April 12, 2019 Gold Rush, Western, & Native American, Las Vegas
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/12/2019
Lot consists of a factory nickel plated Model 1875 Remington with a barrel shortened to 5- 7/8". A knife blade front sight has been reset into the front barrel, top of barrel has a strong Remington factory stamp. The Remington 1875 was manufactured from 1879 - 1889 and it is known that 639 nickel plated 1875's were purchased by the U.S. Interior Department in 1883 for use of Indian Police on the western reservations. Early guns had .44 stamped on the grip, eventually moved to the frame, and finally the trigger bow. No stamp is present on this gun. It might have originally been on the grips, but the grips have been hand checkered - although scored might be more accurate. They are shy to metal on front strap, which may also indicate replacement grips. Factory lanyard ring. Six shot, single action. CONDITION: Needs some mechanical work as the hammer will not stay at full cock. Bore is fairly worn out. Accompanying gun is a leather cartridge belt with .44 caliber loops, soft leather, border tooled, California silver clip point buckle. Not a money belt. Besides border tooling has been carved with some large leaves on both billet and buckle edges. CONDITION: Two of the loops have split. Double loop holster is mail-order type sold by Sears and Montgomery Wards at the turn of the century and has been decorated with brads and conchos. Finally is an original six point badge with brass overlaid Indian head on silver. Each point is decorated and reads "Apache Police / San Carlos, Arizona" The back is stamped "CHIPRON STAMP CO./ 224 / W FIRST ST/ LOS ANGELES." While there is a myriad of cheap fakes on the market, the originals all have six points and have the manufacturer stamp while reproductions have five points and no address. The Apache police at San Carlos was established in 1872 as a reservation for the Apache of southeast Arizona. Their first agent was John Clum, who is best remembered as the first mayor of Tombstone from 1877, where he was friends with the Earps and Doc Holliday and was active at the time of the gunfight at the OK Corral and the problems with the cowboys and the Earps, to the point where the cowboys tried to assassinate him. It was under Clum's Indian Agent tenure that they captured the famous warrior Geronimo. This ensemble came to us in this configuration but with no literal history as to who, what, or when this outfit was assembled or used by. While the revolver shows typical hard Western usage and was favored by the Indian police, we have no records of the serial numbers. The timeframe for the holster and belt can be anywhere at the turn of the last century and we have no exact dating of the badge, although the company was established in 1892. That said, we wish we could offer more concrete information, but all items are indeed authentic and it is quite possible that gun was from earlier and passed down and reused through several generations, acquiring new holster and/or badge along the way. The set does have an excellent Western look.
Condition: (Very Good).
Item Dimensions: Belt: 41"L.