Reagan’s Pre-Med Scholarship Sale — A Family Effort
A little background on how this sale came about.As Reagan began seriously looking at the cost of college and medical school, she asked us whether she could go through the things our family has accumulated over the years and select items to sell toward her education. We agreed, and it quickly became a family project, with each of us contributing things to the cause.
For those who haven't met Reagan in person at our AH events at the house, hunting and the outdoors have been a major part of her life almost from the beginning.
From roughly age four through seven, Reagan was undergoing treatment for childhood cancer. In a very real sense, she hunted her way through cancer. Hunting, fishing and simply getting outdoors gave her something beyond hospitals, treatments and doctors to look forward to during those years.
At the same time, that experience introduced her to medicine at an extraordinarily young age. She saw firsthand what physicians, nurses and medical teams could mean to a sick child and her family. Somewhere between the hospital and the outdoors, she found the purpose she has carried with her ever since: she wants to become a physician.
And she became quite a hunter along the way.
At eight years old, Reagan became, to our knowledge, the youngest person in Wisconsin history to hunt a black bear. The custom youth rifle she used on that hunt subsequently went with her for red deer and whitetail, and was then passed down to both of her younger brothers for their own first whitetails.
That rifle is now part of this sale.
There are other pieces with family stories attached to them as well. Our household has a somewhat irrational affection for Toyota FJ Cruisers, and our collector-quality FJ is being offered here too. If it sells, we'll buy Reagan's daily-driver FJ from her, since she won't have much opportunity to use it while she's away at college, and that money will likewise go toward her education.
Reagan has applied the same determination to school that she has to the outdoors. She has a 3.9 GPA and 33 ACT, is class president, has earned Dean's List honors, leads a number of both religious and secular student organizations, and serves as a Junior Hunter Safety Instructor and Make A Wish Youth Ambassador.
She has been tougher and more resilient than most grown adults since she was four. Never a victim, always a flourisher, she is a remarkable human being that has confounded and dazzled everyone she has met in her 17 young years.
Her college path creates an interesting financial decision.
If admitted to Wisconsin, she expects to matriculate with approximately 56 college credits already completed, potentially allowing her to finish her undergraduate degree in about 2½ years before moving on to medical school.
If she chooses one of the alternative universities to which she is applying, the undergraduate portion will likely require the traditional four years — and carry a considerably larger price tag.
She is working two jobs, applying for scholarships and saving aggressively now so that when decision time arrives this winter, she can determine which opportunity she can realistically afford.
That is really what this sale is about.
This is not a request for donations or charity. Reagan asked whether she could help fund her own education by turning things our family already owns into tuition dollars, and we agreed to help her do it.
The items will be all over the map — hunting and shooting equipment, ammunition and reloading components, safari and outdoor gear, books, artwork, collectibles, falconry items, antiques, vehicles and assorted things accumulated over a lifetime.
Some are inexpensive. Some are significant pieces. And a few, like that little custom rifle, have been part of our family's hunting story for years.
If they can now begin a new chapter with another hunter while helping Reagan take the next step toward becoming a physician, that seems like a fitting way to pass them along.
Please note, this sale as a personal fund-raiser was pre-approved by the owner of AfricaHunting.com in compliance with their policies.
IF we generate $10,000 or more from this sale, I will donate an AH annual Silver Sponsorship to one of the buyer's selected at random by whatever method AH prefers. If we generate more than $40,000, I will donate an AH annual Platinum Sponsorship to one of the random buyers.
Terms and Conditions:
- We will ship the items anywhere in the lower-48 States if they say “delivered” in the sale price. Alaska and Hawaii residents should private message me because we may or may not be able to accommodate their purchase depending on shipping costs and the nature of the item.
- Payment via Paypal F&F, Venmo, and Zelle are approved. For very large-ticket items we can work out other arrangements as appropriate for the nature of the item. If you’re a complete Luddite but we know each other, I will probably reluctantly accept a personal check for small-ticket items.
- I will be covering the shipping and handling of all items that cite “delivered” prices out of my own pocket so 100% of your purchase price goes to Reagan.
- Errors and Omissions occur. I can also make mistakes on who said “I’ll take it” first. If you’re accepting the offer at the cited price, reply “I’ll take it” in the thread and then send me a PM to arrange payment. When I have to chase people, things get screwed up, when I have people saying “I’ll take it” and they extend a lower offer via PM, it disrupts the sale. Be organized and I’ll do the same.
- Reagan has been auto-admitted to numerous universitates already due to her academic accomplishment. The universities cited are strong contenders but there are no guarantees of acceptance at any university until admissions sends a letter. The three cited are her top choices which she has targeted since touring them as a Freshman.
- I used AI to make photo montages, any irregularities in the photos are thanks to my helping AI hand. Apologies if something looks slightly weird due to AI amalgamation of the photos.
- Live ammo legally must go Fedex ground. Big items or firearms must go fedex ground. Some items may go USPS if they fit in prepaid box sizes for efficiency. It’s seller’s choice based on law and practicality.
Without futher ado, here are the 51 Lots being offered up on this Classified Sale!
ITEM #1 - 1991 Grulla 12/16-Bore Two-Barrel Hand-Detachable Sidelock Set
From her dad: Offered is an unusually fine and versatile 1991 Grulla two-gauge sidelock set, comprising fitted 12-bore and 16-bore barrel sets on a single action. (Apologies AI chopped off the barrels in one of the photos!, it is not a sawed off shotgun!)This gun was one of approximately 15 Grullas produced for auction in support of Ducks Unlimited, giving it an interesting and uncommon provenance without detracting from what is, first and foremost, a serious hand-built sporting gun.
In specification and execution, this gun most closely aligns with the Grulla 215/216 family, while incorporating features that place it in broadly similar territory to the firm's higher-grade Supreme.
Built in the classic English sporting tradition, the gun features a Holland & Holland-pattern 7-pin hand-detachable sidelock action, Southgate ejectors, single trigger, straight English-grip stock, and English pigskin recoil pad.
The stock measures approximately 15¼ inches length of pull, with approximately ⅜ inch cast-off for a right-handed shooter. I think I also have the original recoil pad if you’d prefer a shorter length of pull.
Barrel Sets
12 Bore
- 28" barrels
- 3" chambers
- Interchangeable internal chokes
- External steel-shot-compatible chokes
- 26" barrels
- 2¾" chambers
- Fixed chokes
Specifications
- Maker: Grulla Armas — Eibar, Spain
- Date: 1991
- Configuration: Two-gauge / two-barrel set
- Action: Holland & Holland-pattern 7-pin hand-detachable sidelock
- Ejectors: Southgate
- Trigger: Single
- Stock: Straight English grip
- Length of Pull: Approximately 15¼"
- Cast: Approximately ⅜" cast-off for a right-handed shooter
- Pad: English pigskin
- Gauges: 12 bore and 16 bore
For context, the specifications of this gun broadly correspond to Grulla's 215/216-series sidelocks, with a number of features comparable to those found on the higher-grade Supreme.
The current Grulla 216SL is listed at $13,295 retail. The 216SL is itself a traditional H&H-style sidelock with ejectors, straight-grip stock, hand engraving and chopper-lump barrels. A recently reviewed Grulla 216RB was approximately $16,000 as tested, depending upon options.
