Winchester Collector - Forum: Winchester Rifles

Zebulon on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:44:11 +0000

Having met some of the Strange Rangers in the PNW tech industry who, having been early employees and thus stock or option holders become wealthy after big public offerings drove the value of their securities into the Stratosphere -- I do not doubt the winner of this rifle could be one of them. If so, he may have considered himself formally attired, as if for a board of directors metting.

As likely, he was a paid agent of a foundation, museum, wealthy family, or consortium of investors. When you wield that size checkbook, you can dress like the 800 pound gorilla you are to the guy at the podium.

My comments on Stanton are directly germane to provenance and relative value of the Henry discussed.

TXGunNut on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:51:44 +0000

Jeremy P said

tim tomlinson said
Many conjecture on the buyer, especially on how he was dressed, etc.


To be clear, he WAS wearing more than shorts and flip-flops.

Yep, I'm thinking a black cap.

Mike

Jeremy P on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:49:11 +0000

tim tomlinson said
Many conjecture on the buyer, especially on how he was dressed, etc.

To be clear, he WAS wearing more than shorts and flip-flops.

tim tomlinson on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:23:40 +0000

Bill and others, I've enjoyed reading the comments. Most have little to nothing to do with the rifle, itself. Many conjecture on the buyer, especially on how he was dressed, etc. He may be but the agent for putting the Henry and a few others into a vault for some investor or consortium of investors who only see an object. Mention was made about "art" and that may be very close to reality. For all that, we are just guessing and its of no import other than the value we can not even dream of approaching. This and other valuable rifles may not see the public again in our lives. But it and others will build cash value for the owner or owners as an investment piece. My thoughts and nothing about Stanton, other than impact on the investment. Tim PS, wouldn't it be nice to see it on a table at Cody?!

Zebulon on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:50:21 +0000

I'd wondered about that too, Ian. But I think it illustrates Oliver Winchester's thinking that the Secretary of War was the official most directly involved with arms selection for the Union and the one whose opinion on that subject would be accepted by Lincoln.

Historians agree Stanton was the most effective cabinet officer in that government and the one most trusted by Lincoln to reorganize the army and make sure it was well supplied. At the time, no uniformed officer had that kind of influence.

Stanton stood out and was the man Winchester was astute enough to focus on. Not that it helped.

General Ripley, the Chief of Ordnance adamantly opposed on principle to repeating rifles, was not wrong to thwart adoption of the Henry for general infantry issue. Had Winchester gotten his desire, realities of the battlefield environment (Chickamauga, The Wilderness, Vicksburg and Port Hudson) might well have poisoned the Winchester brand for a long time.

Anthony on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:34:59 +0000

Could be politics we're involved giving number one to his most dependable confidant! What did he care if he got #6 or #1? He still got one!!!

Tony

mrcvs on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:07:31 +0000

Rick C said

mrcvs said
While $5,875,000 seems like a huge amount for this Henry rifle, plus added fees, it seems very cheap compared to the high end art market. Almost makes the buyer of this rifle seem like a rookie:
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-expensive-auction-works-2025

I agree, but then again this is not your average Henry rifle. SN 1 in any model always seems to command the biggest premium and prices. Not sure how much the buyer also valued the provenance with this one but I would guess a substantial amount.

I would. The provenance and engraving is actually more important to me—in this case—than the provenance. Largely because of this:

https://www.si.edu/object/henry-presentation-rifle%3Anmah_881516

I’m surprised that Edwin M Stanton got the serial number 1 rifle and Lincoln got serial number 6, and not the other way around.

Rick C on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:59:20 +0000

mrcvs said
While $5,875,000 seems like a huge amount for this Henry rifle, plus added fees, it seems very cheap compared to the high end art market. Almost makes the buyer of this rifle seem like a rookie:
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-expensive-auction-works-2025

I agree, but then again this is not your average Henry rifle. SN 1 in any model always seems to command the biggest premium and prices. Not sure how much the buyer also valued the provenance with this one but I would guess a substantial amount.

Jeremy P on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:56:32 +0000

On a side note, to kick off the auction (America's 250th celeb), they brought in a 101 yo WWII Marine who, according to them, was a flame thrower and witnessed the iconic raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. He then sang God Bless America and did a great job. Couldn't have dreamed up a better way to start it off!

mrcvs on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:12:08 +0000

While $5,875,000 seems like a huge amount for this Henry rifle, plus added fees, it seems very cheap compared to the high end art market. Almost makes the buyer of this rifle seem like a rookie:

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-expensive-auction-works-2025

Zebulon on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:15:17 +0000

There is a reason the Internal Revenue Service does not accept auction hammer prices as evidence of fair market value -- the existence of what I call the "Mine is bigger than yours derangement syndrome" that seizes and temporarily throttles capacity for rational thought in the brain of a bidder when he is outbid. Notice that I use the male pronoun.

Ben on Pre War Model 70 Safety

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:33:45 +0000

Lou... I am thankful for your willingness to share your vast knowledge! This goes to all the rest of the members (Bert, JWA, Elliot, Rick, Mike, Mark, Denny and many more!) that have put in so much time to gather accurate information regarding this hobby we love. It's what makes this group so great! Looking forward to seeing you & everyone else in Cody! Travel safe my friends... Ben

Buck94 on Above my pay grade

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:11:35 +0000

Rick C said
Well, it certainly set a new record and then some. Unless another has sold for higher since, the most expensive antique rifle ever sold at auction prior to this was a Winchester Model 1886 Sporting Rifle (also Serial Number 1), which fetched $1.265 million at the Rock Island Auction. This is 4x that.

I was in awe when they sold the Rifleman’s 1892 rifle for 500k a few months back! Who knew that was a steal! 😁😳

Rick C on Above my pay grade

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:53:27 +0000

Well, it certainly set a new record and then some. Unless another has sold for higher since, the most expensive antique rifle ever sold at auction prior to this was a Winchester Model 1886 Sporting Rifle (also Serial Number 1), which fetched $1.265 million at the Rock Island Auction. This is 4x that.

steve004 on Above my pay grade

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:17:24 +0000

I'm of the thought that the higher - if not record-breaking - prices we are seeing does help to raise all boats. I get Bill's analogy of his Toyota pickup vs. a top-end Mercedes, but I think the fact that the commonality between Henry #1 and a low grade Winchester being firearms, is relevant.. What I mean is, when people see others sinking bigger and bigger dollars into firearms, people get the message that firearms are increasingly worth sinking money into. And not only money that was perhaps easy to acquire by a high-roller, but hard-earned dollars too. I think it bolsters overall confidence in collectable firearms.