Rock Island Auction Company not moving from Rock Island

Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC) — which bills itself as the world’s No. 1 firearms auction house — held its first major auction last weekend at its new facility in Texas, but it’s not moving from Rock Island.

RIAC celebrated the opening of its Bedford, Texas location with a three-day Premier Auction (Dec. 8-10) that realized $26.7 million, led by the Winchester Model 1873 One of One Thousand of Thomas Stuart.

It was a festive event as RIAC welcomed new and familiar faces to its Dallas-area facility to take in the new sales venue and bid on a stellar lineup of high-conditioned and historic firearms on offer across 2,252 lots, according to the company website. The auction offered the opportunity for collectors to acquire pieces from truly legendary collections and firearms across an array of genres from flintlocks to modern machine guns.

After 30 years of business, RIAC “has seen a tremendous amount of growth and interest in the firearms collection field. Despite the fact that our first location in Moline and current facility in Rock Island have provided an excellent foundation on which to build our business, the industry is growing and has been for quite some time,” a company spokesperson said this week.

“As long as 10 years ago, around a campfire, the idea to expand into Texas was born,” the statement said. RIAC has had its headquarters at 7819 42nd St. W, in southwest Rock Island, but that HQ will now be at the new Bedford facility, southwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.

Two years ago, RIAC purchased a location in Bedford, Tex., and has “made an immense investment turning it into the finest brick-and-mortar auction house in the United States,” the company said. “Naturally, this has generated quite a few questions from our local community and our industry, and we’d like to take some time to answer two of the most frequently asked.

“Are you moving? No, we are not. This is an expansion. Our current building with its 150+ employees will remain open in Rock Island as our production facility. Our Texas location will be our new selling venue and a new world destination for fine arms collectors. It will also serve as the company headquarters, but operations will continue out of our Rock Island facility.

“Will auctions be held in Rock Island? No. The Bedford location will serve as our selling facility for all auctions that may be publicly attended,” the statement said.

RIAC has said the Bedford venue will “elevate gun collecting, giving these arms a worthy setting for their history, their artistry, and their legacy. It is a realization of a 30-year dream, and yet such a destination for fine arms is long overdue.

“It will be the finest brick and mortar auction facility in the United States, 90,000 square feet filled with cutting edge technology, relentless hospitality, and meticulous presentation,” the company said. “The new world selling headquarters for arms collectors of all disciplines will host auctions, accommodate lectures, display world-class firearms, and advance the world of gun collecting to new and exciting heights.”

In February 2022, RIAC president Kevin Hogan said: “With a rich military history, the gun culture in Texas is prominent. So, expanding our auction services to the Lone Star State was a no-brainer. We have seen a tremendous amount of growth in the firearms collections industry, and we are excited to bring our auctions and showroom to Bedford for the community to experience.”

Rock Island Auction Company’s second facility features a firearms showroom, auction hall, vault, room for offices and shipping, and more.

“We want to create more opportunities for the world to experience these amazing antique and historical firearms, either to add to their collections or to learn about them. When people attend the auctions in person, they can see the pieces firsthand, hold the items, and engage with other attendees. It’s an amazing time of fellowship and brings together a niche community of avid collectors and historical enthusiasts,” said Hogan.

In 2022, RIAC reported sales of more than $107 million. Rock Island hosted 20 auction events, selling 42,500 legacy pieces with more than 40 fine arms realizing six-figure values.

Throughout 2022, the company held three premier auctions, each earning more than $18 million, with the May auction achieving $28.2 million.

In May 2022, Rock Island Auction Company realized its single highest priced offering ever sold with Ulysses S. Grant Remington Revolvers auctioning for $5.17 million.

Plus, last year’s million-dollar sale of a famous movie weapon by Rock Island Auction Company is now in the Guinness World Records 2024 book as the “Most Expensive Prop Gun Sold at Auction.”

It is the BlasTech DL-44 Heavy Blaster, made for the character of Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy. The gun, the only survivor of the three originals made for A New Hope in 1976, sold for $1,057,500 at Rock Island Auction Company on Aug. 30, 2022.

For more information, visit the company website HERE.

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