Reputation matters.
Trigger’s fancy saddle bags with Edward H. Bohlin silver enhancements. Marks: "E" and "802" on the outside, and "E" on the inside. Seen in dozens of photographs from Roy Rogers’ films, television episodes and personal appearances. A classic pair.
Lot $282, Sold $10,620.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Old West Auction - January 23, 2021. Mesa, AZ.
Early and Important Pair of Roy Rogers’ C.P. Shipley Boots
The earliest known pair of Roy Roger's show boots, dating from the 1930s. Labeled C.P. Shipley, the famed saddle company of Kansas City, Missouri, these fancy boots, with scalloped top are inlaid with hearts and have an overlaid wing tip style. Marked C. P. Shipley on the inside cloth pulls. 10 1/2" long & 12 1/2" tall.
Provenance: Includes Certificates of Authenticity signed by Dusty Rogers. Lot 235 of the 2002 High Noon Auction of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Estate items.
EX: Boyd Magers Collection.
Lot 284, Sold $7,080.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Old West Auction - January 23, 2021. Mesa, AZ.
The 2019 Cody Old West Auction kicks off with lots from the personal collection of Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr. Here are a few of our favorites:
Roy Rogers' Stetson with his Iconic Crease.
One of Roy's famous Stetson hats with his signature crease. Marked inside, "MADE BY Stetson ESPECIALLY FOR ROY ROGERS". With engraved polished nickel hatband. Size 7 ¼. Excellent condition, liner removed.
Includes copy of photograph of Roy wearing the hat (see also Lot 3).
Provenance: From the personal collection of Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr. Includes Certificate of Authenticity signed by Dusty Rogers.
Lot 1, Brian Lebel's Cody Old West Auction - June 22, 2019. Santa Fe, NM.
Sold $3,835
A Group of Roy's Personal Belts with Bohlin Buckle
a) An exotic Tony Lama belt with laced edge. Marked 40, 1” wide. Mounted on the belt is an Edward H. Bohlin 3-piece #100 buckle set in sterling and 2-color gold. Rope edge with high floral engraving and scrolls. 2 1/4" wide for a 1" belt. Marked with the shield cartouche and EHB -D shield, EHB and CF initials.
b) Two very early belts worn by Roy, both 1 1/2" tooled belts. The brown belt with red accents is by Bob Brown – Hollywood; the dark brown is well-worn and unmarked. Both are 34 1/2" long overall.
Provenance: From the personal collection of Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr. Includes Certificate of Authenticity signed by Dusty Rogers.
Lot 2, Brian Lebel's Cody Old West Auction - June 22, 2019. Santa Fe, NM.
Estimate $2,500-3,500.
Roy's Personalized H. Friedrick Cigarette Lighter
An engraved silver, gold and jewel mounted Ronson - Adonis lighter. The case has floral engraving, with Roy Rogers’ name on one side. The other side has a jeweled gold horseshoe with a high relief gold portrait of Trigger in the center. Maker marked "H. FRIEDRICK / STERLING-14K / N.Y.C." 2 1/8" x 1 3/4" x 3/8".
Provenance: From the personal collection of Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr. Includes Certificate of Authenticity signed by Dusty Rogers.
Lot 4, Brian Lebel's Cody Old West Auction - June 22, 2019. Santa Fe, NM.
Estimate $1,500-2,500.
Roy Rogers' Personal Nudie's Outfit (left)
One of Roy’s most iconic outfits, and one of his own personal favorites. Custom made for Roy Rogers by Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors of North Hollywood, California. The shirt is a bib front, gabardine, with 3 rows of green leather fringe, flying eagle on the wool plaid bib, longhorns on the collar and 6 snaps on each sleeve. The pants are brown wool, striped with white piping and foot stirrups. The scarf is colorful silk. The hat is Roy’s and bears his classic crease. (belt in photo is not part of lot) There are many photos of Roy in this classic outfit. Included in the lot is a photocopy of a photo of Roy wearing the outfit while doing tricks with his dog Bullet.
Provenance: From the Estate of Snuff Garrett.
Lot 37, Est. $5,000-8,000
Roy Rogers' Personal Eagle Boots (above)
A gift from Roy to Snuff, these red, white and blue inlaid double eagle boots are the quintessential Roy Rogers boot.
Provenance: From the Estate of Tommy “Snuff” Garrett.
Lot 38, Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $7,670
Roy Rogers' Personal Nudie's Hat (left)
Another gift from Roy to Snuff, this Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors hat is a great example of the Roy Rogers style. Complete with a silver hat band, it was signed by Roy when he gave it to his buddy: “To Snuff / a keepsake / from RR Roy”
Provenance: From the Estate of Tommy “Snuff” Garrett.
Lot 39, Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $4,720
The Estate of Snuff Garrett
If you don’t know who Snuff Garret is, you need to Google him immediately. One of the greatest American music record producers of all time, Snuff wasn’t just rich and famous, he was ostentatious and hilarious, fun and funny, brilliant, quick, and as foul mouthed as a man could be. He was a hoot. And he was a cowboy.