At the upper end of the range, the Grulla Supreme currently carries a retail price of $22,995. The Supreme incorporates a seven-pin sidelock mechanism, ejectors, chopper-lump barrels, exhibition-grade walnut and fitted case—features that provide a useful modern benchmark for the quality and replacement cost represented by this gun.
Importantly, those contemporary figures are for single-gauge guns. This 1991 example includes two fitted barrel sets in two different gauges, a configuration that would add substantially to the cost of commissioning an equivalent new gun.
This represents an opportunity to acquire a hand-built, two-gauge Grulla sidelock at substantially below the replacement cost of a comparable modern gun.
Beyond the economics, it is an uncommon configuration: H&H-pattern 7-pin hand-detachable sidelocks, Southgate ejectors, single trigger, unusually generous 15¼" LOP, two fitted gauges, and limited-production Ducks Unlimited auction provenance in one traditional sporting gun.
Against current Grulla pricing of approximately $13,295 for a 216SL, roughly $16,000 for a well-optioned 216RB, and $22,995 for a Supreme before the expense of an additional fitted barrel set, the asking price is a very fair:
$7,800 Delivered to your FFL
ITEM #2 - Historic Madame Roland Lavoie Atlantic Salmon Fly Collection — Ex American Museum of Fly Fishing Collection
From her brother: Offered is an exceptional and unusually well-provenanced collection of approximately 30 hand-tied Atlantic salmon flies by Madame Roland Lavoie, the name used professionally by Thérèse Dufour of Causapscal, Quebec.The collection was formerly part of the collection of the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, Vermont, giving it provenance well beyond that of an ordinary group of vintage salmon flies.
Each fly is individually tied in the traditional Atlantic salmon style and incorporates jungle cock feather, with a broad assortment of colorful married wings, hackles, tinsel, floss, and natural feather materials characteristic of classic salmon-fly construction.
Accompanying the flies is the original presentation card printed:
“MADAME ROLAND LAVOIE”
with the handwritten inscription:
“The very best of luck in your fishing trip.”
The card is particularly important to the collection, directly associating the flies with Madame Roland Lavoie and indicating that they were prepared or assembled for a salmon-fishing trip.
Madame Roland Lavoie was Thérèse Dufour, a Causapscal, Quebec, businesswoman whose married name became the name of her local establishment. Causapscal sits in the heart of Quebec's historic Atlantic salmon country, an area inseparably associated with the Matapédia river system and the traditional salmon-fishing culture of the Gaspé Peninsula.
The collection represents an appealing combination of Atlantic salmon angling history, Quebec sporting heritage, traditional fly tying, and museum provenance.
Included:
- Approximately 30 vintage Atlantic salmon flies
- Each incorporating jungle cock
- Original “Madame Roland Lavoie” presentation card
- Original handwritten fishing-trip inscription
- Former American Museum of Fly Fishing collection provenance
- Storage box as shown
$200 Delivered
ITEM #3 - A-Square “Any Shot You Want” — New, Sealed, Out of Print
From her dad: Offered is a new, still-sealed copy of the classic and long out-of-print:Any Shot You Want: The A-Square Handloading and Rifle Manual
Published by A-Square and written under the direction of Arthur B. Alphin, this has become one of the most sought-after references for hunters, handloaders, and collectors interested in large-bore, dangerous-game, and African sporting cartridges.
This is much more than a conventional reloading manual. It contains extensive discussion of rifle design, cartridge performance, terminal ballistics, pressure, recoil, bullet construction, and practical field use, along with loading information for many cartridges that receive little or no meaningful coverage in modern manuals.
For anyone interested in classic African calibers, A-Square cartridges, double rifles, or serious big-bore handloading, this remains an important reference.
Copies have become increasingly difficult to find, particularly in new, unopened condition.
Art recently passed, sadly. This rare book in uncirculated condition is sure to be a major collector’s item in the coming years.
Condition: New old stock — still sealed in the original plastic
Format: Trade paperback
Published: 1996
ISBN: 9780964368316
$350 delivered
ITEM #4 — Jakunguaq: Das Grönlandbuch der Hermann-Göring-Stiftung
Definitely from her dad: An unusual piece of falconry, hunting, Greenland exploration and Third Reich sporting history.Jakunguaq: Das Grönlandbuch der Hermann-Göring-Stiftung
By Kurt Herdemerten
Georg Westermann, Braunschweig, 1939
This is Herdemerten's illustrated account of the 1938 Herdemerten Expedition to West Greenland, financed by Hermann-Göring-Stiftung.
The expedition was not simply an Arctic sightseeing venture. One of its principal objectives was the study of Greenland's wildlife, with particular emphasis on the white Greenland gyrfalcon. The Smithsonian's catalogue entry for the book specifically notes that studying Greenland's flora and birdlife—especially the white gyrfalcon—was among the expedition's most important objectives.
Herdemerten was accompanied by falconer Hans-Robert Knoespel. Modern scholarship on the expedition records that obtaining gyrfalcons was one of its primary purposes. Five gyrfalcons were ultimately captured and transported back to Germany, including four juveniles and an adult bird.
The book itself is substantial and beautifully illustrated for an expedition account: 136 pages, 17 color illustrations, 43 monochrome illustrations and 29 maps and drawings, with photographs taken by Herdemerten.
Foreword by Hermann Göring
Of particular historical interest, the book opens with a foreword by Hermann Göring.It is important to use his historically correct title here. When this book appeared in 1939, Göring had not yet been elevated to Reichsmarschall, a rank created for him in July 1940. Contemporary notice of Jakunguaq specifically describes the book as beginning with a foreword by:
Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Göring.
At the time, Göring was also Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Reich Minister of Aviation, Minister-President of Prussia, Reichsjägermeister (Reich Master of the Hunt), Reichsforstmeister (Reich Master of Forestry), and Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan.
His connection to the book was therefore more than ceremonial. The expedition was funded through the foundation bearing his name and was directly connected with the Reichsjägerhof and its attempts to study and acclimatize Greenland gyrfalcons for falconry in Germany. The National Museum in Prague still possesses 45 bird specimens collected by the expedition, including gyrfalcons captured for falconry.
The title Jakunguaq itself came from the Greenlandic name by which Herdemerten was known. A contemporary account relates that Greenlanders greeted him by that name when he returned in 1938.
For a collector of falconry books, Greenland exploration, hunting history or Third Reich material, this is an unusual intersection of all four subjects.
$175 Delivered
Item #5 — The Ultimate Zambezi Tigerfish Fly-Fishing Outfit
From dad: This is not a collection of miscellaneous fly-fishing equipment assembled for the sale. I had this entire outfit specifically built and assembled for fly fishing for tigerfish on the Zambezi.Long-time AH members may recognize it because I previously listed the outfit here and described spending approximately $4,500 assembling it, including lengthy import and fabrication delays.
The heart of the outfit is:
Custom R.B. Meiser 11' 7wt Four-Piece Graphite Switch Rod
This was a custom-order Meiser, not an off-the-rack rod. It has custom inset jungle fowl feather work and essentially all of the available cosmetic upgrades.
Meiser remains one of the premier names in American two-handed and switch rods. For perspective, a current custom 11' Meiser switch rod is approximately $1,150 for the rod alone.
