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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 502

Western Union Telegraph & Railroad Operator Photo

Estimate: $300 - $500
Starting Bid
$100

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 telegraph from the Western union Telegraph Company, dated June 1881 and an original photo postcard taken at the East Palestine Railroad Station in East Palestine, Ohio from 1911. The Western Union Telegraph Company, formed in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company, swiftly established itself as the dominant force in American telecommunications. It changed its name to "Western Union" in 1856 after merging with lesser telegraph firms. In 1861, the business completed the first transcontinental telegraph line, effectively eliminating the need for the Pony Express. Western Union developed its services in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, offering innovations like the stock ticker, money transfers, and even early fax technologies. By the early twentieth century, it was the world's largest and most influential telegraph firm. Despite the decline of telegraphy with the rise of the telephone and digital communication, Western Union adapted, focusing on financial services like wire transfers. Today, it remains a major global money transfer company, though its telegraph operations officially ceased in 2006. The telegraph is marked at the top reading, "The Western Union Telegraph Company" and was sent to the Pima County Bank by an H.R. Cymond, assistant cashier. The photo shows a group of men in the East Palestine Railroad station sitting around a table posing for the photo in 1911. The man on the right hand side is the telegraph operator. The real photo postcard has been written on the back and the front but the photo is still in good viewable condition. Both pieces show good condition overall with slight wear present from their age and use over the years, but no signs of major damage is noted. The telegraph measures 7 7/8" L x 5 1/4" W, while the photo measures 3 3/8" L x 5 3/8" W. They have a collective weight of under 6 ounces. Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. EX14 D32

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