Flying Dutchman Attributed Colt Single Action Army Revolver

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  Lot #137  (Sale Order: 136 of 664) 
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Historic Black Powder Colt Acid Etched Panel Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army Revolver with Factory Letter Attributed to Outlaw Henry "The Flying Dutchman" Wagner with Factory Letter and Additional Documentation

The 1965 dated factory letter lists the revolver in .44-40 with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, nickel finish, and rubber grips when part of a shipment of six guns of this type sold and shipped to Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. in Chicago, Illinois, on February 6, 1885. The barrel has the elongated oval etched panel with "COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" on the left side, a rounded blade front sight, the one-line address on top, and "44" on the bottom at the breech. The "black powder" style frame has the three-line patent marking on the left, and the loading gate has the assembly number "4260." The matching serial number is stamped on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The left side of the trigger guard has "44 C.F." The grips have the Rampant Colt emblem at the top and the eagle and shield motif at the bottom.Included information from Greg Lampe within his extensive research binder indicates this revolver was purchased by Robert Olson from the Wagner family in the 1940s or early 1950s and that it was known that the family owned the gun that outlaw Henry "The Flying Dutchman" Wagner had used in the latter part of his "career," and that the family indicated it was the revolver Wagner had used to kill a constable during a robbery attempt in Union Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The murder weapon was noted as a "44 calibre, Colts Revolvers" in the trial and described as "a big heavy gun." This revolver is accompanied by a tremendous amount of research. Lampe noted: "This notebook contains the most thoroughly researched information on Henry Wagner ever done. It was possible due to the tireless efforts by two great historic researchers who spent several weeks going through archives and old newspapers." The researchers were Patricia J. Burns of Seattle, Washington, and Claudia Cole of Victoria, B.C., Canada. Also included are "Outlaws & Lawmen of Western Canada Volume Two," "The Friendly Port: A History of Union Bay 1880-1960" by Janette Glover-Giedt, and "The B.C. Outlaws" by F.W. Lindsay.Henry Wagner (1870-1913) was known by multiple names during his life of crime, including Henry Ferguson, H. Ferguson Sastro, Harry Hall, The Flying Dutchman, and Jack the Flying Dutchman. Wagner may have been part of the Wild Bunch Gang for a period and was suspected of involvement in the gang's train robbery at Wilcox, Wyoming, in 1899. In the Seattle area, he and his accomplices would use boats to quietly slip in at night and burglarize businesses and then slip back away. This reputation plus his slight German accent earned him the Flying Dutchman nickname. He was also known as a "waterfront pirate" for his methods. In 1900, he got into a gun battle on Camano Island with King County Sheriff Zimmerman and his deputies and burned his schooner and its load of stolen goods and made his escape but was identified by his accomplice Gilbert Hanson who was captured. The next year, the authorities raided the homes of Ed Nolan and Ed Haskins on Camano Island and found goods stolen from G.E. Webster's store on October 7th as well as Wagner's revolver and ammunition. Nolan was arrested, but Haskins escaped. Wagner was arrested and charged in a multitude of robberies. He admitted his guilt in the robberies and in smuggling $70,000 worth of opium. He was found guilty in the robberies and sentenced to fourteen years in the Washington State Prison at Walla Walla but was released in eight on good behavior.That good behavior did not last once he was a free man, and he quickly returned to a life of crime and used a new motor launch to raid business in Puget Sound. He repainted his boat and made other modifications regularly to avoid detection. One night, Wagner, John McDonald, Nels J. Jorgensen, and William Julian were robbing the post office in Langely on Whidby Island, and McDonald and Jorgensen were captured leading to wanted posters for Wagner's alias Henry Ferguson were put up. He and Julian moved across the border to Vancouver Island and continued to burglarize local businesses. On the night of March 4, 1913, around 1 a.m., Wagner and Julian targeted the Fraser & Bishop's Store adjoining the post office in Union Bay a third time. Constable McKenzie had hired Special Constables Gordon Ross and Harry Westaway to protect the local businesses. After spotting a light and then hearing a noise within the store, the constables snuck in to catch the crooks in the act. They found the two in the back, and attempted to rush them in the dark. Wagner fired two
more... Provenance: The Wagner Family; The Robert Olson Collection; Property of a Gentleman; The Robert Berryman Collection; The Greg Lampe Collection

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This item is part of Premier Firearms Auction - Day 1
 Friday, May 17, 2024 | 9:00 AM  Central
 
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Flying Dutchman Attributed Colt Single Action Army Revolver
Flying Dutchman Attributed Colt Single Action Army Revolver
Lot number: 137
Seller: Rock Island Auction Company
Event: Premier Firearms Auction - Day 1
Ends: Friday, May 17 | 9:00 AM  Central

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