Archive of Professor W.T. Collings to be Offered in December
An archive from the life of Professor William Tatem Collings is set to hit the block in Cowan's American History Auction, December 2, 2009.
W.T. Collings started the Collings Horse Ranch near Beaver City, Nebraska in the 1880s. In 1890 he started shipping horses to New Jersey for annual auctions. In 1892 he tamed "Julius the Man Killer", risking his reputation and life in order to prove his theory of how to tame a horse. After selling his next shipping of horses and reveling in his newly found fame, Collings started his own Wild West Show, appearing as "Buckskin Charley". He also held the first ever public auction of buffalo.
The archive includes wooly chaps, worn by Collings at work and as Buckskin Charley. There are 20, mostly mounted photos relating to his life, including two when he tamed "Julius the Man Killer". The rest of the photos show him in various stages of his life. Also included is a pair of Plains beaded moccasins, original newspaper clippings describing his accomplishments, two original ranch letterheads and an original advertising for the first buffalo auction.
More to come on this great collection!