North American Auction Company
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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 232

Cochise Co. Cowboys EXCAVATED 1876 Winchester

Estimate: $2,500 - $4,500
Starting Bid
$500

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
This is an incredible Cochise Cowboy Winchester Model 1876 excavated at the Sanders Ranch in Turkey Creek, a known Cochise Cowboys and Outlaws hangout from the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum. This is a Winchester model 1876 receiver round 2 1/2 feet down at the Sander's Ranch by Mrs. Ethel Sanders by an old wagon road that leads to Galeyville a notorious Cochise Cowboy hangout. The Cochise County Cowboys, a loosely organized group of outlaws active in southeastern Arizona during the late 19th century, were known for rustling cattle, robbing stagecoaches, and clashing with lawmen like the Earps. Galeyville, a remote mining town near the Chiricahua Mountains, served as a frequent hideout and gathering spot for the Cowboys in the early 1880s, offering them relative isolation and sympathetic locals who benefited from their spending. The receiver comes with an original museum tag that reads as follows: Winchester Model 1876 found at the Sander's Ranch house by Mrs. Ethel Sanders. It was 2.5 feet down - right next to the original wagon road to Galeyville. The Winchester Model 1876 was a lever-action rifle designed for greater power and range than its predecessors, chambered in large-caliber cartridges such as .45-75 Winchester, .50-95 Express, and .45-60. In the Arizona Territory, it was favored by settlers, lawmen, and scouts for its reliability and stopping power—ideal for defending against rustlers, outlaws, and hostile conditions in the rugged frontier. The condition of this excavated Winchester receiver shows heavy oxidation and patina consistent with an excavated relic and is missing the barrel and buttstock with the receiver being the only remaining piece of the rifle left. The measurements of this receiver is 12" x 3 1/4" x 1". The collective weight of this excavated receiver is 1lb 12oz. G-077

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