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Tombstone Western Heritage Museum Auction: The Earp Brothers & Cowboys

Sat, Jul 26, 2025 11:00AM EDT
  2025-07-26 11:00:00 2025-07-26 11:00:00 America/New_York North American Auction Company North American Auction Company : Tombstone Western Heritage Museum Auction: The Earp Brothers & Cowboys https://live.naabid.com/auctions/north-american-auction/tombstone-western-heritage-museum-auction-the-earp-brothers-cowboys-20021
Join North American Auction Company on July 26th for a once-in-a-lifetime auction of the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum Collection. This extraordinary sale features the largest private collection of Tombstone history, including rare and historic pieces tied to Wyatt Earp, the Earp Brothers, and the infamous Cochise Cowboys. From original artifacts, outlaw relics, and the largest collection of C.S. Fly photographs, this is a can’t-miss event for collectors of the Old West’s most legendary chapter.
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Lot 435

1880-20 Galeyville Outlaw Recovered Police Badges

Estimate: $450 - $650
Starting Bid
$125

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
The lot features two original, authentic Police law enforcement badges dating from the circa 1880-1920’s era which were recovered from the old site of the “Coyote” Smith Saloon in Turkey Creek Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains with paperwork; from the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. Both badges are marked on the reverse. The lot includes two Police badges with a signed certificate document from Stephen K. Elliot the curator at the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum. In November 2002 Stephen K. Elliot went to Sander’s Ranch in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona with George Scott Polka. They went to the known spot of the old Smith Saloon which was right across the street from the present Sander’s ranch house. In the 1880’s “Coyote” Smith was a colorful character in the Turkey Creek Canyon area where he ran the saloon, right down the road on the way to the infamous Cowboy town of Galeyville, Arizona Territory. John Ringo was a frequent patron of the Smith Saloon where he was known to shoot the flies off the wall with his six-shooter. Now there is nothing left of the old saloon except the location where Jerry Sanders, George Scott Polka and Stephen K. Elliot recovered four bags of relics including these badges. The town of Galeyville was settled in 1880 and later was abandoned to become a ghost town in the 1930’s. The first badge shows a nickel silver finish with stamping on the thick metal of “SPECIAL POLICE OFFICER” on the six-point pie shield stock badge which is stamped on the back, “ED. JONES & CO. OAKLAND, CAL.” Ed Jones was known to make badges in the 1890’s and is also believed to have made badges as early as 1880’s, this example could be as early as circa 1880’s and as late as circa 1920, marked with museum number LO-229 on the reverse. The next badge shows a classic early shield pattern and the heavy nickel silver or sterling silver pie shield is stamped “SPECIAL POLICE” with black painted lettering on the front and is stamped, “CHIPRON STAMP CO. 224 W. FIRST ST. LOS ANGELS”. The Chipron Stamp Co. was in the business of making badges as early as early 1890’s until they were purchased by Los Angeles Stamp in 1942. This badge dates to circa 1890’s to 1920’s. The badge has a museum number of LO227 on the back. Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum, Stephen and Marge Elliott (Steven Elliott), recovered in 2002 by Stephen Elliott, Jerry Sanders and George Scott Polka. The condition of this pair of badges is well preserved with some patina adorning both badges but otherwise shows a well preserved overall condition. The measurements of these badges is 2 1/8" x 1 7/8" x 3/8" and 3 1/8" x 2 5/8" x 1/2". The collective weight of these two badges is 53.3g. Outlaw, Cowboy, Gunslinger, Gunfighter, Police, Constable, Obsolete Badge. LO229, LO227

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