Miller & Miller's Online-Only Auction, March 29th, Features Sporting Art, Cartridge Boards, Decoys

New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada, March 16, 2025 — An online-only Firearms & Sporting Auction, featuring the diverse and long-time collections of Wayne G. Connor and Robert Warwick, along with many outstanding individual consignments, is planned for Saturday, March 29th, by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., starting promptly at 9am Eastern time. In all, 211 lots will be offered. 

The catalog is packed with early and rare firearms art and advertising, store displays, factory cartridge boards, fine Winchester rifles and shotguns, Colt percussion revolvers, flintlocks, Smith & Wesson cartridge revolvers, North American trade muskets, magnificent decoys, factory reloading tools, scarce ammunition boxes, and a sprinkling of iconic military rifles. 

Individual lots expected to do well include late 19th century Winchester cartridge display boards; an original watercolor hunting painting by John Joseph Barsotti (American, b. 1914); an Upper Canada Militia Colt 1851 London Navy percussion revolver; a New Haven Arms .44 caliber rimfire ammo box; and a circa 1891 Smith & Wesson factory engraved revolver. 

“This exciting and diverse sale featuring advertising, Canadian decoys, collectible ammunition, sporting, military, and antique firearms will appeal to both seasoned and new collectors alike,” said Paul Matheson, Miller & Miller’s Consignment Director for the auction. 

Mr. Matheson added, “Highlights include high condition antique Smith & Wessons, historic Canadian indigenous trade rifles, a Turnbull restored Winchester low wall 15-inch trapper, a wide array of Colt revolvers including two Upper Canada Militia 1851s and an 1860s Richards conversion, a William Marston (Toronto) heavy barrel target percussion rifle, and much more.” 

Lot #181 is an American circa 1897 Winchester Double “W” cartridge display board No. 291, an oak framed lithographed backboard displaying dummy inert samples of all the pistol and rifle cartridges and shotgun shells then being produced in the firm’s New Haven, Conn. factory. The 40 inch by 57 ½ inch board is in very good condition with strong colors (est. $35,000-$45,000). 

All estimates quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars.

Lot #182 is a Winchester circa 1888 inverted “V” cartridge display board, slightly altered from the 1886 introduced version by the addition of two additional rifle cartridges, the .38-56 WCF added on the left side above a primer tin and the .40-60 WCF added on the right side, above a primer tin. The board is housed in a 32 ¼ inch by 42 ¾ inch oak frame (est. $25,000-$40,000).

Lot #55 is the framed watercolor painting by the Columbus, Ohio artist, curator, historian and antique gun collector, John Joseph Barsotti. Titled The Hide Hunters, the 1959 work depicts hunters with heavy caliber Sharps single shot rifles shooting American buffalo for their hides in North Dakota. Beside the hunter lies his Winchester Model 1866 carbine (est. $22,000-$38,000). 

Lot #170 is the rare, circa 1856 Upper Canada Militia Colt Second Model 1851 London Navy percussion revolver, serial no. 34570, .36 caliber, with a 7 ½ inch octagonal barrel and holster. This is a much higher, original condition, Upper Canada Colt than most limited surviving ones and rarer, too, due to having been issued to a small number militia unit (est. $13,000-$19,000). 

Lot #51 is a circa 1863-1865 New Haven Arms .44 caliber rimfire ammunition box for the Henry rifle. The 2-piece cardboard box with light green paper top label, black lettering and border scroll contains 50 copper case rim fire cartridges with raised headstamp in a dished circle and loaded with 26 grains of black powder and a 216-grain flat-nose lead bullet (est. $12,000-$18,000). 

Note to bidders: For lot #51, and other lots throughout the sale, a valid PAL is required for purchase. 

Lot # 59 is a Winchester Custom Shop (Custom Grade) Model 21 SXS double-barrel 20-gauge shotgun, serial no. 30884, with 26-inch barrels chambered for 2 and ¾ inch shells. The shotgun was manufactured in 1967 for a customer. After the cessation of the Model 21 factory production in 1959, only around 1,000 were made in three grades, from 1960-1991 (est. $12,000-$15,000). 

Lot # 152 is a circa 1891 American Smith & Wesson factory engraved, new model revolver in 44 S&W Russian caliber. The weapon has matching serial numbers on the butt, cylinder, barrel rib extension and barrel latch. It’s mechanically sound, and has bright case colors, near-perfect grips and comes with a factory letter confirming the ship date of Dec. 8, 1891 (est. $12,000-$15,000). 

Lot #66 is a circa 1903 Deluxe Winchester Model 1885 high wall special sporting / target rifle, serial no. 82375, in .32-40 caliber with post-production mounted Winchester Model A5 telescopic sight and No. 3 weight, and a 30-inch octagonal and round barrel, 29 inches long. A factory letter confirms the warehouse shipped it on October 6, 1903 (est. $9,000-$15,000). 

This is an online-only auction. There will be no in-person event to attend, but bidders can tune in to the live webcast on March 29th to watch the lots close in real time. 

Here is a link to the March 29th Firearms & Sporting Auction on the Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. website: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-G331GU/firearms-sporting-featuring-the-g-wayne-connor-collection 

Miller & Miller Auctions’ calendar of upcoming online-only auctions includes the following: 

- April 12: East Coast Canadiana & Folk Art, featuring the Chris Huntington collection.

- May 3: Pop Culture – Comics, Toys and Music Memorabilia 

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the Firearms & Sporting Auction planned for Saturday, March 29th, please visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com. Updates are posted frequently.

About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in watches and jewelry, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at [email protected]. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., please visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com. Updates are posted frequently.