|
An Open Letter to TGCA Members
Re: Fall 2009 Captain John R. Waller Cover Gun
Subsequent to the publication and mailing of
the Fall issue of our TGCA magazine, fellow
member and diligent researcher/author Bob
Jordan, in his efforts to catalog known Colt
Navies for a future publication, checked the
serial number of the subject Waller Conversion
against his database. The result determined
that serial # 3215 was listed as item number
4238 on page 102 of the Butterfield and
Butterfield auction catalog of February 22,
1999. The description and photograph match the
“Waller” Colt exactly, except for the grips
(wood as opposed to pearl in the photograph
and description), and no mention of an
inscription. There can only be one
conclusion drawn from this information. The
inscription, “Capt. John R. Waller Co. A Texas
Rangers” was added at some point after the
Butterfield sale, and is therefore fraudulent.
I was first made aware of the Waller Colt
approximately 2½ years ago. It was represented
and thought to be genuine by mentors and
collectors more astute than I, and being the
consummate researcher, I spent the next 2
years researching Waller. Needless to say,
this news has devastated me, and caused our
TGCA editor much grief. From a personal
standpoint, the offsetting solace of bringing
John R. Waller’s life and exploits into focus
will ultimately serve to soften this blow. On
the other hand, it is a sad reminder that we,
as a fraternity, need to arm ourselves, if you
will, with a shared mindset and diligent
cooperative, to ferret out and prosecute those
who perpetrate such fraud.
Fraternally,
Don Jones |
