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LOT 1083
Smith & Wesson Model No. 3 Third
Model Russian Revolver with Holster
Rig, Ammunition, Factory Letter, and
Documentation Attributing it as the Gun
that Killed Legendary Native American
Chief Sitting Bull - Serial no. 4490, 44 S&W
Russian cal., 6 1/2 inch solid rib bbl., nickel
finish, walnut grips. A notarized statement
from James T. Tevlin in 2022 states that this
revolver was passed down through his family.
He states: “The revolver was obtained by an
infantry Captain of the US Army and given
to Mr Peter Brady of the US Army. Mr Brady
willed the gun to his daughter Mrs. J J Tevlin
in 1915 upon his death. After the death of Mrs.
JJ Tevlin in 1951 the gun was willed to her
son Thomas C. Tevlin. Upon his death in 1989
the gun was willed to his son James T. Tevlin.
The items consisting of the Smith & Wesson
Model 3 Revolver with serial number 4490, the
leather belt with holster, cartridges and two
newspaper articles are solely owned by myself:
James T. Tevlin.” The two newspaper articles
from 1936 are included and state much of the
same origin information as Tevlin’s letter and
note that the gun was passed down by Peter
Brady to Mrs. J.J. Tevlin. A factory letter from
Smith & Wesson historian Roy Jinks to James T.
Tevlin is also included. It largely provides the
basic information on this model and does not
provide additional information on the current
revolver but notes, “It is impossible to provide
a value on this revolver without an idea of the
type of documentation which can substantiate
that it came from Sitting Bull’s house. I
can also provide the names of individuals,
including myself, who would be interested in
this gun once the value is established.”
A letter from Jinks to Tevlin instructing him
on what he would need to know in order to
provide him information on the revolver itself
is also included.
In addition to the two article clippings
included with the revolver, other newspaper
articles from 1936 also discussed this revolver,
and their story and wording are largely
the same as the included articles as well as
Tevlin’s statement. For example, the La Cross
Tribune on September 29, 1936, ran an article
titled “Gun Which Ended Life Of Sitting Bull
Collector’s Prize” which stated “A .44 caliber
six-shooter, credited with being the weapon
that ended the life of the recalcitrant Sitting
Bull, last of the great Indian chieftains of the
northwest, is among the treasured possessions
of Mrs. John J. Tevlin” of Staples, Minnesota.
“The heavy revolver was the pride of Mrs.
Tevlin’s father, the late Peter Brady, who died
in 1915. It was given him by a captain of the
United States army before Brady’s discharge
from service...The revolver was obtained by
an infantry captain who turned the weapon
over to Brady. The gun measured a foot in
length, holds six cartridges and is carried in
a heavy leather holster. The gun carries the
manufacturer’s number 4490 and was made
in Springfield, Mass. Other relics kept by the
family include a cane with a concealed sword
and the parchment promotion and discharger
papers for Mr. Brady. The papers show that he
served from 1871 to 1884.” The latter detail,
if accurate, contradicts the earlier claim that
the revolver was given to Brady before he
discharged from the service given that Sitting
Bull was killed in 1890.
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