The auction house Rock Island Auction Company announced the auction of a gold-plated revolver that belonged to the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. The sale of the Colt Single Action Army weapon will take place on December 8, 2023, and It is expected to reach an estimated price between US$650,000 and US$950,000.
This event not only offers a unique opportunity for gun collectors, but also provides a fascinating window into the history and legacy of the Mexican revolutionary. The auction will be held in the city of Bedford, Texas.
The Colt revolver, factory documented as gold plated, factory engraved and shipped to a gunsmith in El Paso, Texas, It has a double inscription of the name of Pancho Villa, the most famous figure of the Mexican Revolution. This 2023 marks the centenary of the assassination of the revolutionary leader, and Mexico has designated it as “The Year of Francisco Villa.”
Pancho Villa’s El Colt and City Loan & Jewelry Co.
Factory records confirm that this revolver was shipped to City Loan & Jewelry Co. on April 18, 1917. The store was a pawn shop in El Paso, an area filled with American government agents and Villa allies. The inscription on the revolver, “To General Francisco Villa/de/su Division del Norte”, and “FRANCISCO VILLA” on the handle, according to RL Wilson’s analysis, was probably made at City Loan & Jewelry Co.
Joseph B. Ravel, the owner of the store, sold guns to Pancho Villa, and on one occasion, U.S. Secret Service agents investigated Ravel after Villa made a purchase at the store. Sam Ravel, Joseph’s nephew, moved to Columbus, New Mexico, where he had business, and maintained business relationships with Mexican revolutionaries, including Villa.
In March 1916, Villa and the Northern Division crossed the border and attacked Columbus, New Mexico.. The exact reason was never confirmed, but it is speculated that Sam Ravel was targeted, possibly over a failed arms deal. Villa burned Ravel’s store and other buildings, resulting in several deaths and significant tensions between the US and Mexico.
After the attack, American troops led by General John J. Pershing pursued Villa in an expedition known as the “Punitive Expedition.”, bringing the United States and Mexico to the brink of war. The gold Colt was manufactured and shipped in the midst of this conflict and the revelation of the Zimmerman Telegram, which may have influenced the history of this revolver.
Death and legacy of Pancho Villa
In July 1923, Villa was murdered in Parral, Chihuahua, by a group led by Jesús Salas Barrazza.. Although his power faded, his fame persisted, and he is remembered as a charismatic and courageous leader, as well as a symbol of the fight against oppression.
Villa remains one of the most famous and popular figures in Mexican history, a Robin Hood-style folk hero remembered as a defender of the common people against the rich and powerful. By the time of his death in a shootout, Villa and the Northern Division had already left their mark on the histories of Mexico and the American Southwest, overthrowing Mexican presidents Porfirio Díaz and Victoriano Huerta.
However, like most historical figures, things are rarely that simple. Villa and the Northern Division are also known for their cruelty, leaving dead bodies in their wake on both sides of the Rio Grande, attracting international headlines and retaliation from both the American and Mexican armies, neither of which managed to capture Villa.
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