RARE & SPECIAL INDIAN USED & ENGRAVED COLT SGL ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

RARE & SPECIAL INDIAN USED & ENGRAVED COLT SGL ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. Cal. 45 Colt. SN 138127. Usual configuration with 4-3/4″ bbl, fixed sights & 2-pc raised carved eagle head pearl grips. Entire revolver is covered with light etched wavy lines, dots & triangles, reminiscent of Indian symbols. This engraving is very old and shows much wear. Bbl is etched “TWO MOONS / ???KYOU (Possibly an Indian name) / BUFFALO BILLS / MARCH 12 1898 (What appears to be ) YANKTON” (or possibly an Indian name) and on the other side of the bbl, “WILD WEST SHOW”. Left recoil shield has a standing figure of what appears to be an Indian in full-feathered headdress and the loading gate has a small turtle fetish figure. It is accompanied by an unusual handmade holster, made of 1-pc saddle leather with a high front and low back edge and an attached belt loop that is hand stitched. Entire front has a border of brass harness type studs or buttons that crimp through the leather. It has a large & small circle of these brass studs in the middle with larger diameter brass buttons in the center. This holster is very old & fits this revolver perfectly. Also accompanied by a Colt Factory letter identifying this revolver as having been shipped Feb. 18, 1891 to Simmons Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO in a shipment of 26 same type guns.

A short Internet search disclosed that Two Moons was with the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show in Washington, D.C. when he was introduced to well-known artist James Frazier. Two Moons and other Indians posed for Frazier, who in 1912 designed the famous “Buffalo Nickel” and sculpted the famous bronze “End of the Trail”. Well-known Old West Antiques Dealer, Brian Lebel, states that he has a long oilcloth or canvas banner (estimated at 34′ by about 3′), which proclaims “WELCOME TWO MOONS”. He states that he does not know where the banner was used or for what purpose, but that it may have been when Two Moons visited Washington, DC, to see President Wilson. Also accompanying is a copy of a photo of Two Moons as an old man.

Additionally accompanying is a letter from Rocky Mountain Engineering & Materials Technology Inc. dated April 2, 1992 stating that they have examined the inscriptions on the bbl under different magnifications and in their opinion they appeared to be authentic. They state that the Buffalo Bill inscription appears to have been machine stenciled while the balance of the inscriptions appear to have been hand lettered.

In addition, the consignor has written a letter detailing his acquisition of this Colt. He states that in the Fall of 1991, the mother of a friend of his wife had discovered it in the basement of her home in Denver after the death of her husband, when she was cleaning out for a yard sale. Consignor states that when he bought the Colt (he verbally stated he paid less than $1,000 for it) it was covered with a black substance. It was not until later that he discovered the engravings. He states that he left some of the black substance on the revolver to show how he had found it.

Also accompanying are two old articles about Two Moons and the Custer Battle, one from the May 1898 issue of McClure’s Magazine by Hamlin Garland and several pages of two stories from the book I Fought With Custer, author unknown. Both these articles go into great detail regarding the Custer fight. The McClure’s article is a narrative of an interview with Two Moons as an old man. Two Moons was a Chief of the Northern Cheyenne and was a principle leader in the Custer fight, and may have been the one who actually killed Custer. After the fight, and the Cheyenne were rounded up for assignment to a reservation down in Oklahoma, Two Moons and several of his warriors reportedly agreed to scout for Gen. Nelson Miles and were not deported to the reservation. CONDITION: No orig finish remains on the revolver, being a medium gray patina overall with the engraving showing through. Left side of the muzzle is very worn. Right grip has a repaired crack otherwise the grips are very fine with much fire and colors with light wear on the eagle’s head. Mechanics are fine, somewhat worn and dark bore. Holster is fine with one missing stud. 4-56468 JR441 (22,500-32,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005

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
	4176	$23,000.00	RARE & SPECIAL INDIAN USED & ENGRAVED COLT SGL ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. Cal. 45 Colt. SN 138127. Usual configuration with 4-3/4″ bbl, fixed sights & 2-pc raised carved eagle head pearl grips. Entire revolver is covered with light etched wavy lines, dots & triangles, reminiscent of Indian symbols. This engraving is very old and shows much wear. Bbl is etched “TWO MOONS / ???KYOU (Possibly an Indian name) / BUFFALO BILLS / MARCH 12 1898 (What appears to be ) YANKTON” (or possibly an Indian name) and on the other side of the bbl, “WILD WEST SHOW”. Left recoil shield has a standing figure of what appears to be an Indian in full-feathered headdress and the loading gate has a small turtle fetish figure. It is accompanied by an unusual handmade holster, made of 1-pc saddle leather with a high front and low back edge and an attached belt loop that is hand stitched. Entire front has a border of brass harness type studs or buttons that crimp through the leather. It has a large & small circle of these brass studs in the middle with larger diameter brass buttons in the center. This holster is very old & fits this revolver perfectly. Also accompanied by a Colt Factory letter identifying this revolver as having been shipped Feb. 18, 1891 to Simmons Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO in a shipment of 26 same type guns. A short Internet search disclosed that Two Moons was with the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show in Washington, D.C. when he was introduced to well-known artist James Frazier. Two Moons and other Indians posed for Frazier, who in 1912 designed the famous “Buffalo Nickel” and sculpted the famous bronze “End of the Trail”. Well-known Old West Antiques Dealer, Brian Lebel, states that he has a long oilcloth or canvas banner (estimated at 34′ by about 3′), which proclaims “WELCOME TWO MOONS”. He states that he does not know where the banner was used or for what purpose, but that it may have been when Two Moons visited Washington, DC, to see President Wilson. Also accompanying is a copy of a photo of Two Moons as an old man. Additionally accompanying is a letter from Rocky Mountain Engineering & Materials Technology Inc. dated April 2, 1992 stating that they have examined the inscriptions on the bbl under different magnifications and in their opinion they appeared to be authentic. They state that the Buffalo Bill inscription appears to have been machine stenciled while the balance of the inscriptions appear to have been hand lettered. In addition, the consignor has written a letter detailing his acquisition of this Colt. He states that in the Fall of 1991, the mother of a friend of his wife had discovered it in the basement of her home in Denver after the death of her husband, when she was cleaning out for a yard sale. Consignor states that when he bought the Colt (he verbally stated he paid less than $1,000 for it) it was covered with a black substance. It was not until later that he discovered the engravings. He states that he left some of the black substance on the revolver to show how he had found it. Also accompanying are two old articles about Two Moons and the Custer Battle, one from the May 1898 issue of McClure’s Magazine by Hamlin Garland and several pages of two stories from the book I Fought With Custer, author unknown. Both these articles go into great detail regarding the Custer fight. The McClure’s article is a narrative of an interview with Two Moons as an old man. Two Moons was a Chief of the Northern Cheyenne and was a principle leader in the Custer fight, and may have been the one who actually killed Custer. After the fight, and the Cheyenne were rounded up for assignment to a reservation down in Oklahoma, Two Moons and several of his warriors reportedly agreed to scout for Gen. Nelson Miles and were not deported to the reservation. CONDITION: No orig finish remains on the revolver, being a medium gray patina overall with the engraving showing through. Left side of the muzzle is very worn. Right grip has a repaired crack otherwise the grips are very fine with much fire and colors with light wear on the eagle’s head. Mechanics are fine, somewhat worn and dark bore. Holster is fine with one missing stud. 4-56468 JR441 (22,500-32,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005 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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