North American Auction Company
Live Auction

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.
North American Auction Company tucker@naabid.com
Lot 607

Thin Wall Angled & Straight Bike Whistles 1870-90s

Estimate: $200 - $400
Current Bid
$50

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 are three, manual bicycle thin wall whistles from the late 1870s-1890s. Two are unmarked and the third was manufactured by B.G.I. (Bridgeport Gun Implements), a prominent company in manufacturing thin wall whistles. The Bridgeport Gun Implement Company (B.G.I. Co.), founded in 1878 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, manufactured a wide range of products, including rifle accessories, police whistles, and bicycle equipment. B.G.I. Co. also developed thin-walled, angled mouthpiece whistles, which were popular in taxi services, cycling, and sports at the time. These whistles had a unique design with an angled mouthpiece and thin walls, making them light and easy to operate. In 1888, the business obtained multiple patents for various designs, including those from inventors such as S.R. Briggs. The first two are unmarked and show a straight construction with two barrels. They both features their original chain that was used to connect to the users clothing to keep it safe and secured. The third whistle, produced by B.G.I. was named, "The Universal" and is model number 1. They had three models, 1, 2 and 3 which were marked by size, 1 being the smallest and 3 being the largest. It is marked on the angled mouth piece reading, "B.G.I. Co. / Universal No. 1". This whistle also features its original chain. They show good condition overall with some wear present from their age and use over the years, but no signs of major damage is noted. They measure 3 1/2" L x 1" W x 1" H and have a collective weight of 72.7 grams. Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. HW94 HW96 HW97

All items will ship at our North American Auction Company in-house shipping department. Please allow up to 14-21 days after a complete invoice payment is made to package and ship your purchase. After you are notified of your winning bids from our company and your item invoice is paid in full our new shipping department will contact you. Make sure when signing up with our company that your preferred shipping information is up to date as this information will be used to estimate shipping cost. Once the items have been packaged our team will contact you for shipping payment. Shipping invoices and payment will be completely separately than the items invoice. Please notify the shipping department with any alternate request or instructions at mark@naabid.com or 800-686-4216 ext. 3. For a shipping quote please contact the same information above. PLEASE NOTE a shipping quote price can fluctuate in price. Auction company is not responsible for actual shipping cost being higher than quoted shipping cost. Thank you for trusting North American Auction Co. with your bids and shipping. As our shipping department is brand new please understand that delays can be expected.