Old West & Frontier Americana
The Old West collection features some of the most important Western and outlaw items to have ever been sold. Gary Hendershott has handled the John Dalton gun from the notorious Coffeyville bank robbery, Frank and Jesse James material with ironclad provenance tracing back to the James family, and a unique and famous tintype of General Custer and his wife Libbie — one of the most important photographic images from the frontier era.
The collection extends deep into the world of frontier firearms and cavalry history. Gary has sold an Indian-capture Colt Army pistol from the Battle of Little Big Horn, a Colt Single Action Army with original Ainsworth inspection marks and a Billings, Montana hand-tooled belt set, the 1st US Dragoon earliest known uniform and hat, and Bill Anderson of Quantrill's Raiders 1864 half-plate tintype. The outlaw material includes John Wesley Hardin's signed five-shot playing card, Buffalo Bill era artifacts, and items from the Dalton Gang that defined America's fascination with the frontier.
This collection has drawn the attention of major museums, film historians, and serious collectors who understand that the true Old West was far more compelling than any Hollywood retelling. From the 1876 Gatling gun Custer model to cavalry uniforms of the Indian Wars period, these artifacts preserve the raw reality of an era that shaped the American identity.
The John Dalton Gun
The actual firearm used in the Dalton Gang's brazen double bank robbery in Coffeyville, Kansas in 1892, an event that became one of the defining legends of the Old West. This weapon was recovered from the scene of one of the most audacious and bloody raids in frontier history.
General Custer & Wife Libbie Tintype
A unique and famous original tintype of General George Armstrong Custer and his wife Libbie, one of the most important photographic images to survive from the frontier era. This intimate portrait captures the ill-fated cavalry commander and his devoted wife before the fateful campaign to the Little Bighorn.
Frank & Jesse James Material
Artifacts connected to the most famous outlaws in American history, with ironclad provenance tracing back to the James family. These objects documenting America's most notorious outlaw brothers are of extraordinary rarity and represent the apex of Western outlaw collecting.
1876 Gatling Gun — Custer Model 76
The 1876 Colt Gatling gun of the exact model that General Custer famously declined to bring to the Little Bighorn — a decision that may have sealed the fate of the 7th Cavalry. This masterpiece of 19th-century military engineering is a monument to one of history's most fateful command decisions.
John Wesley Hardin Artifacts
Personal artifacts of John Wesley Hardin, the deadliest gunfighter of the Old West, including his signed five-shot playing card. Hardin claimed to have killed over 40 men, and material connected to him is among the rarest and most sought-after in all of Western collecting.
1st US Dragoon Uniform & Hat
The earliest known surviving US Dragoon uniform and hat, from the first mounted regiment organized by the United States Army for frontier service. This is a landmark piece of American military history representing the very beginning of cavalry operations in the American West.
Related Collections
Historic Firearms
Colts, Winchesters, and firearms that shaped the American frontier and battlefield.
Native American
Sacred and historical artifacts preserving the material culture of America\'s first peoples.
Presidential
Museum-quality presidential memorabilia and artifacts of national significance.
Interested in Old West Material?
Gary Hendershott is one of the leading authorities on frontier-era artifacts and outlaw history. If you are seeking a specific piece or wish to discuss your collection, a private consultation is always available.
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