DALLAS, TX.- On offer in Heritage’s Arms & Armor, Civil War & Militaria Signature® Auction on June 9 are treasures from a recent past — that nostalgic era when Westerns ruled the silver screen and TV screens alike: Beautiful historic firearms and mementos from the collection of Joe “The Straight Shooter” Bowman. Bowman was a legendary quick-draw artist and trick shooter able to shoot an aspirin tablet at 30 paces and split a playing card edgewise at up to 20.

“I’ve seen fast, I’ve seen faster. I’ve seen fastest, and then I’ve seen Joe Bowman,” actor James Drury once told the Los Angeles Times. “He was incredible.”

The ambassador of Old West culture was a true Renaissance marksman, not limiting his amazing skills and accomplishments to demonstrations at gun shows and rodeos. After serving with distinction in World War II, Bowman first caught the attention of Hollywood with his finely detailed leatherworking talent, creating boots, holsters and other accessories for stars including Roy Rogers and Sammy Davis Jr. Bowman also consulted on film sets and for law enforcement agencies and worked with gunmaker Ruger on redesigns that led to the creation of the Vaquero line of revolvers.

Bowman’s own pair of profusely engraved stainless .45 caliber Ruger New Vaquero single-action revolvers will appear in this auction along with a hand-tooled performance belt and double-holster rig with the initials “JB” adorning the belt and JOE BOWMAN on the interior, held fast by a finely decorated Western buckle. Other highlights from the Bowman Collection include another personalized double-pistol gun belt, his fast-draw timer and a metal panel featuring an artistic representation of a Native American wearing a war bonnet in profile. Fittingly, the piece was “drawn” by Bowman via a series of bullet holes forming dotted lines. It is part of a package that also includes two metal signature panels from the Hollywood shoot of the TV special When the West Was Fun,featuring celebrity signatures from Clayton Moore, Chuck Connors, Slim Pickens, Iron Eyes Cody and many others.

For enthusiasts of Texas and law enforcement history, a wide variety of property from the Texas Rangers hits the block on June 9. Several of the agency’s genuine badges, struck from Mexican 5-peso coins and authenticated by their former owners, are on offer as well as other duty-worn boots, belts, hats and sidearms.

Details and modifications of these Rangers’ guns evoke the stories behind them. One such firearm is a .45 caliber Colt Model 1917 service revolver; its former owner was legendary Texas Ranger Hall of Fame inductee Capt. Clint Peoples, who chopped down its barrel to 2-1/2 inches, cut away the front of the trigger guard and filed down the hammer for easier concealment and a quicker draw. An older Colt revolver that belonged to Curren “Kid” Rogers likely has some stories behind it as well, if the intentionally placed notches on the top of the barrel and punch dots on the butt are any indication. Another noteworthy and more modern Ranger gun is the beautiful floral scroll-engraved .45 caliber 1911 pistol certified by one of its former carriers, Bo Brown.

A U.S. Colt Artillery Single Action Army Revolver comprising parts marked with four different mismatched serial numbers in the auction comes with a letter of authenticity that includes its own story of intrigue. Writes historian collector John A. Kopec:

The most significant part of this revolver is the triggerguard which bears the serial number 49166. This triggerguard was originally from a revolver which was purchased as a civilian replacement revolver from the Colt Factory by George J. Keyes. It seems that George Keyes was commissioned by his brother Capt. A.S.B. Keyes to purchase 47 replacement revolvers for those wither lost or stolen from his command. This was done in an effort to "cover up" this loss, and the revolvers were then sent to Capt. Keyes and were found to in stores when an investigation of this matter surfaced.

The U.S. Colt Model 1851 percussion revolver once owned by Col. Elisha G. Marshall, a distinguished Union officer, was likely carried in the Mohave Indian Wars and comes with an original 1979 issue of the Arms Gazette with an extensive story by Tom LoPiano Jr. detailing the gun’s history. Included with the lot is a comprehensive binder of original documents and high-quality photocopies related to Marshall.

Among the other war-related and historic weapons and memorabilia are various World War II-related items, antique swords and flintlock pistols, and one breathtaking piece that dates back to the 6th century B.C.: a well-preserved bronze Illyrian helmet originating from Eastern Europe. Slightly newer are a matching pair of Greek bronze ankle guards or greaves, a skillfully formed pair of Greek bronze leg greaves from around the same era. Finally, the oldest of them all is an exceptionally uncommon set of Assyrian bronze thigh and shin guards that are dated to the 8th or 7th century B.C.

Historic gun collectors have taken notice of an opportunity to acquire a period-accurate reissue of the U.S. Colt Model 1877 Bulldog Gatling Gun. The Bulldog was a significant advancement in rapid-fire weaponry.

As the more compact version of earlier Gatling guns, the Colt Model 1877 “Bulldog” Gatling Gun improved upon its predecessors with a brass encasement that increased the weapon’s reliability by protecting its breech and its 10 18.5-inch .45-70 Government caliber barrels from debris and damage. (It likely also spared the occasional distracted soldier from burning himself on the barrels.) Other upgrades from earlier designs by Dr. Richard J. Gatling included the top-loading 40-round stick magazine and the ability to rotate the crank to a more comfortable rear position. With a full rotation of the crank sequentially firing all 10 barrels, the Bulldog could dispense up to 800 rounds per minute, depending how fast the operator could turn it. That rate is impressive even by today’s full-auto machine gun standards, roughly matching that of a modern M16. And because the action requires the operator to move the crank for each shot, U.S. regulations do not require an NFA tax stamp to purchase this battery gun.

Mounted on a period-accurate replacement wood and metal tripod, this contemporary take on the legendary Bulldog appears to be mechanically sound and in fine condition, with sharp markings and a few light marks and nicks.

“This auction brings together some of the most compelling artifacts we’ve ever had the privilege to offer,” says Jason Watson, Heritage’s Director of Arms & Armor. “From the historic firepower of the Texas Rangers to the showmanship of Joe Bowman and the sheer elegance of ancient armor, the breadth and quality of this event speaks to the passion and depth of the collecting community. The response so far has been enthusiastic and well-deserved.”