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Antiques PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

SoldUSA.com June Internet and Catalog Auction Results

(Matthews, N.C.) – An extremely rare California Powder Works “Diana Cartridges” 10-gage empty ammunition box sold for $9,730 in an Internet and catalog auction that went online mid-May and concluded June 7-8. The auction was conducted by SoldUSA.com, the premier hunting collectibles auction site. The shotgun shell box was one of 989 lots that changed hands of the 1,016 lots offered.

“This was a fantastic auction for collectors, as many items saw new world record prices set,” said Chris Roberts of SoldUSA.com. “I saw absolutely no evidence of a sluggish economy. We had top-quality lots to sell, and people weren’t shy about spending their money to acquire them. It was ridiculous, really, the number of people we had bidding, and the number of bids that were recorded.”

The auction had more than 10,000 individual bidders and over 500 winners. Participants signed up to bid from as far away as New Zealand, Austria, England, Germany, Japan and Malaysia. The site absorbed especially heavy traffic on Saturday, June 7 (over 1.4 million hits) and Sunday, June 8 (over 300,000 hits), a record for SoldUSA.com. It was during these two days that many new records were set.

The “Diana Cartridges” box was one such record. Only four such examples were known to exist before this one was discovered. It was found with a California Powder Works Perfection label over the “Diana Cartridges” one (not an uncommon practice for ammunition makers). SoldUSA.com sent the box to its restoration people, who soaked off the top label and restored the item to a fantastic condition.

Enormous interest was expressed in the box, but it was not the top lot of the sale. That honor went to a Winchester Rival 10-gage, 2-piece partial Christmas box, 100-count. It soared to $10,797. The box, labels intact, featured a hunter with two dogs on point. “We’ve only seen two of these boxes in 20 years,” Mr. Roberts said, “and the restoration is impeccable. Only a trained eye can see a hint of it.”

Following are additional auction highlights. All prices quoted include a 13% buyer’s premium.

A Winchester 1909 Grouse poster, boasting perfect color and correct top and bottom snowflake bands, commanded $6,175.

The poster, a prime example, measured 30-1/2” x 15-1/8” and is considered a desirable piece of Winchester art. Also, an exceedingly rare Early Peters Quick Shot 12-gage empty two-piece shell box, in the highly desirable red coloration on the front, hit $3,616 (a new world record).

A Liberty Cartridge Company 12-gage 2” empty box, pictured on page 71 of The Encyclopedia of Shotgun Shell Boxes, went for $3,205 (a new world record). The box, with a correct bottom and all panels intact, was in splendid condition. Also, an Austin Crack-Shot Shell Box, 10-gage, empty, in the rare pink variation, achieved $2,967 (a new world record). The box was clean and partially restored.

A Peters Trap Load 12-gage “Pumpkin Box” — still factory sealed and as crisp as the day it left the factory – hammered for $2,492 (a new world record). The example had no shell protrusions, no fading, no label wear and no discolorations. Also, a Winchester Express 7” brass window display, with a clear 7-compartment window showing various sizes of shot, realized $2,208 (a new world record).

An Early Peters Target 12-gage empty shell box in outstanding condition sold to a determined bidder for $2,074. “This is without a doubt the best example of this box we have ever seen,” remarked Mr. Roberts. “The colors were bright and vibrant, and the box had the correct bottom label.” Also, a Peters Premier 10-gage empty shell box with only light soiling coasted to $1,955 (a new world record).

A Winchester case insert die-cut advertising sign, featuring a gaggle of geese, flew away for $1,542. The front goose was a “pop-out” and the piece was meant to hang and attach to another round die-cut, to make up a larger display. Also, a Stevens Firearms self-framed small tin sign, made by the New Jersey Aluminum Company, undated (and measuring 7” x 12”) found a new owner for $982.

A Winchester Super Speed Long Range .22 Long Rifle Shot lot of three boxes, all correct and in near-mint condition, climbed to $836. Only some slight ink wear to one side of each box constituted very minor blemishing in an otherwise immaculate offering. Also, a Peters Cartridge Co. High Velocity .22 Klay Bird lot of three one-piece boxes, in near mint condition, with slight imperfections, hit $684.

A Western New Chief Squirrel Hunter shell box insert, an example of Black Americana with an insert showing a squirrel hunter and the squirrels conversing about whether the shotgun is loaded with New Chief shells, earned $735. Also, a Shoot DuPont Standard Loads Duck Hunter shell box insert, featuring a duck hunter in a sneak boat in full brilliant color on the front side, changed hands for $627.

An unused Winchester razor blade, still in its original packet and in near-mint condition, brought $535 (a new world record). Also, a UMC Cartridges rare early window decal with white tail deer, with “Cartridges Best for Any Rifle” on the bottom, was a bargain at $504 (a new world record); and $504 was also paid for a Western New Chief Opossum Hunter shell box insert (Black Americana).

SoldUSA.com’s next big sale promises to be just as good as this one, maybe even better, with an outstanding single-owner collection from North Carolina slated to cross the block beginning in August and concluding in September (watch the website for more details). Offered will be advertising items from the ’20s and ’30s, to include posters; calendars; tin signs; die-cuts; giveaways; displays; and more.

SoldUSA.com is one of the oldest Internet companies in the world. It started in 1990 as the brainchild of Ronnie Roberts, who launched Dixie Sporting Collectibles and very shrewdly took note of the young company’s success with Internet sales. It eventually evolved into what it is today — SoldUSA.com, the premier hunting collectibles auction site on the Web, with 30,000 registered users.
Recently, SoldUSA.com launched two other websites, also catering to the collecting world: Huntingcollectibles.com and Warauction.com. SoldUSA.com is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call them directly at (704) 815-1500. Or, you can inquire by e-mail at [email protected]. SoldUSA.com is based in Matthews, N.C.