The rod is paired with:
Hardy Perfect Taupo Reel — Made in Alnwick, England
The reel includes its original box, papers, and Hardy wool-and-leather case.
I selected the Taupo specifically because it balances the Meiser beautifully. The Taupo is the 3⅞" member of the Perfect family and was designed for the sort of heavier work that makes it particularly appropriate on a switch rod. Hardy/Meiser specifications put the Perfect 3⅞" in the 6/7/8 two-handed line range, while the Taupo has long been associated with switch rods, light Spey, Atlantic salmon and steelhead fishing.
And, of course, it's a Hardy Perfect—a reel design whose lineage dates to Forster Hardy's 1889 patent.
Custom Safari Leather Rod Case
The outfit includes a handcrafted safari-style leather rod tube made specifically for it.This isn't a generic leather-covered tube. It is made from heavy saddle leather with:
- Brass fittings
- Extensive hand tooling
- Royal Purple wool-baize lining
Lines, Heads, Leaders & Tigerfish Rigging
A serious amount of effort went into figuring out how to make a 7wt switch rod actually work for Zambezi tigerfish.The package includes the specialized lines, shooting heads, sinking and floating arrangements, leaders and bite-guard material I assembled for the trip.
The idea was to have one complete system capable of covering the different presentations encountered when fishing tigerfish rather than arriving in Africa with a rod and then discovering that the terminal tackle wasn't right.
Tigerfish Flies
Also included is a large assortment of specialized tigerfish flies representing several hundred dollars by themselves.When I assembled the kit, I sought advice from experienced tigerfish fly fishermen and selected patterns that had actually produced tigerfish rather than simply buying whatever someone happened to label an “African” fly.
The assortment includes patterns by Lee Wulff and others, along with the appropriate bite protection and terminal tackle. My original AH description noted that I had specifically vetted the fly selection with experienced anglers who had actually taken tigerfish on fly.
What You're Getting
This is essentially the entire tigerfish system I spent approximately $4,500 and considerable time assembling:Custom R.B. Meiser 11' 7wt switch rod
Hardy Perfect Taupo reel
Hardy box, papers and wool/leather reel case
Custom tooled saddle-leather safari rod tube
Original Meiser aluminum rod tube
Specialized shooting heads and fly lines
Floating and sinking setups
Leaders and bite guards
Large collection of proven tigerfish flies
Associated terminal tackle
The irony is that I put a great deal of thought and money into building what I considered the ultimate Zambezi tigerfish fly outfit, and I'm simply not planning another Zambezi trip soon enough to justify having it sit unused. My local trout certainly don't require this much artillery.
It would also make an exceptional salmon or steelhead outfit without changing the basic rod/reel combination—the Taupo itself was designed for exactly that class of switch/light-Spey work.
$3,000 Delivered
ITEM #6 — Five Traditional Middle Eastern Falconry Hoods
More from dad: Five traditional Middle Eastern/Arab-style falconry hoods, acquired in the Middle East.In Arabic falconry, the hood is generally known as the burqa (البرقع). It is one of the fundamental pieces of traditional falconry equipment, placed over the falcon's head to restrict its vision and keep the bird quiet and composed while being handled, transported or waiting to hunt. The International Association for Falconry describes the hood as an Arab invention subsequently introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages.
Traditional Arab hoods differ in construction from the familiar Western Dutch hood. They are generally made from soft leather and employ the characteristic Arab pattern and closure. Surviving historic examples are held by institutions such as the National Museum of Qatar, which catalogs the traditional Arab falcon hood as a burga and describes its construction from soft leather.
These five are being offered primarily as falconry collectibles/display pieces. They would look particularly good displayed with falconry books, bells, jesses, blocks or other sporting material.
$175 for all five DELIVERED
ITEM #7 — Complete Antique Tonga Three-Spear Set — Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe
From son and dad where we acquired this in the Tonga region: This is a complete traditional three-spear set from the Tonga people of Zimbabwe's Zambezi Valley.The Tonga were historically a river people whose lives were intimately connected with the Zambezi River. Hunting, fishing and floodplain agriculture were fundamental parts of their traditional livelihood. Modern scholarship specifically documents the use of spears by the Tonga tribe that always carried a trio of spears.
This set consists of the traditional trio I acquired together:
- Game spear
- Fishing spear
- Spear for aquatic animals
The Kariba Connection
The history behind them is particularly compelling.The Tonga had occupied the Zambezi Valley for generations before construction of the Kariba Dam in the late 1950s. Creation of Lake Kariba resulted in the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Tonga and related communities from their ancestral river lands. Academic estimates put the number displaced at approximately 57,000 people on the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides of the river.
The consequences went considerably beyond moving villages. The inundation separated communities, submerged ancestral and sacred places, and deprived the Tonga of the river environment upon which their traditional fishing, hunting and flood-recession agriculture depended.
That history gives traditional Tonga fishing and hunting implements a context that modern decorative African spears simply don't have.
Condition & Display
These originally had shafts approximately 7 feet long.At some point the shafts were deliberately cut on a diagonal at approximately 3½ feet. The diagonal cuts preserve the matching surfaces, so a new owner who wants them restored to their full original length can rejoin the corresponding sections.
Alternatively—and this was my plan—they can be displayed at their present length as a three-spear grouping over or alongside an African shield, where they're considerably easier to accommodate.
The iron heads and original shafts make an impressive ethnographic/safari-room display.
Comparable individual African spears marketed through specialist safari-decor dealers can run into several hundred dollars apiece. I'm offering the complete matched trio together rather than separating them.
$500 Delivered
You get all three—the game, fishing and aquatic-animal spears—as one historically related Tonga set.For someone building a serious African hunting room, I think the complete trio tells a much better story than three unrelated decorative spears
ITEM #8 — Large Southeastern Native American Stone Artifact Collection
Via a dear family friend: This is a large collection of Native American stone artifacts, including projectile points, spear points, axes/celts, hammer-type implements, tools and several unusual forms, including a bannerstone.I acquired the collection years ago from the estate/collection of a research scientist in New England, intending to have the pieces professionally mounted and displayed in my great room. The original cases deteriorated and were discarded, and the artifacts have been individually wrapped and stored ever since.
Based upon the old identifications accompanying many of the pieces, as well as comparison with known artifact types, I believe much of the collection originated in Georgia, with possibly some Tennessee material. I discussed and photographed this same collection on AH back in 2024, well before offering it for sale, and identified it then as a Georgia collection based upon the labeling that accompanied the artifacts.
There is a lot of material here. The collection isn't simply a tray of common arrowheads. In addition to numerous chipped-stone projectile points, the photographs show larger ground-stone implements, axe/celt and hammer forms, and other tools representing a substantial range of prehistoric stone-working traditions. An AH member familiar with artifacts commented on the variety and specifically noted what appeared to be Eastern Woodland forms, axe and hammer heads, and several unusual chisel-shaped implements.
The Bannerstone
The standout piece for me has always been the drilled bannerstone.Bannerstones are among the more fascinating prehistoric North American artifacts. Their exact function has been debated for generations, although archaeological associations have strongly connected many examples with atlatl equipment.
Long-time AH members may remember that this particular piece sent me down a considerable rabbit hole in 2024. I started a four-page AH discussion trying to understand what bannerstones actually did and proposed my own theory about their possible use. The discussion is still available, along with photographs of this collection.
