Western Americana
Please note: Prices include 15% Buyers Premium. $0.00 = No Sale
Saturday's Auction #33 followed the American economy with strong results. The internet pre-bidding started slowly, picking up momentum in the three days before the sale, as many bidders chose not to expose any bids too soon.
The sale was well attended, with more than 100 registered live bidders to complement the 200 or more absentee and phone bidders. The sale netted just under $325,000, a record for our Company. Thank You all!
Auction Preview, Friday Night
The preview and party were all anyone could hope for, as more than 100 people came from all over America to view lots and meet collectors. The buzz in the room gave way to good bidding the next day. The wine and good food made for an even more enjoyable evening. We welcome all of you to the auctions and previews, and sincerely hope we can all meet each other in the future.
Highlights, which include the 15% buyer's premium:
Ingots: The Knight Ingot was the top seller in the sale, at $26,450. The Harris watch chain ingot sold strongly at $18,975, followed by the Colorado ingot at $4,025.
Photographs: Jesse James sold on the floor for $25,000, including sales tax. The forensic opinion clearly helped the photograph receive strong interest. As an original tin type photograph taken and printed during Jesse and Frank's lifetime, the James brothers photo showed significantly more strength that the more common prints made after Jesse's death sold by his mother. Rare, unique photographs of national importance should always command greater buying strength than copies made at a later date.
Good cabinet card photos and other early mounted western photographs showed strongly. The average for the cabinet card photos dating from the mid-1880's was about $600, with a high of $920 for a Virginia City photo by Crockwell, lot 746. The outstanding Eureka, Nevada cabinets led the way. Other rare early photos sold well, including the Watkins Chollar shaft $978 (lot 783), Owyhee (lot 611) $920, Nevada Gattling Gun brigade $2300 (lot 761). The rare California photo of Hildreth, lot 229, sold for $1150. The very rare Vischer's Views of Nevada Territory (lot 811) sold for a record $8,913. The Frasher photo post card album of Las Vegas sold for $1495. The trend of rare western photography from our past two sales of the wonderful Jacobitz Collection (and others) is clear - collectors, investors and institutions all value these rare historical artifacts very highly.
Arizona: The rare Salt River Valley booklet (Lot 140) sold for $920. Cox's 1900 Business Directory (Lot 133) sold for $978 in a prelude of strong bidding on western directories. The Silver King stock, lot 153, sold for $748. The Chloride photograph, lot 142 sold for $633, typical of equivalent quality.
Autographs: Harding led the way with $3,910. This is one of less than five known US presidential autographs on mining stocks. William Sharon and Sam Clemens' brother Orion both sold for about $900 each, with signatures on financial documents. Comstock financier J. C. Flood was a deal at $633.
Documents: The documents in this sale received strong results in several categories. The Nevada muster roll sold for $2,300. The document relating to the famous Bodie Bluff mine sold for $920 (lot 620).
Lithographs: The rescue ship SS Hooker sold for $3,105, relating the strength of the SS Republic treasure recovery. The 1856 San Francisco Vigilante litho sold for a record $7,475. The 1880's Santa Cruz litho sold for $900.
Gaming: The rare Austin, Nevada gaming chips sold well. The most popular lot were the Tahoe chips (lot 432) $920, with more than a dozen different bidders. The Austin chips sold for $3,450, and the rare Mom's chips $489.
Tokens: Many tokens set new records, led by Elburz, Nevada (lot 606) at $805. Palisade sold for just under $700, a bit low. There was fairly strong bidding on common pieces, while some of the mid-range tokens with estimates in the $300-600 range showed some weakness. We have the pleasure of having received a 50 saloon token collection, all mavericks. We ran the identified tokens in this sale based on identification from the 60,000 maverick token database, but need to identify the others, all previously unknown. Those identified in this sale averaged about $150 each.
Native American. A whole new batch of collectors were present to buy the colorful rugs and baskets. The large Mono basket sold for $2,185, and about eight rugs sold in the $500-$900 each range.
There were two notable weak spots in the sale. Fine, higher quality and rare California gold rush material got no bids. Several collectors commented that they had to budget for other rare items, which may have pulled interest from the gold rush lots.
