“Indian by Campfire” by William Gilbert Gaul (1855-1919), oil on canvas, 47¼ by 37¼ inches framed, burned the hottest at $39,360 to lead the sale ($30/50,000).
Review by Kiersten Busch
SANTA FE, N.M. — On the opening day of the 35th annual Old West Show in historic Santa Fe, Morphy Auctions conducted its Old West Auction, a 472-lot sale comprising a selection of Western fine and decorative art, cowboy apparel, riding tack, Native American art, relics, antique firearms and holsters, Hollywood cowboy memorabilia, belt buckles, lawmen’s badges, Old West advertising, photographs, lithography and more.
“The weekend was filled with a strong sense of community and a deep appreciation for the arts. Detailed displays, engaging conversations about cultural nuances and insightful historical context created a rich, immersive experience for all who attended. This atmosphere built toward Saturday night’s highly anticipated auction, where enthusiasm and connection reached its peak,” shared Morphy’s social media and marketing associate, Shayne Brunsch.
President Dan Morphy commented, “The event saw strong participation throughout, with a notable number of new buyers across various categories, resulting in enthusiastic bidding and an impressive turnout.” Brunsch added, “Buyers remained consistently engaged across all platforms, resulting in a high sell-through rate that underscored the sale’s success. We saw heightened interest from additional collectors across key markets and particularly great on-site attendance.” By the end of the night, the sale topped $1 million.
The evening was led by “Indian by Campfire,” an oil on canvas by New Jersey-born and New York City-based artist William Gilbert Gaul. Signed “Gilbert Gaul” to the lower right, the painting had provenance to a March 2001 Sotheby’s New York sale, and this time around, it burned past the low end of its $30/50,000 estimate to achieve $39,360.
This pair of screen-used Colt Single Action Army revolvers were used by Clayton Moore in the Lone Ranger television show. With provenance to television producer Jack Wrather, the .45 caliber pair had 5½-inch barrels and shot to $29,520 ($25/35,000).
Seventy-nine additional lots of art crossed the block, ranging in price from $360 for an unsigned mixed media on board titled “The Useless Gun,” to $13,530 for Russell Smith’s (1812-1896) untitled river landscape. Two more paintings surpassed the $10,000 threshold: “Looking West” by R. Farrington Elwell (1874-1962) and “Pony Express Leaving St Joseph 1861” by W. Herbert Dunton (1878-1936), both of which earned $11,070.
A pair of actor Clayton Moore’s screen-used Lone Ranger Colt Single Action Army revolvers shot to the top of 13 lots of firearms at $29,520, the second highest price of the sale. The nickel-plated revolvers with cream-colored grips were a constant companion of Moore’s Lone Ranger character; the lot even included six of his silver-plated deactivated Remington UMC cartridges.
A few additional lots of Lone Ranger memorabilia crossed the block, including Moore’s original mask for the Lone Ranger. According to catalog notes, “The cloth and plastic mask was molded to Moore’s face,” and while variations of it reside in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame (Waco, Texas), “this one stands out because of the direct ties to the television series.” The mask surpassed the low end of its $25/45,000 estimate, earning $27,060.
Stitched up at $19,680 was this Northern Plains/Sioux pictorial beaded vest with sinew-sewn seed beads, 21 by 14 inches, which came on a custom acrylic and wood stand ($8/12,000).
Items made by Native Americans made up 85 lots of the sale, with prices ranging from $128 for a Navajo rug with geometric designs and Valero stars to $19,680 for a Northern Plains/Sioux pictorial beaded vest. Made from native-tanned hide, the vest was fully decorated with sinew-sewn seed beads. The pictorials, which sat on a white lazy-stitched ground, consisted of two mounted warriors with feathered coup sticks on the vest’s front and two men in full regalia mounted on blue horses on its back; the top portion of the back included pole-mounted American flags.
Riding tack and spurs attracted a lot of bidder attention, and 27 lots of saddles were led by B-Western actor Ray “Crash” Corrigan’s film-used black, floral carved Dick Dickson, Jr, model Edward H. Bohlin saddle, which galloped to $18,450. Heavily adorned with heavy gauge sterling silver, diamond and half-diamonds, the Bohlin was used by Corrigan in The Three Mesquiteers, The Range Busters and in eight Rose Bowl Parades. The lot was accompanied by an original bill of sale, a letter from Corrigan about the saddle and a signed and inscribed image of the actor riding it.
A likely original horsehair bridle made in the Montana State Prison and sold in the Deer Lodge prison outlet store topped 23 lots of bridles for $6,150; it used “bright unusual colors” such as pink, green, red and black against a natural background. Also prison-made was the top lot of 68 lots of spurs: a pair of German silver and brass inlaid mounted spurs with floral-carved leather that were made in the Colorado State Penitentiary and spun to $11,070.
The next Old West Show & Auction will take place in Las Vegas on January 24-25, 2026. In the meantime, Morphy’s Automobilia, Petroliana & Railroadiana Auction will span July 16-17.
Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For more information, 877-968-8880 or www.morphyauctions.com.
