Mike Dubber
Elite Cafe Member
I posted photos of the 2019 Safari Rifle here in late October 2018 when John Bolliger and I had finished the work. The rifle has been featured in the SCI Magazine and in other advertising leading up to the Saturday (January 12, 2019) evening Auction. Meanwhile, like with all other major projects, John and I have been anxiously awaiting the auction hoping for the best.
This was Number 5 of a Five Rifle World Heritage Series and we both gave it our best. John and I started the Series in 2014 with the African - it sold for $135,000. Rigby set the bar the following year with a winning auction bid of $250,000. Three other Rifles of the Series faired well, but Rigby had set the bar for SCI auction proceeds.
The SCI Saturday Evening Auction is a major event, and the bidding is always fast and furious. SCI has held the World Heritage Rifles as the final auction item throughout the series, and we had to wait to the very end to face the music.
The auction hall was absolutely electric. As the bidding started the rifle was featured on a big screen (a really big screen) on the stage. Bidding went fast for a while and settled for a while, and then picked up again as the bidding hit $200,000. There were three major bidders in the hall and another online. When the show finally ended, the winning bid was set at $260,000.00 - a new record for an SCI Auction Gun.
This was Number 5 of a Five Rifle World Heritage Series and we both gave it our best. John and I started the Series in 2014 with the African - it sold for $135,000. Rigby set the bar the following year with a winning auction bid of $250,000. Three other Rifles of the Series faired well, but Rigby had set the bar for SCI auction proceeds.
The SCI Saturday Evening Auction is a major event, and the bidding is always fast and furious. SCI has held the World Heritage Rifles as the final auction item throughout the series, and we had to wait to the very end to face the music.
The auction hall was absolutely electric. As the bidding started the rifle was featured on a big screen (a really big screen) on the stage. Bidding went fast for a while and settled for a while, and then picked up again as the bidding hit $200,000. There were three major bidders in the hall and another online. When the show finally ended, the winning bid was set at $260,000.00 - a new record for an SCI Auction Gun.
