Lot 450 Detail
**Rare and Historic Group of Five Consecutively Numbered Winchester Centennial Model
1894-1994 Lever Action Carbines Used in the State of Utah Execution of John Albert Taylor
with Provenance
Five boxed Winchester Centennial Model 1894-1994 Lever Action Carbines with consecutive
serial nos. 6117317-6117321, .30-30 caliber, 20-inch barrels with hooded front sights and
elevation rear sights. Blued finish. Right side of frames marked: 1894-1994. Checkered
walnut stocks. Shotgun butts. All contained in their original factory boxes. Sold together
with partial box of original Winchester Super-X 150 grain cartridges , purchased for use
in the execution [missing the 4 cartridges used in the execution] and another partial box
of Federal Classic .30-30 blanks [four remaining]. Sold together with actual bullet
fragments removed from the body [with Sheriff's office notations] and extensive provenance
file, documenting the sanguinary history of the carbines, including copies of the original
Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office coroner's and Medical Examiner's detailed post mortem
reports on John Albert Taylor; copy of the Judgment and Sentence of Death; evidence form
citing description of subject's clothing and death bullet fragments; copies of the
Sheriff's Department weapons record listing the serial numbers of the subject firearms and
period news clippings on the crimes of the subject, the trial and execution. One article
actually pictures one of the subject firearms and relates the duties and actions of the
assigned firing squads. A rare and historic offering.
Condition: All are excellent to mint, having been fired only a few
times. Boxes with slight wear to corners.
Note: According to the accompanying documents, the consignor served in 1995 as the
Captain of the Special Operations Division, Sheriff's Department, Salt Lake County, Utah.
This department, having specific experience with SWAT teams and sniper teams, was assigned
the duty of training the execution firing squad for the State of Utah. As part of this
duty was the acquisition of the actual weapons used in the execution. The consignor
subsequently acquired these five Winchesters from the local gun shop, together with the
accompanying specific ammunition and blanks [four of the execution guns with loaded with
live rounds, one with blanks].
Estimate: $10000 - $20000