See the 2024 AH discussion and collection photographs
Provenance and Attribution
I want to be precise about what I'm representing.I do not have archaeological excavation records establishing the exact find location of every artifact. The Georgia/Tennessee attribution is based upon the information and labeling associated with the collection and subsequent comparison—not documented modern archaeological provenience.
I'm therefore selling these as an old assembled collection, exactly as I acquired them, rather than making unsupported claims that every piece came from a particular county, archaeological site, culture or date.
The collection has also been publicly pictured on AH since August 2024, providing a useful photographic record predating this sale.
My original plan was to have the entire collection professionally mounted in several large shadowboxes. Properly arranged, I think it would make a spectacular display in a hunting room, library or great room.
I've owned them for years and haven't gotten around to doing it. At this point I'd rather somebody else complete the project than have another bin of artifacts waiting for me to find the time.
The cases were beyond repair and they will be shipped padded, but loose from any board or case.
$2400 Delivered
Everything pictured goes together. I am not breaking up the collection.ITEM #9 —Indian Elephant Howdah / Saddle Footstool
From mom: This is one of the more unusual pieces of safari décor in the collection: an antique Indian-style elephant howdah/saddle, now ideally sized and suited for use as a footstool or decorative piece.The piece is constructed of what appears to be rosewood or mahogany, with decorative wire inlay and elephant ornamentation.
A howdah is the traditional seat or carriage secured to the back of an elephant. Historically, elaborate examples were associated with nobility and were used for hunting, ceremonial processions and transportation. Museum examples show howdahs ranging from functional wooden seats to extraordinarily elaborate royal examples. The Heritage Transport Museum dates one traditional wooden example to about 1900 and notes their use by wealthy nobles in warfare, ceremonies, processions and hunting. The Asian Art Museum similarly notes the association of elephant howdahs with South Asian royalty, hunting and ceremonial use.
This is not a full-size riding howdah; it is the smaller saddle/footstool form that works particularly well as furniture and safari-room décor.
The styling is unmistakably Anglo-Indian and looks terrific alongside African or Indian sporting art, old leather gun cases, campaign furniture and safari memorabilia.
There are interesting full-size antique comparisons in the decorative-arts market. For example, a late-19th-century Indian howdah made of polychromed rosewood is currently offered by a specialist dealer for $4,240. That is obviously a much larger and more valuable object than mine, but it helps illustrate the historical furniture tradition from which these smaller decorative howdah pieces derive.
I bought this because I thought it was an absolutely perfect piece of sporting décor.
$550 Delivered
ITEM 10 - P.O. Ackley 6×31mm Rifle Scope — Extremely Rare
More from dad: Here is something you don't see often — or really ever.This is a P.O. Ackley-marked 6×31mm fixed-power rifle scope, marked 4° Field of View, with a 1-inch tube, very good clear glass and a fine, crisp wire crosshair reticle.
P.O. Ackley needs little introduction to serious riflemen. He was one of the most influential American gunsmiths and cartridge experimenters of the 20th century, and optics bearing the P.O. Ackley name are extremely uncommon. Nick Stroebel's reference Old Rifle Scopes even includes a dedicated entry for P.O. Ackley scopes and describes the Ackley optics known to him as “extremely rare.”
This particular scope is a 6×31mm, rather than the 4× Ackley scope described in Stroebel's 1955 reference, and is plainly marked with the P.O. Ackley name and specifications.
The glass is surprisingly good for a vintage optic. The reticle is a fine wire plex/crosshair — uniform, thin and crisp rather than the varying thickness of a modern duplex reticle.
I think the best home for this scope is on a mid-century custom sporting rifle, and particularly a genuine P.O. Ackley rifle. Many of those old custom rifles have been altered over the decades with modern optics and other modifications. Returning an Ackley rifle or other quality period custom rifle to a historically appropriate configuration is where an unusual scope like this really belongs.
An interesting and seldom-seen piece of P.O. Ackley and American custom-rifle history.
$475 delivered
ITEM #11 — Vintage Pistol Range Box / Case — As New — $125
Dad again: A very nice vintage black pistol range box/case in exceptionally clean, essentially as-new condition.These traditional range boxes provided an organized way to transport a handgun together with ammunition, cleaning equipment, spotting equipment and the other accessories needed for a day at the range.
This example appears to have seen little, if any, meaningful use and would work equally well as a practical range case or as a period accessory for a vintage handgun collection.
I have not identified a manufacturer or exact date of manufacture, so I am deliberately not assigning it to a particular maker, era or competitive-shooting discipline without documentation.
$125 Delivered
ITEM #12 — Antique Mississippi River Steamboat Mahogany Cigar Humidor / Display Cabinet
From mom: An unusual antique mahogany maritime cabinet with brass hardware, represented when I acquired it as having originally served as a cigar humidor aboard a 19th-century Mississippi River steamboat.This is the horizontal cabinet with the heavy glass lid hinged along the back. While originally intended as a humidor, its proportions make it particularly interesting today as a sporting display cabinet.
It is long enough to display a fine cased break-action shotgun or double rifle beneath the glass, along with cartridges, loading tools, books or other sporting accessories. It would make a very distinctive addition to a gun room, library, cigar room or safari-themed space.
The cabinet is constructed of mahogany with brass hardware and has the substantial appearance you would expect from an older piece of maritime furniture.
I do not have surviving ship records identifying the particular steamboat, so I am presenting the Mississippi River steamboat history as the provenance under which I acquired the piece, rather than representing it as independently documented.
Because of the size, weight and glass, this is not something I intend to box and send by conventional parcel service. Buyer to arrange transportation. I have had good luck using U-Ship for pieces like this and can hold it for up to six weeks after payment while transportation is arranged.
$450 + Shipping / Transportation
ITEM #13 — 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser — Safari Tan — Approx. 65,000 Miles
From mom: For the most significant item in Reagan's Scholarship Sale, something considerably larger than the rest.This is my 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser in Safari Tan, with approximately 65,000 miles. It has spent most of its life in Texas and is an exceptionally clean, low-mileage example of the final model year of the FJ Cruiser in the United States. The rest of its life was spent in a climate controlled parking garage in Minnesota that was infrequently used by a family office owner before it came to me less than two years ago when we acquired it with 56,000 miles. It has been in a climate controlled garage ever since acquisition. We paid over $43,000 all-in for this pristine example of the last model year, best color, best condition example we could find nationwide. It’s an immaculate, collector example that has the new-car feel. Pristine FJ cruisers have sold for up to $100,000 in recent years.
It is a 4WD and is particularly well equipped for actual off-road use, including both:
- A-TRAC — Active Traction Control
- CRAWL Control
Interior
The original seats have been protected by custom leather upholstery/seat coverings, preserving the factory material underneath.It also has an upgraded Sony GPS/navigation head unit with Apple Car Play via Bluetooth, backup camera, and Maestro connectivity for all the Cambus and OBDII data. Importantly, I retained the original Toyota radio, which will be included with the vehicle should the next owner ever wish to return it to factory configuration.
Undercarriage
One of the most important things to inspect on any FJ Cruiser is the frame.This truck was professionally treated with NHOU undercoating, and the frame is in exceptional condition. Given what rust can do to otherwise excellent FJs, particularly those that have spent years in northern climates, the condition underneath this vehicle deserves particular attention.
