October 25, 2023 The Paul Friedrich Collection of Firearms & Gold Rush
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/25/2023
Sheriff Hank McCoy was a sheriff in Yuba County from 1877-1886 who owned this S&W Model 1 - 1/2, which has been professionally shortened to 1 - 1/2" for use as a holdout gun. Unfortunately, little information regarding Hank, whose given name was Henry Alonzo, survives, but the revolver was also passed to his son Charles McCoy, who also became sheriff of the same county. An included ad for Charles, when he was campaigning for sheriff, tells more about his work, including the installation of a fingerprint system, opium raids, leading a posse to quell the Hop Riot in Wheatland, bringing tear gas to the Folsom Prison Thanksgiving Day Riot, and numerous murders, thieves, counterfeiters, and safecrackers arrested. According to a small title card, this gun was obtained from Charles's widow. A letter from Bob Butterfield offers the purchase of some of a number of booking photos, that were recovered with the gun, of Chinese immigrants who were arrested for hydrauling. The revolver is a standard blued .32 S&W revolver with the barrel cut, probably by a blacksmith, with the German silver front sight professionally set back. Typical tip-up configuration with spur trigger, blued frame, case-colored hammer, and birdshead grips. Ivory grip scales with writing on interior of right scale, illegible. Accompanied by a lovely pocketwatch with case in the form of a 6-pointed sherrif's badge, unmarked as to maker, with stampings in rear "41592" "FINE SILVER" and lightly incised "K" and "HO YG". Strap is made of finely braided silver chain with 2 sliding devices and top T bar with winder on end. Running. CONDITION: Barrel assembly is essentially dove grey with some age-related browning flecked throughout, traces of blue in protected areas such as rib and underside. Frame retains more, approximately 80%, bluing with losses to straps and top of frame, superficial scratches, and minor browning throughout. Hammer with traces of case colors, largely silver. Grips are good with strong color and a few lines common to old ivory. Mechanically fine, bore with strong rifling and minor frosting. Pocket watch silver is tarnishing with some solder visible from construction with some scuffing to cover. An interesting lot related to the Central Valley.