The collectible arms community will gather for holiday shopping December 10-13, 2024, at Morphy’s Pennsylvania gallery. The company’s four-day series is packed with American, European, and Japanese legacy firearms and militaria and opens with a very special December 10 session titled The Art of War in America, 1750-1850: The James L Kochan Study Collection. The December 11-13 lineup features one exciting highlight after another, including the Kenneth Smith-Christmas collection of Irish arms, and fresh selections from the Jim Cyr collection and Frank Brownell knife collection. In all, there are more than 2,100 lots.

The opening session (December 10) is devoted exclusively to the James L Kochan Study Collection. It includes museum-quality martial artifacts, paintings, manuscripts and imprints from the crucial period of American history between 1750 and 1850, an era marked by hard-fought battles for liberty and land. “James Kochan is a collector and dealer of the highest degree who has handled some of the most important of all known artifacts from the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812,” said Dan Morphy, president of Morphy Auctions. “He is also the author of numerous reference books that are highly respected by others who share his passion for American military history. It is a tremendous honor for us to represent his collection at auction.”

The spirit of Boston’s early patriots comes to life in the form of an inscribed fusil (carbine) of the Charlestown, Massachusetts Minutemen that belonged to activist and merchant Benjamin Hurd Jr. (b. 1749/’50-1821). The gun has a full-length cherry stock with relief-carved panels around the lock and sideplate. Its profile displays British influence and it has four fabricated brass ramrod ferrules, the foremost being trumpeted. Its escutcheon is inscribed Benja Hurd jr 1775. It comes with an iron ramrod appearing to be original to the piece. The fusil passed by descent through the Hurd family until it was purchased by James Kochan at Northeast Auctions in 2010. Subsequently, it became the property of Steve Hench, then was reacquired for the Kochan collection. Its auction estimate is $30,000-$50,000.

Attributed to Matthew Pratt (American, 1734-1805), the Portrait of Captain John Barry, Continental Navy, c. 1776 is an oil on canvas work laid to a mahogany panel and presented in a contemporary carved and gilded frame. Irish-born Barry (1745-1803) was the first officer, either military or naval, to receive a commission from the Continental Congress. That document was signed by John Hancock and dated December 7, 1775. His first command was the 14-gun Lexington, while his last – due to being seriously wounded in battle – was the frigate Alliance, May 1781. With provenance that includes lateral family descent to Barry Hayes Hepburn (1886-1966), followed by private acquisitions, it comes to auction with a $20,000-$40,000 estimate.

Poised to unleash its formidable firepower at auction, an extremely rare bronze 4-pounder cannon of the Gribeauval System is one of only two surviving examples in that caliber to pre-date the French Revolution, when most were melted and recast. Its tube measures 62-1/4 inches from the muzzle to the cascabel. Made October 12, 1765, at the Royal Foundry in Douay, France, it is identified on the top of the barrel as LA SEDUISANTE’ (THE SEDUCER). Weighing in at a hefty 650lbs, it is expected to command a winning bid of $80,000-$120,000.

The three-day Firearms & Militaria Auction to follow is crowned by a unique and historically significant early 1960s Colt AR-15 machine gun that was presented to JFK’s Chief of Staff General Earle G. Wheeler. Manufactured and specially serialized by Colt for presentation to Wheeler – who was instrumental to the adoption of the forward assist feature on the AR-15 – its markings include PROPERTY OF U.S. GOVT. and XM 16E1. The gun comes with a hardwood display rack bearing an inscribed brass presentation plaque. Displaying near-excellent original factory finish with showy gold plating on the receiver and barrel, this one of a kind weapon is estimated at $100,000-$200,00.

Two spectacular World War II machine guns top the auction list of NFA arms requiring BATF approval prior to transfer of ownership. The first is a German machine gun manufactured by C.G. Haenel and marked MKMKB42H on the left side of the receiver. With a 16-inch barrel and chambered 7.92 x 33mm Kurz, it has an extended gas cylinder and enlarged long muzzle nut, and lacks the familiar safety on the grip housing – all indications that the gun was not one of the later MP or STG models. Approximately 8,000-12,000 units like the auction example were made between early 1942 and mid-1943. Nearly all were fielded into Russia, with few surfacing in the US. Estimate: $40,000-$80,000

The second premier WWII machine gun is a Nagoya arsenal Type 99 7.7mm with a 21-inch barrel and all visibly numbered parts matching. It was manufactured in August 1944 and captured by the 1st Marine Division at the Battle of Shuri Castle, Okinawa, in July 1945. The lot includes two original unnumbered 30-round magazines and an original two-cell Japanese magazine pouch numbered 6738. Provenance: Given to US Navy officer Peter Mills aboard ship at Okinawa by the “Engineer of the First Marine Division,” as documented by Mills’ 1996 handwritten account, attested to by the veteran’s son in a sworn affidavit. Copies of documentation accompany the gun. Estimate: $15,000-$25,000