Equipment & Details
Among the notable features:- 2014 — final U.S. model year
- Safari Tan
- Approximately 65,000 miles
- Primarily a Texas vehicle
- 4WD
- CRAWL Control
- A-TRAC
- Custom leather protecting the original seats
- Sony GPS/navigation head unit
- Original Toyota radio included
- Professionally NHOU undercoated
- Exceptional frame condition
- “BIG 5” license plate
This has been a vehicle I've enjoyed owning, but in keeping with the purpose of this sale, I've decided that turning it into part her college fund makes more sense than continuing to keep it. We will be acquiring her FJ Cruiser when she leaves for college in barter. (yes, we own multiple FJ Cruisers)
$39,900 (Note: Net 50% of the proceeds of this item will go towards university expenses, not 100%)
ITEM #14 — Large White Greenland Gyrfalcon Tapestry — After Joseph Wolf /
More from mom: A very large falconry tapestry, approximately 30 × 48 inches, depicting one of the most recognizable images from the golden age of falconry literature: the magnificent white Greenland gyrfalcon associated with Joseph Wolf and Traité de Fauconnerie.Published between 1845 and 1853 by Hermann Schlegel and A.H. Verster de Wulverhorst, Traité de Fauconnerie is regarded as one of the great illustrated works on falconry. Its extraordinary plates were principally the work of Joseph Wolf, arguably the greatest wildlife illustrator of the 19th century.
The white Greenland gyrfalcon is among the work's most striking images and has become an iconic image in falconry art.
This is, of course, a modern woven tapestry reproducing the historic image, not an original Wolf work or 19th-century print.
At roughly 2½ × 4 feet, it has real presence on a wall and would look terrific in a falconry room, hunting library, trophy room or sporting collection.
I previously offered this same tapestry on AH for more, so the scholarship-sale price represents a genuine reduction.
$70 Delivered
More stuff from dad:
ITEM #15 — Redding .300 Winchester Magnum Die Set
A Redding reloading die set for .300 Winchester Magnum.Redding makes excellent reloading equipment, and this is a straightforward opportunity for someone loading the classic .300 winmag to pick up a quality die set for considerably less than buying new.
Includes the dies and box as pictured.
$60 delivered
ITEM #16 — Hornady 7mm Remington Magnum Die Set
A Hornady reloading die set for 7mm Remington Magnum.A good working set of dies for one of the most popular and versatile 7mm hunting cartridges ever developed.
Includes the dies and original box as pictured.
$40 delivered
ITEM #17 — Hornady 7×65R Die Set
A Hornady reloading die set for 7×65R, the classic rimmed European sporting cartridge commonly encountered in drillings, combination guns, single shots and break-action rifles.The 7×65R is essentially the rimmed companion to the 7×64 Brenneke and remains an excellent hunting cartridge, but reloading equipment for it is considerably less common in the United States.
I own rifles in both 7×64 and 7×65R and simply don't need to keep a dedicated second set of dies on the shelf.
$60 delivered
ITEM #18 — RCBS .25-35 Winchester Die Set
An RCBS reloading die set for .25-35 Winchester.Introduced in the 1890s, the .25-35 is one of the classic early American smokeless sporting cartridges and is particularly associated with vintage Winchester Model 1894 and Marlin lever-action rifles.
With factory ammunition and components for older cartridges becoming increasingly sporadic, having a proper die set is particularly useful if you actually intend to shoot one of these old rifles.
Includes the RCBS dies and box as pictured
$60 Delivered, including a box of Hornady bullets for 25-35
ITEM #19 — RCBS .264 Winchester Magnum Die Set
An RCBS reloading die set for .264 Winchester Magnum.The .264 Winchester Magnum is one of Winchester's classic belted magnum cartridges, introduced in 1958 and closely associated with the Model 70 Westerner. It remains an excellent long-range 6.5mm hunting cartridge.
This is the set in the RCBS plastic box shown in the photos.
$60 delivered
ITEM #20 — .30-338 Winchester Magnum Die Set
A reloading die set for the .30-338 Winchester Magnum, the classic wildcat formed by necking the .338 Winchester Magnum case down to .30 caliber.The .30-338 developed an excellent reputation as a high-performance long-range cartridge and was particularly well known among competitive and experienced handloaders before the arrival of many of today's commercial .30-caliber magnums.
As a wildcat, proper dies aren't nearly as common as those for standard factory cartridges.
$75 delivered
ITEM #21 — Bonanza .224 Weatherby Magnum Die Set
A Bonanza reloading die set for the .224 Weatherby Magnum—the set shown at the bottom right in the original die photograph.The .224 Weatherby Magnum is one of Weatherby's more unusual cartridges and was chambered primarily in the Weatherby Mark V Varmintmaster. Rifles, brass and loading equipment for the cartridge have all become increasingly collectible and difficult to find.
Bonanza—later associated with the Forster name—is well regarded for precision reloading equipment, making this an especially useful set for someone still shooting a .224 Weatherby.
$100 delivered
ITEM #22 — 7mm Weatherby Magnum Die Set
A reloading die set for 7mm Weatherby Magnum.The 7mm Weatherby Magnum has been one of Roy Weatherby's classic high-velocity hunting cartridges since the early days of Weatherby and remains an excellent choice for deer, elk, sheep and similar game.
A straightforward working set for anyone loading the cartridge.
Includes the dies and box as pictured.
$50 delivered
ITEM #23 — RCBS 6.5×57 Mauser Die Set
An RCBS reloading die set for the 6.5×57 Mauser, one of the classic European sporting cartridges.The 6.5×57 has a long history in European hunting rifles and remains an excellent mild-recoiling cartridge for deer-sized game. Dies for it aren't something you're likely to find on the shelf of every local sporting-goods store.
Includes the dies and RCBS box as pictured.
$60 delivered
Item #24 — Berger .224 77gr OTM Tactical Bullets — Sealed
A factory-sealed box of Berger .224-caliber 77-grain OTM Tactical bullets.These heavy-for-caliber .224 bullets were designed for precision applications where a high-BC 77-grain projectile is desired, particularly in appropriately twisted .223/5.56 rifles.
The box remains sealed and unused.
$40 Delivered
Item #25 — Rare / Discontinued 7mm (.284) Barnes & Cor-Bon Bullet Lot
A useful collection of older and discontinued 7mm/.284 hunting bullets, including several Barnes designs that have become increasingly difficult to find.Included:
- 2 boxes Barnes 175gr flat-base bullets
- 44 Barnes 160gr Solids
- 50 Barnes 150gr X Bullets
- 20 Cor-Bon 142gr bullets
- Plus assorted Nosler Partitions and round-nose bullets
Everything goes together; I don't want to break up the lot.
$200 Delivered
ITEM #26 — .30-Caliber Barnes / Berger / Nosler Premium Bullet Lot
A mixed lot of premium .30-caliber component bullets from Barnes, Berger and Nosler.A good assortment for the handloader who shoots one or more of the many .30-caliber sporting cartridges and wants quality hunting and precision bullets without buying everything individually.
