GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
EXTREMELY RARE REMINGTON MODEL 1875 SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER ISSUED TO THE PINE RIDGE SIOUX INDIAN POLICE ONE OF A CONSECUTIVE NUMBERED PAIR BEING SOLD IN THIS AUCTION.REMINGTON187571844WCFCal. 44 WCF (44-40). Nickel finish with 7-1/2" rnd bbl with German silver blade front sight and right hand "E. Remington & Sons" address. Left rear web of trigger guard is marked "44". Mounted with smooth 2-pc walnut grips that are too stained to show a number, however condition & wear are consistent with the age of the revolver. Left side of ejector housing web is marked "P R" over "36". Right side of frame has the hand scratched initials "B M" and what is either a triangle or a teepee over a "4". Buttstrap is hand scratched "J H R". Left grip has 2 notches on the front edge. Bore has been bored smooth, removing all rifling. This revolver is consecutively numbered to another Pine Ridge Police Model 1875 being sold elsewhere in this auction. This revolver was one of a shipment of 50 delivered to the Department of the Interior (U.S.I.D.), Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Dakota Territory on in June 1883 as part of a shipment of 325 such revolvers inspected June 18-20, 1883. There were a total of 639 such revolvers purchased by the U.S.I.D. between February and June 1883. The 50 revolvers delivered to Pine Ridge Indian Police was the largest allotment of the approximately 35 such police forces so equipped and were reportedly the only ones that were identification marked. These 639 revolvers are the only known government contract for handguns from Remington. Accompanied by a large volume of correspondence between Mr. Robert L. Laury, Mr. Charles E. Hanson Jr., Director of the Museum of the Fur Trade and several other individuals including renowned Remington collector Slim Kohler and Don Ware. The majority of the correspondence occurred in 1974 and fully documents the purchase of these revolvers along with cartridge belt, holster & 50 cartridges for each revolver. Each set of above enumerated equipment cost the U.S.I.D. $9.22. A letter to renowned Dallas firearms dealer Leon (Red) Jackson dated June 12, 1974 over the signature of Mr. Hanson states that this Remington revolver, SN 719 was owned for about 40 years by a man who traded extensively with the Indians from Pine Ridge Reservation and had a shop in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The letter further states that Mr. Hanson had seen this revolver about 20 years (prior to the date of the letter) when it was sold to Jack Strain of Parmalee, South Dakota. He further states that he purchased this revolver from a third party. Several articles also accompanying this revolver deal with the issuance to Indian Police and is speculated that they may have been used on December 15, 1890 when Indian Police shot and killed the famous Sioux Chief and Medicine Man, Sitting Bull at the Standing Rock Agency in Dakota territory. At about the same time, in December 1890, the Miniconjou Sioux had left the reservation with Chief Big Foot. They were overtaken in the South Dakota Badlands 30 miles east of Pine Ridge and ordered to move westward to set up camp at Wounded Knee Creek. On the morning of December 9, 1890 the soldiers, attempting to disarm the Indians resulted in a scuffle with a deaf Indian named Black Coyote which further resulted in the discharge of a rifle. Col. James Forsyth and the approximately 500 soldiers opened fire on the Indian camp with rifles and Hotchkiss cannons resulting in approximately 150 Indians killed and 50 wounded, including the death of Chief Big Foot. Very likely the Indian police accompanying Col. Forsyth carried, and probably used these Remington revolvers during that battle. Very few of these Pine Ridge agency marked Remingtons are known today. PROVENANCE: William Smith collection; Charles E. Hanson Jr. collection. CONDITION: Very good to fine. Overall retains about 65% strong orig nickel with most of the losses from holster wear on the bbl and hand wear on left side of frame. Muzzle has been crowned to a rnd shaped by hand with a file. Cylinder retains about 50% orig nickel with the losses gray metal and some spotted pitting. Grips have a chipped left heel, otherwise are sound, showing heavy wear and retain a fine hand worn patina. Timing needs adjusting, otherwise mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. 51929-6 JRL (15,000-20,000)