Cowan's Auctions & Cowan's Historic Americana

		756. COPPER HOLLOW-BODIED GRASSHOPPER WEATHERVANE Sold for $42,550. With cast antennae and applied spurs to the rear legs. Retains traces of a gilt surface. American, probably late 19th century; 17" high x 41" long. This lot is accompanied by an envelope (postmarked in Boston, 1903) bearing the logo of the E.B. Badger & Sons Company, coppersmiths. Their logo pictures the well-known grasshopper weathervane that tops Faneuil Hall in Boston. The Faneuil Hall grasshopper has glass eyes, while the eyes on the example offered here are part of the copper body. Another possible attribution is to L.W. Cushing and Sons of Waltham, Massachusetts. A very similar example is pictured in their catalog number 9, page 17. This page is pictured in Kaye, "Cushing and White’s Copper Weather Vanes" in the June 1976 issue of The Magazine Antiques. Expected wear, minor loss and repair; VG-. Provenance: Ex John Armiger, Ex Van Dusen/Schuman Antiques, Ex Barenholtz (Sotheby’s, New Y ork, January 27, 1990, lot 1674). (EST $10000-$15000)

		638. DATED 1795 PENNSYLVANIA PAINTED BLANKET CHEST Sold for $11,500. In poplar, with a moulded lid, dovetailed case, 2 thumb-moulded drawers, and ogee bracket feet. Retains its original strap hinges as well as original lock and key. Interior with lidded till. With its original paint decoration consisting of red, green, white, and blue, with tablets on the front and the top incorporating a vine and leaf motif. Just below the lid, in red paint, is 17 SUSANNA MEYERIN 95. Eastern Pennsylvania; 29" high x 51" wide x 23" deep. Genealogical research found a Susanna Mayerin born in Germantown, Pennsylvania Sold for $11,500. In 1778, and married in 1799. Lock with minor damage but still functional, cracks to some foot facings (still very stable); VG. Provenance: Ex Collection Jerry and Andy Hauck, retains a 1961 receipt from Schuykill House in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.(EST $7000-$9000)

		1030. REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA TRICORN HAT Sold for $10,925 ca 1770-1790. Black wool felt measures 15" on each side with crown 4" high. Two-strand cotton string about the crown indicating its quasi-civilian character as a plain round black hat worn with the sides down. Sweatband of glazed cotton attached with string.

		964. SILVER MOUNTED HUNTING SWORD & MATCHED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS Sold for $41,400 The matched American flintlock pistols, ca 1800-20 have ca 45 caliber 6" long round-to-octagonal brass barrels with geometric engraving, steel lock marked Ketland & Co., brass floral scrolled back plate and floral engraved trigger guards, butt plates and 2 ramrod sleeves each with original rods, full burled and curly maple stocks with oval silver escutcheon with the same engraved crest as the sword scabbard above and Col. Thomas Johnston above, total length 11".

		1134. HALF PLATE DAGUERREOTYPE OF GOLD-MINING SCENE Sold for $18,400 This daguerreotype is a souvenir of the adventures of Thomas and Martin Reinhart of Alvada, Ohio who left home in 1851 at the height of the Gold Rush. According to documentation accompanying the image, after arriving in California they set up camp near Hangtown (now Placerville) and presumably this represents their "diggins." They stayed in California four years before returning home via a trek across the Isthmus of Panama, then by boat to New York and finally to Ohio.Sold for $18,400