The lot includes the bullets pictured from:
- Barnes
- Berger
- Nosler
$125 Delivered
ITEM #27 — .358-Caliber Hornady & Speer Bullet Lot
A mixed lot of .358-caliber component bullets from Hornady and Speer.A useful assortment for anyone loading cartridges such as the .35 Whelen, .358 Winchester, .350 Remington Magnum or other .358-caliber sporting rifles.
These are increasingly useful components to have on the shelf given the sometimes inconsistent availability of .358 hunting bullets.
$70 Delivered
ITEM #28 - 7mm Weatherby Magnum Vintage Weatherby Brass — 3 Boxes / 60 Pieces w/ published loads
Three vintage yellow-box Weatherby 7mm Weatherby Magnum boxes, 20 pieces per box / 60 total.These are older Weatherby Ultra-Velocity factory boxes.
Nice lot for someone loading an older 7mm Weatherby Magnum who appreciates original-period Weatherby components.
$150 Delivered
ITEM #29 - Vintage Hornady Frontier .30 M1 Carbine — 50 Rounds
Vintage box of Hornady Frontier .30 M1 Carbine ammunition, 50 rounds, loaded with 110 grain soft point Hornady Super-Shock bullets.Older Frontier packaging with plenty of character; box shows age and shelf wear as pictured. A nice collectible box that is also useful ammunition for an M1 Carbine.
$45 Delivered
ITEM #30 — Antique Zimbabwean Tribal Axe
From her brother: An authentic older Zimbabwean tribal axe, acquired as part of my African collection.This is a traditional ethnographic implement rather than a modern safari-room reproduction, with a forged iron head and traditional wooden haft.
Axes and other iron implements have a long history among the peoples of Zimbabwe and the broader Zambezi region. Ethnographic research on the Gwembe Tonga specifically records locally produced iron axes in various forms alongside hunting spears, fishing spears, harpoons, knives and agricultural implements.
I am deliberately not assigning this axe to a particular tribe, ceremonial function or precise period without documentation. Similar Zimbabwean axes can have utilitarian, status or ceremonial functions depending upon their form and cultural origin, so I would rather describe this example conservatively than manufacture a story around it.
It is an attractive genuine African piece that displays particularly well alongside the Tonga spear and dagger material in this sale.
$250 Delivered
ITEM #31 — Partagás 150 Signature Series “Don Ramón” — Original 1995 Release — Box #976 of 1,000 — Complete & Unsmoked
From dad, circa 18 years old some 32 years ago: This is an original 1995 Partagás 150 Signature Series “Don Ramón”, numbered box #976 of only 1,000 produced.I purchased this box personally when it was released in 1995. I have owned it continuously ever since.
All 10 original cigars remain present. None has ever been smoked.
The original Credo Rondo humidifier remains intact and unopened.
This isn't one of the later Partagás 150 reissues. It is an original 1995 numbered Don Ramón presentation.
The Partagás 150
General Cigar created the Partagás 150 Signature Series in 1995 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Partagás name, founded in Havana in 1845.The extraordinary feature of the 150 was its wrapper.
General used a cache of African Cameroon wrapper tobacco harvested in 1977 and subsequently stored in Spain. Thus, when these cigars were rolled in 1995, their wrapper leaf was already approximately 18 years old.
Today, that wrapper tobacco is approaching half a century old.
The blend consists of:
Wrapper: 1977 African Cameroon
Binder: Mexican
Filler: Dominican and Mexican
The Rarest Partagás 150
General produced approximately one million Partagás 150 cigars across eight different sizes.But only 10,000 Don Ramón cigars were made.
Those 10,000 cigars were divided among just 1,000 numbered boxes of ten. Contemporary Cigar Aficionado coverage specifically identifies the Don Ramón as the smallest production run in the entire Partagás 150 series.
The Don Ramón measures 7 × 52 and was named for legendary Partagás cigar maker Ramón Cifuentes.
Extraordinary Original Presentation
The Don Ramón received packaging unlike the ordinary Partagás 150 production.The ten cigars are housed in individual wooden coffins, which themselves fit inside the elaborate numbered wooden presentation box designed to resemble a book.
Original 1995 examples also carried the signature of Don Ramón Cifuentes on the individual presentation coffins.
Even Christie's has sold this exact presentation. One auction lot was Don Ramón box #858 of 1,000, described as containing all ten individually coffined cigars in the wooden “book,” with the Credo humidification unit mounted in the lid.
That is essentially the same configuration as this box—except mine is:
#976 of 1,000
One Owner Since 1995
The provenance here is unusually straightforward.I bought it new in 1995.
It has never passed through an auction, cigar dealer, estate, or succession of collectors.
I've owned it for approximately 31 years.
All ten cigars remain with the box, and the original Credo Rondo humidifier is still intact and unopened.
For a collectible cigar of this age, I think that history matters.
Not the 2014 Don Ramón
General Cigar did make a limited quantity of Don Ramón cigars available again in 2014, using remaining Partagás 150 tobacco. Those were also sold ten to a box and carried an MSRP of $1,500 per box.But those later boxes were unnumbered.
The original 1995 Don Ramón boxes are the numbered 1-of-1,000 edition. A specialist dealer documenting both releases specifically distinguishes the original numbered 1995 boxes from the later unnumbered release.
This is the original.
A Recognized Cigar Collectible
The scarcity isn't a recent marketing invention.As early as 2005, Cigar Aficionado described the Don Ramón as the rarest cigar in a charity auction and specifically noted that General Cigar had made only 1,000 boxes in 1995.
Specialist cigar sources have subsequently described the original Don Ramón as effectively the “holy grail” of Partagás 150 collecting.
The combination is difficult to duplicate:
Original 1995 release
Don Ramón 7 × 52
Only 10,000 cigars produced
Only 1,000 numbered ten-count presentations
Box #976/1000
Ten of ten cigars present
Individual wooden coffins
1977 Cameroon wrapper
Original Credo Rondo intact and unopened
Purchased new by me in 1995
Single-owner provenance for approximately 31 years
$4,200 delivered
For someone who collects important cigars rather than simply smokes them, I consider this one of the most interesting pieces in the entire sale.
ITEM #32 — C.F.G.R. Schwerdt — Hunting, Hawking, Shooting
From dad, circa 1997 acqusition as a teenager: A complete four-volume first edition of one of the great monuments of sporting-book collecting:C.F.G.R. Schwerdt — Hunting, Hawking, Shooting: Illustrated in a Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts, Prints and Drawings Collected by C.F.G.R. Schwerdt
London: Privately Printed for the Author by Waterlow & Sons, 1928–1937.
This is one of only 300 numbered sets produced and is personally numbered by C.F.G.R. Schwerdt. All four volumes are present. Volumes I–III appeared in 1928 and Volume IV in 1937.
The set is beautifully bound in three-quarter green morocco and green cloth by Kelly & Sons of London, with raised spine bands, gilt lettering and top edges gilt.
The limitation was literal: only 300 copies were printed and the plates were destroyed afterward.
Schwerdt assembled one of the greatest English collections of sporting books, manuscripts, prints and drawings ever formed. The resulting work became a foundational reference for hunting, hawking, shooting, angling, wildfowling, big-game hunting and sporting art. Major auction houses and specialist dealers continue to cite Schwerdt when cataloguing important sporting material.
