Gary Cooper rifle

[desertrider]

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Classic Hollywood style from the Big Band era.

Coop' cleaning his guns in slacks, button up shirt and a tie. All that's missing is a fedora, a cigar, and a glass of Scotch.

Great story Bhauer!

[Bhauer]

I like all the photos of Cooper in his gun room. Bet he had some interesting stories.

[smle-man]

I'm having trouble getting the Griffin & Howe staff to send me a copy of their record. Bob Beach refused to send it to me. I called Paul Chapman who is the VP there. He asked me if I would send him the photos I had found while researching this rifle. I said I would if he would send me a copy of their record. He agreed. I sent Paul a lot of photos including photos of Cooper with another Griffin & Howe rifle. He never did keep his word and send me a simple copy of the record they have from 1936. Pretty dissapointed. I may call him again after the first of the year.

$3,150 in today's money according to the Minneapolis Fed website.

[Bhauer]

Wow! Did not realize it would be that much!

[M1NM]

"He had purchased the rifle in 2012 from the estate of Bob Peterson of Beverly Hills"

I think some of the Petersen collection was sold in 2010. The really high end engraved/unusual arms and gatling gun collection went to the NRA along with a bucket load of cash. Petersen would have not altered the gun - he was too much of a purist. Guns & Ammo was his favorite magazine after Hot Rod which was his first magazine launched in 1948. When I worked at Kit Car magazine they moved a record/stuffed polar bear into the lobby outside his office. He had shot it with a 44 mag pistol.

[Bhauer]

I just looked up the auction again. Looks like John purchased the rifle from the Peterson Estate November 17, 2013 through Little John's Auction. He paid $3,272.5 including the buyers premium. Below is a link to the sale of this rifle on their site. http://live.littlejohnsauctionservic...wood_i17737369

I did read about the collection the Peterson Estate gave to the NRA. Amazing!!! I saw photos of the gun library he had. It was unbelievable. I hope to see it some day. The collection was a gift with the agreement the NRA would display the guns.

[Bhauer]

"He had purchased the rifle in 2012 from the estate of Bob Peterson of Beverly Hills"

I think some of the Petersen collection was sold in 2010. The really high end engraved/unusual arms and gatling gun collection went to the NRA along with a bucket load of cash. Petersen would have not altered the gun - he was too much of a purist. Guns & Ammo was his favorite magazine after Hot Rod which was his first magazine launched in 1948. When I worked at Kit Car magazine they moved a record/stuffed polar bear into the lobby outside his office. He had shot it with a 44 mag pistol.

Interesting! A polar bear with a 44 mag. Did you ever get to meet Peterson?

[smle-man]

I just looked up the auction again. Looks like John purchased the rifle from the Peterson Estate November 17, 2013 through Little John's Auction. He paid $3,272.5 including the buyers premium. Below is a link to the sale of this rifle on their site. http://live.littlejohnsauctionservic...wood_i17737369

I did read about the collection the Peterson Estate gave to the NRA. Amazing!!! I saw photos of the gun library he had. It was unbelievable. I hope to see it some day. The collection was a gift with the agreement the NRA would display the guns.

So he paid what Coop paid for it back in '36!

[Bhauer]

So he paid what Coop paid for it back in '36!

Yea. Interesting! Huh?

[ElToro]

Document the pics, auction results, and GH paperwork if they ever come through. That's a sweet rifle and great story. Adjusted for inflation its 3000+$. You would never get close to that today for a similar custom rifle and nice wood. Especially the wood.

I have a Friend that owns a win 52 sporter that he aquired from clark gables estate. Thinking of the stars that may have shouldered that rifle is fun day dreaming.

[marksmandowntown]

Great thread, thanks for sharing OP!

[Bhauer]

Accidentally deleted the photo I had in photobucket, below of Gary Cooper with the Griffin & Howe and the bobcat he took. This is the pic that is published in the book Hemingway High On The Wild by Lloyd Arnold and the photo was taken by the Author in January 1948 while Cooper was visiting Ernest Hemingway in Sun Valley, Idaho.


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[Bhauer]

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[Bhauer]

Finally received Griffin & Howe Record

http://Paul Chapman at Griffin & Howe emailed me today along with an attached copy of their Journal entry for my rifle. It is simple and hand written but gives the year, 1936, the rifle's four diget serial number, the Caliber, and the name G Cooper.
Glad to finally have that piece of the puzzle!

[Bhauer]

Found another photo last week, of all places on EBay! Just got it in the mail today. It was an old news release photo. from a Minnesota Newspaper. This one was taken by the same author Lloyd Arnold who took the other two photos of Gary with the bobcat. You can really see the details of the rifle in this photo.http://