This special limited edition, hardbound catalog
was produced after the Julia firearms auction of October 6, 2009. This special
hardbound catalog deals only with the collection of the late Herbert G.
Wellington, Jr. which included the famous Col. Archibald Rogers “A.R.”
Winchester rifles. Colonel Rogers was a personal friend of Teddy Roosevelt, he
was an avid outdoorsman and reported to have made 26 big game hunting trips to
American West over a 24 year period in time. Much of these excursions discussed
in his book “Hunting American Big Game”, published in 1869. He was accompanied
by on many of his trips, by his personal friend Theodore Roosevelt who relates
to hunting trips with Rogers in his book “Hunting the Grisly”. Rogers and
Roosevelt were founding members of the renowned “Boon & Crockett Club”
which exists today and records world records of known big game species. Notable
in the collection was an engraved gold inlaid Model 1876, caliber 45-75 which
had a tremendous recoil. The collection also included another very similar
Winchester rifle, a Model ’73 Deluxe with fabulous Alrich engraving and gold
inlay in caliber .44WCF. The rumor was that his friend Roosevelt convinced him
of the need of the large bore 45-75, but the recoil was very distasteful and according
to verbal history, Rogers ordered the ’73 which would have much reduced recoil.
The Julia Auction Company, which handled this 58-lot collection, was world
renowned for their quality firearms auctions and for many years regularly
handled more high-end, rare and valuable firearms than any other auction house
in the world. This catalog was a special auction hard bound catalog
produced in limited number. The catalog is absolutely gorgeous, and
Julia’s catalogs were generally considered the finest in the industry. A brief
look at this catalog clearly indicates why they were held in such high regard.
It is filled with color images and close-ups. Each lot carries a
definitive description, including size, etc. together with an estimated presale
estimate. Only a limited number of these hardcover catalogs were
produced. 60 Pages. SIZE: Approx. 8-3/4” x 11-1/4”. CONDITION: As
new, never used.