Christie's Auctioning Off Roy Rogers' GSD Bullet - Page 1

and Trigger, too!

Catalog item for Bullet here:

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5338224&sid=5923f9bb-0da7-4002-a4bd-8a7fbba993fd

Articles are all over the web.  Here's one:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100709/ap_on_en_mo/us_roy_rogers_auction

"NEW YORK – The smell of horses and hay permeated the marble-floored galleries at Christie's in Manhattan Friday as potential bidders previewed items including the preserved remains of movie cowboy Roy Rogers' famous horse Trigger.

The auction house is selling items from the now-closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo., next Wednesday and Thursday.

Unlike the fine furniture, paintings and jewelry that Christie's is famous for, the centerpiece of this auction is a stuffed and mounted horse rearing on its hind legs. It also will feature another type of horsepower — Rogers' 1964 Bonneville convertible adorned with collectible silver dollars, its door handles and gear shift replaced by silver-plated pistols.

The car is estimated to draw $100,000 to $150,000. Trigger is expected to fetch $100,000 to $200,000.

Other items for sale include: Rogers' and Evans' performance outfits; the preserved remains of Rogers' dog, Bullet; about 60 pairs of cowboy boots; the Rogers family dining table; and the Jeep "Nellybelle" from the Roy Rogers TV show."

They would gross me out as much as I loved them in the movies.

RFD Network bought Trigger.  Trying to find out who bought Bullet.


"NEW YORK — Roy Rogers' stuffed horse, Trigger, has been sold at auction in New York City for more than $266,000.

Christie's says Rogers' faithful companion was bought by Omaha-based RFD-TV at an auction Wednesday of items from the now- closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo.

RFD-TV calls itself "Rural America's Most Important Network," and the cable channel's chief financial officer said Rogers reflects the company's values. CFO Steve Campione said the company hopes to start its own museum and is looking to buy more Rogers items at auction.

Rogers had Trigger preserved with taxidermy in 1965. The presale estimate for the horse was $100,000 to $200,000.

The auction, which continues today, also features another type of horsepower — Rogers' 1964 Bonneville convertible adorned with collectible silver dollars, its door handles and gear shift replaced by silver-plated pistols.

Other items for sale included Rogers' and Evans' performance outfits; the preserved remains of Rogers' dog Bullet; about 60 pairs of cowboy boots; and the Jeep "Nellybelle" from the Roy Rogers TV show."

This makes me so sad. Roy used to sit in front of the museum, and greet tourists, even though he was in failing health, and his feet and legs hurt. In his final years, he was in a wheelchair, but was still down theere every day, shaking hands and chatting with people.

When he got the news his little Down's Syndrome girl had died, he was signing autogaphs for kids. He kept on signing, with the tears streaming down his face, because he 'didn't want to disappoint them'!

Now, I know the cynics on this board are going to think, "What a publicity hound!!" Far, far from it.

He adopted orphaned children who had been abused or handicapped and loved and raised them as if they were his own. He would never reveal how he did it, but he had Trigger housebroken, so he could take him in to hospitals to visit kids. I remember seeing him performing with Dale on Sesame St. They must have been in their 80's, judging from the wrinkles, and I'm sure they were wealthy enough to just sit back and enjoy retirement, but they still wanted to get out there and do something for the kids.

Read his biography, "The Answer is God". It's a real eye-opener, and shows a man who rode the heights of fame, but never lost his humility, and still managed to be a good father and husband.  He's one of the very few people with three stars in the Hollywood walk of fame: one as a radio performer, one for his movie work, and the third for his music.

BTW, Bullet had a pretty darn good pedigree!  www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/531814.html

omygosh, thanks, Sunsilver, for posting Bullet's pedigree.  I never thought to look him up. 

Yeah, I think you're right, Roy was really a good man.

I read Dale Evan's book "Angel Unaware" years & years ago about their downs girl.  Very short like her life but a beautiful story.  Roy & Dale were my heros growing up.  They were truly good folks.  Sunsliver's post is right smack on.  Happy Trails!

You know, I think I'll go look up those books.  I could use some positive vibes.  Can you imagine Roy or Dale participating in some of the threads on here???