North American Auction Company wraps up the month of June with over 500 lots for sale on June 30th, 2018. The auction features rare and important items including Early Antique Firearms, Colt Python 38 Revolver, Alaskan Grizzly Bear Full Mount, Rare Montana Original Art, a Fine Collection of Navajo Jewelry, Large Newhouse Bear Trap Collection, Winchester Model 1873 .44-40, Early Colt Revolvers, Montana History, Advertising Signs and Excellent 19th Century Native American Indian Weapons and Artifacts. This sale will include items from the Estate of Bud Chapman, a local Bozeman, Montana collector of Western Saddlery, Cast Iron, and Traps among other items. The tremendous sale shows fine rare and collectible items from the first to very last lot, so make sure to check out the entire catalog.
Featured at Lot 70 is an extremely rare Metis Cree Scout Shirt & Pants that is impressive to say the least. The estimates rate this as high as $12500 in value. The full description is as follows:
“This is an exceptionally rare authentic Cree / Metis Northern Plains Native American Indian warrior’s outfit made for a half blood or scout dating to circa 1870-1880’s. The piece shows an Indian tanned Great American Bison Buffalo hide construction with Indian tanned Rocky Mountain Elk hide collar and front flap. The war shirt shows a classic 19th Century “Bib Shirt” flap on the front that is secured to the shirt with six flat metal trade buttons and has an exceptional authentic period correct floral beadwork pattern in corn yellow, semi-transparent red, medium green, chalk white, sky padre blue, and semi-transparent dark blue done in all fantastic petit-glass trade seed beads being sinew sewn, a true attribute of its early age. The inside of the front bid is lined with an early calico floral fabric lining matching the lining under the color. The color shows a blue trade clothe piping strip and is framed in a pictorial beaded design. The top of the shoulder shows two strips of scalloped and diamond pattern cutout Indian tanned hide that is lined with early red trade clothe and is framed in the back with a large portion of Indian tanned Elk hide having a fine floral pictorial glass trade seed beaded pattern and long thin hand cut fringe that has a yellow ocher mineral pigment dye. The entire shoulder area, under arm, lining of the shoulders, and the sides of the chest have a long thin cut fringe having a rich yellow ocher mineral pigment dye. The cuffs of the shirt also show a scalloped edge, matching the should/back/bottom edge, along with a diamond cutout, blue trade clothe, and floral calico. The matching pants show nearly a much grander design having authentic original petit glass trade seed beads in a floral geometric pictorial design running the entire length of both legs. The beadwork shows colors such as semi-transparent dark blue, chalk white, medium green, corn yellow, semi-transparent red, sky padre blue, and semi-transparent green all in the scarcest small petit beads, a true artistic accent. The front and back of the pants have four iron like metal black buttons and also two pockets along the front. The entire outside edge of the pants has a double lined area of thick cut Rocky Mountain Elk Indian tanned hide fringe. The piece also shows an embroidered pantaloon button marked “Jouval 96th Infantry / Paris Safety” and a moccasin double heel. This is truly one of the only complete and spectacularly beaded Scout or Half-Breed warrior outfits ever offered for sale and is shown in fine museum quality good condition. Some call these early petit seed beads or miniature seed beads, “pearl beads”. Provenance: From the large Native American weapons and artifacts private museum collection in Paris, France. The piece was found the be authentic and sold by the Eve Auction Co. in Paris, France in their December 15th, 2014 auction at lot number 194. The piece was sold for over $6,000 in this sale and is thought to worth increasingly more due to its rare nature. This is an opportunity to purchase a unique piece of Early American and Frontier history as not many of these outfits still exist in private collections. The shirt measures 22 1/2″ wide across the chest, underneath each armpit, 32 1/2″ from the top of the collar, to the bottom of the waist, and 69″ wide from the tips of each outstretched sleeve. The pants measures 44 1/8″ long from waist to ankle, 18″ across the waist, and using a 30 1/4″ inseam.’
Lot 104 presents the feature Colt .38 of the auction. With a selection of photos in the online catalog, this will get a lot of attention. The auctioneer has this full description:
“This lot gives you the opportunity to bid on an iconic firearm, in the form of a Colt Python Target, Double-Action Revolver, chambered for .38 Special. The revolver is built on Colt’s large I-Frame, and is finished in Colt’s deep “Royal Blue”, contrasted by rich factory walnut grips, adorned with the Colt crest. Additionally, the revolver comes with a desirable 8″, full solid-underlug barrel, full top rib, and an adjustable rear target sight. The Colt Pyhton was introduced in 1955, intended for Colts “premium market segment”. Supporting that claim – Firearm collectors and writters such as Jeff Cooper, Ian V. Hogg, Chuck Hawks, Leroy Thompson, and many more described the Colt Python as “the finest production revolver ever made”, while official Colt historian – RL Wilson describes the Python as “the Rolls-Royce of Colt Revolvers”. The revolver is marked in numerous locations, reading; Python Target – .38 Special CTG” on the left side of the barrel, “Colt’s PT. F.A. MFG. CO. Hartford. CONN. U.S.A.” on the right side of the barrel, “VA6299” on the inside of the frame, and on the cylinder swing arm, “38 SP” on the rear of the cylinder, and showing the bucking colt on the left side of the frame, and on both grip panels. This Python is a fantastic example, with a truly excellent double-action, tight cylinder lock-up, and a very-good bore. The revolver shows 98%+ Royal Blue finish, with only light handling marks. The walnut grips show the majority of the Pythons wear, displaying light scattered nicks. This revolver was manufactured in 1989, and qualifies as a Modern Handgun, FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check is Required. Serial Number: VA6299.”
In addition to the highlighted features, there are hundreds of incredible items to bid through at auction. All items, along with photos, are available in the online catalog for full inspection. North American Auction Company and iCollector.com are pleased to answer any questions via email or telephone about this auction or any of their other auctions; so contact them and make your bids today. The live bidding opens at 10AM Mountain Time on Saturday June 30th, 2018.