Historic Firearms and Western Art Headline Major June Auctions in Texas and Santa Fe
Two major auction events in Texas and New Mexico this June are set to draw collectors and historians with rare firearms, Western artifacts, and culturally significant items tied to American history.
Rock Island Auction Company will host “The American Sale” on June 27 in Bedford, Texas, featuring 173 curated lots spanning more than two centuries. Among the items is a historically significant Henry rifle presented to Edwin Stanton, Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of War. The rifle, serial number 1, is considered a foundational piece in the evolution of Winchester firearms and is estimated to sell for between $1.6 million and $3.5 million.
Stanton’s rifle is one of a small group of presentation firearms given to key government figures during the Civil War era. Comparable examples tied to President Lincoln and Navy Secretary Gideon Welles are held in museum collections, making the Stanton rifle the only one of its kind currently available to private collectors.
The Texas auction will also include other notable items such as a Revolutionary War-era letter signed by George Washington, a firearm carried by General Norman Schwarzkopf during the Gulf War, and historical artifacts linked to the origins of the U.S. national anthem.
Meanwhile, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Morphy Auctions will hold a large-scale Old West and Native American art auction on June 20, coinciding with the 36th Annual Old West Show. The event will feature more than 500 lots, including Western fine art, Native American artifacts, antique firearms, and historical memorabilia.
Among the highlighted pieces is a percussion revolver attributed to outlaw Jesse James, with an estimated value of $100,000 to $150,000. Another item is a silver cast sculpture by Frederic Remington, valued between $70,000 and $100,000, as well as a rare parade saddle from the 1930s.
Both events are open to public participation, with in-person previews and multiple bidding options available, including online and phone bidding. Organizers say the auctions reflect sustained interest in historically significant artifacts and Western Americana across a range of collecting levels.
The 36th Annual Santa Fe Old West Auction will be held live on June 20, 2026 (Day 1 of the June 20-21 Santa Fe Old West Show) at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 W Marcy St, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Start time: 5pm MT (7pm ET). All forms of remote bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone, via mobile app, or live online through Morphy Live.
Rare Toys and Sports Memorabilia Drive $1.8 Million Auction at Morphy’s
A wide range of vintage toys, sports memorabilia, and collectible items brought in more than $1.8 million at a two-day auction hosted by Morphy Auctions in early June, reflecting continued demand for rare and well-preserved pieces across multiple collecting categories.
The June 2–3 sale featured more than 1,300 lots, with top prices shared by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card and a late 19th-century W. Britains boxed set of Germanic royal fusilier toy soldiers. Each item sold for $51,660.
The Mantle card, considered one of the most recognizable pieces in sports collecting, came from a long-held private collection and had not been professionally graded. Auction officials noted its strong visual condition, including color and centering, contributed to the result.
The Britains soldier set, believed to be the only known boxed example of its kind, significantly exceeded expectations. The set includes eight infantry figures and a mounted officer and has been previously documented in reference literature on antique toy soldiers.
Other notable sales included a Christensen Agate boxed set of “guinea” marbles, which reached $49,200, setting a record for that category. Additional marble lots also performed strongly, including a large green glass example that sold for $29,520 and a rare sulphide marble featuring a detailed horse figure that brought $27,060.
Sports collectibles continued to perform well beyond the Mantle card. An unopened 1972 Topps baseball card wax box sold for $35,670, slightly above its pre-sale estimate.
Vintage lunchboxes also drew attention, with a 1954 Superman metal lunchbox and Thermos set selling for $31,980, underscoring sustained interest in mid-20th-century pop culture items.
According to the auction house, strong bidding activity was seen across several categories, particularly toy soldiers, marbles, and lunchboxes, suggesting broad-based demand among collectors.
The sale is part of Morphy Auctions’ ongoing series of specialty auctions focused on toys and general collectibles, which continue to attract both seasoned buyers and new entrants to the market. Online: www.morphyauctions.com.
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