Near Perfectly Preserved Winchester Rifle Discovered After 90 Years Up for Auction

Rock Island Auction Company unveils the historic Winchester Model 1886 'Marshfield Find' at its August Premier Auction

BEDFORD, Texas, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC), the world's premier firearms auction house, is offering an extraordinary discovery in Winchester collecting during its August Premier Auction, Aug. 23-25, in Bedford, TX. The three-day auction will showcase a near perfectly preserved Winchester Model 1886 rifle. The rifle, still packed in its original shipping crate with its ammunition and original scabbard, was untouched for nearly 90 years when it was discovered in a Marshfield, Mass. attic in the 1970's. The auction house has dubbed this rifle "The Marshfield Find" and has set a pre-auction estimate of $150,000 - $275,000.

"I've never seen anything like it. It's a living time capsule," says Kevin Hogan, President of Rock Island Auction Company. "Uncovering something this pristine is a dream come true for any collector. This auction will be the first time it's been out of the family in 140 years, so it's never been photographed before, never been in a book, never been sold, but all that will change very soon. Collectors will be talking about this for years to come."

The Marshfield Find's story begins in Marshfield, Mass., where a nearly perfectly preserved Winchester Model 1886 rifle lay hidden for decades in a colonial-era home built around 1660. This historic house, described as a "block house" from King Philip's War, became part of a 200-acre farm purchased in 1872 by Henry W. Nelson. Upon Nelson's death in 1897, the farm and its historic home were passed to his son, Reverend Henry W. Nelson, Jr.

In the 1970s, the reverend's great-grandsons discovered the rifle sealed in its original crate in the attic, complete with accessories and packing materials. Untouched for nearly 90 years, the rifle survived in a condition that can only be described as miraculous. This extraordinary item comes with a factory letter, the original shipping crate, original scabbard and five boxes of ammunition.

The Marshfield Find's extraordinary condition and provenance make it a highlight of Rock Island Auction Company's upcoming sale. This firearm is among over 1,800 other historic and rare items featured at RIAC's August Premier Auction. Collectors can view these remarkable objects at RIAC's full-day preview event on Thursday, Aug. 22, starting at 10 a.m. CT.

For additional information on Rock Island Auction Company and other highlights of the August event, visit: www.rockislandauction.com.

About Rock Island Auction Company:
Rock Island Auction Company is the world's no. 1 auction company for firearms, bladed weapons and militaria. Founded in 1993 by its current CEO Patrick Hogan, RIAC continues to lead the industry with record sales numbers and its extensive and well-crafted marketing efforts. The company's 150,000 square-foot Illinois campus consists of two buildings and serves as the company's hub for catalog and content production. The 90,000 square-foot Bedford facility opened in December 2023 and will host six of the company's 18+ auctions each year. RIAC actively seeks consignments, be it a single weapon or a collection of hundreds, an item valued at $1,000 or $1 million.

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