A percussion revolver with ownership history linked to outlaw Jesse James became the top-selling item at Morphy’s Old West and Native American Art Auction. The Manhattan Arms Navy Series IV Single Action Percussion Revolver sold for $100,860 during the June 20 event at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. The single-day auction coincided with the 36th Annual Old West Show held at the same venue.
The featured revolver was reportedly used by James during the robbery of the Southern Bank of Kentucky in Russellville on March 20, 1868. A letter signed by the outlaw’s son, Jesse Edward James, and daughter-in-law, Stella James, was provided to attest to the history of the firearm. The final sale price landed within the pre-auction estimate.
The overall auction featured 515 lots of Western art and historical antiques, generating more than $900,000 in total sales. The inventory spanned Western fine art, cowboy apparel, saddles, Native American textiles, and antique firearms. Following the event, Morphy Auctions announced plans to transition the annual sale to Mesa, Arizona, starting in May 2027.
Several other prominent pieces commanded high bids during the auction, including a 17-inch-tall silver sculpture by Frederic Remington titled “The Rattlesnake,” which sold within its estimate for $86,100. Additionally, the first silver parade saddle manufactured by Nolte-Olsen in San Francisco in 1937 realized $46,750, while an 18-karat pink gold Waltham hunting cased pocket watch featuring a gold-quartz case and a grizzly bear design brought $27,060.
A historic Sharps “Old Reliable” cartridge belt surpassed its initial valuation of $6,500 to sell for $24,600. The adjustable leather belt, similar to the gear worn by buffalo hunter Jesse Hendricks, was originally discovered in an old hunting camp in Northern Ontario, Canada.
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