 in the auction rooms of Hermann Historica at Bretonischer Ring 3, 85630 Grasbrunn / Munich, Germany. Always from 11 am to 5 pm. Just as with the participation as a hall bidder, the hygiene concept of the house applies. In addition, for the acquisition of firearms requiring permission see terms and conditions here.
The "Fine Antique and Modern Firearms" catalog for the 90th auction
As usual, you can order the catalog for the current auction from Hermann Historica. It measures 22x22 centimeters and comes to you in a high-quality thread-bound publication with hardback. It contains color illustrations of all 876 lots. A flip page catalog is of course also available online. Let's take a look at the highlights together:
Probably the first functional self-loading pistol: Borchardt C 93
Lot 2331 represents a highlight in the modern firearms section: the Borchardt C93 is probably the first functional self-loading pistol in the world. It is one of the predecessors of the Luger 08 and is one of only 3500 pistols manufactured by DWM. For a starting price of 15,000 euros, the auction winner will receive not only the pistol but also the original wooden case and a wealth of accessories.
SIG Sauer P210 in an absolute luxury design
Things get even more modern with lot 2397, because here comes a P 210-L from SIG Sauer. However, not an ordinary one: the model features an acanthus engraving with gold inlaid lines.
The Swiss cross has also been inlaid in gold, while all the controls shine in gold. The dark walnut grips contrast with the the engravings – also inlaid in gold – on the frame. The pistol is intended for the widespread standard caliber of the original gun: 9 mm Luger. The serial number is P 80040. Of course everything has matching numbers, including the original box. Moreover, the gun comes in new condition and obviously with barrel in the white. Due to the significance of the decorations, the P 210-L de Luxe also comes with a non-firing certificate. The starting price is 3.000 euro.
Other highlights of the 90th auction at Hermann Historica
We at all4shooters.com are already looking forward to the auction and will of course report here on the outcome and any subsequent sales.
For more information about the auction house please visit the Hermann Historica website.
