Sign In to see what this sold for
At first one might scratch one's head wondering just why Teddy Roosevelt belongs in this particular auction. But in the early to mid-1880s, prior to his career in public service, Roosevelt maintained and lived on a working ranch he named Elk Horn on the Little Missouri River in Dakota Territory. There he learned all the skills of a hunter and full -fledged cowboy, and even qualified briefly as a Western lawman: when thieves stole his riverboat, he had himself sworn as a deputy sheriff and took off in hot pursuit. Roosevelt apprehended the thieves and apparently flirted with the idea of stringing them up before deciding to take them into custody and bring them in for a more civilized form of justice. Directing his foreman to take the riverboat home, he personal escorted the three thieves overland to Dickinson. The trip took forty hours, during which time Roosevelt read Tolstoy to keep himself awake and on guard.
It was during this period of his life that he struck up what would become a lifelong friendship with the legendary Deadwood sheriff Seth Bullock. By 1901, Teddy was serving as William McKinley's vice president when McKinley was assassinated, leading to one of the most famous quotes in American history. Upon hearing the news, Ohio boss Mark Hanna exclaimed, "Now look, that damned cowboy is president of the United States!"
There can be no doubt that the love of the West developed in his youth deeply affected Roosevelt's policies as president. He placed some 230 million acres of land under public administration as national parks and forests, and would later be honored by having one of those parks named in his honor.
For these reasons, Teddy Roosevelt is eminently deserving of a place among the true Legends of the Wild West.
Due to a computer error when this auction was posted on our web site, some clients were inadvertently able to place bids at below the established minimum bids published in the catalog. This has been corrected, and the minimum required bid now posted above either reflects that required opening bid or bidding action at or above the starting bid.
Sign In to see what this sold for
View Bid Increments & Buyer's Premium
| Estimate | $4,875 - $6,000 |
| Starting Bid | $4,875 |
