JOHN RIGBY BEST QUALITY DOUBLE RIFLE DOCUMENTED TO EVELYN BOOTH: THE MAN WHO HELPED SAVE BUFFALO BILL’S WILD WEST SHOW

JOHN RIGBY BEST QUALITY DOUBLE RIFLE DOCUMENTED TO EVELYN BOOTH: THE MAN WHO HELPED SAVE BUFFALO BILL’S WILD WEST SHOW

01-28036 | Cal. 450 BPE. | S# 15417. | Bbls. 26″.

In December 1884, the Wild West Show ferried it’s way down the Mississippi River en route to a scheduled Exhibition in the City of New Orleans. Buffalo Bill Cody was already in New Orleans when he received a telegram that the ship and everything on it had sunk to the bottom of the river. The estimated losses were estimated at $20,000. While Cody would replace his losses in time for the Exhibition, the show was a complete disaster. Daily rain and stormy weather kept the audience’ attendance at a minimum for the entire 3 months the Exhibition was there. Booth’s January 1, ’85 entry reads “Went up with Pemberton to see Buffalo Bill’s show again, I fear the “Hon. Cody” is having a bad time of it as there are hardly any spectators and his expenses must be very heavy”. By the time it was all over, Cody was shouldered with an additional $60,000 in debt.

Evelyn Thomas Barton Booth (1860-1901), a young Englishman of considerable wealth, arrived in America in November 1884 in search of every bit of adventure the young country had to offer. Booth’s personal travel journal, which was discovered at the Denver Public Library, confirms that Booth found what he was looking for. The fully transcribed journal “BUFFALO BILL, BOOZERS, BROTHELS and BARE KNUCKLE BRAWLERS” by Kellen Cutsforth is included with the rifle. Mentions of Bill Cody, their hunts and adventures together continue throughout the journal and finally in March 1885, the two enter into a shooting match. Booth’s journal reads “The next day the match came off. It was terribly windy which prevented accurate shooting. I won [by] three birds killing 40 to 37. Bill immediately challenged me again to shoot on the following Wednesday, the day appointed for his benefit and another match was arranged.”. Booth had bested the Legendary Buffalo Bill. Undoubtedly, word of his loss to an unknown reaching the general masses would not sit well with the renowned showman and on April 1st there was a rematch, this time with spectators. Booth’s journal reads as follows “The next day was Buffalo Bill’s benefit and there were about 3,000 people there. The return match was shot off with the following result, Bill 47 Self 46, though three were counted to him which he never touched”.

Booth notes on page 89 of Cutsforth’s transcription “He is very anxious to take the whole show over to England next spring and I have had several talks with him about it and am going to make an inquiry on the other side.” Upon returning to America in 1886, Booth and Cody entered into a 3 year partnership with Booth paying Cody $30,000 in exchange for 25% of all profits from the show.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show achieved remarkable success during its London engagements, beginning with its debut at the 1887 American Exhibition held in conjunction with Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Queen Victoria herself attended a command performance and thoroughly enjoyed it, giving the show immense prestige and driving even greater public interest.

The London exhibition became one of the most profitable and influential tours in the show’s history. It cemented Buffalo Bill’s international fame, introduced many Europeans to romanticized images of the American West, and established the Wild West show as a global cultural phenomenon that remains well known, even today. If not for a wealthy young Englishman by the name Evelyn Booth, it may have never come to pass.

This “best” quality rifle was delivered in January of 1882 (factory letter) in time for Booth’s much anticipated American hunting trip. It has 26″ dovetailed steel barrels fitted with slightly raised file cut rib with extension. Rifle is sighted with one standing one folding express rear and tall blade brass front sights. Rear portion of rib with scroll engraving is inscribed in Gothic script “John Rigby & Co Dublin & London”. Barrel flats are stamped with London black powder proofs, S# and Rigby “RR” trademark. Bottoms of barrels are stamped “TB” (Thomas Bissell). Round bodied Jones under lever action fitted with penninsula back spring non-rebounding locks having stout serpintine hammers and back sliding safetys, has breech face monogram “TB” (Thomas Bissell made a good many of Rigby’s rifles and guns, his S# “1185” is stamped above monogram). Action and lockplates are engraved with about 80% coverage very nicely cut shaded scroll within scroll borders. “J. Rigby & Co” is on each lockplate. Fine quality replacement capped pistol grip buttstock made of nicely marbled European walnut measures 14-1/2″ over red “Old English” pad. Stock features hard rubber grip cap, right hand cheekpiece, well cut grip checkering and sling eye. Matching splinter forend is near fully checkered and is fitted with forward pivoting lever release engraved “Rigby’s Patent”. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: factory letter, book “BUFFALO BILL BOOZERS, BROTHELS AND BARE-KNUCKLE BRAWLERS, 3 old firing pins, 1 turned aluminum what’s-it, 9 brass cases and remnants of an old Illinois resident hunting license. STATUS: ANTIQUE.