USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- A number of guns from the collection of my father, Neal Knox, are being auctioned by Morphy auctions this week, December 16th through 18th, 2020. I’m afraid I was too busy with the elections to participate in the auction arrangements or promotion, and things have snuck up on me, so my apologies for the short notice.
Anyone interested in bidding on the guns, or just looking, can view the auction catalog at the Morphy Auctions website. Dad’s guns are identified as being “From the collection of Neal Knox,” so a search on the name “Knox” will show you all of them (plus a Civil War relic with a connection to Knoxville, Tennessee, but no connection to our family). I believe there are a total of about 53 lots from Dad’s collection in this auction.
Morphy December 16, 17, & 18, 2020 Field & Range Firearms Auction
Four of Dad’s guns, in three lots, were sold in a Morphy auction in November, including a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine that Dad acquired in 1968 with a serial number of 47. There was also one of Dad’s very few safe queens, a beautiful Browning Olympic rifle which he picked up on a smoking deal many years ago at a gun show. The final lot in that auction consisted of two almost identical Remington Model 742 Woodsmaster semi-auto rifles in .30-06. They were both presentation guns given to attendees at a gun writer convention back in 1967. The only differences between the two guns are their serial numbers and the names of the writers each rifle was presented to. One is engraved with the name “Neal Knox,” the other is engraved with the name of his friend “Elmer Keith.” Elmer gave his rifle to Dad, and Dad was always proud to have them side-by-side in his gun rack. I was particularly disappointed in the price those 2 guns sold for as I loved the provenance.
Dad always referred to himself as more of an “accumulator” than a “collector.” As a prominent gun writer through the 1960s and ‘70s, he had access to all of the new guns and gear and often had the opportunity to get a “brother-in-law discount” on guns he had reviewed. That means there are quite a few great examples of guns from the ‘60s and ‘70s in the collection, with many of them having been featured in articles in publications like Rifle, Handloader, Gun Week, Guns, or Guns & Ammo. Dad was also an avid hunter, top-notch skeet addict, and National Champion Benchrest shooter, and those passions are well represented in the collection, especially the numerous Trap, Skeet, and Field shotguns that he accumulated over the years, and the several Benchrest rifles being offered, including the Shillen DGA rifle he used to win the Benchrest Nationals.
We weren’t able to get all of the guns’ histories into the auction descriptions, but we’re happy to answer questions and share information we have about any particular gun, whether from prospective buyers, or after the sale. Inquiries can be sent to Info@FirearmsCoalition.org.
Again, my apologies for not getting more information about this auction out sooner. This auction represents the bulk of Dad’s collection. There are a few guns that are currently in the hands of various family members, and which might be offered for sale at some point in the future, but if you’re interested in owning a gun that belonged to Neal Knox, this is your best opportunity to do so.
All proceeds from this auction will go directly into my mother’s estate to provide for her care as she struggles with health issues. Again, Dad’s guns will be part of a larger auction being held by Morphy Auctions this week, December 16 – 18, 2020.
You can review the auction at MorphyAuctions.com, or click here.
About Jeff Knox:
Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.
The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.