- News of the West

Entries from August 1, 2011 - August 31, 2011

Tuesday

Aug302011

A ‘Fortune’ Teller – In the Truest Sense

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 7:13PM

By Bennett Owen

Virginia City, Montana sits on the remains of one the most lucrative gold rush sites of the pioneer west. The US Assay Office estimates that $90-million in gold was extracted from Alder Gulch between 1863 and 1889 – and given the price of the precious metal nowadays, that value soars to – count the zeros - $40,000,000,000.

Man with a rocker cradling for gold near Virginia City, Mont. Terr. By Jackson, 1871 Credit: Marion Doss

Now, the popular ghost town is celebrating a lucrative find of a much different kind… namely, a 100-year old fortune telling contraption that’s gathered dust in a back room of the "Gypsy Arcade" which has the nation's largest collection of woking music machines and arcade games from the early 20th century.

Credit: Ernie Hathaway

The Gypsy Fortune Teller – drop a nickel in the slot and her eyes would flash, and her teeth chatter as a mysterious voice told you your fortune. Yikes! The 'eyes' have it!

The Montana Heritage Commission has found that the Gypsy is one of only two or three “verbal” fortune-tellers left in the world! And magician David Copperfield has gone a step further, saying he believes it’s the only one. He’s reportedly offered $2-million for the relic, hoping to make it the crown jewel in his collection of turn-of the century penny arcade games.

Credit: nicolekiss.blogspot

Now a bidding war has broken out and experts say the piece might ultimately fetch upwards of $10-million. I wonder if one of the Gypsy’s fortunes went something like, “you will fall back-asswards into boo-koo dolores”? Now that’s a fortune worth telling about.

Read the Chicago Sun Times account here.

Virginia City, Montana, c. 1939. Credit: Library of Congress

My-West.com |

John Ford’s Stamp of Approval

Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 10:59PM

By Bennett Owen

Credit: Baltimoresun

The US Postal Service is honoring legendary filmmaker John Ford with his own stamp. It’s a ‘forever’ version, meaning it will be good for as long as there is a post office, which in this day and age is not a foregone conclusion. One thing is for certain, Ford has achieved immortality based on the scene portrayed on the stamp, the broad shoulders of John Wayne and Monument Valley, the scenery Ford claimed was the true star of his westerns. Here it is, one of the most famous opening scenes in cinematic history:

Yeah, pretty flashy opening, but give me Liberty Valance any day. Ford made 140 movies including an incredible 45 made during the silent era. He now joins a long list of western icons honored with postage stamps over the years. Here are our 10 favorites:

C.M. Russell - Simply the greatest western painter of all time

Credit: usstampgallery

Sitting Bull – The great Sioux warrior and holy man, forever linked with the Battle of Little Bighorn

Credit: bonanza.com

Montana Centennial Stamp – The Treasure State – Big Sky Country – CM Russell, take another bow

Credit: usstampgallery

Western Cattle in a Storm – Considered one of the most beautiful US postage stamps, released in 1898 with a one-dollar value! The image actually depicts a scene in Scotland!

Credit: dawandastatic

Bill Pickett – An extraordinary cowboy and creator of Bulldogging – Steer Wrestling. The image on the first stamp was actually his brother! Ooops! The original, incorrect stamp featuring Bill’s brother, Ben Pickett:

Bill Pickett Postage Stamp, c.1994. This is the revised stamp that replaced the initial recalled stamp on which Bill’s bother Ben was illustrated:

Credit: hmdb

Buffalo Bill Cody – No, not the football team! An adventurer and one of America’s first great showmen. The stamp was released in 1989 as part of the USPS Great Americans series.

Credit: Media Bucket

Hank Williams - The greatest country-western singer/songwriter of them all.

Credit: philosateleia

Sacagewea – She helped Lewis and Clark find the Pacific Ocean. I guess men were hesitant to ask directions back in those days too.

Credit: Photobucket

Pony Express – “Wanted – Young, skinny, wiry fellows. Not over 18. Orphans preferred” Wonder what the postage was for a New York – San Francisco letter back then?

Credit: exponentgroup