1924 Colt Pre-Woodsman Sportmodel .22LR 4.5" *MCGIVERN-GROFF COLLECTION*

This letter is used to affirm the provenance of the below listed firearm, from the collections of Ed McGivern and Walter Groff. For over twenty years, until her death in 1997, my father Robert "Bob" Olsen was married to Helen Whitmore. Helen Whitmore was the oldest daughter of Russ Whitmore and was the niece of Walter and Peggy Groff. As a child she held targets for both Ed McGivern and Walter Groff as well as throwing aerial targets for them to shoot, on the Whitmores's Montana ranch that Walter Groff was part owner of. The Groff's and McGivern's were dear friends for many years, Walter Groff having been taught trick shooting by Ed McGivern. He is talked about and shown in numerous photos in McGivern's book "Ed McGivern's Book of Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting". The Groff's had a sizable collection of Ed McGivern's firearms and gun leather and other items. "Aunt Peggy" Groff gave many portions of this collection to my father, Bob Olsen, some for Christmas in 1979. Other items she donated to the NRA Museum.

I have included for auction seven handguns and numerous holsters that "Aunt Peggy" said came from Ed McGivern. These were given to my father directly by Peggy Groff. One of these seven handguns is the Colt pre-woodsman Sport model semiautomatic pistol serial #41146. Other items include the numerous S.D. Myres, Brill * and Eubanks holsters as well as the portraits of Ed Mc Givern, set of Colt prints which were Walter Groffs and the target ball mold given to Walter from Ed. I inherited these items after the passing of my father in 2007. I still retain about 25 years of personal correspondence from the McGiverns to the Groffs, in addition to 16mm home movies and many personal photographs. I certify the above statements to be true and correct.

Dated: 3-12 - 2010 James Olsen"