Now That Is A Gun Sale

VENTURA, Calif. — A .45-caliber gun once owned by Butch Cassidy has sold at auction in Southern California for $175,000.

A spokesman for the private seller said Sunday that the Colt Single Action Army revolver went to an anonymous online bidder.

The gun is accompanied by a black leather shoulder holster and two binders filled with documentation verifying the revolver's authenticity.

Cassidy, the infamous Old West bank robber, bought the revolver in a hardware store in Vernal, Utah, in 1896. He turned it over to Utah authorities in early 1900 in an unsuccessful attempt to gain amnesty. Known as the "Amnesty Colt," it is the most documented of Cassidy's guns.

Guns that Bonnie and Clyde had in their possession during their final showdown sold for over half a million dollars.  They were part of a collection of over a hundred items, and these two guns alone accounted for nearly half what was brought in.

Perhaps because they have local ties, I have always liked the story of Bonnie and Clyde.  They were ahead of their time, and each was an interesting character in their own right.  Bonnie's gun brought in more, as it saw more action.  It was on her thigh during the final shootout.  She died without drawing it.

Two really neat pieces of history sold to anonymous owners.  I hope they resurface in a museum where we can all enjoy them.