November 17 & 18, 2021 Extraordinary Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2021
1906 Vintage, factory engraved Colt Single Action Army, serial number 275496. Accompanying the revolver is a Colt Archival Letter dated September 18, 1963, signed by R.H. Wagner, Colt Spare Parts Supervisor. Letter documents serial number 275496 as .45 caliber, 4 - 3/4" barrel, silver-plated, pearl grips, sold to Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett Co. Chicago Illinois, and shipped to W.S. Cox. W.S. Cox was a leading hardware merchant, and affiliate with HSB & Co. located in Grant County, Silver City, New Mexico. Colt letter further documents the backstrap engraved "C.A. Farnsworth, Sheriff / Grant Co. 1905-1906". Revolver is deluxe engraved in the classic Helfricht-style featuring foliate scrollwork with punch dot backgrounds. Has 2-piece, carved Mother of Pearl grips with a Steer head motif on right panel. Pictured on page 94 and discussed on page 95 of John Parsons classic 1949 book titled "The Peace-Maker And Its Rivals". The story of this historic New Mexico shipped "Peacemaker" reads like an Old West novel. Originally given to Grant County (Silver City), New Mexico Sheriff Charles A. Farnsworth in 1906 as a gift for his service. Sheriff Farnsworth later loses his prized Colt in a poker game to neighboring Luna County Sheriff, Dwight Stephens. These counties, located in the area of Southwest New Mexico during the turn of the century were still dangerous and troublesome spots, home to outlaws and gunmen. The area's most prosperous industry was the Chino Copper Company located in Santa Rita, just 15 miles from Silver City. Payroll for this outfit reached $30,000 a month, and was common knowledge the mine's manager, John M. Sully personally transported the money on the 10th of each month. At 10:00 a.m. on August 10, 1911, three men armed with "newly-manufactured" automatic pistols held up Sully on his way to Santa Rita. However on this day, Sully did not have the payroll instead he transported it using Wells Fargo & Co. At "gunpoint", the bandits robbed Mr. Sully and his traveling companions and fled on foot into the Santa Rita Mountains. Constable Lon Portwood was alerted and raised a posse to pursue the bandits. The bandits were able to get "the drop" on Portwood's posse, stealing their weapons and horses. The following morning Grant County Sheriff, Herb McGrath mounted a 7-man posse and unsuccessfully tracked the bandits for a week. Sheriff McGrath posted a $1,000 reward for the trio, however the case remained quiet. Several months later on November 7, 1911 a man being held on burglary charges, alias John W. Gates was broken out of the Luna County jail by two armed companions. The two masked gunman surprised Sheriff Dwight Stephens along with his deputy Jim Kealy, disarming them and locking them in their own jail cells. The Colt revolver taken from Sheriff Stephens was serial number 275496 that he won from Farnsworth playing poker. Sheriff Stephens mounted a 5-man posse, tracking the outlaws for over a week. They were discovered in an abandoned adobe house, west of Winston, New Mexico. The outlaws saw the posse and opened fire. During the gun battle, two of the deputies were shot dead, and Sheriff Stephens shot and killed one of the outlaws, John Greer, with his Winchester rifle. Later it was learned that Greer was also wanted for murder in El Paso Texas, and for robbing a Southern Pacific train in 1910. In Greer's possession were the keys from the Luna County Jail and Deputy Kealy's revolver. Greer's body was later identified as one of the three bandits which robbed the Chino Copper Co. manager, John Sully. Now that one of the outlaws had been positively identified, it was fairly certain who the other two were. It was discovered the outlaw who gave his name as Gates when arrested in Luna Co. was actually Irvin Frazier and the third man was Reynold Greer, a brother to the outlaw that had been killed. All three men had been members of Francisco Madero's rebel forces during the Mexican Revolution. The next news came a year later on January 1912 from El Paso Texas when a man named Gray had been arrested for robbing a Santa Fe Railroad train. In Gray's pocket (later learned to be Irvin Frazier) was a pawn ticket which led officers to a beautifully engraved Colt .45 revolver, with the name "Charles A. Farnsworth" engraved on the backstrap! When Farnsworth was notified, authorities learned the Colt was the one Farnsworth had lost in the poker game to Sheriff Dwight B. Stephens, and the same gun stolen from Stephens during the Luna County jailbreak. This revolver, serial number 275496 became a key piece of evidence during Frazier's trial held in Socorro New Mexico. Irvin Frazier (alias John Gates) was convicted for 1st degree murder of the two deputies killed in Winston, and was sentenced to hang on May 3, 1912. Officials continued to search for the final man of the Chino bandit trio, but he was never found. It is interesting to note that Luna County Sheriff, Dwight B. Stephens was later killed by an escaping prisoner. Accompanying this most fascinating and historically important factory engraved Colt Single Action Army revolver is an equally important New Mexico gun rig. Made by A.D. Seitzler, saddle maker located in Silver City New Mexico during 1914-1929. The 3 - 1/2" wide combination rifle, pistol loop, money belt is maker marked in two places; "A.D. Seitzler / Makers / Silver City N.M.". The holster is also marked with same maker's stamp. A well-known photograph of C.A. Farnsworth and Arizona Ranger W.K. Foster are pictured on page 198 in R.L. Wilson's book "The Peacemakers / Arms and Adventure In The American West". The same photograph is also featured on page 174 of Richard C. Rattenbury's book "Packing Iron / Gunleather Of The Frontier West". C.A. Farnsworth is believed to be wearing this very gun rig in the photographs. Colt Revolver serial number 275496 was awarded 1st Place during the annual Colt Collectors Association banquet held in Kansas City Missouri on October 8, 2005. CONDITION: Revolver is fine overall with approximately 60+% original silver remaining, balance is blending with a very pleasing gunmetal grey patina, giving the appearance of greater original silver finish Grips show wear with an old repair to the right panel at the frame and on the left panel at the toe. Bore shows strong rifling with modest frosting. Action is tight and crisp. Holster rig is sound showing modest wear with scattered grazing. This is a very well documented and important artifact of New Mexico lawman history. MKS
Accessories
Documentation & Gun Rig
Caliber/Bore
.45 Long Colt