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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 753

C.S. Fly Chief Police Charles & Lillian McAllister

Estimate: $500 - $700
Starting Bid
$150

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
Featured in this lot is this C.S. Fly Gallery and C.F. Peterson Gallery Chief of Police Charles McAllister and his wife Lillian McAllister cabinet card and mounted photograph circa 1886 and displayed in the the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum; Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. The mounted photograph by C.F. Peterson Gallery of Deadwood, South Dakota Chief Charles McAllister shows a portrait of him in his uniform and shows a stamped indented border decoration around the photograph with the blind stamp shown in the bottom right hand corner and comes complete with an original museum tag that reads as follows: Charles McAllister Bisbee, 1886. The cabinet card by C.S. Fly shows Lillian McAllister in a very fine dress holding a scroll and having a fan attached to her waist. The cabinet card is marked as follows: Fly's Gallery - Tombstone, A.T. and comes with an original museum tag that reads as follows: Lillian McAllister. Charles McAllister served as Chief of Police in Bisbee, Arizona, during the volatile mid-1880s, a time when the town was rapidly expanding due to the booming copper mining industry. As chief in 1886, McAllister was responsible for maintaining order in a frontier community marked by lawlessness, labor unrest, and frequent violence. His tenure followed the infamous 1883 Bisbee Massacre, and he played a key role in restoring public confidence in local law enforcement. McAllister's leadership helped transition Bisbee from a rough mining camp into a more organized municipality, reflecting the broader efforts across the Arizona Territory to impose structure and authority in the face of rapid development and social tension. After his time in Arizona Charles McAllister briefly served as Chief of Police in Deadwood, South Dakota, during the early 20th century under Mayor McDonald, likely around 1906. His appointment came during a more settled period in Deadwood's history, long after its notorious gold rush days of the 1870s. Though his tenure was short, McAllister was known as a competent and respected lawman. Unfortunately, his service was cut short, possibly due to declining health, as he was reportedly suffering from tuberculosis at the time. His role in Deadwood marked one of several public service positions he held during a career that spanned the law enforcement frontier of the American West. The condition of this cabinet card and mounted photograph is well preserved with no obvious signs of damage with some slight wear due to age but otherwise shows a well preserved condition. The measurements of the cabinet card is 6 3/8" x 4 1/4" and the mounted photograph measures 9" x 6" and the visible photograph measures 5" x 3 3/8".

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