Thomas Leslie “Snuff” Garrett was born in Dallas, Texas. He dropped out of high school, became a disc jockey in Lubbock, and went on to become the most successful record producer of the 1960s and 1970s. A few of his stable of artists included Bobby Vee, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Johnny Burnette, Del Shannon, Cher, Brenda Lee, Nancy Sinatra and countless others. He worked with Phil Spector, Carole King, Leon Russell, Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds. Snuff’s great talent was his ability to know a hit song when he heard one, and know who should sing it. He was, to everyone’s agreement, a genius in that respect.
Snuff loved music, and he loved art. Along with his music friends, and Hollywood friends, Snuff had artist friends. Olaf Wieghorst, Joe Beeler, Michael Coleman, John Hampton, Tom Ryan, Gary Niblett, Harley Brown and many others. Snuff’s home was filled with art from his cowboy artist buddies. It was also filled with movie posters. Framed original lithographs hung floor to ceiling, featuring the antics of Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Rex Allen and the others. Every room in Snuff’s house was a testament to his many passions.
Of his many famous friends, Roy Rogers and Snuff had a particularly special relationship. Snuff grew up on Hollywood cowboys and he worshipped Roy. When, as an adult, he met and worked with Roy, the two became fast friends. Frequently Snuff referred to Roy as a “father figure.” It was clear in the way that Snuff emulated Roy (from his suits to his boots), that he had great respect for the man. They remained dear friends for life.
Snuff was an avid collector, and not given to restraint in any way. In the 1980s he bought the then-struggling Bohlin Company after Ed passed away. He has a whole lot of Bohlin buckles to show for it. He was a member of the exclusive Charlie Russell Riders, and prized his Riders collection. But the best part about Snuff’s collecting – whether gifts from famous friends, rare movie posters, silver spurs, or anything else for that matter -- is that he did it out of love. He loved this stuff, and he took great pleasure in living with it every day. Snuff’s heart was as big as his personality.
We are honored (though saddened) to offer items from the Estate of our fu*#%ing friend, Snuff Garrett. The collection is extensive and impressive, and more pieces will be offered at our June auction in Fort Worth. Many of Snuff’s collectibles are personalized, or personal, or just plain cool. Like he was.
If you’d like to learn more about Snuff Garrett, we recommend you do an Internet search for the Sept. 3, 1998 “Phoenix New Times” article about Snuff by Gilbert Garcia. It’s titled, “Happy Trails.”
Lot 38: Roy Rogers' Personal Eagle Boots, a gift from Roy to Snuff.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $7,670
Lot 130: 18K Gold Edward H. Bohlin Buckle Set with Snuff's initials in Rubies, and Exotic Belts with Extra Tips.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $8,850
Lot 272: Cattle Brand Engraved Colt Single Action. Bohlin marked sterling and 14K gold grips with high relief steer head. Sold $18,150
Lot 273: Edward H. Bohlin Two-Tone, Sterling Gun Rig. Sold $7,865
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Lot 194: One of several lots by Snuff's friend Olaf Wieghorst
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $1,534
Lot 43: Pair of Tom Mix Circus Original Lithograph Posters.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $2,242
Autographed Cincinnati Reds Second Base - Presented to Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers birthplace in Cincinnati was at 412 2nd Street, which was later torn down to build Riverfront Stadium for the Cincinnati Reds Baseball Club. In the early 1980s, Roy and Dusty visited Riverfront Stadium where Roy threw out the first pitch and Dusty sang the National Anthem. While there, Roy staked claim to 2nd base as his birthplace, so Marge Schott, the Reds owner, ordered 2nd base torn up, had it signed by all the players, and presented it to Roy. Notable signatures include Johnny Bench, Ken Griffey Jr, Dan Driessen and others.
Provenance: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum, Victorville, CA and Branson, MO;
to Christie's, July 2010; to present owner.
Includes Certificate of Authenticity signed by Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr.
Roy Rogers and Pete Rose in the Reds Dugout
Brian Lebel's High Noon Auction, Jan 24, 2015
Lot 23
SOLD $1,840
Roy Rogers' personal eagle boots and Bohlin spurs, from the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum Collection.
Roy Rogers' Eagle Boots and Bohlin Spurs
SPURS: 1930s Edward H. Bohlin silver overlaid, Hollywood, California, maker-marked stainless steel spurs with 2 1/2" shanks, 1 3/4" cookie-cutter rowels. Bohlinmade, Hollywood oval football cartouche stamped below the bar affixed to the swinging buttons on the left spur. Right spur made-to-match. 2-piece floral carved, Bohlin marked straps with 1 1/2" scalloped and engraved conchos and 3-piece maker-marked 1/2" engraved sterling buckle sets. Holes drilled on the heelbands for tie downs.
BOOTS: Classic Roy Rogers custom-made boots with inlaid eagles on the shaft and back quarter, and another eagle on the vamp. Gold inlaid stars cross the top piping with decorative pulls. The boots have a Roy-made 2" slit on along the sole, his unique way of breaking in a snug pair of boots according to his son, Dusty.
Worn extensively by Roy from the early 1940s through the 1950s. Prominently displayed in numerous photos and at the Victorville and Branson Museums.
Brian Lebel's High Noon Auction, Jan 24, 2015
SOLD $6,900
