
Arms, Armor, and the Early West
Arms, Armor, and the Early West
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Cash Payment Discount: 3%
Description
sale of historical artifacts and collectibles, many of which have been featured in numerous historical exhibitions and institutions. Headlining the sale are selections from the General Samuel Houston Collection, victor of the Battle of San Jacinto and first President of the Republic of Texas. These lots include not only artifacts from his early military career including a militia officers chapeau (Lot 72), his field desk (Lot 79), and saddle pad (Lot 77), but also the sword belt (Lot 75), silver spurs (Lot 78) and presentation saber (Lot 74) worn by Houston at San Jacinto. Another artifact from the Battle of San Jacinto, a Mexican General Officer’s Coat attributed to Santa Anna (Lot 91) comes from the collection of James Sylvester, the only color-bearer at the battle as well as the soldier credited with Santa Anna’s capture. Sylvester was employed at the New Orleans Picayune Newspaper and spent many years of his life collecting arms and objects associated with the Texan Revolution to... Show more
Lot Location:
Factory Engraved Marlin XXX Standard Revolver
Lot # 176 (Sale Order: 176 of 429)
**Fine condition overall. Nearly all of the original nickel finish remains with some exposed brass on high edges. Grips in fine condition. Action is functional with rifling worn smooth."
$1,000-$3,000
**Colt Model 1903 Pocket Pistol
Lot # 177 (Sale Order: 177 of 429)
**Good condition overall. Nearly all of the blued finish remains with some minor scratches and patches of oxidation. Some minor handling wear to grips which retain good checkering. Bore is good with some minor staining and good rifling.**
$600-$1,000
**Long Barrel German DWM Model 1920 Luger Carbine
Lot # 178 (Sale Order: 178 of 429)
**Very good condition as-is. Minimal wear to reblued finish with some minor handling blemishes to stock. Bore is excellent with sharp rifling.**
$5,000-$7,000
**DWM Luger Model 1920 Carbine
Lot # 179 (Sale Order: 179 of 429)
**Very good condition overall. Finish appears to have been reblued. Some handling marks and blemishes to stock with visible straw finish remaining on small parts. Bore is bright with good rifling.**
$3500-6000
**Smith & Wesson .38SPL Model 38-44 Outdoorsman "5-Screw Frame" Revolver
Lot # 180 (Sale Order: 180 of 429)
This Smith 38-44 Model of 1950 Pre-Model 20 was manufactured in the mid-50's. Factory nickel finish, 5-screw "S" serial number, and pinned barrel. Serial numbered matching checkered walnut grips with S&W medallions and diamond insert.
**Overall in excellent condition. Retains all of the nickel finish and is in excellent shape. Wood grips show a little wear but are excellent. Trigger and hammer have a nice crisp color case hardening finish to them.**
$1,500-$2,500
Colt Python .357 Magnum Revolver
Lot # 181 (Sale Order: 181 of 429)
**In excellent condition**
$1,000-$2,000
Factory Engraved Colt Single Action Army Revolver used by Texas Ranger Jay Banks
Lot # 182 (Sale Order: 182 of 429)
In a 1985 letter, Jay Banks stated that he received this revolver from U.S. Marshall Frank Leimer, and that it was Bank's first gun in his law enforcement career. Banks carried this revolver in the early years of his career, during his time as a constable in Jack County. He goes on to describe this particular revolver as "his prized possession.".
**Good condition overall. None of the original blued finish remains, a testament to the service it saw under two US Marshals. Grips are in fine condition with a pleasant light caramel color and are later replacements, the factory letter does call for carved longhorn ivory grips. Action is tight and functional. Bore is mostly bright with good rifling. A must-have for any serious collector of Texas Ranger or law enforcement artifacts.**
$10,000 - $20,000
**Colt 1911A1 Pistol used by Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 183 (Sale Order: 183 of 429)
A December, 1984 letter from Banks states this pistol was used by Banks during his early days in the Texas Rangers, while serving under the legendary Texas Ranger Captain Manuel T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas.
**Very good condition. Some handling wear and scratches to finish. Bore is excellent.**
$4,000-$6,000
**Colt 1911A1 Pistol used by Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 184 (Sale Order: 184 of 429)
A December, 1984 letter from Banks states this pistol was used by Banks during his early days in the Texas Rangers, while serving under the legendary Texas Ranger Captain Manuel T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas.
