Rough Riders & WWI Uniform and Archive Lot of Col. Ode C. Nichols, Rough Riders Archive Including Oil Painting,

This is an Auction House lot. Click "Place Absentee Bid" to go to an external site to bid on this item. Auction House: Cowan's Auctions Auction Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Auction Title: Spring Firearms and Early Militaria Start Date: 04/29/09 10:00 AM Contact: - Email Auction House	Auction occurs on external venue
Starting Bid: $1.00 USD Estimate: $3,000.00 - $5,000.00 USD - Currency Converter

Description: including a letter acknowledging how Nichols, a representative of my old regiment, has advanced in the Philippines. There are 4 issued campaign medals including: the War With Spain No. 8183 with blue and gold pinback ribbon; The Occupation Military Government of Cuba, Mo. 150 with red blue and gold pinback ribbon; Philippine Insurrection 1899 No. 25991, with blue and red pinback ribbon; and WWI medal with no number, polychrome pinback ribbon with Siberia bar, (31st Infantry, Polar Bears); also includes ribbon bars for the above. In addition the archive includes three different crossed rifles, collar and hat plates with the number 1, hat plate with letter D; a miniature Spanish American War veteran's medal with flag ribbon; his aluminum Id tag with chain; a pair of cuff links with crossed rifles; and two enameled medals, non-military issue, one a crest with Latin motto of 3rd U.S. Army (Semper Primus/Always First). The archive includes the following paper lots: six True Copy letters all dated 1901 from the PI dealing with promotions and other military issues involving Nichols; 3 unused Span-Am patriotic covers saved by Nichols, all framed in two matching frames, 14" x 29.5" and 19" x 29.5"; two small early 20th century pamphlets on the Rough Riders; and a newspaper clipping on Nichols.

The oil on canvas shows Nichols seated in his WWI uniform holding his sword and bedecked with numerous medals. Back of canvas signed Estelle Claussen 6100 Afton Place. In a gilded wood frame. 36" x 30" (w/o frame); 41" x 35" (w/frame). Estelle Claussen was from the state of Washington and active especially in the early 1930s.

Archive also includes an autopen-signed Lyndon Johnson award to Col. Nichols for services rendered, and a wonderful illustrated four-page manuscript account in Nichols' hand giving a detailed account of how one goes about putting on your eye glasses in full field dress and mounted - quite humorous, but ending in disaster. A captioned illustration of him on horseback highlights the letter in which he ends up dropping things, including his pipe, which starts a grass fire, which spooks his horse. Nine hours later he finds his horse, the saddle having shifted underneath. The account is punctuated with And thats how its done. Other paper items include a U.S. Patent document for a Road-Charting Apparatus invented by Nichols, dated 1929; an early analog computing machine; and 20+ partially printed or typed documents from Nichols' Army service and retirement. On a more personal level are three early photographs of his wife, Jesse, a typed family genealogy and other items such as newspaper clippings, marriage certificate and more.

Lt. Col. Ode C. Nichols led an eventful life. He began his adult life as a newspaper man in Texas in 1889, and later partnered with Will Durant, publishing the Eagle in Durant, OK. His military carrier began with Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders in Cuba, where he was ordnance officer. He enlisted in regular army as private and saw service during Philippine Insurrection, and was promoted to 2nd Lt. He later saw service during the Mexican Insurrection and WWI in Siberia with the 31st Infantry. He retired in 1929 at age 69. He was a member of National Geographic Society, Faculty Club Univ. of California, inventor and friends with Marshall, Roosevelt, and MacArthur. He died in 1949.

The American misadventure in Siberia during WWI was ostensibly to protect supply lines, but in fact was an attempt to support the anti-Bolshevik forces. The 31st Infantry regiment received one Medal of Honor and 15 Distinguished Service Crosses while in Siberia. For its service in Siberia, the 31st Infantry became known as The Polar Bear Regiment, adopting that bear as its insignia.

Status: Sold	Lot#: 158
Year: N/A
Title: Rough Riders & WWI Uniform and Archive Lot of Col. Ode C. Nichols, Rough Riders Archive Including Oil Painting,