Colorado photos (other than cabinet cards) showed poorly. It's possible that the "restart" after 9/11 is still affecting the Colorado market. Equivalent photos from Arizona, California and Nevada have all achieved the levels of the minimum bids set for Colorado, but it may be that Colorado collectors may have told us that original 100 year old Colorado photos are less desirable. We will continue to explore this market.
Our sale ran well over the budgeted time allowed for the auction room, and as a result, we lost the opportunity to sell most of the last 100 lots or so (even though I went at the rate of 250 lots an hour in the last hour.) As a result, we are offering many of these lots, and other unsold lots in an attached list at net prices, which includes the 15% buyer's premium.
We thank you all for a very successful sale.
Please keep those quality consignments coming! The great rarities are clearly in demand.
Monthly internet sales! These monthly sales allow us to offer the less expensive items. Print costs now prohibit us from making catalogs containing lots with a value of less than $200, regardless of rarity. There are still plenty of great rarities in these sales, which offer unparalleled access to quality western Americana. For those without internet access, we will gladly send you a Xerox printout of these catalogs (no graphics) upon request.
Mail - A Continuing Problem
Our color flyers, all 5,000 of them, were sent out First Class three weeks in advance, though the Post Office did not deliver them for nearly the full three week period. Many of you were kind enough to respond to our email asking about the flyers and catalogs. We remain concerned over catalog and flyer delivery, and the Post Office continues to perform poorly with First Class (three weeks) and Priority mail (one week). Our experience over the past year has paralleled other years, as we try to outguess what might happen to our valuable mail.
Sincerely, Fred Holabird, Vernon Prestia, Andrea Borges, Carol Baker and staff.
101 $57.50
102 $0.00
103 $0.00
104 $126.50
105 $460.00
106 $287.50
107 $195.50
108 $258.75
109 $46.00
110 $0.00
111 $115.00
112 $0.00
113 $126.50
114 $287.50
115 $109.25
116 $57.50
117 $138.00
118 $230.00
119 $0.00
120 $46.00
121 $0.00
122 $0.00
123 $74.75
124 $172.50
125 $373.75
126 $258.75
127 $0.00
128 $115.00
129 $0.00
130 $138.00
131 $230.00
132 $460.00
133 $977.50
134 $207.00
135 $172.50
136 $195.50
137 $138.00
138 $138.00
139 $230.00
140 $920.00
141 $0.00
142 $632.50
143 $86.25
144 $115.00
145 $80.50
146 $74.75
147 $172.50
148 $57.50
149 $0.00
150 $57.50
151 $103.50
152 $115.00
153 $747.50
154 $51.75
155 $230.00
156 $460.00
157 $0.00
158 $0.00
159 $258.75
160 $0.00
161 $0.00
162 $115.00
163 $373.75
164 $34.50
165 $0.00
166 $86.25
167 $0.00
168 $172.50
169 $0.00
170 $3,910.00
171 $0.00
172 $0.00
173 $0.00
174 $161.00
175 $149.50
