Roy Rogers Auction Features Horse Trigger's Remains

NEW YORK — The smell of horses and hay permeated the marble-floored galleries at Christie's in Manhattan Friday as potential bidders previewed items including the preserved remains of movie cowboy Roy Rogers' famous horse Trigger.

The auction house is selling items from the now-closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo., next Wednesday and Thursday.

Unlike the fine furniture, paintings and jewelry that Christie's is famous for, the centerpiece of this auction is a stuffed and mounted horse rearing on its hind legs. It also will feature another type of horsepower – Rogers' 1964 Bonneville convertible adorned with collectible silver dollars, its door handles and gear shift replaced by silver-plated pistols.

The car is estimated to draw $100,000 to $150,000. Trigger is expected to fetch $100,000 to $200,000.

Other items for sale include: Rogers' and Evans' performance outfits; the preserved remains of Rogers' dog, Bullet; about 60 pairs of cowboy boots; the Rogers family dining table; and the Jeep "Nellybelle" from the Roy Rogers TV show.

Michel Bettigole, 70, a prospective buyer who attended the preview, called Rogers one of his heroes and said he grew up watching him chase down bandits on the big screen.

"But there was never any violence," he said. "He always shot the gun out of the bad guy's hand. It was good morals."

Hundreds of items will be offered for sale, many of them with estimated prices in the low hundreds. Hand-drawn music for the theme song "Happy Trails" has a pre-sale estimate of $300 to $500. So does a grouping of two Rogers' guitars.

Bettigole was skeptical about some of the estimates.

"A Roy Rogers watch that Roy Rogers wore for $400? Forget about it!" he said.

Cathy Elkies, Christie's director of iconic collections, said the estimates are based on the intrinsic values of the items, but prices could go much higher.

"What someone wants to pay for something Roy Rogers had, that's the wild card," she said.

Christie's has been overwhelmed with calls from everyone from museum representatives to Roy Rogers fans who wanted a piece of the King of the Cowboys, said Linda Kohn-Sherwood, who is helping oversee the sale. Part of Rogers' appeal was his charitable image outside the studio. He and Evans adopted several children and started a foundation for children in need.

"They were the Brad and Angelina of the time," Kohn-Sherwood said.

Near the entrance at Christie's Friday, doorman Gil Perez, 58, got to be the famous cowboy for a day. Perez wore one of Rogers' red, embroidered performance shirts and toted a Roy Rogers guitar as he welcomed visitors to the gallery. He said he got his lucky break because he was about the same size as Rogers.

"I'm so honored, because I grew up watching him," he said. "But there's no way I'm trying to imitate him, because there's only one Roy."

___

Online: http://www.royrogers.com

Comments

[Raymond Pittam]

01:18 PM on 07/11/2010

It truely saddens me to see such an Instatution die. I met Roy and Dale Evans personally July 16, 1950, the day before my eleventh birthday. I was a Soap Box Derby Racer as well as stable boy at Raymond Hardy's Lake Contrary Stables where Roy and Dale boarded Buttercup and Trigger. This was St. Joseph, Missouri's main stable and horse race track those days.
Each all of us boys recieved a Roy and Dale Lamp for being in the races. I still have mine and they ars signed by Roy Rogers and Dale Rogers not like most would think, Dale Evans. I remained connected with Roy and Dale over the next 50 years. I hauled meat for his restaurants as well as was a wrangler when I was stationed at George Air Bace in Victorville. I even entertained at several State fairs in the mid west on the same stage that he did but not the same show as Cousin Clem's, Pony Express Riders Band.
I was fortunate visit Roy and Dale with my new wife just a short time before his death having photos taken as a foursome in his private quarters at the old museum. I started a program in the San Francisco Bay helping Battered women and children and Roy and Dale supported me with that program. Yes: I am deeply saddened at this great loss to a true couple who loved America so much. Leonard, You are truely my hero.
Raymond F. Pittam
Redding California

[TRUTHDOG]

07:02 AM on 07/10/2010

I imagine most or Rogers remaining fans are over the age of 65. At 50. I am too young to have seen his/their show- Even in reruns. There should be a national museum dedicated to Golden Age television with stuff like Trigger in it. Stuff from the 1960's shows should be next.

[Raymond Pittam]

01:41 PM on 07/11/2010

Truth Dog, You'd be surprised how many of us old entertainers were put out to pasture because Rich people didn't enjoy our entertaiment. We were second class to the big names. There are hundreds of Great entertainers who were broadsided by the Elite. I had my own radio program for many years and today only the older generations in the mid west can remember me. We dedicated our lives as most big name performers but couldn't get the sponsors and big Lawyers to stand up for us. They wanted nearly everything we earned just to be mentioned. I have several named entertainers in my family. Some even played with such names as Elvis Presley, Dick Clark, Murve Griffen, and Ray Charles only to be intrduced as a Guitar player or other spot filler. Bobby Rawston on the Lawrence Wlk Show as well as David Koonse on the jail House Rock show with Elvis Presley are my first cousins. I entertained with many of the big name entertainers in the 60's and 70's. Vincent Price and Jane wyman are my mothers cousins,as like Edgar Bergan is my father's cousin. But their real names are hardly known by anyone. Amelia Earharts mother was a sister of my Paternal Grandmother. It is who you know and how much money you have as to where you fit in history. We were all out there to make others laugh and have good times, But it took the right people to put your name in lights.

[clearthinker16]

07:12 PM on 07/09/2010

At least Trigger will not mess the floor.