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LOT 67
Extremely Rare and Historic Famed Spangenberg & Co. of Tombstone, Arizona Territory Deluxe
Trapdoor Sporting Rifle - NSN, 45-70 Government cal., 30 inch round bbl., brown/casehardened/blue
finish, walnut stock. Offered here is an extreme rarity in Wild West firearm collecting. It is believed to be one of
only a handful of these trapdoor sporting rifles that remain in existence, as built by Spangenberg & Co. circa 1880-1881. This
example is unmarked, but is readily identified by its many similarities to a marked specimen previously sold by Rock Island Auction Company
(auction 77 lot 3215). The specially made hammer “finger prints” it as the fine work of George F. Spangenberg. George F. Spangenberg arrived in
Tombstone in 1880 and opened a gunsmith and locksmith shop. Selling new and used firearms, cutlery and sewing machines, Spangenberg’s shop attracted
an array of Tombstone’s most famous and infamous citizens. His shop was located on 4th Street adjacent to the OK Corral on Fremont Street where the legendary
gunfight between the Earp brothers, Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan, and Doc Holliday and the Clanton brothers, Billy Clairborne and the McLaury brothers occurred on October
26, 1881. A bit of a feud had developed between the loosely considered lawmen and the gang of outlaws who were members of a gang in the Tombstone area known as “The Cowboys”. As the story goes, the Earps and Doc Holliday were going to the OK Corral to disarm the gang who were carrying guns, which was against the law in Tombstone at the time. The Earps and Doc Holliday confronted the gang near the OK Corral on Fremont Street by Fly’s Photography Gallery and the Harwood House, and the rest is history. At
the time of the shootout there were a couple of gun stores in Tombstone. One was owned by Samuel L. Hart, which was on Fremont Street across from the OK Corral, and the other was owned by George Spangenberg. Prior to the gunfight, Earp ran into his future assailants buying cartridges at Spangenberg’s. Purportedly, Spangenberg’s also sold the Earp brothers the ammunition they used in the gunfight. Spangenberg built this high quality sporting rifle around a U.S. Springfield Model 1873 Trapdoor barreled action with the barrel shortened to an even 30 inches from it’s original length of 32 5/8 inches, the addition of a dovetailed German silver blade front sight, Sharps Borchardt Model 1878 rear sight, Springfield lock with the face resurfaced (original markings removed in the process) in order to fit flush with the wood, specially made hammer, and an attractive walnut multi-point checkered half stock with coin silver forend cap, raised cheekpiece on the left and crescent iron buttplate. The barrel is secured to the stock by a single barrel key with oval escutcheons. The high quality of this rifle points original ownership to a wealthy member of Tombstone society. Consignor research is included.
CONDITION: Fine with charming frontier patina, the barrel retains half of the period brown finish, with a mix of smooth brown and silvery gray patina on the lock, breech block and action with traces of period blue finish on the breech block, some scattered patches of light pitting, and scattered light freckling. Stock is also fine with crisp checkering, some scattered scratches and dents, a few chips, attractive figure and wood grains, and defined edges. Mechanically excellent. A great rarity and a physical reminder of the famed gunfight at the OK Corral for the serious Wild West collector. If you’re looking for Old West history, here it is! Don’t let this one get away!
Estimate: 7,500 - 15,000
LOT 68
Intriguing
“Frontier” Sporting Rifle Conversion of a Custer Era Springfield Model 1873 Carbine Formerly
in the John Fox Collection - Serial no. 39991, 45-70 cal., 22 inch round bbl., blue/brown/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This classic frontier
sporting rifle was collected by famed western arms collector John Fox in Montana over 50 years ago and sold to the current consignor around 20 years ago.
It is fine quality sporting rifle built by a talented gunsmith using a Model 1873 Trapdoor from 1875 manufactured prior to the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn to create an excellent
frontiersman or rancher’s version of a Springfield “Officer’s Model.” The barrel remains the original 22 inch length but the front sight blade has been replaced with a silver blade likely made from
a coin and an under-rib has been installed. It correctly has no markings at the breech and is fitted with an early Model 1873 carbine rear sight. The action has the early “high-arch” breechblock with the
early marking “MODEL/1873/eagle head/crossed arrows/US.” The rifle also has the early trigger. The three-click tumbler lock’s markings were removed. The hammer is also re-profiled and has the early 1st style
square face and nicely curved spur. The saddle ring bar was removed creating two flush lock screw plates. The stock has been nicely modified to a half-stock, slimmed down to lighten the weight, re-profiled giving it a
more sporting appearance, checkered at the wrist, and fitted with a pewter forend cap and brass buttplate and toe plate. A wooden pin to lighten the trigger is visible at the tail of the lock.
CONDITION: Fine with lots of frontier character. The barrel 40% of the aged brown finish. The lock has attractive period case color patterns and gray and brown patina. The breechblock has mottled gray and brown patina. The iron furniture is mostly brown patina with some traces of original blue. The buttplate and toeplate have attractive aged patina. The stock is also fine and retains most of the varnish, raised grain, and checkering and has minor dings and scratches, a few tiny slivers absent, and a very attractive look overall. Mechanically excellent. The .45-70 Trapdoor became very popular in the West, and this is definitely one of those western artifacts that looks like it has a great story to tell.
Provenance: The John Fox Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
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