By TOM FINK

Staff Writer



Larry Larkin’s heroes have always been cowboys.

“When I was growing up, I really enjoyed watching the old westerns,” Larkin said. “You knew who to root for — who the ‘good guy’ was and who the ‘bad guy’ was, and you knew that the good guy was always going to win in the end.”

When Larkin was 12, his father, who always owned cattle, bought him a horse, further “egging on” his love of all things cowboy.

But it wasn’t until years later that his fondness for the Old West turned into what would become a lifetime hobby.

“In 1979, for my birthday, my wife got me an authentic movie poster — John Wayne’s ‘The Sons of Katie Elder,’” he said. “That was also the year he died, and basically, I’ve been collecting John Wayne and western movie memorabilia ever since.”

For the first time since then, a bulk of Larkin’s collection will be on public display at the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum.

“(Museum director) Gary (Rohr) knew about my collection and he called and asked me if I would be interested in bringing some things in for a temporary display at the museum,” Larkin said. “When people find out about it (the collection), they want to come and see it, but bringing it to the museum works better for everyone — and the way they’ve got it on display here is much nicer than how I had it at home.”

“I’d heard about Mr. Larkin’s collection, but it wasn’t until I visited his home and saw it for myself that I realized how extensive it was and what a good temporary exhibit it would make,” said museum curator Jason Schubert. “I was very impressed that an individual could amass a collection of that scope such as he did.”

Originally only to have taken up three cabinet shelves, Larkin’s items eventually filled four aisles of the museum, with more than 500 collectible items on display.

“I’ve got just about everything here,” Larkin said. “I’ve got vintage movie posters from the 40s, 50s and 60s — 87 of them in all, here — as well as mugs, snowglobes, action figures, puzzles, games, Western-styled trading cards, records, comic books, photographs and more.”

Although many of Larkin’s collectibles are themed around John Wayne, several other movie and television Westerns such as “Bonanza,” “Rawhide,” and “Gunsmoke,” also can be found.

Larkin even managed to snag some of his Western heroes signatures, including that of a legendary masked man.

“Clayton Moore signed this photo of himself and Jay Silverheels (Tonto) for my daughter, Christi, in 1983,” Larkin says, pointing out a still photograph of the Lone Ranger and Tonto on horseback. “That’s one of my favorites.”

Larkins has other favorites — the movie posters for classic Wayne films “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” and “Rio Bravo” among them — but said he would still like to add to his collection.

“I’d still like to get the movie sheet for ‘Red River’ and any of the early ‘30s John Wayne Westerns,” he said. “I have the Italian ‘Stagecoach’ movie poster but would love the American one — but there, you’re talking about three or four thousand dollars and that’s if you can find one for sale. Most people that own them are collectors who want to hang on to them — I’ve never seen one for sale.”

Larkin’s exhibit is only the first in what the museum hopes to be a series of upcoming temporary exhibits from local persons.

“Larry’s (collection) is very interesting and we’re certain the public will enjoy seeing it for themselves and knowing it belongs to a member of the community,” Schubert said. “We’ve already got the next exhibit in the works — Judy Eagleton’s ‘Claremore Collection’ with several items from Claremore’s history, including old school memorabilia, items from old pharmacies and bath house items, old local business photographs and even a matchbook collection with the names of old Claremore businesses on the covers. We’re hoping to get it on display by January.”

But until then, persons can return to the thrilling days of yesteryear by taking in Larkin’s collection of Hollywood Western memorabilia at the gun museum.

“My wife told me it’s good to have it (my collection) out of the house for a while — we’ve got a little more space now,” Larkin laughed. “I think once the exhibit’s run its course, we’ll keep everything somewhere else instead of bringing it back home — the extra room is nice.”

Larkin’s western memorabilia collection will be on display at the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum on Lynn Riggs Boulevard through July. Western movies also will run routinely near Larkin’s exhibition in a video screening area.

The J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.