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LOT 109
Exceptional and Desirable Moran
Bros. Miles City, Montana Territory,
Tooled “Mexican Loop” Colt Single
Action Army Holster with Matching
Moran Bros. Cartridge/Money Belt -
Established in 1879, the Moran Bros.
firm was one of the first saddlery and
gun leather firms founded in Miles
City, Montana Territory. The brothers
operated a two-man shop until 1895,
when they sold the business to Charles
E. Coggshall, whose business eventually became the famous Miles City Saddlery. Moran Bros. is
one of the few Western saddlery and gun leather firms where all of their legitimate examples can
be truly dated to the 19th century Western Frontier. Due to their limited production capacity and short time of operation, surviving examples are incredibly scarce, making them highly desirable on the collectors market. This example is marked on both the body of the holster and the billet of the cartridge belt with the iconic oval “MORAN BRO’S/MILES CITY.M.T.” maker’s mark. The holster itself is of the single “Mexican loop” variety with a large egg-shaped skirt. The body of the holster and loop have attractive border tooling incorporating rope patterns. The holster will accommodate a 5 1/2 inch barrel Colt Single Action Army revolver and is in cross-draw configuration for a right handed shooter. The belt has a single row of approximately .38 caliber sized cartridge loops, a nickeled buckle, and a “money” opening in the belt near the buckle. The belt is 2 3/4 inches wide and measures approximately 40 1/2 inches long including the billet. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, showing the typical mild wear of a well-cared for late 19th century holster that saw use on the Western Frontier. It show some scattered minor scuffs, scattered light age-related cracking, and almost all of the original stitching present and tight. An
incredible opportunity to add an outstanding example of a Colt Single Action Army holster rig by one of the Western Frontier’s most desirable makers!
Provenance: The Greg Lampe Collection.
Estimate: 10,000 - 15,000
LOT 110
Desirable Missoula County, Montana Deputy Sheriff Badge Attributed to Thomas B. Evans - Founded in 1860, Missoula County is located in the mountains of western Montana. This Missoula County deputy sheriff’s badge is attributed to have belonged to under sheriff/chief deputy Thomas B. Evans, who worked under Sheriff Clarence Prescott who was elected in 1901. The badge is of the traditional shield shape with “DEPUTY” and “SHERIFF” at the top and bottom and “MISSOULA/ CO./MONT.” marked at the center on a five-pointed star. The maker’s mark “P-C. STAMPS WKS/SEATTLE” is on the back of the badge along with the pin. Includes documentation with information about both Evans and Prescott.
CONDITION: Very fine, remains mostly bright with some scattered light handling marks. A desirable piece of Montana history!
Provenance: The Greg Lampe Collection.
Estimate: 900 - 1,400
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