Film & TV

Mugshot! Top 5 Hand-Painted Mugs in 'Gunsmoke & Western Legends Auction Featuring Arness, Reynolds, and Weaver'

A top selection of artworks in our "Gunsmoke & Western Legends Auction Featuring Arness, Reynolds, and Weaver" taking place on November 15th at the Hollywood Museum in Hollywood, Calif. Register & Bid.

November 8, 2024

a set of glasses and mugs with cowboys on them

Lot #3. Gunsmoke | 1972 Etched Glassware Group

A top selection of hand-painted mugs in our "Gunsmoke & Western Legends Auction Featuring Arness, Reynolds, and Weaver" taking place on November 15th at the Hollywood Museum in Hollywood, Calif. Register & Bid.

James Arness

"Gunsmoke" Year Six Hand-Painted Porcelain Mug

Estimate:

$300 - $500

An original hand-painted porcelain mug commissioned by James Arness as a cast and crew gift at Christmas during the sixth year of the television series Gunsmoke (CBS Productions, 1955-1975), kept by James as a remembrance of the show.

The front of the mug features a hand-painted pair of spurs, with a gold leaf handle. The back side of the mug features the gold leaf writing, "Best Wishes from Jim." The bottom of the mug is stamped "Hand Painted/ Philippe/ Hollywood, California."

James Arness, a close friend and admirer of the renowned film star John Wayne, embraced Wayne's concept of crafting personalized, hand-painted mugs for each film. Arness adopted this idea, creating his own hand-painted mugs, which he generously distributed as gifts to the cast and crew throughout the twenty-year duration of Gunsmoke, one for each year of the series.

Janet Arness says: "Jim would look at different sketches and decide which he'd pick every year."

3.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 inches

PROVENANCE From The Estate of James Arness

James Arness

Gunsmoke Year Three Hand-Painted Porcelain Mug

Estimate:

$300 - $500

An original hand-painted porcelain mug commissioned by James Arness as a cast and crew gift at Christmas during the third year of the television series Gunsmoke (CBS Productions, 1955-1975), kept by James as a remembrance of the show.

The front of the mug features a hand-painted revolver and cemetery scene, with a gold leaf handle. The back side of the mug features the gold leaf writing, "Bob from Jim." The bottom of the mug is stamped "Arzberg," and "Made in Germany."

Janet Arness says: "Jim would look at different sketches and decide which he'd pick every year."

3.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 inches

PROVENANCE From The Estate of James Arness

Gunsmoke

James Arness Gifted Year 16 Hand-Painted Porcelain Mug

Estimate:

$300 - $500

An original hand-painted porcelain mug commissioned by James Arness as a cast and crew gift at Christmas during the 16th year of the television series Gunsmoke (CBS Productions, 1955-1975). This item was gifted to Ron Honthaner, who worked on the series for seven years, first as a post-production supervisor, and later as an associate producer and writer.

The front of the mug features a hand-painted poker game and a gold leaf handle. The back side of the mug features the gold leaf writing, "Best Wishes from Jim." The bottom of the mug is stamped "Ph. Callard/ Studio/ Hand Painted."

Janet Arness says: "Jim would look at different sketches and decide which he'd pick every year."

4.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 inches

PROVENANCE From the Estate of Ron Honthaner

James Arness

Gunsmoke Year Two Hand-Painted Porcelain Mug (A)

Estimate:

$300 - $500

An original hand-painted porcelain mug commissioned by James Arness for his father, Rolf Cirkler Aurness, at Christmas during the second year of the television series Gunsmoke (CBS Productions, 1955-1975), kept by James as a remembrance of the show.

The front of the mug features hand-painted scene depicting the iconic duel at the beginning of each episode, with a gold leaf handle. The back side of the mug features the gold leaf writing, "Dad from Jim." The bottom of the mug is stamped "Arzberg," and "Made in Germany."

This porcelain mug exhibits wear from age including some loss of gold leaf on the handle and on the lip of the mug.

Janet Arness says: "Jim would look at different sketches and decide which he'd pick every year."

3.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 inches

PROVENANCE From The Estate of James Arness

James Arness

John Wayne "The Sea Chase" Hand-Painted Mug

Estimate:

$800 - $1,000

An original hand-painted mug gifted to James Arness by John Wayne for his performance as "Schleiter" in the film The Sea Chase (Warner Bros., 1955).

This ceramic mug features a hand-painted illustration with the writing "Jim From Duke" on the reverse side. The handle is finished in gold leaf, which is worn with age. The Wallace mug was designed by Bob Williams and includes the stamping "Bob Williams/ 822 Occidental Santa Ana, Calif."

The Sea Chase mug was the eighth mug that John Wayne had commissioned by Bob Williams for the cast and crew of the film, this one being gifted to James Arness. This tradition of giving a hand-painted and personalized mug to each cast and crew member began with the 1951 film Flying Leathernecks (RKO Radio Pictures, 1951).

Janet Arness says: "Jim was with John Wayne’s company early in his career. When he came to California and was in a play, an agent came to see him and wanted to introduce him to John Wayne. Jim came into his office and Wayne asked him about his history, and then he asked Jim 'Do you drink?' and Jim said 'Well, I’ve been known to put down a few,' and John Wayne said 'You’re hired.'"

Wayne would later introduce Arness on the pilot episode of Gunsmoke (CBS Productions, 1955-75).

3.75 x 4.75 inches

PROVENANCE From The Estate of James Arness

a man in a cowboy hat is holding a gun in his hand

Live Auction

GUNSMOKE & WESTERN LEGENDS AUCTION Featuring Arness, Reynolds, and Weaver

Nov 15, 2024

10:00 AM PST