Artifact of the Month - Colt Navy Pistol and Gold Rush Holster

1966.5.125 & 126 - Gifts of Edward and Mabel Moores Frisbie

Tracking down a legend. Every artifact in our collection has a story ranging from the mundane to the mythological. One of our jobs is sorting fact from fiction. Is this account a fairy tale?

The story of this object is the story of three important men; Samuel Colt, who produced this gun, Millard Fillmore “Bart” Eldridge, who owned the Colt Navy and Gold Rush holster, and Charles E. Boles, known as Black Bart, a notorious stagecoach robber in Northern California. Many old west stories are myths handed down over the generations. Is this Black Bart encounter a myth or a real occurrence?

The donor told us that Millard Fillmore M.F “Bart” Eldridge owned the Colt Navy revolver and its holster. We have documented proof that he was an Express Messenger, Northern California Peace Officer, a Redding Constable, insurance and real estate agent, and inheritance tax appraiser. That is a fair list of accomplishments on its own, and newspaper stories about him indicate that he was something of a character. M.F., as he was known locally, made his way to Shasta County in 1879 when he was about 30. Was he wearing this 1856 Colt and its distinctive 1850-1855 Gold Rush holster when he got here? Or did he acquire it from another local miner who brought it west during the Gold Rush?

According to the donor, M.F. was alleged during his express messenger days, which appear to have coincided with Bart’s brief foray into holding up stagecoaches in Shasta County, to have had an encounter with the infamous robber, thus acquiring the nickname “Bart”. But did he? To date, no tie between Eldridge and Black Bart has been established. Not a single newspaper article, including his extensive obituary, mentioned this supposed nickname or an encounter with the legendary stagecoach robber. In fact, A 1987 “Life 100 Years Ago” in the Record Searchlight mentions the gun and M.F. “…Eldridge is said to have been proud of his gun, which in his words, ‘accounted for the death of several men.’ But he would later fail to go into detail.”

Have you heard this legend? Do you have proof that it is, or isn’t, true? Let us know!

The revolver and holster have their own fascinating story.

When researching our over 45,000 object collection for an Artifact of the Month Exhibit, I found an 1851 Colt Navy Revolver and Gold Rush Holster. As a firearms collector and lover of western history, it was an easy choice to make. The revolver and holster were owner by a Redding constable, who allegedly had an encounter with Black Bart, a famous stage coach robber in Northern California. My boss Julia Cronin, Curator of Collections & Exhibits, joined me and researched and wrote about the owner and the Black Bart encounter.

The 1851 Colt Navy revolver is in good shape and has all of its original parts. It was well used, but also well maintained. While not rare, the Colt Navy was a popular weapon for decades after its production ended and has a major place in western history.

Detail of US and Mexico naval engagement on the cylinder

The Gold Rush holster was manufactured in the 1850 to 1855 time frame and was also well used. Easterners purchased the holster to carry their Colt Navy as they headed west to the gold fields of California. Stamped on the holster are the Seal of the State of California, a miner with a pick and an eastern woodlands Native American with bow and arrow. To date, I have only found this holster in the Witte Museum in San Antonio, Texas and two others for sale since 2016.

Researching the Colt Navy Revolver and its rare Gold Rush Holster with a tie to the community and maybe Black Bart has been an interesting journey into the past.

Bob Harris - Collections and Exhibits Volunteer