Press Release
New Hamburg, ON, Canada, November 5, 2025 — Four cased Colt London Model 1851 Navy pistols (one Lower Canada, one Upper Canada, one American and one British/Canadian, all 19th century) sold for a combined $33,630 in an online-only Historic, Collector & Sporting Firearms auction held on October 25th by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. The 216-lot auction grossed $259,453.
All prices quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Headlining the sale was the longtime collection of Lorenz Werkmeister, a passionate and detail-oriented collector with a focus on historic military rifles. In addition, there were items from a host of other serious collectors. It was a highly anticipated auction, one that featured a diverse assortment of antique, collector and military firearms and an array of accessories and advertising.
“Despite a challenging and dynamic market, the sale was a success, with some excellent results across all categories,” said Paul Matheson, Consignment Director for the auction. “We would like to thank all the consignors and bidders who participated, and congratulations go out to all the winning bidders. We look forward to the next firearms auction, to be held in spring 2026.”
Tops among the cased Colt London Model 1851 Navy pistols was a very scarce circa 1855 Lower Canada (Quebec) weapon issued to the 1st Montreal Troop, pistol number 25. The 1st Quebec Troop received approximately 53 units, while Lower Canada received approximately 255 Colt London Model 1851 Navy revolvers across all units. All numbers were matching on the pistol, which was housed in a felt-lined wooden case. It sold within estimate for $9,440.
Following are additional highlights from the auction, one in which 237 registered bidders placed a total of 4,817 bids. Nearly all of the 216 lots were sold. Online bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and the Miller & Miller website (www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com).
To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the firm’s upcoming auctions, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.
