FWIW, and don't know if it has been posted here, but his firearms collection that was in the Boise (?), ID Cabelas is set to be auctioned off. This was posted on another forum, so very few details of what exactly is going to be in the auction. If I remember correctly he had some nice doubles including one of John Taylor's and a .577 H&H Royal Grade. It was posted on coltforum.com.

Not to forget the Cpt. Corbett Jeffery 450/400 double which he used to hunt down a number of maneating tigers and leopards.
I think that would be the ONE double to have, period.

Colonel

quote:

FWIW, and don't know if it has been posted here, but his firearms collection that was in the Boise (?), ID Cabelas is set to be auctioned off. This was posted on another forum, so very few details of what exactly is going to be in the auction.

Any hints on who, when or where this auction might be?
What a great opportunity for some fine old doubles with provenance!!
Cheers,

The Corbett rifle is listed bt Julia's for their next auction, March.

http://jamesdjulia.com/373_shs...mpaign=gun_15_spring

All I can say is that I read a small post on this on the Colt Forum. Not much detail there either other than it will be handled by Julia Auctions.
Sadly, not a lot of the new shooters even know who Elmer was, and it is my understanding that the museum was not kept up well in the past and his son and Cabela's decided to part ways. I am hoping that at sometime there will be a list of what is available.

quote:

Originally posted by congomike:

Sadly, not a lot of the new shooters even know who Elmer was,

Lots of folks haven´t even heard of John Wayne.

However if one do have a keen interest in guns and hunting it is very diffecult not to come across "Elmer Keith" and many others.

I am not rich enough to buy it , but i saw the collection once, and there is a browning high power , i think Olympian in .338 win I would love to have.
There was also a Ruger GP 100 That was not even invented yet when old Elmer went the happy hunting ground...tj3006

Yes, sad to say, this is true. There was some unfortunate shift in emphasis by the current management there. The diorama has been dusty, and his son Ted is getting on in years. The two daughters are not hunters/shooters, or married to one.

Addition: I am going to sell the Shiloh Sharps the old Shiloh Sharps built for Elmer Keith. It has provenance and rarity.

First, the serial number is EK 100, and I have factory documentation coming from John Schoffstall to that effect. He hand delivered the rifle to Keith at his home in Salmon, Idaho, about forty years ago.

Second, this is the only custom serial number the Shiloh Rifle Company has ever built, and they say there will NOT be another.

I am asking $5000, which covers the restock to fit a six-foot plus shooter. It is a Long Range Express in 45-90, and will come with dies and a couple hundred pieces of new Starline brass. I would post it in the classifieds, but due to circumstances beyond my control, that is not an option at this time.

thanks,

Rich

What I wouldn't give for the Corbett rifle.

Thoughts on what the Corbett Double will bring?

Rich-

Did you keep the original stock? Does it go with the rifle?
Who did the restock?

470,

yes I did. It goes along, as a package, with the brass and dies.

An older gentleman did the restock. He is 82 now, and apprenticed under Ackley wduring a 34 year career as a fireman in Provo, UT.
He prefers to remain nameless for now, since he stays as busy as he wants with repear customers.

PM me for a dozen or so pictures.

Rich

March 15,16
See link from J D Julia

http://jamesdjulia.com/373_shs/

YUP- looked at, touched, and fondled most all of the double rifles on display at the Beinfeld Show in Las Vegas on display by Julia. Had a great chat and a few photos with Ted Keith, Son and the rest of the family in attendance with the VERY impressive display!! VERY delightful people....Ted picked up on my Jack O'Connor museum logo bush jacket!!
It is going to be interesting what the Keith/Jim Corbett Jeffrey will bring....lots of speculation.
Just received the flyer today in the mail...with about 3-4 other famous collectors guns being auctioned as well.
Only problem there is probably 6 feet of snow up there now!!
Cheers,

Corbett's gun Hell yes
Elmers guns not so. Keith wasn't a humble man, more like a pompous prick from what I gathered from his books and few people that knew him.

Im not sure, if you were instrumental in the birth of the Win. Model 70, the .338 Win Mag, the .44 Mag, and developed the most recognized cast bullet in the World, as well as competed at Camp Perry, that pompous is the right word. But, Boarkiller, you're entitled to your opinion.

My in person conversations with Mr. Keith were informative and he was happy to share his knowledge of six-guns to a kid trying to learn. Easy to blab about the dead isn't it.

I was a reader of Elmer Keith and understood somewhat his ideas. I have always been aware of His involvement with the S&W 44mag, The 338 as an outgrowth of the 333OKH and no one who has shot a revolver could not know the Keith style bullet, but never have I read a single line about any involvement with the Model 70, how have I missed it?
I ave always believed he was afflicted with what I call the small man syndrome . He epitomizes the word pompous in my estimation. This is more or less apparent to me from the title of his biography. To me this does not diminish his accompolishments in any way they were myriad and valuable and admired by me.

The Kieth #5 44 special single action revolver is being auctioned as well. If I had won the last big lottery, it would have surely been mine.

