COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Witman Sells Pre-War Lionel Locomotive Set With Original Boxes For $22,000 Abner Zook Diorama Of Covered Bridge Scene From 1960 Brings $9,900 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2020 • VOL. 51, NO. 8
Shotgun Wyatt Earp Used To Avenge Brother’s Death Comes To Auction Legendary Old West Lawman Borrowed Weapon For Hunt To Locate Curly Bill Brocius The gun Wyatt Earp used to kill “Curly” Bill Brocius could bring $100,000 or more in Heritage Auctions’ Americana and Political Auction slated for Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22 and 23, in Dallas, Texas.
with stellar provenance. When Dodge died in 1938, it was among many items that were passed down to his son, Fred Dodge Jr., who then sold the weapon in 1963 (in a transaction from which the bill of sale can be seen on
Wyatt Earp used this 10-gauge shotgun to kill “Curly” Bill Brocius in 1882 during what has been called the “Earp Vendetta Ride.” The Wyatt Earp documented 10gauge shotgun used by him to kill “Curly Bill” Brocius is a museumquality piece, arguably the most important Earp gun in existence. Earp was a lawman and gambler in the Arizona Territory in the late 1800s and early 1900s whose résumé includes stints as a professional gambler, teamster and buffalo hunter, and, perhaps most famously, as a participant in the infamous shootout at the O.K. Corral in 1881. Brocius was a notorious gunman, rustler and outlaw credited with a litany of crimes, including cattle rustling and stagecoach robberies and killings, and had a history of run-ins with members of the Earp family. “Wyatt Earp’s brother, Morgan, was brutally killed, and Curly Bill Brocius was identified as one of those involved,” according to Heritage Auctions Americana Director Tom Slater. “Earp once pistol-whipped Curly Bill Brocius for fatally shooting a popular Tombstone town marshal named Fred White, and when he learned of his brother’s death, he formed a posse that was later called the ‘Earp Vendetta Ride.’ “When they went out to hunt for Brocius, Earp borrowed a 10gauge shotgun, this shotgun, from his friend, Fred Dodge. They found Curly Bill at Iron Springs on March 24, 1882, and in the ensuing shootout, Earp used this shotgun to kill Curly Bill, after which, he returned to Fred Dodge,” stated Slater. The weapon heads to auction
HA.com). When dealer Greg Martin sold the gun after purchasing it in 1984, he wrote, “The Stevens double-barreled shotgun serial number 927 you recently obtained from me represents one of the most important historical treasures I have ever owned. In my opinion the great historical associations, the first-hand accounts, and the impeccable documentation of ownership through the Dodge family make your Stevens shotgun one of the great treasures of the Old West. It is a direct link between Wyatt Earp and an era of American lore that is of incalculable importance.” The gun is accompanied in the auction by a photostat of the 1963 bill of sale from the younger Dodge, Martin’s letter and a letter from Jim Earle, a renowned collector who owned it in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Also included is an archive of more than 25 original documents relating to its provenance. Heritage Auctions has offered numerous relics and artifacts from the Old West, but this shotgun, which remains in very good condition, is widely viewed as among the best. Bearing serial number 927 on the barrels, fore-end, triggerguard and receiver, the 10-gauge weapon includes 22.25-inch barrels with a fixed front bead sight. The top of the barrels is marked “J. STEVENS & CO. CHICOPEE FALLS MASS.” For more information on the 966-lot two-day sale, visit www.HA.com/6215.
AAN Current News A 1928 pre-war Lionel Loco-Build six-piece set with original boxes realized $22,000. Witman Auctioneers of Manheim, Pa., held a Discovery Auction on Feb 1, with 186 registered bidders from seven states and aprroximately 325 people in attendance. The room was full of both people and energy. Some strong prices were achieved in many categories. The following are just a few. Prices reported include a buyer’s premium. The headliner was a 1928 prewar Lionel Loco-Build six-piece set with original boxes bringing $22,000. A Buddy L screen-sided baggage “U.S. Mail” truck sold for
$550, and a group of plastic Halloween candy containers sold for $2,040. A Gibson Les Paul guitar sold for $2,500. A signed “Abner Zook, Intercourse, Pa., 1960” large threedimensional folk art diorama of a covered bridge scene sold for $9,900. A small Aaron Zook threedimensional folk art diorama depicting a family of owls sold for $2,200, and a comparable one depicting a covered bridge scene brought $770. Abner and Aaron Zook were
World’s Fair Memorabilia To Be Sold At Online Auction Ending March 3 on page 2
Continued on page 2
William Shakespeare’s First Folio To Be Offered At Christie’s
The Barnes Foundation To Present “Marie Cuttoli: The Modern Thread From Miró To Man Ray” on page 4
Only Six Complete Copies Are Known In Private Hands Christie’s is delighted to announce the auction of William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, often referred to as the “First Folio,” as part of the Exceptional Sale during Classic Week at Christie’s New York on Friday, April 24 (est.
Only six complete copies are known in private hands. Shakespeare’s “First Folio” is being sold on behalf of Mills College in Oakland, Calif. The current auction record for a copy is $6,166,000, set by Christie’s on Oct. 8, 2001, in New York. It was sold from the library of Abel E. Berland.
Grey Flannel Auctions Knocks It Out Of The Park With WorldRecord $183,500 Price For A Babe RuthAutographed Baseball on page 4
Chinese Export Vase Soars At Pook & Pook on page 7
$4,000,000-$6,000,000). The “First Folio,” bringing together for the first time the collected plays of Shakespeare, ranks as the greatest work of the English language and, indeed, of world literature. Already celebrated on its first publication, it has remained a highly sought-after masterpiece for over four centuries.
The book was published in 1623 by Shakespeare’s friends and fellow actors, John Heminge and Henry Condell, who collaborated after the writer’s death to compile this authoritative edition of his work. The “First Folio” contains 36 of Shakespeare’s plays, including 18 Continued on page 2
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . starting on page 3 SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 5 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 6 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . starting on page 6
FEATURED AUCTION RESULTS: Pook & Pook - January 17 and 18 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania - Page 7
AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . . on page 8 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 11