		145. Acoma Polychrome Olla Attributed to "Acoma Mary" Sold for $4,250 Including Buyer’s Premium

		817. Sitting Bull’s Whitney Revolver, Sold for $118,00 including Buyer’s Premium. Second Model Whitney Navy Revolver, a grey, heavily used revolver, showing evidence of much hard use. Two-piece walnut grips, with right side inscribed "DIE 1890 SITTING BULL." With a matching hand-made harness leather fringed holster, with "DIE 1890 SITTING BULL" carved into its surface. The holster exhibits heavy wear from the contours of the revolver. The historic revolver was given to Colonel Alfred Burton Welch of Mandan, North Dakota in April 1920 by No-Two Horns, a Hunkpapa chief and cousin of Sitting Bull. According to Welch’s typed notes accompanying the revolver: "No Two Horns Presents Me With Sitting Bull’s Gun." In April of this hear, 1920, this old man came to see me at Mandan and gave me this old sixshooter as a present. It is an old gun, showing much misuse and rough work. Wooden handled, upon which is scratched "Sitting Bull" and "Die 1890" The name E. Whitney, N. Haven can be made out on the top of barrel and upon the chamber ram rod, for the chambers of the gun are loaded with powder and ball and fired with carps, are the numbers and letters 679L. The scabbard is a no flap affairm fringed and with belt slits, and also bears the writing "SITTING BULL and Die 1890." I have heard of this gun for a long time and know that many people have tried to buy it. Indians say it is genuine." Later, on July 23, 1920 Welch recorded the following information about the revolver. Pius Big Shield, who married one of No Two Horns daughters saw the gun and examined it. He said that he had seen his father in law with the gun, and had also seen Sitting Bull shoot larks with it, so he knew it had once belonged to Sitting Bull. He said No Two Horns had told him that many people had wanted to pay him money for the gun, but that he intended to present it to Mato Watakpe [Cataloger’s note: Mato Watapke, or "Charging Bear" was Welch’s Lakota name given to him by Chief John Grass on the occasion of his adoption by the Hunkpapa chief]* He said No Two Horns and Sitting Bull were great friends and that Sitting Bull had given the gun to his father in law a long time ago. The gun is now in my collection. . This revolver is also listed in Welch’s 1939 collection inventory under items in which he describes the revolver and its serial number and holster, along with the following notation: "This gun was given to me by He Nopa Wanica (No Two Horns) a Teton adherent of Sitting Bull, and it is a well known piece of artillery among the Indians, who quite often come to see it, and recognize it as the one Sitting Bull had. He presented it to No Two Horns Himself. I believe that there is little doubht but that it did belong to the old Medicine Chief, Sitting Bull." . In addition to Welch’s typed descriptions, the lot also includes the following: a newspaper clipping from the June 24, 1940 Minneapolis Tribune showing Welch standing in his collection room posed before a shield belonging to No Two Horns, with the revolver clearly visible hanging on the wall above it; a copy of the inventory of Welch’s collection which includes the revolver; a beautiful ca 1920s 5 x 7" photograph of No Two Horns by Slorby of Bismarck, showing the chief in his headdress and holding a rare Kit Fox society lance bow; a 5 x 7" photograph of No Two Horns taken by Welch at Fort Yates on August 21, 1939. Welch notes, The tobacco bag in his hands, he gave to me is now in my collection; a fine color drawing of the war shield of No Two Horns, presumably done by Welch, but possibly by No Two Horns, himself. No Two Horns (He Nopa Wanica) was a well-known Hunkpapa warrior who participated in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, where his horse was reportedly shot from under him.

		Wonderful Anti-Slavery Stenciled Banner, Sold for $46,000 including buyer’s premium

		George Armstrong Custer’s Indian Wars Camp Chair, Sold for $56,300 including buyer’s premium

		145. The First Steiff Teddy Bear, The Rod Bear Sold for $17,250 including buyer’s premium. With swivel head with embroidery thread sewn mouth, gutta percha black nose and eyes, jointed limbs with black thread sewn details, mohair covered excelsior stuffed body with interior steel rod (see x-ray photo) and felt paws, 15" tall. In 1902 Richard Steiff began experiments to produce a bear with a flexible jointing system, one of which was a string jointed system and the other a rod-jointed bear. Made for only one year, the rod bears are now extremely rare. Richard Steiff launched the rod bear, also called the 55 PB at the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903.

