After more than three decades, the Roy Rogers – Dale Evans Museum closed this past December for financial reasons. Brian Lebel’s Old West Auction, June 26, 2010 at the Denver Merchandise Mart, will be selling over 200 items from the museum’s extensive collection, including:
Roy’s personal firearms;
Dale’s pearl-handled Colt;
the Winchester Roy bought from Clark Gable;
their 1964 Lincoln Continental with suicide doors;
Roy’s Honda motorcycle;
clothing, photos and other collectables.
The second auction will be held July 14-15, 2010 by High Noon Western Americana and Christie’s New York, at Christie’s Manhattan location. Among the hundreds of items at that two-day sale will be Nellybelle the Jeep and the famous, mounted Trigger.
Brian Lebel, owner of the Old West Auction, is proud to be part of this historic offering. “Roy and Dale were heroes to millions of Americans,” Lebel says. “They championed American values and ideals that became part of our culture and shaped who we are today.”
Even as the generation who grew up with Roy and Dale disappears, Lebel believes the couple’s legacy can survive. “There’s an opportunity here for collectors, museums and individuals to preserve this American history for future generations. We need to recognize that these items have cultural value as well as monetary.”
Lebel has posted video interviews on YouTube with Dusty Rogers (Roy Rogers, Jr.), telling stories about his famous parents and some of the museum pieces. Lebel hopes to promote the auctions, but also to have a record of these stories for posterity.
The Old West Auction is free and open to the public. In addition to the Rogers items, the sale includes Cowboy, Indian and Western art and artifacts. Catalogs are available for purchase and there are numerous bidding options. In conjunction with the auction is the 21st annual Old West Show – three-days of Western shopping – June 25-27 at the Denver Merchandise Mart. Details, event info, Roy Rogers trivia, photos, schedules and more can be found at www.denveroldwest.com or by contacting Brian Lebel at 602-432-7602.
