Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

A Winchester Model 1866 rifle inscribed to William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody image 1
A Winchester Model 1866 rifle inscribed to William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody image 2
Lot 4276ANTIQUE

A Winchester Model 1866 rifle inscribed to William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
from the Julia Cody Goodman Collection

17 November 2008, 10:00 PST
San Francisco

US$15,000 - US$25,000

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Arms and Armour specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

A Winchester Model 1866 rifle inscribed to William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
from the Julia Cody Goodman Collection

Serial no. 118385, .44 caliber. 24 inch octagonal barrel with brass blade fore-sight and ladder rear sight. Left side of frame with after-market engraving To/W.F. Cody/From/His Friend D.J./1876. Upper tang stamped 1866. Walnut buttstock intaglio-carved on the left side with the figure of an American bison. Together with a newspaper article from an unspecified 1905 publication concerning Cody's divorce and containing much colorful language and charges from both sides with details about Cody's drinking and womanizing as well as statements from the defense about his wife, Mrs. Cody A Vixen/Says She Was Hard Drinker and Fed Spouse Bad Drug. An interesting insight into Cody's life as well as the period.
Condition: Very good as configured. Barrel with smooth browned patina, possibly a later patination. Fore-end showing a few scattered bruises. Replaced buttstock of fourth type. Serial numbers possibly altered.
See Illustration

Footnotes

Provenance: Julia Cody Goodman Collection. Sold in these rooms on March 18, 1988, Lot 3007A. It has been suggested that the "D.J." in the inscription refers to Dick Johnson, who was with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in the early years and was billed as "The Giant Cow-Boy."

Additional information

Bid now on these items

A Silver-Mounted Left-Hand Dagger, probably German, Italian or English Late 16th Century Or Later

A Cased Pair Of Scottish 50-Bore Percussion Duelling Or Target Pistols By Alex.r Martin, Glasgow, Mid-19th Century

The medals and associate ephemera and uniforms of Arthur Watts, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons

A Pair Of Highland All-Metal Percussion Belt Pistols Signed Paton & Walsh Perth, Mid 19th century