Matt Arness’ ‘Gunsmoke’ Badge, Other Props From the Western Show Hit Auction Block
Gunsmoke fans have a chance to own a piece of TV history. Props from the iconic Western series are set to hit the auction block on Nov. 15.
Fans can bid on ‘Gunsmoke’ props used by James Arness
Julien’s Auctions is handling the sale of the Gunsmoke props, costumes, and memorabilia. Items come from the estate of James Arness, who played Marshall Matt Dillon on the show, which aired from 1955 to 1975 on CBS. Other collectibles are associated with cast members Burt Reynolds and Dennis Weaver.
Collectors can bid on more than 230 one-of-a-kind items, including Matt Dillon’s Colt single action revolver, which is estimated to sell for between $20,000 and $40,000.
Matt Dillon’s saddle could sell for $60,000
Among the other big-ticket items available to bid on is a brown leather saddle that Arness used throughout the series, as well as in the five follow-up TV movies. It’s estimated to sell for as much as $60,000.
Other Gunsmoke memorabilia offered for sale includes a chair signed by Arness and used in the season 19 episode “Matt’s Love Story,” as well as a Marshall Matt Dillon prop badge.
Reynolds played Quint Asper on Gunsmoke for several seasons in the mid-1960s. The auction includes contracts and other correspondence related to his time on the show. Fans can also bid on a signed CB scanner from Reynolds’ hit movie Smokey and The Bandit, as well as a signed script from the film.
“When it comes to classic Westerns, there is nothing bigger and more iconic than Gunsmoke,” said Darren Julien, co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “It was the longest-running western saga in television history and its great American hero played by the legendary James Arness and its other illustrious stars Dennis Weaver and Burt Reynolds epitomized the Old West of our imagination.”
An exhibit featuring the Gunsmoke auctions will open Nov. 4 at the Hollywood Museum in the Historic Max Factor Building. The live and online auction will take place on Nov. 15.
Matt Dillon’s ‘Gunsmoke’ hat is in the Smithsonian
Gunsmoke is the longest-running U.S. primetime drama by episode count, and Marshall Matt Dillon is one of the most recognizable characters in TV history. Winning bidders will own unique, museum-worthy artifacts. In fact, items from the show are already in the collections of some major museums.
One of Dillon’s signature Stetson hats is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, though it is not currently on view to the public. Other items related to Gunsmoke are in the collection at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.
