Guns International #: 102019530

Category - Antique Rifles - Percussion - Shotguns - French

Category
Antique Rifles - Percussion
Shotguns - French

One-Of-A-Kind! 101 Ranch "Indian Gun", Unique Western Antique Rifle

Description:
-Belonging to an Indian who was in The 101 Ranch Show and later worked on The 101, this rifle hung for some time above the cash register in The 101 Ranch Store.
-The "Son of the Morning Star" medal on the stock indicates that the rifle was used in battle against Custer.
-The 101 Ranch Token indicates that it was used in The 101 Ranch Show.
-Zack Miller, owner of The 101 Ranch came into his store after going bankrupt and confessed to his employees that he couldn't pay the two months wages that he owed them. He instructed them instead to take merchandise from the store that was equal to what they were owed, then lock the doors behind them. One employee took this rifle which was hanging on the wall as his payment. 
-In the 1970's, this gun was acquired as part of a 101 Ranch collection. 

This one of a kind rifle started life as an M1842 Percussion Rifle Musket, made by Chatellerault which has been cut down to 24" barrel length and the action converted to centerfire. The stock has been adorned with many brass tacks, a coin from the 101 Ranch Store, and a handmade "Son of the Morning Star" Indian medalion which indicates that the gun was used in battle against Custer's forces. The stock has been repaired in two places with rawhide strips and small nails. The butt of the stock has about 50% of an old blue paint job left and has significant water damage around the buttplate. The action has also been repaired several times and is non-functional. 

If this were simply a French percussion rifle converted to centerfire and decorated and "maintained" by an ambitious frontier Indian, it would be a wonderful conversation piece or wall decoration, but add to that the history of having come from one of the West's largest and most unique ranches, having been used in the famous live show and hung ceremoniously above the cash register in the General Store, plus having been decorated in that period with a medal indicating that it was used against Custer, and you have here a rifle that is literally one of a kind. A true gem of the Western Frontier and a piece of American History.

From: ://okhistory/:
The 101 earned most of its notoriety from the Wild West shows that it staged. Their show business career began in 1905 when the Millers invited the members of the National Editorial Association to Bliss, Oklahoma, and entertained them with a large exhibition, which they called "Oklahoma's Gala Day." The event showcased the skills of their ranch hands and American Indians, including the famous Apache Geronimo, who killed a bison from the front seat of a car. The show also featured Lucille Mulhall, George Elser, and Bill Pickett. The affair's success led the Millers to take the enterprise on the road. It toured seasonally beginning in 1907. The show had a hiatus from 1916 to 1925, initiated by World War I, before it mobilized again and ran until 1931. In 1924 the production again performed in Bliss for the National Editors' Association. The brothers took the show throughout the United States and worldwide, traveling to Mexico, Canada, Europe, and South America. In 1914 the cowboys and Indians performed for King George V and Queen Mary of England. In Mexico Bill Pickett aroused the ire of bullfighters and the crowd by trying to bulldog one of their famed prize bulls.
Several entertainers who continued their careers in the fledgling motion-picture industry had connections with the 101. They included Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie, Mabel Normand, and Buck Jones. The Millers leased equipment and loaned employees to the Bison 101 Film Company, which produced Western films in California. The road show continued and recruited stars such as boxing champion Jess Willard. In 1916 the production combined with Buffalo Bill Cody and toured as "Buffalo Bill (Himself) and 101 Ranch Wild West Combined, with the Military Pageant Preparedness."
During the 1920s the 101 acts began to draw smaller crowds, which eventually led to financial losses, because the show competed with the burgeoning movie industry, circuses, and other venues including rodeos for audiences. In 1926 the Millers lost $119,970. The onset of the Great Depression drastically impacted the ranch, causing the family to fall deeper in debt. On October 21, 1927, Joe Miller died. Two years later, on February 2, George Miller passed away. Zack Miller could not pull the operation out of its financial woes, and in 1931 the 101 Ranch went into receivership. In 1932 a large amount of the land was divided and leased, and most of the personal property was ed. By 1941 the Federal Farm Security Administration had acquired most of the land and developed a farm resettlement program. On January 3, 1952, Zack Miller died.

SOLD

Antique: Yes