The Ultimate Collectible

There it was, amongst the other military period pieces brought to the Square for the Bucky O'Neill rededication yesterday. A genuine Gatling gun. I'd heard about this Civil War Era precursor to the machine gun but, like the purple cow, I'd never hoped to see one.

A later model, I note -- ten, not six barrels. Mean-looking. But, not mean enough. In 1870 Gatling opened a new factory in Hartford, Connecticut to produce his gun. He continued to improve the Gatling Gun and by 1882 it could fire up to 1,200 rounds per minute. However, sales of the gun declined after Hiram Maxim began producing his automatic Maxim Machine Gun -- this according to Spartacus.

Just in case you want your own, RG-G Inc. offers half-scale replicas-- $58.97 for a set of blueprints or, for a mere $10,900, a complete, ready-to-fire unit. Maybe you can luck out like the guy at the Square. He found his beautiful brass original on the Internet. Where else?

Happy Birthday, Duke

Of course, it's a little bit late to be ordering the tschotkes and memorabilia for your John Wayne's 100th birthday party, because he was born Marion Robert Morrison 100 years ago today in a small Iowa town. However, there's plenty of the stuff out there in the great cybermall.

For something a little more special, you go to someone like my buddy Jim, who makes custom gun rigs based upon old Hollywood A & B westerns. Here he is holding one of three John Wayne gun belt replicas made for one customer. This particular outfit was worn in The Shootist, which was a class act and fitting finale to The Duke's long career.

Prescott has been a western town far longer than its new role as a boutique town serving the Left Coast; thus you still find John Wayne symbolism here and there, such as at the front of the Grove Street gun shop. Just incidentally, when I consulted The Google concerning the western star, it referred me to the exact same cutout at a London party shop.

Here is my most favorite John Wayne appearance in town this past year -- he stands guard at the western-themed tree at Watters' annual Christmas tree extravaganza.

A small note about Prescott and western stars: our real locally connected Hollywood cowboy was Tom Mix, who shot films here and owned a ranch hereabouts. Wayne ranched up on the Rim, near Eager, a fact I learned from NPR, believe it or not. That small town is one of several celebrating his birthday this weekend.

The Arms of Hollywood

One of my breakfast buddies is both a gun fancier and a well known gun leather craftsman; he insisted that I should attend a major showing out in Chino Valley Saturday. On display on the grounds at Doreen's: pieces featured in classic Western TV & movies plus a few SF extravaganzas.

It was not our usual sunshine sort of day -- instead, grey, chilly, with rain in the distance if not at the scene. Chino was a surprising location for the Stembridge Gun Arsenal Collection on display. Speculation: possibly a major client out that way or perhaps its location near Gunsight.

Rifles and shotguns from major films...

...featuring fine workmanship -- plus the aura of the stars who used them.

Note the policeman. The rep from Little John's Auction Service claimed some rather astronomical values present on those tables.
Guns and leather worn by the Cartwrights on Bonanza.

A pair of ladylike pistols used by Batman's Catwoman, plus Richard Boone's Derringer. Among others.

The odd looking broomhandle Mauser in the corner was brandished by Han Solo in the original Star Wars. The auctioneer man says they expect it to fetch around $150Gs.

More hand guns, including specials from Terminator II, The Blues Brothers, and Magnum PI.

And real fantasy pieces created for Wild Wild West.

The collection had been bought from the Stembridge prop house by Robert Peterson, publisher of Guns & Ammo magazine. Gossip has it that he was interested in founding a museum, but his heirs just aren't. Hence the auction.

If you feel rich enough to buy into the Hollywood dream, plan on an Anaheim trip June 5-6. Details at Little John's.

Pot Shots

An all too common sight in the forest -- signs that have been all shot up.

Here's a closer look. I wonder how much the county has to spend replacing these wounded signs dying the death of a thousand shots.

I suppose it's related to tagging, like graffiti, or those century old Chinese ideograph tags I saw on the Great Wall. Except that there's no identity involved. Just the temptation to shoot up a sign. Husband and I gave into the urge one time, long ago; the target was a pretty far gone sign out the Perkinsville Road. Shame on us!