Antique arms, armor and modern sporting guns were the fancy of collectors and dealers on Tuesday, 20 November, 2007 during the $1.3-million auction at Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco. The day-long sale included multiple bidding battles as those in the salesroom competed with bidders on telephones from across the US and the globe.

Among the 800-lots of weaponry, representing nearly every conflict in man’s history – from medieval edged weapons and suits of armor to Civil War swords and WWII-era modern firearms – were guns carried and used by famous and infamous names in American history. So many historical figures were represented in today’s auction, that it stands as one of the most fascinating ever presented by the international fine art auctioneers’ Antique Arms Dept.

Sale highlights included:

An historic Model 1860 cavalry saber with brass hilt and leather grip attributed to General George Custer sold for $20,315. The 35-inch blade is dated 1864, was made in Massachusetts and originally sold in the Butterfields’ salesrooms in 1997.

A rifle owned by Apache Chief Geronimo and surrendered to a US Army Lieutenant, a US Model 1870 Springfield, was estimated at $20,000 to $30,000 and sold today for $100,000.

A Remington New Model Army percussion revolver carried and surrendered by Geronimo maintains walnut grips adorned with brass tacks. It was offered with documentation relating to Lt. Charles Gateway, an aide-de-camp to General Miles, who took possession of the pistol in August of 1886. The pistol sold above estimate for $53,775.

Firearms from a pair of famous brothers sold, lawman Wyatt Earp’s Remington Model 1882 double-barreled shotgun brought $65,500 (est. was $20/30,000) while a rifle owned by his brother Virgil Earp, a Model 1873 saddle ring carbine, sold for $50,788. Virgil Earp was injured at the shootout at the OK Corrall, both firearms had descended within his side of the family.

A firearm carried by a notorious figure is a Winchester Model 1886 lever action rifle owned by Texas outlaw Crawford Goldsby AKA “Cherokee Bill.” Goldsby, according to lore, killed his first man at the young age of 12 and continued to take the lives of both innocents and lawmen before he was hanged at the age of 20. The Winchester features “Cherokee Bill” in white paint on the walnut stock and sold for $47,800.

A brass-inlaid rifle modified and used by marksman Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody (Winchester Model 1873 lever action) brought an over-estimate $22,705; the same price was paid for a Colt single action revolver carried by Bob Doolin. Doolin rose to infamy after starting The Wild Bunch, his own bank-robbing gang, in the weeks that followed the shootout that killed the bank-robbing Dalton Brothers Gang — Doolin’s former cohorts.

A Dalton firearm, carried by Bill Dalton, is a Winchester Model 1886 lever action rifle offered with a handwritten letter dated 1895 attesting to its provenance. The Dalton Winchester sold for $19,120.

A Colt Model 1860 Army Richards conversion revolver attributed to Bob Ford, the man who killed Jesse James, sold for $19,120.

The gun used to kill John Dillinger sold within estimate for $17,925. This Smith & Wesson revolver was presented with documentation relating the story of the “Lady in Red” and the FBI’s plans to lure Dillinger to Chicago’s Biograph Theater in 1934.

A copper 10-inch high trophy awarded to lawman Barclay “Bat” Masterson for 1st Prize in a shooting contest sold for $4,481. It was inscribed to Masterson and dated Feb. 9, 1899. Masterson was an atypical frontiersman- he’d been sheriff, gambler, buffalo hunter and marksman, as well as a journalist, having written for newspapers in New York City.

A Case Brothers double action revolver carried by Martha Jane Canary AKA “Calamity Jane” sold above estimate for $4,183. The 32-caliber pistol was reportedly found in her possession at the time of her death. She had worked as a frontier scout for the US Army and her resume included time spent as a muleskinner for the railroads. She’d appeared on stage, in the Wild West shows promoted by Buffalo Bill, and was a published author.

A Winchester Model 1866 lever action musket is attributed to Chief Spotted Elk, a chief of the Sioux Nation, sold above estimate for $14,340.

According to Arms Dept. Director Paul Carella, the breadth of the November antique arms offering was unprecedented. “The number of historical figures represented in this sale has never before been seen. Several of the lots came to auction from a private collector who had decided to offer the material after a lifetime of collecting. The lots sold to strong bidding with prices proving continued strength in the antique firearms market,” said Carella.

Posted: 12|6|07 at 5:18 pm. Filed under: Press Release.