COLORADO BANK ROBBER’S COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH RARE “E.L. GALLATIN” BELT & HOLSTER RIG.

COLORADO BANK ROBBER’S COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH RARE “E.L. GALLATIN” BELT & HOLSTER RIG. SN 24552. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configuration with bbl reduced to 5-1/4″ and 1-line address, with last four digits of SN on bottom, under the ejector housing. Ejector housing is second type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates with caliber marking on left shoulder of trigger guard. Mounted with a 1-pc walnut grip with last four digits of SN in backstrap channel. Buttstrap has the large hand scratched initials “WM. S”. Accompanied by a rare E.L. Gallatin belt & holster rig with an unusual 40″ belt x about 2″ wide, of russet colored single layer harness leather with light border decorations on main body, buck stitch laced together from two pieces with trailing langets which retain the quick draw holster which is unmarked. Holster has a sewn rear edge with Cheyenne plug. Belt is marked on each side of the buck stitch lacing with the Gallatin cartouche “E.L. GALLATIN & CO / MAKERS / CHEYENNE. W.T.” on each side. It has black painted iron roller buckle. Center of belt has a very old, added reinforcement which has been hand stitched to the main body and has a copper harness rivet at each end. Back of holster appears to have repairs to the belt loop secured with harness rivets. Also accompanied by a period cartridge belt, about 39″ long x 2″ wide of single layer russet brown harness leather with a nickeled steel, cut-corner buckle and 48 cord-laced 45 caliber cartridge loops. The buckle billet has been re-stitched as have the cartridge loops and a few of the loops are loose. It appears that at one time there was an extension stitched to the tongue end of the belt. Also accompanied by a large packet of information regarding the provenance of this revolver. First is a letter over the signature of Paul Switzer of Switzer’s Auction & Appraisal, dated Oct. 28, 2010, which relates that in June 2009 he sold this revolver for a Mr. Robert Mason of Campbellford, Ontario, Canada who related that his father-in-law had purchased the revolver from an antique store in North Central Wyoming. The antique dealer stated that it had belonged to a bank robber named William Smith who had been hanged for his crime. Mr. Switzer relates that Mr. Mason’s circumstances were “desperate at the time”. He was in poor health, separated from his spouse and living in a rooming house with no apparent computer or computer access. Mr. Switzer also provided the printout of the story of a bank robbery in Meeker, Colorado. On Oct. 16, 1896 three men attempted to rob the bank in Meeker. The citizens of the town surrounded the bank and when the robbers emerged two were instantly shot dead and the third died about an hour later. One of the bandits was William Smith, age 21. The other was Charles Jones, the leader, age 45, and the third was George Harris, age 35. Another computer printout relates the story of another bank robbery in Medicine Lodge, Kansas which also involved a William Smith who was “a well-known cowboy who worked for the T5 Ranch.” This group of robbers was captured & jailed in Medicine Lodge but were broken out of jail by angry citizens and lynched. So we have two documented bank robbers named William or Willie Smith who were either killed during the act or lynched after their crimes. CONDITION: Fair to good, all matching including bbl, cyl & grip. Traces of orig finish remain in the most sheltered areas and under the ejection housing, being mostly a smooth gray metal patina over all metal surfaces; grip has chipped toes & shows heavy wear with a coating of old varnish; hammer is not solid in safety or half cock notches, otherwise mechanics are fine; hammer screw & base pin are modern replacements. Strong bore with fine pitting. Belt & holster show moderate to heavy wear with crackled surfaces. Holster is worn through on the inside at the tip of the bbl, apparently from contact with the wearer’s body. Cartridge belt is dry & flexed with finish losses. 4-44910 JR375 (3,000-5,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2280	$6,325.00	COLORADO BANK ROBBER’S COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH RARE “E.L. GALLATIN” BELT & HOLSTER RIG. SN 24552. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configuration with bbl reduced to 5-1/4″ and 1-line address, with last four digits of SN on bottom, under the ejector housing. Ejector housing is second type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates with caliber marking on left shoulder of trigger guard. Mounted with a 1-pc walnut grip with last four digits of SN in backstrap channel. Buttstrap has the large hand scratched initials “WM. S”. Accompanied by a rare E.L. Gallatin belt & holster rig with an unusual 40″ belt x about 2″ wide, of russet colored single layer harness leather with light border decorations on main body, buck stitch laced together from two pieces with trailing langets which retain the quick draw holster which is unmarked. Holster has a sewn rear edge with Cheyenne plug. Belt is marked on each side of the buck stitch lacing with the Gallatin cartouche “E.L. GALLATIN & CO / MAKERS / CHEYENNE. W.T.” on each side. It has black painted iron roller buckle. Center of belt has a very old, added reinforcement which has been hand stitched to the main body and has a copper harness rivet at each end. Back of holster appears to have repairs to the belt loop secured with harness rivets. Also accompanied by a period cartridge belt, about 39″ long x 2″ wide of single layer russet brown harness leather with a nickeled steel, cut-corner buckle and 48 cord-laced 45 caliber cartridge loops. The buckle billet has been re-stitched as have the cartridge loops and a few of the loops are loose. It appears that at one time there was an extension stitched to the tongue end of the belt. Also accompanied by a large packet of information regarding the provenance of this revolver. First is a letter over the signature of Paul Switzer of Switzer’s Auction & Appraisal, dated Oct. 28, 2010, which relates that in June 2009 he sold this revolver for a Mr. Robert Mason of Campbellford, Ontario, Canada who related that his father-in-law had purchased the revolver from an antique store in North Central Wyoming. The antique dealer stated that it had belonged to a bank robber named William Smith who had been hanged for his crime. Mr. Switzer relates that Mr. Mason’s circumstances were “desperate at the time”. He was in poor health, separated from his spouse and living in a rooming house with no apparent computer or computer access. Mr. Switzer also provided the printout of the story of a bank robbery in Meeker, Colorado. On Oct. 16, 1896 three men attempted to rob the bank in Meeker. The citizens of the town surrounded the bank and when the robbers emerged two were instantly shot dead and the third died about an hour later. One of the bandits was William Smith, age 21. The other was Charles Jones, the leader, age 45, and the third was George Harris, age 35. Another computer printout relates the story of another bank robbery in Medicine Lodge, Kansas which also involved a William Smith who was “a well-known cowboy who worked for the T5 Ranch.” This group of robbers was captured & jailed in Medicine Lodge but were broken out of jail by angry citizens and lynched. So we have two documented bank robbers named William or Willie Smith who were either killed during the act or lynched after their crimes. CONDITION: Fair to good, all matching including bbl, cyl & grip. Traces of orig finish remain in the most sheltered areas and under the ejection housing, being mostly a smooth gray metal patina over all metal surfaces; grip has chipped toes & shows heavy wear with a coating of old varnish; hammer is not solid in safety or half cock notches, otherwise mechanics are fine; hammer screw & base pin are modern replacements. Strong bore with fine pitting. Belt & holster show moderate to heavy wear with crackled surfaces. Holster is worn through on the inside at the tip of the bbl, apparently from contact with the wearer’s body. Cartridge belt is dry & flexed with finish losses. 4-44910 JR375 (3,000-5,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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