GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
FAMOUS RANGER FRANK HAMER OWNED FIRST GENERATION COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVERCOLTSAA25818332 WCF (32-20)Cal. 32 WCF (32-20). Blue & case colored with 5-1/2” bbl, 1-line address with caliber marking on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line, 3-patent dates & Rampant Colt in a circle. Mounted with unnumbered Rampant Colt hard rubber grips. Accompanied by a notarized statement/bill of sale dated Dec. 9, 1981 from Frank A. Hamer, Jr. to Raymond Brown, wherein he states that “This gun was in possession of Ed Putnam alias Ed Sibley in Del Rio, Texas on December 1, 1906, when he engaged in a gunfight with four Texas Rangers, Captain John H. Rodgers, Ranger Marvin Bailey, Ranger Duke Hudson and my father, Frank Hamer who had joined the Ranger service on April of the same year. He was 21 years of age. This was the first gunfight that my father participated in after he joined the Ranger service." In Nov of 1906 Putnam had murdered a sheep rancher named J.W. Rolston and stolen his large flock of sheep, herding them to near Del Rio. Shortly thereafter, Putnam approached sheep rancher B.M. Cauthorn with a proposition to go partners in a large flock of sheep that he knew of to be for sale cheap. Cauthorn agreed to put up half the money and on the morning of Dec 1, 1906, met Putnam with his half of the money. On the way to inspect the sheep Putnam shot Cauthorn in the back, killing him and stealing the money. There was a witness to the killing who reported it to the Rangers. They trailed Putnam to where he had holed up in the house of Glass Sharp, just north of the Del Rio railroad tracks. Putnam fired and the Rangers responded. In the ensuing gun fight Frank Hamer killed Putnam with his Carbine, shooting him through the head. This incident is documented in the book I''m Frank Hamer, Jenkins & Frost. Before his career had ended Capt. Hamer had participated in over 100 gun fights. Capt. Hamer had enlisted in the Rangers as a Private and finished his career as a Senior Captain. Some time after the shooting, Ranger Hamer''s Captain Rogers gave this revolver to him saying something to the effect that since this was his first gunfight as a Ranger he thought he should have a memento of the occasion. This revolver along with the Luger pistol and Winchester rifle, that was also a 32WCF caliber, were the guns Ed Putnam was using in the gunfight with the Rangers. Captain Frank Hamer was one of the most famous of all Texas Rangers and perhaps received his greatest notoriety for successfully tracking down and shooting the notorious outlaw killers Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow. Also accompanied by a Colt factory letter fully identifying this revolver as having been shipped Aug. 25, 1904 to Simmons Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO in a shipment of twenty same type guns. Additionally accompanied by copies of several photos of Captain Hamer, Captain Rogers and Frank Hamer''s oath of enlistment. Additionally accompanied by a certified autographed photo of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in characters of Bonnie & Clyde in their movie. PROVENANCE: Outlaw Ed Putnam; Texas Ranger Capt. Frank Hamer; Frank Hamer Jr.; Raymond Brown Collection; The William Smith Collection. CONDITION: Fine. Bbl & ejector rod housing retain 85-90% orig blue with muzzle edge wear, mostly on left side and thinning on left side of bbl with some pitting near muzzle. Ejector rod housing is mostly a plum patina on outer radius with bright blue in the gullets. Frame retains strong case colors in sheltered areas, thinned & turning silver elsewhere with light patina on sides of frame. Grip frame is mostly a plum/blue patina with strong blue around trigger guard & top of back strap. Cyl retains about 80% orig blue, strong in flutes. Grips show light to moderate wear. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. 49312-12 JR (20,000-30,000)