Featured in this lot is this Badge Cattle Co. Howard Eaton cattle brand circa 1884; from the ex-collection of the C.M. Russell Museum and John Kleinschmidt. The cattle brand features a wonderfully and professionally crafted iron construction that shows a rod with a handle and a 'VZ' brand head. John Kleinschmidt was a collector of old brands and would constantly be in correspondence with other historians to organically burn the brands into boards and display them in his office. This branding iron comes complete with a note with information on the brand and some personal correspondence with influential collectors in the space in the mid century. The condition of this original cattle brand is good well preserved with some oxidation to the brand and some fractures in the welds but otherwise shows a well preserved condition. The measurements of this cattle brand is 34" x 6 5/8" x 4". The collective weight of this brand is 4lb 4oz. The rope comes complete with a museum or collectors tag that reads as follows: 1396-87 - O'Dell.