176 $517.50
177 $488.75
178 $690.00
179 $138.00
180 $316.25
181 $1,380.00
182 $0.00
183 $230.00
184 $258.75
185 $345.00
186 $109.25
187 $287.50
188 $115.00
189 $431.25
190 $287.50
191 $0.00
192 $431.25
193 $23.00
194 $2,875.00
195 $2,300.00
196 $184.00
197 $0.00
198 $402.50
199 $1,092.50
200 $1,150.00
201 $0.00
202 $373.75
203 $0.00
204 $977.50
205 $920.00
206 $345.00
207 $0.00
208 $0.00
209 $0.00
210 $0.00
211 $460.00
212 $805.00
213 $920.00
214 $747.50
218 $161.00
219 $0.00
220 $109.25
221 $115.00
222 $0.00
224 $0.00
225 $0.00
226 $0.00
227 $0.00
228 $0.00
229 $1,150.00
230 $0.00
232 $161.00
234 $0.00
235 $115.00
236 $431.25
237 $1,840.00
238 $0.00
239 $2,300.00
240 $97.75
241 $258.75
242 $126.50
243 $184.00
244 $126.50
245 $218.50
246 $161.00
247 $86.25
248 $345.00
249 $632.50
250 $431.25
251 $57.50
252 $0.00
253 $373.75
254 $86.25
255 $172.50
256 $345.00
257 $632.50
258 $1,840.00
259 $258.75
260 $230.00
261 $632.50
262 $46.00
263 $92.00
264 $149.50
265 $115.00
266 $690.00
267 $546.25
268 $126.50
269 $195.50
270 $373.75
271 $115.00
272 $195.50
273 $46.00
275 $69.00
276 $230.00
277 $115.00
278 $258.75
279 $517.50
280 $287.50
281 $126.50
282 $86.25
283 $258.75
284 $0.00
285 $0.00
286 $0.00
287 $115.00
288 $57.50
289 $0.00
290 $258.75
291 $149.50
292 $40.25
293 $230.00
294 $109.25
295 $258.75
296 $126.50
297 $0.00
298 $0.00
299 $97.75
300 $126.50
301 $230.00
302 $115.00
303 $126.50
304 $138.00
305 $86.25
306 $0.00
307 $460.00
308 $546.25
310 $138.00
311 $287.50
312 $126.50
313 $316.25
314 $161.00
315 $920.00
316 $92.00
317 $632.50
318 $57.50
319 $287.50
320 $0.00
321 $126.50
322 $0.00
323 $172.50
324 $172.50
325 $115.00
326 $92.00
327 $258.75
328 $0.00
329 $0.00
330 $287.50
331 $316.25
332 $7,475.00
333 $632.50
334 $575.00
335 $172.50
336 $86.25
337 $23.00
338 $0.00
339 $345.00
340 $28.75
341 $258.75
342 $632.50
343 $0.00
344 $2,530.00
345 $2,300.00
346 $0.00
347 $1,035.00
348 $431.25
349 $0.00
350 $258.75
351 $115.00
352 $161.00
353 $23.00
354 $230.00
355 $172.50
356 $0.00
357 $63.25
358 $0.00
359 $0.00
360 $0.00
361 $0.00
362 $0.00
363 $0.00
364 $0.00
365 $0.00
366 $115.00
367 $3,105.00
368 $373.75
369 $258.75
370 $373.75
371 $632.50
372 $0.00
373 $287.50
374 $0.00
375 $0.00
376 $69.00
377 $0.00
378 $0.00
379 $0.00
380 $258.75
381 $0.00
382 $0.00
383 $0.00
384 $0.00
385 $138.00
386 $0.00
387 $0.00
388 $0.00
389 $57.50
390 $126.50
391 $138.00
392 $0.00
393 $69.00
394 $115.00
395 $86.25
396 $161.00
397 $632.50
398 $172.50
399 $195.50
400 $115.00
401 $258.75
402 $69.00
403 $316.25
404 $92.00
405 $316.25
406 $488.75
407 $287.50
408 $431.25
409 $4,025.00
410 $345.00
411 $0.00
412 $0.00
413 $287.50
414 $920.00
415 $747.50
416 $0.00
417 $230.00
418 $0.00
419 $575.00
421 $546.25
422 $805.00
423 $2,070.00
424 $373.75
425 $373.75
428 $0.00
429 $57.50
432 $920.00
433 $3,450.00
434 $488.75
436 $80.50
437 $0.00
438 $0.00
439 $0.00
