Check this out. Scroll down and you can click on the three volumes of catalogs for the upcoming auction Dec. 5-7.
Some really cool guns and history in those catalogs.
Chuck Connors, Clint Eastwood, Tom Selleck, Norman Schwarzkopf firearms and some historical Texas Rangers and outlaw guns like the Dalton gang.
Just being able to look at the quality pictures and read the history on the guns is worth the time.
Enjoy. https://www.rockislandauction.com/

Yes sir. Makes me wish I crazy rich.

Cool story behind this one.

$45-$65K

https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4096/23/inscribed-serial-number-19-winchester-first-model-1873-rifle

Quote:

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The inscription on this rifle is believed to correspond with Thomas Lyons (1850-1917), who was born to Irish parents in the English Midlands, before emigrating with his family to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and then moving to Chicago, Illinois, in his teens, where he learned boiler making and machining. Eventually heading westward, like so many others during that period, Lyons settled in the newly established mining town of Silver City, New Mexico Territory, in 1872. Initially he put his skills to use in various ventures supporting the local mining industry, opening a machinists business and small iron foundry. Eventually he invested in the mines themselves and then owned some, using the money he made to enter the world of cattle ranching alongside a partner, Angus Campbell. Lyons and Campbell (LC) established their ranch along the Gila River, quickly expanding with large investments from Britain and the eastern U.S., until they were described as the wealthiest in Grant County. At its height in the 1890s, the ranch is described as occupying over 1 million acres and working a herd of 60,000 cattle, 750 riding horses, upwards of 75 cowboys, and six chuck wagons, making them one of the largest cattle ranches in the country at the time. Like many in the late 19th century, Lyons quickly discovered that with great wealth and power, came great competition, particularly in the American West, where the extent of "the law" in many areas remained how quickly you could draw the six-shooter on your hip. In some cases, Lyons was described as charming and generous, throwing lavish parties and telling stories, being willing to help those in need, and adamantly defended by his friends and family. First hand accounts from those not considered his friends from the period tell an entirely different story however, one of greed, aggression, and murder. One such story took place in 1891, involving Peter Hall and his four sons, who had established a small ranch a bit too close to the LC Ranch for Lyons' liking. In September of that year, two of the Hall boys were kidnapped, dragged to the mountains, beaten to death, and their bodies burned in a ditch. Just seven months later, Lyons brought legal action against Peter Hall and his remaining two sons for cattle rustling and horse stealing, with one of the sons sentenced to five years in prison after being convinced to plead guilty by his lawyer. Just two years later, citizens of the county banded together, gathered evidence, and petitioned the territorial governor to pardon the Hall boy. A statement from Hall's attorney was included which read: "I had not the most remote conception of the enormity of the conspiracy which had been plotted against all these people, and was really prejudiced against my own clients; for I could hardly realize that men in our midst could be guilty of murder and assassination, perjury and subornation of perjury, in order to get rid of cattle men who were supposed to be in their way." The petition and statement attesting to the innocence of Hall was signed by 42 ranchers of Grant County, clearly illustrating the number of enemies Lyons had made, and the extent to which the local citizens believed that he was behind the murders of the two Hall brothers. Included was confidential sworn testimony from an employee of the LC Ranch stating that two of Lyons' most trusted employees had been instructed by Lyons to murder the two Hall brothers, and that he himself had been instructed to murder the remaining three Halls, which he did not carry out. The existence of the testimony in this file remained largely unknown until 2002. The imprisoned Hall was pardoned in September of 1894. The story of the Lyons and the Halls was not a one-off occurrence, thankfully due to the collection of oral histories by Lou Blachly, there are many other such stories and statements from local citizens. Montague Stevens, an English settler and rancher who knew Lyons described him as "one of the bad men of the West." Agnes Snider, whose father worked for Lyons said in an interview that "Tom Lyons hired these men to go out and kill these little ranchers and get 'em away off of the land because he wanted it." and Marvin Powe noted that "If he couldn't run 'em off, why he'd hire killers and kill 'em." These testimonies along with a multitude of others from locals clearly show a pattern of violence perpetrated by Lyons and those that were loyal to him, as well as how a majority of locals viewed the operations of the LC Ranch. In 1897, Lyons himself gave a statement to a local newspaper as a rebuttal amid accusations of rustling and murder made against some of his employees. His statement generally presents counter accusations and, given the previously mentioned evidence, is generally unbelievable. It includes the chilling phrase in closing "We do not want any trouble but if it comes we must do the best we can." One of the recorded oral histories collected by Blachly was that of Henry Brock, who retold an incident years later between Tom Hall, one of the surviving brothers from years prior, and Lyons. Brock notes that Hall stated he managed to stop Lyons alone on the road while traveling to Silver City and had every intention of killing the rancher to avenge his brothers. Hall stated that upon telling Lyons he was going to kill him, he dropped to his knees and begged for his life. Hall stated that he "couldn't kill a man with him a-beggin and on his knees", so he let him go, an action which he told Brock he later regretted. The luck of cattle baron Thomas Lyons finally ran out however, while on a business trip to El Paso, Texas, in May of 1917. It is believed that Lyons experienced some sort of car trouble while on his way to El Paso and stopped along the road, where he was killed by a man who appeared to have been following him. Lyons was discovered beaten to death, almost beyond recognition, with the iron rod murder weapon discovered discarded not far away. Given the brutal nature and setup of the murder, it was seen as a paid hit. Eventually the a suspect was arrested by the name of Felix Jones, who was convicted after a trial of nearly nine months. Jones had refused to name anyone else involved in the case, and due to lack of witnesses and evidence supporting his involvement was sentenced to 25 years in prison rather than death. Shortly after the conviction of Jones, further investigation was dropped and the case was closed. An included copy of the biography of Thomas Lyons titled "Triumph and Tragedy: A History of Thomas Lyons and the LCs" by Ida Foster Campbell and Alice Foster Hill (granddaughter and step-granddaughter of Thomas Lyons) is included, and is based primarily on family testimony as well as the documents that were not destroyed by the family prior to leaving the ranch. Historians familiar with the events view this book as a significantly sanitized view of the life of Thomas Lyons. The previously mentioned oral historian, Lou Blachly, made the conclusion that, "Lyons got the same kind of medicine he'd been giving all the time."

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I'm partial to these Purdey's.....


https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4096/1/five-consecutive-purdey-hammer-shotguns-for-conservation

Phenomenal One-of-a-Kind Factory Consecutive Quintet of Master Paul Chung and Bradley Tallett Signed and Game Scene Engraved James Purdey & Sons Best Quality Side by Side Hammer Shotguns in 12/16/20/28/.410 to be Sold for the Benefit of Conservation

Is it wrong of me to want the Gatling gun? I think that might be an effective hog gun.