**Very good condition. Some handling marks and scratches to finish with some scattered spider rust. Grips in fine condition. Bore is good.**
$4,000-$6,000
**Customized Inland Division M1 Carbine used by Texas Rangers Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 185 (Sale Order: 185 of 429)
An October, 1985 letter from Jay Banks states that this carbine was customized to his specifications, and was carried by him during the famous 1957 shootout with notorious bootleggers and murderers Gene Paul Norris (AKA "The Smiling Killer"), and William Carl Humphrey. After being alerted to the pair's presence in their area, Captains Jay Banks and Johnny Klevenhagen drove off in pursuit. The criminals attempted to escape by car, with Humphrey firing at the Rangers from the window of his vehicle while Norris took the wheel.
A high speed gunbattle ensued, until Norris veered off of the road and crashed. After the wreck, the Rangers pursued the two men on foot, trading sporadic gunfire. In the exchange, Banks stated that he fired twenty-six rounds at Norris, who was shot sixteen times (some sources claim twenty-eight times). Another Ranger on the scene recalled, "He was shot to pieces".
**Good condition. Some minor wear and oxidation to finish. Some chipping, stable splits, and wear to stock from age and use. Bore is good. A true collectors item for anyone interested in the history of criminal justice.**
$5,000-$7,000
*Winchester Model 07 Rifle used by Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 186 (Sale Order: 186 of 429)
In a December 1985 letter, Banks states that this rifle was "[his] personal property as issued by the State of Texas", and that it was used extensively in his career.
**Very good condition as-is. Some minor scratches to reblued finish. Finish was reblued to facilitate engraving. Stock shows some minor handling marks and blemishes. Bore is good. A valuable artifact of a member of the Texas Ranger hall of fame, and one of the most famous Texas Rangers of the 20th century.**
$4,000-$6,000
**Smith & Wesson Combat Magnum Revolver used by Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 187 (Sale Order: 187 of 429)
A September, 1985 letter from Jay Banks states that this revolver was used in his capacity as a Texas Ranger throughout the 1950s until the end of his career as Police Chief of several Texas towns.
**Good condition as-is. Some thinning around edges and working parts. Some oxidation on hammer and trigger. Grips show some wear including a chip around the top edge of the left grip.**
$4,000-$6,000
**Smith & Wesson Combat Magnum Revolver used by Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 188 (Sale Order: 188 of 429)
A September, 1985 letter from Jay Banks states that this revolver was used in his capacity as a Texas Ranger throughout the 1950s until the end of his career as Police Chief of several Texas towns.
**Good condition as-is. Some minor wear to reblued finish with grips in good condition. Good bore.**
$4,000-$6,000
*Sako Vixen L461 Rifle used by Texas Ranger Captain Jay Banks
Lot # 189 (Sale Order: 189 of 429)
A July, 1985 letter from Jay Banks states that this rifle was used by him during the "hostages" era of his career.
**Good condition. Some oxidation to finish and some wear to markings from rebluing of finish. Some old oil build up in action. Some handling marks and blemishes to stock. Some rust scaling on scope. Bore is good.**
$4,000-$6,000
**Winchester Model 71 Rifle of Captain Jay Banks, Texas Rangers
Lot # 190 (Sale Order: 190 of 429)
A 1985 letter fom Jay Banks states that this rifle was used "extensively" throughout his career as a Texas Ranger.
**Very good condition. Frame was reblued to facilitate engraving. Barrel shows some thinning of finish. Stock has handling marks and blemishes consistent with age and use. Bore shows some old storage dust with visible rifling.**
$4,000-$6,000
**Colt Detective Special Revolver used by Texas Ranger Jay Banks
Lot # 191 (Sale Order: 191 of 429)
**Good condition overall. Nearly all of the original blued finish remains with some scattered scratches to frame. Action is tight and functional with a good bore.**
$2,000-$3,000
Rare Early US Cartridge Box
Lot # 192 (Sale Order: 192 of 429)
9.75? leather body with chasing across the box and scalloped flap. A wooden box inside for holding 24 rounds.
**Fine condition. Slight crazing to leather. Missing closing finial on bottom of box.**
$1,000-$1,500
Pistols and Documents of Confederate Surgeon William Gilson
Lot # 193 (Sale Order: 193 of 429)
41-year-old Mississippi doctor William Gilson was commissioned a Lieutenant in the 1st Mississippi Cavalry under Colonel Wirt Adams until 1863, when he was appointed to the position of Surgeon. In that capacity he served on the staff of the 35th Mississippi Regiment, while also serving as head of the West Point, Mississippi Hospital.