An Old West treasure, a Winchester 1873 .44-40 lever-action rifle was used by Chief Rain-in-the-Face (circa 1835-1905), who apocryphally earned his name after a childhood fight left him with blood “raining” down his face. The chief participated in many battles against Whites including a raid on Fort Totten (ND) and the Fetterman Massacre (WY), both in 1866; and multiple bitter encounters with General George Custer. Allegedly, he Rain-in-the-Face cut the heart out of Custer’s younger brother Thomas’ chest at Little Bighorn, and on his deathbed, the chief reputedly confessed to a missionary that he might have also shot and killed George Custer at the same battle. Estimate: $60,000-$90,000

A premier Colt factory nickel-plated Single Action Army Revolver was originally shipped on February 21, 1889 to J.F. Schmelzer & Sons, Kansas City, Kansas, in a shipment of six guns. It has a two-line address on the top of the barrel, a three-line patent date on the left side of the black-powder frame, matching serial numbers on the frame, trigger guard, backstrap and inside of the left grip panel. It comes with a sealed, 1878-dated 12-round packet of Frankfurt Arsenal .45 Colt ammunition and a Colt factory letter indicating its serial number, 127677. Estimate: $25,000-$35,000

An archival Colt factory letter also accompanies an outstanding pair of Colt Boa .357 Magnum Double Action Revolvers with 4- and 6-inch barrels, respectively, and confirms the pair’s configuration and shipment to Lew Horton Distr. Co. Inc., of Southboro, Mass., on March 28, 1985, the only year of the model’s production. Horton purchased the entire production run of 1,200 units. The guns have ribbed barrels, ramp front sights, fully adjustable rear sights, and checkered rosewood grips with gold Rampant Colt medallions. Together with original factory woodgrain boxes and a display case, these very scarce Colts could earn $30,000-$40,000 at auction.

The sporting category boasts many examples, such as a circa 2020 Holland & Holland Deluxe bolt-action rifle, Serial No. 4572, in .500 Jeffery caliber with a 24-inch barrel. It is engraved ahead of the rear sight .500 JEFFERY, and HOLLAND & HOLLAND BRUTON STREET, LONDON ahead of the quarter rib. Also, it bears a 2009-dated London nitro proof for a .500 caliber rifle on the right side of the barrel and has a “GP with a Crown” proof on the right side of barrel ring. Built on a Johannsen double square bridge large ring Mauser action, this fine specimen is estimated at $35,000-$50,000.

From Italy comes a circa 1982 Ivo Fabbri SLE side by side game gun with blued 28-inch chopper lump nitro-proofed barrels built with ejectors, 2-3/4-inch chambers, and a hand-filed, raised and tapered rib with a round steel-bead front sight. Chokes are Improved Cylinder in the left barrel and Skeet in the right barrel. The coin-finished side-lock action displays images of hunting scenes by master engraver Claudio Tomasoni, while a hunting dog retrieving a hare from the woods appears on the bottom of the action. An absolutely top-quality production, it is estimated at $20,000-$40,000.

Historically significant, an Ames Model 1840 knight-head militia officer’s sword was presented to California pioneer John A Sutter, famously known as the owner of Sutter’s Mill in Coloma. The scabbard is engraved Presented to Major General John A. Sutter / by Captn / A. Andrews / Sacramento City 1853. One of the most coveted of all early California relics, it will convey to the winning bidder with a copy of an 1853 newspaper article documenting the sword’s presentation, plus descriptions from the 2008 auction where it sold for $172,000. Estimate: $30,000-$50,000

A prized entry from the Frank Brownell collection, an SR Johnson custom “Big Bear” hilt knife has an 8-1/2-inch blade and an overall length of 13-3/4 inches. It was engraved by Barry Lee Hands with a gold rendition of the artist’s trademark Renaissance Leaf, with carefully placed diamonds on large mother of pearl scales. Its heavily-engraved pommel and guard are, likewise, accented with diamonds. The frame is marked S.R. JOHNSON / MANTI, UTAH. Estimate: $20,000-$40,000

Morphy’s auction series featuring The Art of War in America, 1750-1850: The James L Kochan Study Collection (Day 1) and Firearms & Militaria (Days 2-4) will be held at the company’s Denver, Pennsylvania gallery, starting each day at 9 AM ET. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the internet through Morphy Live. Questions can be addressed by calling (877) 968-8880 or emailing info@morphyauctions.com, and online at www.morphyauctions.com.