440 $0.00
441 $149.50
442 $0.00
443 $195.50
444 $0.00
445 $184.00
446 $316.25
447 $0.00
448 $115.00
449 $0.00
450 $57.50
451 $0.00
452 $138.00
453 $138.00
454 $69.00
455 $0.00
456 $34.50
457 $0.00
458 $0.00
459 $0.00
460 $0.00
461 $460.00
462 $0.00
463 $63.25
464 $0.00
465 $57.50
466 $0.00
467 $373.75
468 $0.00
469 $172.50
470 $431.25
471 $172.50
473 $184.00
474 $488.75
475 $488.75
476 $126.50
477 $316.25
478 $80.50
479 $115.00
480 $57.50
481 $0.00
482 $0.00
483 $97.75
484 $115.00
485 $0.00
486 $0.00
487 $57.50
488 $0.00
489 $0.00
490 $460.00
492 $103.50
493 $86.25
494 $0.00
495 $46.00
496 $92.00
497 $0.00
498 $97.75
499 $218.50
500 $126.50
501 $109.25
502 $287.50
503 $207.00
504 $184.00
505 $1,207.50
506 $86.25
507 $57.50
508 $287.50
509 $115.00
510 $0.00
511 $0.00
512 $0.00
513 $172.50
514 $0.00
515 $0.00
516 $34.50
517 $230.00
518 $0.00
519 $402.50
520 $97.75
521 $97.75
522 $172.50
523 $0.00
524 $195.50
525 $161.00
526 $57.50
527 $57.50
528 $747.50
529 $805.00
530 $2,185.00
531 $109.25
532 $977.50
533 $92.00
534 $172.50
535 $109.25
536 $0.00
537 $258.75
538 $0.00
539 $57.50
540 $1,207.50
541 $0.00
542 $0.00
543 $0.00
544 $0.00
545 $103.50
546 $0.00
547 $80.50
548 $0.00
549 $0.00
550 $126.50
551 $80.50
552 $80.50
553 $46.00
554 $184.00
555 $316.25
556 $632.50
557 $230.00
558 $805.00
559 $97.75
560 $575.00
561 $0.00
562 $690.00
563 $0.00
564 $0.00
565 $46.00
566 $431.25
567 $86.25
568 $0.00
569 $230.00
570 $0.00
571 $0.00
572 $103.50
573 $161.00
574 $149.50
575 $46.00
576 $92.00
577 $115.00
578 $69.00
579 $2,300.00
580 $345.00
581 $316.25
582 $373.75
583 $57.50
584 $488.75
585 $184.00
586 $1,495.00
587 $316.25
588 $460.00
589 $69.00
590 $4,945.00
591 $184.00
592 $3,450.00
593 $3,910.00
594 $287.50
595 $316.25
596 $149.50
597 $138.00
598 $207.00
599 $74.75
600 $0.00
601 $0.00
602 $0.00
603 $0.00
604 $0.00
605 $460.00
606 $805.00
607 $230.00
608 $0.00
609 $172.50
610 $431.25
611 $920.00
612 $460.00
613 $0.00
614 $126.50
615 $172.50
616 $97.75
617 $287.50
618 $287.50
619 $517.50
620 $920.00
621 $488.75
622 $517.50
623 $345.00
624 $690.00
625 $69.00
626 $316.25
627 $345.00
628 $431.25
629 $161.00
630 $258.75
631 $207.00
632 $316.25
633 $0.00
634 $126.50
635 $126.50
636 $138.00
637 $316.25
638 $690.00
639 $149.50
640 $57.50
641 $230.00
642 $316.25
643 $431.25
644 $373.75
645 $690.00
646 $546.25
647 $690.00
648 $402.50
649 $0.00
650 $0.00
651 $517.50
652 $488.75
653 $431.25
654 $805.00
655 $195.50
656 $74.75
657 $184.00
658 $184.00
659 $747.50
660 $57.50
661 $0.00
662 $690.00
663 $517.50
664 $172.50
665 $172.50
666 $862.50
667 $26,450.00
668 $690.00
669 $115.00
670 $195.50
671 $488.75
672 $115.00
673 $86.25
674 $86.25
675 $230.00
676 $0.00
677 $69.00
678 $57.50
679 $184.00
680 $575.00
681 $862.50
682 $632.50
683 $632.50
684 $575.00
685 $345.00
686 $632.50
687 $488.75
688 $690.00
689 $195.50
690 $115.00
691 $517.50
692 $18,975.00