Volume IV completed and indexed this monumental work shortly before Schwerdt's collection was dispersed after his death. The four volumes therefore preserve the scholarly record of a sporting collection that can never be reassembled. The contents of these books were auctioned off over the course of 5 dedicated, major auctions at Sotheby's in the 1930s and 1940s.
For the collector of hunting, shooting, falconry or sporting art, this is not simply a decorative four-volume set—it is one of the monumental works in the field. In addition to Christies, Sotheby’s, and all the other great auction houses possessing their copies of this work, two copies are located in the Vatican library. An extremely important and rare work of the finest printed quality on the subject matter ever undertaken.
$4,250 delivered
ITEM #33 — Graeme Wright — Shooting the British Double Rifle
1999 expanded Second Edition, hardcover with dust jacket.For anyone who owns, shoots or handloads for British double rifles, Graeme Wright's Shooting the British Double Rifle: A Modern Guide for Load Development and Use is one of the essential modern references.
This is the desirable expanded Second Edition.
Wright substantially revised and expanded the original work, adding updated loading information and appendices as well as material on Paradox guns and cartridges.
It covers the subjects that make loading and shooting vintage British doubles fundamentally different from conventional bolt rifles:
Cases, primers, powders, bullets, Nitro Express ammunition, Nitro-for-Black and black-powder loads, regulation, velocity, pressure, and conversion to suitable modern components.
For anyone who owns or intends to own a British double rifle, it is an exceptionally useful reference.
$265 delivered
ITEM #34 — Alfred M. Mayer — Sport with Gun and Rod in American Woods and Waters
From her brother: A First Edition of one of the great illustrated American sporting books of the late 19th century:Alfred M. Mayer, ed. — Sport with Gun and Rod in American Woods and Waters
New York: The Century Co., 1883.
This is a substantial illustrated volume devoted to American hunting, fishing and field sports, including black bear, buffalo, moose, deer, salmon, trout, black bass, Michigan grayling, split-bamboo rods, fishing reels, bird mounting and bow shooting.
What makes this particular copy especially interesting is its provenance:
It was formerly part of the collection of the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, Vermont.
The book is bound in half leather with the top edge gilt, and the plates appear to be intact. Marbled end pages. Tissue protecting all of the internal plates.
Condition is not perfect: the front board is nearly apart, and I have priced the book accordingly.
For someone building a library of classic American sporting literature, the combination of an 1883 First Edition and American Museum of Fly Fishing provenance makes this a particularly interesting copy.
$200 delivered
ITEM #35 — Antique Tonga Thrusting Dagger — Zimbabwe / Zambezi Valley
From dad and son acquired on one of our safaris: An authentic older Tonga thrusting dagger from Zimbabwe's Zambezi Valley, acquired as part of the same broader collection of traditional African hunting and tribal material as the Tonga three-spear set.This is a traditional African edged weapon rather than a modern decorative reproduction, with the straightforward, functional construction characteristic of implements intended for actual use.
The piece makes an especially interesting companion to the Tonga game, fishing and aquatic-animal spear set listed immediately above and displays very well with other African hunting and ethnographic material.
Although attributed to the Tonga and acquired with material from the Zambezi Valley, I am deliberately not making unsupported claims regarding its precise age, village of origin or ceremonial significance.
A nice, honest piece of traditional Zimbabwean material.
$115 delivered
ITEM #36 — Pair of Genuine Giraffe-Leg Safari Lamps
From mom: A matched pair of genuine giraffe-leg lamps, made in the traditional style as safari-room or trophy-room furnishings.These are genuine preserved giraffe legs that have been professionally converted into lamps—not modern reproductions made to resemble them.
They are the sort of unusual African sporting-room pieces that are increasingly difficult and expensive to recreate today. Producing a comparable pair involves not only the original taxidermy work, but the lamp conversion, hardware, shades, importation and substantial shipping involved with pieces of this size.
They make a striking matched pair flanking a sofa, fireplace, gun cabinet or trophy display, and I am keeping the pair together.
$1,200 Delivered for the Pair
ITEM #37 — Genuine Giraffe-Foot Cigar Ashtray
One of those classic pieces of old-school African safari-room furniture that you simply don't encounter very often anymore.This is a genuine giraffe-foot cigar ashtray, with the preserved giraffe foot forming the base and the ashtray mounted above it in the traditional trophy treatment.
Historically, African game trophies were often incorporated into useful objects for the hunter's home or smoking room—lamps, tables, ashtrays, wastebaskets and similar pieces. This is a particularly recognizable example of that tradition.
It would be right at home beside a leather chair in a trophy room, gun room, library or cigar room, and pairs naturally with the giraffe-leg lamps listed immediately above.
$650 Delivered
ITEM #38 — Griffin & Howe, New York — English Square Gun-Case Oil Bottle
A very nice traditional English square gun oil bottle engraved “Griffin & Howe, New York.”These square oil bottles were designed specifically to fit neatly into the fitted accessory compartments of traditional English-style gun cases. They are one of those small details that can really complete a properly outfitted vintage gun case.
The Griffin & Howe marking makes this example particularly interesting. Founded in New York in 1923, Griffin & Howe became one of America's premier makers and purveyors of fine sporting arms and was closely associated with the great American sporting establishments of the period.
The bottle would make an especially appropriate accessory for a vintage Griffin & Howe rifle, Abercrombie & Fitch gun, British double rifle or fine shotgun case.
It is also simply a neat little piece of classic gun-room equipment in its own right.
$180 delivered
ITEM #39 — English Square Gun-Case Oil Bottle
A traditional English-made square gun oil bottle in the classic form intended for the accessory compartment of a fitted gun case.Unlike the Griffin & Howe-marked example listed immediately above, this bottle is unengraved, which actually makes it particularly useful for someone restoring or completing a vintage gun case. There is no maker's name to conflict with the gun or case in which it is placed.
Square oilers are one of the traditional accessories found in better English fitted cases alongside snap caps, turnscrews, cleaning rods and other gun-care equipment.
An attractive period-style accessory for a British shotgun, double rifle or other fine sporting arm.
$100 delivered
ITEM #40 — Courteney Safari Boots — Cape Buffalo / Gameskin — UK 9½
From the younger brothers: A barely used, essentially as-new pair of genuine Courteney Safari boots, UK size 9½, in the classic tan-and-chocolate two-tone combination.These are the desirable Cape Buffalo / gameskin version, handmade in Zimbabwe—not the less-expensive cowhide model.
Courteney boots have become something of an institution among African professional hunters, safari clients and outdoorsmen. Their traditional construction, broad comfortable fit and distinctive African styling make them equally at home on safari or as everyday outdoor footwear.
This pair has seen virtually no use and presents extremely well. I believe they were worn two days by a pre-teen.
For anyone heading to Africa—or simply wanting the real Zimbabwe-made article—this is an opportunity to pick up a nearly new pair without paying current new-boot pricing.
$300 delivered
ITEM #41 — Courteney Safari Boots — Cape Buffalo / Gameskin — UK 7
A second pair of genuine Courteney Safari boots, UK size 7, in chocolate/dark brown, and also barely used.Like the pair listed above, these are the desirable Cape Buffalo / gameskin version, handmade in Zimbabwe—not the less-expensive cowhide model.
Courteney boots have earned an excellent reputation among professional hunters, safari clients and outdoorsmen for their traditional construction, comfort and durability in African conditions.
