According to an August analysis from market research company 'Market Decipher', the global collectibles market was estimated at $458.2 billion in 2022 and is projected to continue its impressive ascent over the next decade. The United States represents the largest share of the collectibles marketplace.

In recent years, one of the most prominent performers in the collectibles market has been the field of fine and historic firearms, and the reasons for its success are as varied as the genre itself. Some of the key growth drivers for the platform include a greater awareness kindled by popular media and online communities dedicated to the fine arms pursuit, the global accessibility offered by e-commerce sites and digital bidding platforms, the increased availability of prestigious arms collections, and investors seeking portfolio diversification.

Specialized companies have emerged to cater to every segment of the collectibles landscape. In the fine firearms field, Rock Island Auction Company has held the position of undisputed industry leader for the last two decades, the company’s annual sales now doubling the sum total of their top five competitors combined. Among other factors, this success has been driven by community engagement, relationship building, exceeding client expectations, and a willingness to embrace and innovate new technologies.

Availability of Top Collections

Across every collecting segment, investors seek out the best of the best. The high level of competition for top-tier collectibles has been spurring record sales, often leading to increased media exposure and a surge of new participants willing to pay to enter the market. In the fine arms field, leading collections have finally been hitting the auction block, providing an opportunity for investors and arms enthusiasts to participate at the most prestigious and exclusive level of the pursuit.

Some of the most coveted pieces have been residing in family collections for decades, only surfacing when an owner decides the opportunity is right to bequeath their arms to the next generation or passes away without an interested heir. In both cases, selective sellers seek out the foremost venues to present their esteemed collections, turning to established auction houses with a global reach and a consistent track record. Rock Island Auction’s impressive sales growth, commitment to presentation, and decades of fostering close-knit connections in the fine arms community have enabled the company to offer some of the most celebrated and revered collections in the genre.

In the last two years alone, the arms of presidents, founding fathers, future emperors, and Hollywood heroes have crossed the podium at Rock Island Auction Company. For most of these treasures, it was their first time being offered to the public and each item generated tremendous interest beyond the world of fine arms collecting. Media exposure brings eyes to an auction, and one of the most influential tools in garnering worldwide press in 2023 is the internet.

The Internet’s Influence on Fine Arms Collecting

The mainstream growth of fine arms collecting has always been influenced by popular culture. After World War 2, guns from previous generations were becoming increasingly scarce, and Hollywood films like 'Winchester 73' sparked a strong interest in owning authentic examples of the frontier firearms seen on screen. This demand resulted in a golden age of collecting and higher antique gun prices across the board. Interest in the genre continued to rise and has been further accelerated today by social media platforms and numerous dedicated gun forums that offer collectors and arms enthusiasts an accessible means to share their passion with a vast audience.

Today’s premier auction houses like Christie's, Sotheby’s, and Rock Island Auction Company have been at the forefront of the digital-driven uptrend in the collectibles market, building an extensive online presence and developing next-generation tools that improve the experience for collectors and consignors. Digital appraisal options offer consignors from anywhere in the world a fast and reliable initial estimate on their items. Rock Island Auction Company’s live streaming bid platform, Rock Island Live, provides a secure means for anyone with an internet connection to participate in real-time and has played an instrumental role in the company’s growth from five annual auctions to over 18.

In decades past, the only way for potential buyers to properly assess a vintage firearm was to study it firsthand. High-quality online images allow today’s collectors to examine a firearm remotely and feel more confident in its value. Detailed item descriptions and in-depth videos provide further insight and help bring the experience of an auction event to those who are unable to attend in person. Ultimately, the focus on technical innovation and top-tier presentation is designed to place fine arms in front of millions of potential bidders and to promote active participation in this unique collecting class.

An Invitation to Participate

Fine arms are a far more interactive platform than most collectible classes and can be enjoyed beyond their investment potential. Guns can be displayed in the home or exhibited at a gun show. They can be cleaned and shouldered, and certain select genres such as frontier Winchesters and vintage shotguns can be carefully fired and fielded.

Numerous firearms-focused social media influencers have made a career out of showing classic arms in action. While these types of activities wouldn’t apply to exceptional antiques and historic masterworks, most collectible firearms carry a rich background and provenance that makes them a joy to study and handle, a tangible object whose history can be felt in the curve of the stock and the fit of its metal. Gun shows and gun auctions cater to this desire to actively participate in the hobby.

Years ago, finding rare firearms required meticulously searching through countless classified ads and traveling to numerous far-flung gun shows around the country. The big auction houses like Rock Island Auction Company took the concept of the gun show and expanded upon it by providing collectors an accessible venue to inspect thousands of rare firearms in a single location. The popularity of these events has brought together arms collectors from around the world and fueled dramatic auction results, with Rock Island Auction Company breaking the $100 million barrier for the second year in a row in 2022, a more than threefold increase from the company’s $32 million total for 2011.

A Future of Growth

Even as fine and historic firearms earn recognition on the world stage, they’re still a drastically undervalued alternative asset class compared to other segments of the collectibles market. With some of the scarcest and sought-after guns finally hitting the auction block and a constant stream of new collectors entering the marketplace, the investment potential of fine arms has never been higher.

To further meet such unprecedented demand, Rock Island Auction Company has invested in a new facility in Bedford, Texas, a hotbed of industry growth potential. This recently completed venue is designed to accommodate larger in-person auctions and emphasize the company’s commitment to innovation, presentation, and uniting the collectible arms community. December 10th marked the inaugural Premier Auction in the new facility, a three-day event that drew hundreds of new faces and long-time clients from around the world.

December's Premier Auction auction realized $26.7 million, becoming the biggest gun auction in Texas history and propelling Rock Island Auction Company past the $100 million annual sales mark for its third consecutive year. Capitalizing on this momentum, the company has already announced its first two Bedford auctions for 2024, a February 16th - 18th Sporting and Collector Auction and a May 17th - 19th Premier Auction. Each of these events offers an exceptional array of collectible firearms, with the Sporting & Collector Auctions designed to appeal slightly more to the everyday collector, while Premier Auctions represent the highest level of the arms collecting pursuit in the world.

2023 was another banner year in the collectible arms field that demonstrated the tremendous investment potential in what was once considered a somewhat niche genre. Like the industry it leads, Rock Island Auction Company's story is one of growth and innovation, and the company's Bedford facility, the cathedral of gun collecting, represents a new era in the world of antique and fine arms.