SANTA FE, NM.- Hundreds of top-notch dealers from across the United States will be set up at the June 21-22, 2025 Old West Show in historic Santa Fe, New Mexico, offering a tremendous variety of Western art and antiques for every level of collector. When the hustle and bustle of opening day concludes, all eyes will turn to a special onsite attraction: a 472-lot Western auction hosted by Morphy’s and conducted by the company’s president and principal auctioneer, Dan Morphy. The auction’s start time is 5pm MT (7pm ET), and all forms of remote bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone, via mobile app, or live online through Morphy Live. All auction goods may be previewed in person during the show setup on Friday, June 20 from 9-5, on Saturday, June 21 from 9-4, or anytime online. Both the auction and preview are free and open to the public.

The high-quality array of auction merchandise includes Western fine and decorative art, cowboy apparel, riding tack and associated paraphernalia (saddles, spurs, bits, chaps, prison-made bridles, etc.), Native American art, relics, antique firearms and holsters, important Hollywood cowboy memorabilia, antique and contemporary belt buckles and other silverwork, lawmen’s badges, Old West advertising, photos and lithography, and much more.

Morphy’s is honored to present two lots of items that were used onscreen by Clayton Moore (1914-1999), beloved star of the classic TV series The Lone Ranger. Nothing was more essential to Moore’s most famous role than the black eye mask his character wore to conceal his identity. That cloth-and-plastic mask was molded to fit Moore's face and became part of one of the most iconic costumes in the history of American television. Variations of the mask reside in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas. Another (smaller) version of the original was kept for years by the Moore family. Morphy’s will auction the most significant mask of them all. It stands apart not only because it has direct ties to the enduring series that first ran on ABC from 1949 to 1957, but also because it has provenance from the estate of the TV show’s producer, Jack Wrather. The presale estimate is $25,000-$45,000.



Additionally, the auction includes a pair of Colt Single Action Army Revolvers used by Clayton Moore during filming of The Lone Ranger. Both Colts are re-nickel plated and have toned white composition grips, 5½-inch barrels in .45 caliber, and bear the serial number 58918, indicating 1880 as the original year of manufacture. It has an old-style black powder frame bearing the original three-line patent address on its left side. The frame and trigger guard have matching numbers, while the butt number was reapplied. The lot includes six of the Lone Ranger's silver-plated deactivated Remington UMC cartridges. Like the mask, the revolvers have provenance from the estate of Jack Wrather. The pair is estimated at $25,000-$35,000.



The Hollywood highlights continue with an impressive Edward H. Bohlin “San Gabriel” sterling silver-mounted Hollywood parade saddle. It was constructed with a fully silvered front and rope-edged cantle, built on a Miles City 15-inch tree. The show-stopping saddle is lavishly adorned with square figural rope-edged conchos featuring steer heads, buffalos, horse heads and American eagles. It is part of an ensemble that includes a fully matching Bohlin-made bridle and bit with split reins and a romal adorned with engraved flat ferrules, as well as a matching breast collar. The cantle plate is customized Lane Ranch / Lancaster Calif, with gold brands. In overall fine condition, it comes with a black and white wool corona. Estimate: $35,000-$55,000



An Ahmad Khan belt buckle brings the bling with a buckaroo twist in a dazzling combination of 14K gold, diamonds and intricate embellishments that reflect a superior level of artistry. The piece was custom-made by Khan – a silver and goldsmith whose designs have been worn by scores of A-list stars – for renowned Miami Beach judge and passionate Bohlin collector Howie Gross. The initials “H.G.” are set on the buckle in diamonds, below a repousse image of a Texas longhorn steer. It is further adorned with a stylized scroll-pattern border and raised Bohlin-style spots on the outer perimeters. On verso, it displays the maker-mark of Khan, a Bohlin disciple and master engraver in his own right. Estimate: $20,000-$25,000