This pair is as new, 99%+ condition.
A good opportunity for someone who wants genuine Zimbabwe-made Courteneys at substantially less than the cost of a new pair.
$250 delivered
ITEM #42 — USS
An interesting piece of U.S. Navy destroyer memorabilia with unusual personal provenance.This lighter is associated with a former commanding officer of USS John W. Thomason (DD-760), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned in 1945 that subsequently saw service during both the Korean and Vietnam eras.
I recovered the lighter in the early-to-mid 1980s from a fire-damaged home in Lake Zurich, Illinois, which my father had purchased to restore. The previous homeowner was a U.S. Navy officer who had commanded the John W. Thomason and went on to additional assignments during his Navy career.
Years later I researched the officer, identified him, and even contacted the funeral home handling his arrangements in an effort to return the lighter to his surviving family. I never received a response.
Unfortunately, while putting this sale together I have not yet relocated my old research identifying him by name. Rather than guess at the officer's identity, I am offering the lighter with the provenance I can personally attest to.
A neat piece for a U.S. Navy, destroyer or military-memorabilia collection, and something I've held onto for roughly four decades.
$80 Delivered
ITEM #43 — Custom Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .243 — Youth Rifle
From Reagain: A very special 1956 pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .243 Winchester, custom configured as a proper first rifle for a young hunter.I built this rifle for my children because I didn't want to start them with a cheap, disposable youth rifle. I wanted them to learn with a real pre-64 Model 70 that was properly fitted to their size and could grow with them.
The original stock was shortened and reshaped to British sporting-rifle dimensions, finished with traditional red alkanet, and fitted with interchangeable .75" and 1.25" NECG orange Silvers-style recoil pads. The quick-change pads allow the length of pull to increase as a young shooter grows. The rifle also wears Talley quick-detachable mounts.
Optics are a German Schmidt & Bender 1–4× scope, which I specifically selected for its excellent glass, low magnification and wide field of view—ideal characteristics for teaching a young hunter. The history of putting this rifle together is actually documented in my older AH posts.
Most importantly, the concept worked.
All three of my children hunted with this rifle, and each took their first deer with it. It has also accounted for bear and hind. I documented that history on AH long before deciding to sell it. It is incredibly accurate with both the Hornady Reduced Recoil Hunting Loads and the Barnes TTSX ammo.
A high-quality custom youth hunting rifle built around one of Winchester's great controlled-round-feed actions, with excellent German optics, and designed to grow with its next young hunter.
$3,550 with Schmidt & Bender scope
$2,650 without scope
OR, any amount you wish to pay Reagan above and beyond the above prices.
We’d particularly like to see it go to another parent or grandparent looking for a young hunter's first serious rifle.ITEM #44 — Hendershot's Custom .375 H&H Youth / Reduced-Recoil Loads — 16 Rounds
From her kid brother who slayed the maneating croc of the Kusile river with these: 16 rounds of Hendershot's Custom-loaded .375 H&H Magnum ammunition, loaded with 260-grain Nosler AccuBond bullets.These are not ordinary full-power factory .375 H&H loads. They were specifically developed as youth/reduced-recoil hunting ammunition, providing approximately 9.3×62-class energy while substantially reducing recoil compared with a conventional full-power .375 H&H load.
In our rifle, we estimated recoil at approximately 26 ft-lb, compared with roughly 42 ft-lb from a typical full-power .375 H&H load.
That makes these particularly interesting for a younger hunter, recoil-sensitive shooter, or anyone wanting to become comfortable with a .375 H&H without immediately stepping up to full-power dangerous-game ammunition.
Loaded by Hendershot's with the excellent 260-grain Nosler AccuBond.
16 rounds total.
$100 delivered
ITEM #45 - Youth Hunting & Safari Clothing Lot
From her brothers: Nice assortment of youth hunting, safari and outdoor clothing, primarily Youth Large and XL. This was put together for a young hunter and includes a useful mix of warm-weather safari clothing, camouflage layers and cooler-weather hunting gear.Included are 3 pairs of authentic French Foreign Legion bush pants, a RedHead hunting coat, Columbia camouflage fleece, a Bowhunting/Backcountry camouflage jacket and pants set, and 3 camouflage long-sleeve shirts from KUIU and Rothco. About $1000 of clothing when purchased originally.
Everything is used and shows normal wear from hunting and outdoor use, but remains serviceable. A great starter clothing package for a growing young hunter, especially for someone preparing for their first safari or hunting season.
Selling the entire lot together for $250 delivered
ITEM #46 – Wilhelm Brenneke Lighter / Gold Bar
If you cannot live without your 7x64, 7x65R, or 9.3x64 Brenneke rifle, you probably should have this lighter in your man cave.One one side it is embossed leather with their logo, on the reverse it appears as a gold bar with typical bullion impressions.
$100 Delivered
ITEM #47 – Incredibly Rare Fine Condition Willis & Geiger Safari Shirt
Willis & Geiger was the finest expedition outfitter in America. No longer in business, they outfitted everyone from Hemmingway to Sir Edmund Hillary. These vintage garments are in excellent condition and safari-worthy appreciating assets. I’ve seen these fetch nearly $1000 in some styles at auction. Every year they become more scarce and are truly the authentic garment for African safaris.Green/Grey long sleeve, approximately size Large with generous tail lengths.
$195 Delivered
ITEM #48 – Incredibly Rare Fine Condition Willis & Geiger Safari Shirt
Willis & Geiger was the finest expedition outfitter in America. No longer in business, they outfitted everyone from Hemmingway to Sir Edmund Hillary. These vintage garments are in excellent condition and safari-worthy appreciating assets. I’ve seen these fetch nearly $1000 in some styles at auction. Every year they become more scarce and are truly the authentic garment for African safaris.Short Sleeve. Approximately size Large with generous tail length. Buttoned sleeves.
$165 Delivered
ITEM #49 – Incredibly Rare and Near Mint “Safari Outfitters” of Connecticut Bush Jacket
In the 1980s and 1990s, these were made for a king’s ransom using vintage safari fabrics imported to the USA. This one is an absolutely pristine Bush Jacket of the highest quality from one of the most famous safari labels of eras gone by.Near Mint / Mint Condition. Safari Green/Gay. Size 44
$400 Delivered
ITEM #50 – Classic 1980s “Real Old School” Banana Republic Safari Vest
Back from when they had a Willy’s jeep in the shop and the stools were elephant feet. A real, vintage safari bush vest from the heyday of real Banana Republic. It has a zip-in concealable hood.Size is marked small, but its easily a men’s medium or better that is very, very long and could be worn with a culling belt over the mid-waist.
$145 Delivered
ITEM #51 – A Fine Quality European Made Bush Shirt by the famous Eduard Kettner
From the German firm of Eduard Kettner, a real Safari bush shirt of excellent quality. The company was founded in Cologne, Germany, in 1884 as a hunting and sporting-arms business. It grew into a major European hunting outfitter selling firearms, ammunition, optics, accessories, and hunting clothing, including merchandise under the Eduard Kettner / Kettner name. Historically it operated a substantial catalog/mail-order business and stores throughout Germany and other European markets.Size is unmarked, but it is a SM/Med with very long tails to fit comfortably.
