Wyatt Earp's Merwin-Hulbert

[Tubac]

Evenin' Gents,

While searching the net for Merwin-Hulberts, I came across a June 2005 ad for a Bonham & Butterfield's auction.
They were auctioning An engraved type 3 frontier with ivory grips, that they claim was carried by Earp in Dodge City
and Tombstone. While anything is possible, I've never heard of Earp using an M-H. Has anybody else heard of it?
Thanks,
Tubac

[St. George]

No.

So the provenance needs to be iron-clad.

I'm sure a lot of different firearms 'could' be associated with the famous and infamous - after all, these were 'gun men' and were likely interested in different and new things - but in order for true 'association' - there needs to be solid proof.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Tubac]

Gents,

I did a little more "digging" and here's what I found.
The revolver sold for $50,000 plus buyer's fee!!
The provenace seems "shakey" to me, but I may be too
skeptical.
In 1923 Douglas Gray, a Tombstone businessman, sold this
revolver to Albert Sames. A letter written by Mr Gray came
with the pistol. In the letter Gray states that he received the
revolver from Mr Lawrence Hart, an assayer in Tombstone,
who was given the gun by Wyatt Earp.
I'll let you draw your own conclussions.

Tubac

PS the revolver is S/N 18122, a type 3 M-H Single action army model in .44/40, 7.5" barrell, engraved with
ivory grips.

[St. George]

'Hope Springs Eternal' should be the mantra for the buyer, in this case.

A helluva selling aid - that letter from the assayer - but some folks 'want' to believe.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Tubac]

I think you would need a lot of hope to spend $50,000.

This reminds me of Sandy King's revolver that was for sale with a notarized statement from
Sandy, swearing this was the pistol he carried when he rode with Curley Bill Brocius, dated 1920.
Unfortunately Mr King was hung in 1881,

Tubac

[St. George]

'Disposable Income' is what fuels that kind of belief - you should've seen the prices skyrocket when the dot-com money first rolled across the collecting world.

Then - when it bottomed out - these guys were left high and dry.

Doctors and Lawyers are notorious for paying these prices, thanks to the incomes they bring in.

They'd be far better off buying books before thinking that because of an advanced education - they 'know' everything.

But then - the ol' boys who sell this sort of thing are pretty well-educated themselves - and it's certain that they recognize 'prey'.

Selling via auction is guaranteed to bring out a sense of competition - as well as a sense of  that variety of machismo that's developed due to a fat wallet, and prices rise exponentially.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Delmonico]

One thing too on Wyatt guns, late in his life when living in Los Angles, he was well known it is said to go to the pawn shops and buy up all manner of handguns and sell them to folks as one of Wyatt Earp's guns.  Bat Masterson was also said to have done the same in New York, so even with a documented letter from one of these guys dated late in their life, it don't mean a lot except the boys figured out how to keep themselves in drinking money.

[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pards,

Bill Mackin, author of "Cowboy & Gunfighter Collectibles" used to attend gunshows around Denver.  He almost always had a M1877 Colt's Lightning revolver for sale.  He always had a sign that said, "This is the ONLY Colt's Lightning NOT owned by Billy the Kid!"    (Or was it a Thunderer?  Anyhow...)

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[Hill Beachy]

Of course "given to the assayer" by Mr. Earp doesn't necessarily equate to "owned by" him.  It is possible that the revolver in question was seized by Earp during the course of his duties (either LEO or gambler) and then gifted to the assayer.  Regardless, I too remain skeptical of the provenance.

[ColonelFlashman]

Gents,

I did a little more "digging" and here's what I found.
The revolver sold for $50,000 plus buyer's fee!!
The provenace seems "shakey" to me, but I may be too
skeptical.
In 1923 Douglas Gray, a Tombstone businessman, sold this
revolver to Albert Sames. A letter written by Mr Gray came
with the pistol. In the letter Gray states that he received the
revolver from Mr Lawrence Hart, an assayer in Tombstone,
who was given the gun by Wyatt Earp.
I'll let you draw your own conclussions.

Tubac

PS the revolver is S/N 18122, a type 3 M-H Single action army model in .44/40, 7.5" barrell, engraved with
ivory grips.

According to original Sales Catalogs this revolver was reffered to as;

Merwin, Hulbert & Co's 3rd Model Army (7" Bbl. w/ square butt) or Frontier (7" Bbl. w/ birds head butt) or Pocket Army (3" Bbl w/ birds head butt) Revolver.
Just thought you'd wish to know.

Cheers
Colonel Flashman

[Rancid Roy]

A very slim suggestion of "evidence" is that in the time of the Earps there was a man named Micheal Gray who's son was John Plesent Gray. The family ultimately owned the Gray Ranch located in the "Bootheel" of New Mexico.

John Plesent Gray wrote "When All Roads Led To Tombstone" A Memoir about the Tombstone of the Earp period. In 1894 John Plesent Gray was 34. He was in Tombstone when the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral occurred and all the other "stuff". If he had a son named Douglas Gray in Tombstone in 1923, at least that part of the story has some substance.

Even so as suggested above, even if all of the people were "real" and what was said was true, i.e. "He gave me this gun and said he got it from Wyatt Earp"....the proof of Wyatt Earp's ownership is difficult at best.

I have read more than once whereby Bat Masterson, in his later years would give folks Colt single-actions claiming they were the "one" he carried when he made his name.

[Stillwater]

One thing too on Wyatt guns, late in his life when living in Los Angles, he was well known it is said to go to the pawn shops and buy up all manner of handguns and sell them to folks as one of Wyatt Earp's guns.  Bat Masterson was also said to have done the same in New York, so even with a documented letter from one of these guys dated late in their life, it don't mean a lot except the boys figured out how to keep themselves in drinking money.

I have read the above so many times, in so many different publications, that it has to be true...

The old buzzards getting their walking around money, by fleecing the gullible...

Bill

[Four-Eyed Buck]

They were making a living the same way they did in their younger years, any way they could.
I've only read of Colts, S&W's, and Winchesters attributed to Wyatt's use. An M&H is a new one on me............Buck

[piebiter]

Very interesting post, lots of fodder for thought.

[St. George]

'Provenance' is paramount when dealing with artifacts of this nature.

The waters have been muddied long ago - so having both 'proof' as well as a 'money-back guarantee upon proof that the item isn't what it's purported to be' is a good way to protect your wallet and integrity of your collection.

Owning a 'good' reference library is also a very good idea - but you also have to read the material...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[St. George]

This one is featured in a clear photograph over at the 'NCOWS Forum'.

Worth a look - Merwin, Hulbert surely loved producing engraved pieces.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Books OToole]

Sometimes the "provenance" becomes the goody.  Jim Supica has one of the "Jesse James pistols" sold by his mother.  The neat part is the hand written "letter of authenticity" by Mrs. Samuels.

Books