On March 23, 2019, the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, held its annual live auction as the capstone to three days of programs, exhibits...
Guns That Won the West
The old saw about guns that “won the West” may be overstated, yet undoubtedly, armament did play a major role in frontier expansion along with the...
Cowan’s Auction
Regular viewers of PBS readily recognize Wes Cowan from Antiques Road Show and History Detectives. Back in the late 1970s, Wes toiled away on his...
The Western Auction of the Year
Would Billy the Kid’s blade pass the million-dollar mark? In True West’s January 2019 issue the long-awaited Brian Lebel auction of Robert G....
Norman Rockwell’s Duke
In 1973, John Wayne sat inside Norman Rockwell’s studio in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, so the artist could paint a portrait of the actor. The...
The Thirsty Trapper
When the hammer fell at $1.5 million on July 28, Coeur d’Alene Art Auction tied with Sotheby’s New York on the highest auction price paid for an...
Lone Ranger’s Iconic Saddle
Western Americana saddles are more than just a piece of horse equipment. When coupled with beautiful craftsmanship and outstanding ownership, they...
History in Ink
What a difference an autograph makes. Last September, a collector successfully bid $6,500 at Cowan’s Auctions for a photograph from the Eric C....
Custer’s Last Strand
Custer’s Last Strand” made news around the nation after links of the controversial cavalry commander’s curly blond hair sold at the June 9 auction...
An Artist’s Artist
Mandan warrior Four Bears has been praised for his artistic genius, which may explain why artists of the Old West have felt compelled to portray...
Romance and the Buffalo Hunt
Nancy Cooper clearly fired up Charles M. Russell’s imagination when they met in 1895 (a year later, 32-year-old Charlie would marry 18-year-old...
Private Eye Cowboy?
Born on November 3, 1877, in Hillsboro, Texas, Laney Thomas Cathey was four when the railroad arrived. His relatives believe he worked for the...