Prison-made bridles and accessories are extremely popular with collectors of Western artifacts, but it’s uncommon to encounter several items believed to have been created by the same inmate in a single auction lot. Morphy’s will present just such a grouping, comprised of a hitched horsehair bridle, hatband and cane, with similarities suggesting all three items were crafted by the same prisoner at Walla Walla, Washington state penitentiary. An exceptionally beautiful bridle in very fine condition, it has candy cane striping and diamond-design flat elements to the brow, nose and cheeks. It is covered in glass conchos, all retaining excellent colors; and the leather connectors and celluloid rings show little, if any, prior use. The second item is an unused hatband, or possibly a cowgirl’s (youth) belt, with colors and a diamond pattern that match the bridle. The cane was also worked in the same bright colors and includes a pair of American Flags in its motif. The horn handle is inlaid with abalone. Group estimate: $15,000-$18,000



Made at the Colorado State Penitentiary, a pair of unique German silver and brass-inlaid mounted spurs of atypical design has heel bands adorned with 1 1/3-inch engraved, inlaid circles with brass borders, each encasing a five-point star. These rare spurs are expected to sell for $8,000-$12,000.



Attributed to J (Jose) Tapia (1831-1902) – who did not typically mark his work – an “Eagle” spade bit has a consistent theme that features a standing eagle with a federal shield pattern, engraved eagle conchos, and a “slobber bar” with a spread-wing eagle at its center. Its visual appeal is further enhanced by attractive Spanish-style roller rein chains. The bit has been over-cleaned but still shows strong, crisp engraving. The conchos appear to have been replaced or re-attached at some point. An excellent example of a premier California silversmith’s work, it is estimated at $10,000-$14,000.

The fine art selection is led by an oil-on-canvas painting by William Gilbert Gaul (1855-1919, Member of National Academy of Design). Titled Indian by Campfire, it is artist-signed at the lower right corner and measures 39½ inches by 29½ inches (sight). Its line of provenance includes a March 14, 2001 auction at Sotheby’s New York. The presale estimate is set at $30,000-$50,000.



Another top prize is a Western bronze by Harry Jackson (1924-2011) titled Plantin’. The artist’s name and the artwork’s title are shown on the front of the brass plinth, and it is inscribed in the bronze: ©Harry Jackson 59 and numbered 5. The bronze itself is sized 29 by 13 by 10¾ inches, set atop an oakwood pedestal that measures 33¾ by 18in by 36 inches. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000



It is most unusual to see an authentic mid-20th-century Native textile as bright and wonderfully preserved as the auction’s circa-1940s Navajo masterpiece of hand-spun wool. Executed in the complex “Storm” pattern, with multiple design changes and classic step designs, it has a well-chosen neutral gray background at its center, which allows the other colors, and the excellence of its artistry, to shine. Finished with a bright red border and measuring 122 inches by 61 inches, this textile presents in excellent condition and is offered with a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.



Dating to around the 1890s, a Wasco / Chinook / Crow trade cloth woman’s dress is a lovely green color, decorated with five rows of elk teeth and laboriously-carved bone “teeth” coated with pitch and earth to simulate elk teeth. The latter reflect a practice that was traditionally employed by tribal carvers at times when elk runs were scarce. The hem is trimmed in bands of ribbon, and its lining was created from feed-sack cloth. The auction estimate is $10,000-$15,000.

The 35th Annual Santa Fe Old West Auction will be held live on June 21, 2025 (Day 1 of the June 21-22 Santa Fe Old West Show) at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 W Marcy St, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Start time: 5pm MT (7pm ET). All forms of remote bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone, via mobile app, or live online through Morphy Live. To register to bid in the auction or to discuss consigning Old West antiques or collectibles, call Morphy Auctions at 877-968-8880 or email info@morphyauctions.com. View the fully-illustrated catalog online at www.morphyauctions.com. For enquiries about the Old West Show, call Cheryl Goyda, 877-968-8880, ext. 755 or email Cheryl.Goyda@morphyauctions.com.