The auction will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Dalton Community Event Center in downtown Dalton. The small town is located about 10 miles south east of Fergus Falls.

The collection comes from a local retired farmer, John Loomer, who died a few years ago in his mid-80s. Several of the guns have been in Loomer’s collection for 30 to 50 years, according to Auctioneer Cary M. Aasness.

“John was one of those private guys,” Aasness said. “He never talked much about what he had, but it was known he collected for a long time. He knew his guns and people expected he had a good collection. I’ve been auctioning since 1985 and was selling to him then, and he had been collecting for some time then. He was always on the hunt for good quality firearms.

He went to several auctions throughout the area, and when he went south during the winters. John loved to collect Old West and vintage hunting-related items. It’s an honor to be chosen to sell his fine collection. He knew a lot of auctioneers.”

At least a dozen Colt revolvers will be sold, including some pistols in their original boxes. More than 20 early Winchester lever-action rifles will be sold, including three Model 1886 firearms accompanied by letters from the famous gun maker. Several Model 1892s and 1894s, some of them also with company letters, will be sold.

In addition to other firearms made by Colt, Winchester, Sharps, Spencer, Marlin and Browning selling at the Aug. 18 auction, will be vintage Western wear, old saddles and spurs, vintage holsters (including a heavily tooled double rig made by Joe Conon, a Las Vegas artist who was an engraver for the Winchester company) and Native American items.

Several early publications of vintage and classic “cowboy” magazines and books will be sold, in addition to a unique vintage gun-sight display case, with sights, made by the Marble company.

Contact: (219) 998-4454

www.aasnessauctioneers.com