June 25-28, 2018 Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/26/2018
Manufactured 1896. Jeff E. Vaughan enlisted with the Texas Rangers in 1912. He was 46 years old in 1933 when he enlisted for his last six-year hitch. Based in Marfa, Texas, his duties during those 20-something years were along the dangerous Mexican border. In later years, he was a main character in Zane Grey's book "The Lone Ranger" and rode in a parade in New York City in the 1930's. It is recorded he had a meeting with Poncho Villa and also participated in a famous battle near Marfa with the Mexican banditos on April 1st, 1913 while leading Company B of the Rangers. He died in 1958. Vaughan was an avid outdoorsman and lover of firearms, and this revolver comes with direct family provenance stating that he obtained this pistol in Arkansas somewhere around 1939-40. There is a Smith & Wesson factory letter that states this gun was shipped in the exact configuration it is today, that is a six shot, single action, blued finish with hard rubber grips and lanyard. This gun was shipped to the Japanese Navy for issue to officers in 1896. The only plausible explanation for a Japanese Naval Officer gun to wind-up in Arkansas prior to World War II, it would have had to have been brought back by an American GI that was fighting in China as a foreign national against the Japanese in the mid-to-late 1930's. This gun was on display courtesy of the family at the Texas Ranger Museum from the late 1990's to the mid-2000's. Revolver is accompanied by a book titled "Lumbering Along in Texas" published in 1960 in which, in which Jeff is mentioned; numerous copies of Rangers enlistment papers, along with several letters from the Ranger Hall of Fame. The belt and holster is another story; the cartridge belt which is floral tooled with a California clip point buckle was hand stamped under the reapplied cartridge loops we can read "JEFF VAUGHAN" and "STATE RANGER", each letter hand stamped one at a time. Additionally, the letters "E", "X" and "S" are visible under the cartridge loops and one can only assume that the letters "T" and "A" are obscured by the rivets holding the cartridge loops. Apparently the cartridge loops needs repair and this repair covers part of the name, but it is still visible. The holster is a Texas-Mexican border type with the hammer snap, single loop, leather laced full tooled, not maker marked but definitely of the era in which he was in actual service with the rangers, circa 1913 to 1920, and has seen hard use by the numerous repairs and wear. There is no doubt that this belt was worn by him on the border during his turbulent tenure in Marfa. So we have here a firearm obtained after his careers due to his interest in firearms along with a belt from his prime era of service that would hold a 5 - 1/2" Colt Single Action Army or 1878 Double Action; although the wear pattern of the holster matches that of a Smith & Wesson No. 3 revolver. Cartridge loops are for a large caliber. The condition of the gun is as follows: cylinder flutes still have some blue; barrel and frame retains approximately 40% blue. There is a bulge in the barrel approximately 3-1/2" from breech. Grips are very good. Needs some mechanical attention, as when the hammer comes down it does not move forward all the way enough for the firing pin to strike the primer, but does index and lock up properly. An interesting gun, a far more interesting period holster from Texas Rangers days, and a fascinating Texas Ranger history.
Accessories
Belt & Holster
Manufacturer
Smith & Wesson