Butch Cassidy's Amnesty Colt .45 Revolver Up For Auction

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Get ready to walk ten paces and draw your auction paddle! Santa Monica consulting firm RMK Services - http://www.rmkserv.com - will be teaming up with California Auctioneers to put up a Colt .45 Revolver (serial no. 158402) for auction. Documents verify its ownership to be none other than the infamous Butch Cassidy himself during the 1890s. The auction kicks off with a bang on September 30th, 2012 in Ventura, CA.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120906/LA69694)

With the myth of American outlaws looming large, it seems that none looms larger in 2012 than Butch Cassidy's. Larry Pointer's controversial book Bandit Invincible: The Story of Butch Cassidy was released early this year, while a couple months later, Cassidy's great nephew, Bill Betenson, came out with his own book Butch Cassidy, My Uncle, providing an inside perspective on the man behind the myth. And now, there is a chance to take a piece of Cassidy's ever-expanding legend through owning his infamous Colt .45 revolver.

Helping to auction such an important and exciting piece of American history was a new experience for RMK Services. Fate connected RMK Services CEO Aileen Riako Watanabe to the owner of Butch Cassidy's famous revolver and through her research, she has gathered invaluable information from sources like Bill Betenson, who appears as a guest in the upcoming documentary; an 87-year-old neighbor of the Cassidy family in Circleville, Utah and Donovan & Diane Cooper, her partners in research for the project.  RMK's most well-informed resource was Larry Pointer, author of books about Butch Cassidy.

"The documentary and the entire set of documents support the undisputed fact that this weapon belonged to Butch Cassidy himself. We partnered with Red Sky Productions to make a short documentary about this incredible weapon.  We are hoping the gun will bring in bidders from all over the world. In my opinion, there has never been a gun linked back to Cassidy with so much recorded documentation," said Watanabe.

There is a definite passion for collecting authentic American outlaw memorabilia.  In June 2011, the last remaining original tintype portrait of Billy the Kid sold at auction to famous businessman Bill Koch for a staggering $2.3 million after a bidding shootout.  September 30th will also see an auction in New Hampshire of two guns belonging to All-American bandits Bonnie and Clyde.

Working on and off on the project since 2011, Watanabe and her partner, Aurelio "Junior" Ocampo, traveled to the Midwest in July to meet the Colt's owner, and to hold and film the gun. "It was an amazing feeling," said Watanabe. "I have read everything I could about Butch Cassidy and this gun, and then to be able to hold a piece of history was truly memorable." 

"It is almost mesmerizing to feel so connected to such a valuable piece of American history," said Watanabe.  "I can't wait to see whose collection it becomes a part of." 

Watch the short documentary on the Colt 45 SN# 158402 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAf2k5Knw5M

The auction for Lot #150 will be held at approximately 12 PM PDT on Sunday, September 30th, 2012 at California Auctioneers, 8597 North Ventura Avenue (Highway 33), in Ventura, CA, 93001.  (805) 649-2686.  http://www.calauctioneers.com

For more information on the Colt and RMK Services please contact us at (310) 315-4612 or [email protected].

SOURCE RMK Services