Old West Firearms Collectors

Comment by Mike Wood on July 21, 2011 at 8:31pm

I was watching an interesting Netflix Documentary this evening about the Assassination of President Lincoln. As I watched, I began to wonder, "Where is the Philadelphia Derringer that was used to kill our beloved 16th President?"  Searching the internet, I found that the gun that John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate President Lincoln now resides in the basement museum of Ford’s Theatre, in Washington, D.C. The gun is a single-shot flintlock, made by Philadelphia gunsmith Henry Derringer. It’s tiny – just six inches total in length with a 2 1/2″ barrel – but it’s powerful, firing a .44-cal lead bullet. In late July 1997, the National Park Service curator and a U.S. Park Police captain removed the Booth Deringer pistol from its case at Ford's Theatre, and hand-carried the firearm to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for examination.  Read the article of the resulting tests at this link:  The Booth Deringer—Genuine Artifact or Replica?

Comment by Mike Wood on July 24, 2011 at 7:28pm

If the above link fails, try this link for Booth Derringer

Comment by Mike Wood on July 29, 2011 at 8:32pm

Members of Old West Firearms Collectors!  Take a gander at this link... It is a virtual picture tour of the holdings at the National Firearms Museum, located at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, VA.   WOW! is all I can say.......

Displaying a history of firearms at the NRA Headquarters in Vienna,...

Comment by Mike Wood on August 13, 2011 at 6:33pm

Where are Wyatt Earp's guns today?

Reprinted from Tombstone Historians

A search of the Web and Western-themed publications will reveal that this is a very frequently asked question.

Firearms in the 1800s were as common as cell phones are today, were almost as versatile and were replaced just as often.  A gun served as a tool for getting food, was used to protect cattle from predators and for personal safety from snakes and other critters, could double as a hammer, made an excellent noisemaker during public celebrations, and was reknown for its defensive and offensive capabilities.  Because guns could be deadly when mixed with alcohol and when used as argument equalizers, many municipalities, Tombstone included, outlawed the carrying of firearms within city limits (unless the bearer could prove he was in the act of entering or leaving town or "just passing through").  As not all guns served all purposes, it was common to own several.

When it comes to Wyatt Earp, the term "Wyatt's guns" can be tough to define.  Wyatt's guns ... when?  Before Elsworth?  In Dodge City?  During the Tombstone street fight?  In his later years?  And does "Wyatt's gun" refer to one he merely owned or one he actively used?  According to Tombstone historian Ben Traywick, Josie Earp would buy guns from pawn shops and sell them as "Wyatt's guns" to raise gambling money.  Did these guns qualify as Wyatt's?  Josie certainly thought so.

The fact is, Wyatt Earp owned many guns in his lifetime and those that remain are scattered among museums and private collectors.  Some of these guns are frauds, although purchased and displayed in good faith.

And that infamous "Buntline Special?"  It probably never existed.

 

Comment by anthony martin on August 14, 2011 at 11:30pm

Mike

  Is the Juneau pistol the top break Smith & Wesson that is missing the trigger guard?It seems to have a pretty good continuous provenance.Please post a photo of it if you have one handy.A bit off topic but I'd like to know if anyone knows what happened to the air cooled Franklin auto he owned in Alaska.It was supposedly still around in the late1930's.

Comment by Mike Wood on August 20, 2011 at 8:15am

Hello Anthony,  Sorry I am responding so late, but had a busy week. Here is a picture of the Juneau pistol which to this day still sits in the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau.  The story seems pretty credible, but unauthenticated.  The sign on which the weapon is mounted states:

 

"Checked but never claimed, This weapon was checked at the U.S. Marshalls Office in Juneau, June 27, 1900 by the notorious gunfighter Wyatt Earp  Earp departed for Nome aboard the S.S. Senator at 5:00 A.M. on June 29th prior to the opening of the Marshall's Office."

 

Interesting how at the beginning of the century, Wyatt was referred to as a "Notorious Gunfighter" and not a hero of the West as we know him now. Wyatt reportedly fought this tagline for the remaining years of his life, and hoped to  have his reputation restored.

 

 

Comment by anthony martin on August 21, 2011 at 10:51am

 Mike,

  I've always believed that the worst name calling came in the wake of the Sharkey Fitzsimmons Fight in 1896.The old controversies had toned down a bit but were brought vividly back to life after this incident.The newspaper cartoons were downright nasty.

Comment by Mike Wood on August 21, 2011 at 11:39am

Agreed!  The boxing era and crowd has always drawn shady people who always point the finger...  By the way.. Juneau pistol is maybe a Smith & Wesson break top .32 cal ya think?  (Why is it missing the trigger guard?)  Was it made that way or was it a conversion?

Comment by anthony martin on August 21, 2011 at 11:38pm

 Mike,

  Hard to tell if it was a .32 or .38.This is the same gun that I saw close ups of years ago and the rubber grips look very worn leading me to believe that the gun was actively used after Wyatt left it behind.No,I believe that the guard just wandered off sometime in later years.I've acquired enough antique guns and phonographs with parts missing from when someone put an item away mid tinker and carelessly lost track of parts.I once picked up a model 1878 Colt that was missing the grips,round side plate and reverse threaded screw.The fellow who sold it to me said that the parts were in an old peanut butter jar but he never did find them!I'm sure we all have frustrating stories like that!

Comment by Mike Wood on August 25, 2011 at 6:45pm

Old West Gun Collectors, I attended the Dallas Arms Collectors Assn; August Gun Show which featured the NRA National Gun Collectors' Display Show. Lots of great history, but look at this;

John Wesley Hardin's Pistol 

John Wesley Hardin's Colt Model 1877 D.A. 41 Caliber "Thunderer"

This pistol #73,XXX was originally shipped to Colt dealer Ketelson & Degetau, El Paso, TX on 12-30-89, It was factory engraved in the Cuno Helfricht shop at Colt.  Sold to Hardin in 1890, but it was taken from him on 05-01-95 by El Paso Deputy Sheriff Will Ten Eyck when Hardin robbed the dice game at the Gem Saloon and recorded in court records.  It was still in the sheriff's office when Hardin was killed by John Selman at the Acme Saloon barely 3 months later on August 19th, 1895. 126 years ago (Date Error: 116 actual years ago)

Comment

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• …
• 12
• Next ›
• Page