		English George III Sterling Silver Center Bowl by Paul Storr Sold for $5,175 including buyer’s premium

		808. Edward S. Godfrey’s 7th Cavalry Presentation Sword, Sold for $72,900 incliding Buyer’s Premium. Model 1872 Officer’s Grade II Presentation sword made by Pettibone and Brothers of Cincinnati. Complete with original chamois leather protective case. Nickel-plated blade with martial acid-etched engravings, and presentation inscription etched in a blued panel with gilt lettering Presented to Major E.S. Godfrey USA,

		Wild Bill Hickok CDV, by Gurney & Son Sold for $16,100 including buyer’s premium

		302. Rare Kramer & Reinhardt #109 Character Child Socket head Doll Sold for $17,250 including buyer’s premium. With painted blue eyes, closed mouth, original blonde wig, marked on back of head KR/109/49* on jointed composition body dressed in period blue checked dress with period underclothing and white leather boots and old straw hat, 19" tall.

		1194. HAM BELL’S PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DODGE CITY "PEACE COMMISSION" Sold for $19,550 From back left this image includes Will Harris, Luke Short, W.B. "Bat" Masterson; front row Charles Bassett, Wyatt Earp, Frank McLain and Neal Brown. This version with W.F. Petillon painted out on back right, but his shoulder still visible above Neal Brown’s hat. To assure continued peace in Dodge City, Adjutant General Moonlight set about establishing a group he called Glick’s Guards. It was composed of both pro-Webster and pro-Short men. The Guards were to anticipate and solve any future problems. Before Short’s friends left town, seven of them posed with him for a formal picture that soon became known as the "Dodge City Peace Commission." Three days after Bat Masterson arrived in Dodge, he and Wyatt Earp left town, headed for New Mexico Territory.

		139. GRANT & COLFAX JUGATE CAMPAIGN PORTRAIT FLAG Sold for $20,700 Red, white and blue printed glazed cotton with jugate portrait in blue on canton with 35 star surround, blue text on 2nd-4th white strip on fly with Grant/&/Colfax, 12" x 16.5". Pressure mounted and framed in birdseye maple, 14.5" x 19.25". Very light stains, else VG+.(EST $15000-$25000)

		138. EXTRAORDINARY MARQUETRY BOX MADE BY DR. MUDD IN PRISON Sold for $12,075 Parquetry inlaid box with fitted interior and presentation inscription. This inscription is on paper and sealed under glass on the interior of the lid and reads This wreath was made of pressed sea weed at Fort Jefferson, in the Dry Tortugas in 1867 by Dr. Mudd, imprisoned there as one of the conspirators in the assassination of President Lincoln. The box was made and inlaid by Mudd, Spangler, and Arnold, all three imprisoned there as conspirators of the above assassination, from wood gathered on the beach at Dry Tortuga.

		861. 16-STAR AMERICAN NATIONAL FLAG Sold for $69,000 Estimated to sell between $4,000-$6,000, this flag was the top selling lot at Cowan’s June Americana sale. 16 double-appliqued cotton muslin stars are configured in a wonderful starburst pattern surrounding a larger star. This configuration and having only 11 stripes gives great visual impact to this flag. Stars are hand-sewn utilizing a running stitch. Six lower stripes are pieced secondary to scarcity of available material. Entire flag is hand-sewn cotton and hemmed. Hoist is rolled into a pocket containing a rope. Tennessee was admitted as the 16th State. Ca late 1860s to 1870s. 17.6" x 27.75".

		991. ANDONI MARX’S 1759 POWDER HORN Sold for $10,925 Illustrated in Folk Art Of Early America The Engraved Powder Horn by Jim Dresslar, 1996, page 67 and on dust jacket. Wonderful folk art engraving with two lines of text that read Andoni Marx Sein/Horn Anno 1759 with large town engraved completely around the plug end of the horn. One building’s weather vane is a rooster; another building flies flags, third is windmill. A Native American with musket at side, mermaid with horn in each hand, dog chasing deer, two ships and many floral and vining plants, engrailed end with ring turned spout, line filled chevrons at each end. Spruce plug end, attached with brads, wonderful old polished patina, total length 11".

		1312. BOUDOIR CARD OF GERONIMO AND HIS BRAVES Sold for $4,887.50 With applied label on verso from Camillus S. Fly of Tombstone, Arizona. From Fly’s Scene in Geronimo’s Camp... series. This image listed as No. 174 -- Geronimo, Son and Two Picked Braves. With Fly’s handstamp and copyright date of 1886.