If the lottery comes to me before the auction, you'll have to stand in line. I am buying the lot!

ive got about 20 of the "Dope Bag" letters that he typed as personal responses for his column in the "American Rifleman" magazine .from the 50's..at the time it was very common for him to personally answer all his own mail... these are written on NRA stationery... signed in pencil.. "keith"... I figure one day they'll decorate my man cave....I them at a flea market in warrenton, tx for $5...

From what I understand Keith was asked for input on the Model 70. It was his idea for the barrel tension screw as well as barrel contour and he had input in stock design as well on the standard rifle.
I respect his vision and determination. It seems to be a common thread for men from the surrounding area his birth place, i.e. Gen. John J. Pershing, Walt Disney, J.C. Penny to name just a few.
I would love to own something from his personal collection but even if I don't have the opportunity to do so having his autograph and handshake upon receipt of his book will suffice.

The James Julia Catalog of his collection is SPECTACULAR and worth having too!!

Cheers,

Quite a few of his "lesser" weapons are being auctioned by Poulin's on Sat. March 14th along with a fairly large selection of ammo and some leather.

I don't know who did his custom walnut handgun grips, but he did a good job.

I wonder what happened to his 500 Boswell?.that was a great looking working gun..

I saw a catalog of the auction that was posted online and the 500 Boswell was listed in it with some pics. Nice looking double!!

All,
I have a question on owning a gun or an object that was previously owned by someone we hold in high esteem.

I personally struggle with owning a gun or a book or a chair that was "owned" by a famous person and adding extra value to it because of a previous owner. For instance, my family owned land once owned by George Washington. That did nothing to the value or to our feelings about it. In the case of a gun owned by Elmer Keith or Jack O'Connor - how does that fact that one of these famous owned it make it more valuable than one of the same guns with a serial number that is one digit different?

Another "for instance" - if one of the sheep mounts, owned by Jack O'Connor - was sold at auction - would it be valuable or hold special prestige because Jack O'Connor fired the bullet that killed that sheep?

Just curious...

"dogcat: In the case of a gun owned by Elmer Keith or Jack O'Connor - how does that fact that one of these famous owned it make it more valuable than one of the same guns with a serial number that is one digit different?"

Provenance means everything in collectible markets. These particular guns represent far more than just tools.

I think most of the pre-auction estimates are reasonable, little premium for Elmer. But who knows what they will bring? My guess is more. But I hope not, got an absentee placed on one.

The 500 Boswell is in the Auction. It was in the display at Beinfeld Gun Show Julia Display. Definitely a nice rifle!!

Surprisingly, EK being a relatively small guy, his guns are NOT short on LOP??!!

Cheers,

Didn't Jeff Wimmer ( Texas HuntCo) own Elmer's 450/400 double at one time?

The pre-sale estimate on the Corbett/Keith 450/400 is $75-150K. I think that is conservative and if I had that much in my firearms account, I'd bid that and more. One of the most storied & iconic of all famous big game rifles.

I think if you show up with $150K to take the whole thing home, you'll go home disappointed. I don't think that is even in the ballpark.

Also, I talked to Elmer at the NRA convention years ago, I didn't come away with the 'pompous' feeling, more he was quite opinionated, but wasn't hard to talk to and I wasn't much more than out of college. I would say he definitely thought he had the right answers regarding guns, and obviously some of them were quite right. I have tried some of his long range pistol shooting methods, particularly his two shot method with iron sights, and I can tell you it works. I do think if he shot some North Forks, Swifts, and TSX's, his intolerance of smaller bores would change now. He also grew up just down the road from where I am sitting at the moment in Mo. Elmer was a really little guy, I'm 5'9 and towered over him, he was probably 5'2 or 5'3.

I always thought it was odd, that another big bore pistol guy, my friend John Linebaugh, is also a rural Missouri guy.

I agree completely with your assessment Jstevens. I too spoke with him in my teens and 20's bought books from him which he gratefully signed and personalized to me....and also wrote me a couple of letters on the old manual typewriter...which are carefully tucked into one of his books I have!!
His Son Ted was is a tall and lanky guy, CPA and a delight to talk with....spent an hour with him at the Beinfeld show...family very cordial as well.
It is going to be real interesting....they have 6 feet of snot up there and travel to Boston to drive up there is hit and miss....when I ordered the catalog they said the parking lot is plowed and we are open.....the auctions will go on. My bet, not many will show?? If so they are DETERMINED and hardy souls!!
Cheers,

quote:

My bet, not many will show?? If so they are DETERMINED and hardy souls!!

It is probably better to be present, but with the net and phone bids, that is not as big a factor as you would think.

Keith had excellent taste in firearms. Fabulous collection.

I was thinking it would be fun to know what Elmer paid for them back in the day.

Cabela's did an outstanding job presenting the Keith collection. The issue was the family, who did not (according to Cabela's) want the store management to have keys to the locked cases the firearms were kept in. Ted lived about thirty miles away, and just seemed, after a couple years, not to have much inclination to come over every couple of months and take them out to wipe the dust off.

It was sad to seem them parted out, but since Keith died in 1982(iirc), interest in him has slowly faded. He would have been 107 this year I believe.

New shooters seem to be pretty much focused on AR's and Glocks, your basic black gun crowd.

sad to see,

Rich

It ain't bragging if your backing it up.

Corbett's double sold for $230,000. His No. 5 revolver went for $70,000.