THE SMELL OF HORSES AND HAY PERMEATED THE MARBLE-FLOORED GALLERIES AT CHRISTIE'S IN MANHATTAN FRIDAY AS POTENTIAL BIDDERS PREVIEWED ITEMS INCLUDING THE PRESERVED REMAINS OF MOVIE COWBOY ROY ROGERS' FAMOUS HORSE TRIGGER. THE AUCTION HOUSE IS SELLING ITEMS FROM THE NOW-CLOSED ROY ROGERS AND DALE EVANS MUSEUM IN BRANSON, MO, NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. UNLIKE THE FINE FURNITURE, PAINTINGS AND JEWELRY THAT CHRISTIE'S IS FAMOUS FOR, THE CENTERPIECE OF THE AUCTION IS A STUFFED AND MOUNTED HORSE REARING ON ITS HIND LEGS. IT ALSO WILL FEATURE ANOTHER TYPE OF HORSEPOWER, ROGERS' 1964 BONNEVILLE CONVERTIBLE ADORNED WITH COLLECTIBLE SILVER DOLLARS, ITS DOOR HANDLES AND GEAR SHIFT REPLACED BY SILVER-PLATED PISTOLS. THE CAR IS ESTIMATED TO DRAW $100,000 TO $150,000. TRIGGER IS EXPECTED TO FETCH $100,000 TO $200,000. OTHER ITEMS FOR SALE INCLUDE: ROGERS' AND EVANS' PERFORMANCE OUTFITS; THE PRESERVED REMAINS OF ROGERS' DOG, BULLET; ABOUT 60 PAIRS OF COWBOY BOOTS; THE ROGERS' FAMILY DINING TABLE; AND THE JEEP 'NELLYBELLE' FROM THE ROY ROGERS TV SHOW. HUNDREDS OF ITEMS WILL BE OFFERED FOR SALE, MANY OF THEM WITH ESTIMATED PRICES IN THE LOW HUNDREDS. HAND-DRAWN MUSIC FOR THE THEME SONG 'HAPPY TRAILS' HAS A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $300 TO $500. SO DOES A GROUPING OF TWO ROGERS' GUITARS. CATHY ELKIES, CHRISTIE'S DIRECTOR OF ICONIC COLLECTIONS, SAID THE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF THE ITEMS, BUT PRICES COULD GO MUCH HIGHER. CHRISTIE'S HAS BEEN OVERWHELMED WITH CALLS FROM EVERYONE FROM MUSEUM REPRESENTATIVES TO ROY ROGERS FANS WHO WANTED A PIECES OF THE KING OF THE COWBOYS.
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