WHAT WOULD ROY ROGERS RIDE?

Tonight and tomorrow Christie's in New York is auctioning items from the collection of the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Missouri, which closed its doors in 2009. The cowboy couple was famous for starring as glinty-smiled heroes in dozens of Hollywood westerns and recording many albums of country tunes. They also both starred in the "Roy Rogers Show" on television from 1951 to 1957. "They were the Brad and Angelina of the time," said Linda Kohn-Sherwood, who is helping to oversee the sale, to the AP. Rogers lived until 1998, and Evans until 2001.

Hundreds of items are for sale, including performance outfits (plenty of fringe and tassles), about 60 pairs of cowboy boots, custom-made saddles and the preserved remains of Rogers's dog, Bullet. But the real excitement is over two stylish modes of transport, both of which have been gloriously preserved. First there's Trigger, his famous Palamino horse, who was stuffed in a dramatic rearing pose when he died in 1965 (estimated at $100,000 to $200,000). Then there's Rogers's amazing 1964 Bonneville convertible, which he had souped up by Nudie Cohen, the so-called "Rodeo Tailor to the Stars," who famously created Elvis Presley's $10,000 gold lamé suit in 1957. This is what Nudie did to the Bonneville, according to the Christie's catalogue:

Beginning with a stock 1964 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible, Nudie removed all traces of the original interior material and carpeting, replacing it with exquisitely hand-tooled leather. Then came the application of hundreds of genuine collectible silver dollars, along with chrome-plated pistols, horseshoes, miniature horses and rifles... Nudie worked out the mechanics of six-shooters to the point where the pull of a trigger on the gear shift works the gears, other pistols open the doors and two more pistols on chrome stands replace the front seat arm rest. Still another pistol sounds the horn and two more open the doors from the outside. Two derringers are also employed replacing the emergency brake release and the other works the directional lights. In all, Nudie has used 14 guns in Roy's western car...Natural-stocked rifles are mounted on the rear of the car, one on each fender and one mounted on the trunk lid... the trunk of the car is emblazoned with the name ROY ROGERS.

For an extra front-seat rider, Nudie has placed a fabulous silver saddle between the bucket seats, decorated with rhinestones and 150 silver dollars.

Naturally this car wasn't for grocery shopping. We learn that Roy and Dale rode their "Nudiemobile" (as Cohen's vehicles were called) in some parades before stuffing it into the museum. The car is estimated to fetch $100,000 to $150,000. Which Russian oligarch is going to take this bad boy home?