Included with this lot are also three documents signed by Gilson as a Confederate surgeon. The earliest document is from December 1863, in which Gilson submitted a report of the sick and wounded men of the 3th Mississippi, in which Gilson blames the cold weather and inadequate supplies for the "considerable sickness" of the men. Another is an invoice of medical equipment from the 35th Mississippi during the defense of Mobile, Alabama in 1864. Also included is another invoice from September of that year, under "Sears Brigade".
After the war he busied himself with farming, and in 1869 moved to Calvert, Texas, where he was one of the founding citizens. He continued to practice medicine in Texas until his death in 1873, a victim of the yellow fever epidemic sweeping the state which had also claimed the life of his wife just days before. He is buried in the Calvert City Cemetery, Calvert, Texas.
**Pistols are in good condition with some age and patination. Wood is in good condition with derringer showing some repairs around barrel pin. Documents show some wear and fragility from age with writing mostly legible. A good lot of rare Confederate documents and effects of a military surgeon.**
$2,000-$3,000
Good German Silver-Mounted American California Bowie Knife
Lot # 194 (Sale Order: 194 of 429)
An article included with the lot from the San Francisco Historical Society newsletter states this knife was discovered in a gold mine.
**Knife has been lightly cleaned. The blade is gray with some light staining. The handle is excellent. No scabbard. A complete folder of information comes with the knife, including the provenance.**
$1,000 - $1,500
Lot of USS Maine Memorabilia
Lot # 195 (Sale Order: 195 of 429)
**The cap is a little soiled but in fine condition and all other items in good to very good condition.**
$1,500-$2,500
Scale Model U.S. Mountain Howitzer
Lot # 196 (Sale Order: 196 of 429)
$4,000-$6,000
Plains Indian Saddle Attributed to Kwahadi Comanche Chief Quanah Parker (c. 1845-1911)
Lot # 197 (Sale Order: 197 of 429)
To attempt to convey the historical importance and the gravity of the events in the adventurous life of Quanah Parker in the space allotted for this item would be an exercise in futility. Born to captured Anglo-American Cynthia Ann Parker and Kwahadi Chief Peta Nocona, Quanah (Comanche, Kwana; "smell", "odor") straddled the line between the world of the Plans Indian and the White Anglo-American. He grew up as a Comanche under the tutelage of Iron Jacket and Horseback, and took part in campaigns against both White settlers and US Army troops. He earned a reputation as a fierce and determined warrior. Parker became a trusted military leader among the Comanche, and led them in several battles, including the Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874, and throughout the Red River War that same year.
After years of fighting and pressure from the loss of both horses and buffalo, essential resources to the Plains Indians, Parker took the opportunity for peaceful surrender and formally approached Colonel Ranald Mackenzie for removal onto a reservation. The Comanches were moved to the Kiowa/Arapaho/Comanche (KAC) Reservation in what is now Southwest Oklahoma. Finding success in ranching and investing, he became a leading statesman and spokesperson for his people, and was a cornerstone founder of what would become the Native American Church.
James Hayworth (1831-1885), served as Indian Agent for the Kiowa and Comanche at Fort Sill from 1873-1878. A Quaker, Hayworth attempted to deal with the Indians as fairly as he could, even ordering the removal of the guards that constantly watched them as a gesture of goodwill. His strategy of common decency paid off, and his trust was repaid in kind; he earned the confidence of several influential leaders, including Kicking Bird of the Kiowa.
**Fine condition overall. Some oxidation to metal parts and shrinking of rawhide from age. A genuine plains saddle attributed to one of the most influential American Indians in modern history.**
$25,000-$50,000
After Frederic Remington "Mountain Man Bronze Sculpture
Lot # 198 (Sale Order: 198 of 429)
Figural bronze sculpture of trapper on horseback. Signed "Copyright Frederick Remington" with marble base
ht. 28", wd. 17", dp. 9" inches (bronze)
**Overall good condition. Wear consistent with age and use.**
$1,000-$3,000
Frederic Remington "Bronco Buster" Bronze Sculpture
Lot # 199 (Sale Order: 199 of 429)
Bronze sculpture of cowboy atop a wild horse. Signed "copyright Frederic Remington" with triangle in circle foundry mark on horse rear and marble base.
ht. 23", wd. 20", dp. 8" inches (bronze)
**Overall good condition.**
$800-$1,200
French Legionnaire Bronze Sculpture by Jean Louis Gregoire
Lot # 200 (Sale Order: 200 of 429)
Cold painted bronze figural sculpture of a French soldier. Signed "L. Gregoire" with marble base.
ht. 19", wd. 9", dp. 10" inches (bronze)
**Overall good condition. Wear expected with age.**
$800-$1,200