693 $546.25
694 $0.00
696 $115.00
697 $195.50
698 $149.50
699 $103.50
700 $92.00
701 $805.00
702 $805.00
703 $126.50
704 $138.00
705 $287.50
706 $632.50
707 $373.75
708 $0.00
709 $46.00
710 $115.00
711 $431.25
712 $161.00
713 $287.50
714 $57.50
715 $161.00
716 $184.00
717 $230.00
718 $345.00
719 $86.25
720 $207.00
721 $126.50
722 $3,565.00
723 $0.00
724 $488.75
725 $0.00
726 $207.00
727 $115.00
728 $115.00
729 $69.00
730 $86.25
731 $207.00
732 $287.50
733 $287.50
734 $230.00
735 $115.00
736 $138.00
737 $46.00
738 $632.50
739 $126.50
740 $460.00
741 $373.75
742 $74.75
743 $63.25
744 $488.75
745 $345.00
746 $920.00
747 $1,207.50
748 $138.00
749 $115.00
750 $287.50
751 $230.00
752 $460.00
753 $805.00
754 $862.50
755 $316.25
756 $345.00
757 $0.00
758 $0.00
760 $230.00
761 $2,300.00
762 $115.00
763 $34.50
764 $161.00
765 $207.00
766 $207.00
767 $1,035.00
768 $488.75
769 $287.50
770 $80.50
771 $690.00
772 $1,380.00
773 $115.00
774 $1,092.50
775 $172.50
776 $86.25
777 $575.00
778 $690.00
779 $126.50
780 $862.50
781 $287.50
782 $316.25
783 $977.50
784 $747.50
785 $69.00
786 $546.25
787 $184.00
788 $345.00
789 $1,725.00
790 $0.00
791 $0.00
792 $460.00
793 $345.00
794 $0.00
795 $1,150.00
796 $115.00
797 $115.00
798 $258.75
799 $0.00
800 $316.25
801 $488.75
802 $115.00
803 $0.00
804 $0.00
805 $258.75
806 $0.00
807 $258.75
808 $546.25
809 $115.00
810 $287.50
811 $8,912.50
812 $287.50
813 $0.00
814 $2,990.00
815 $431.25
816 $126.50
817 $46.00
818 $161.00
819 $172.50
820 $126.50
821 $373.75
822 $92.00
823 $517.50
824 $172.50
825 $230.00
826 $46.00
827 $126.50
828 $287.50
829 $0.00
830 $0.00
831 $28.75
832 $184.00
833 $40.25
834 $632.50
835 $575.00
836 $63.25
837 $0.00
838 $40.25
839 $316.25
840 $632.50
841 $287.50
842 $80.50
844 $57.50
845 $86.25
846 $126.50
847 $0.00
848 $126.50
849 $218.50
850 $0.00
851 $172.50
852 $86.25
853 $115.00
854 $0.00
855 $488.75
856 $172.50
857 $0.00
858 $74.75
859 $69.00
860 $0.00
861 $0.00
862 $287.50
863 $0.00
864 $0.00
865 $0.00
866 $115.00
867 $86.25
868 $0.00
869 $57.50
870 $23,575.00
871 $0.00
872 $115.00
873 $115.00
874 $109.25
875 $0.00
876 $517.50
877 $86.25
878 $230.00
879 $0.00
880 $0.00
881 $0.00
882 $57.50
883 $0.00
884 $51.75
885 $0.00
886 $0.00
887 $126.50
888 $57.50
889 $0.00
890 $161.00
891 $80.50
892 $80.50
893 $0.00
894 $0.00
895 $0.00
896 $0.00
897 $0.00
898 $46.00
899 $0.00
900 $0.00
901 $258.75
902 $0.00
903 $0.00
904 $184.00
905 $138.00
906 $92.00
907 $0.00
908 $460.00
909 $0.00
910 $103.50
911 $0.00
912 $0.00
913 $0.00
914 $258.75
915 $345.00
916 $0.00
918 $0.00
919 $0.00
920 $0.00
921 $86.25
922 $115.00
923 $0.00
924 $115.00
925 $79.35
926 $0.00
927 $0.00
928 $57.50
929 $138.00
930 $287.50
931 $172.50
932 $0.00
934 $0.00
935 $402.50
936 $287.50
937 $207.00
938 $0.00
939 $0.00
940 $0.00
941 $115.00
942 $460.00
943 $2,300.00
944 $0.00
945 $0.00
946 $0.00
947 $230.00
Total $318,071.60