The man sat quietly in a seat in the middle of the room. Not much for conversation, he politely declined coffee from the Laughing Cat Coffee Shop nearby. As the start of the auction approached, prospective buyers walked in and milled about the auction room full of western collectibles. There was excitement in the air, as each had secret hopes of buying some very special pieces.
In the middle of the room, though, nothing stirred. Quiet as a mouse, we knew the stranger had a purpose. The face was unfamiliar- friendly and unassuming. He had come for something special, and nothing was going to get in his way or distract him.
He may have wondered about the scant crowd at the start of the auction. The four phone lines were set up, staff of about 8 all in place, chairs out for 50-75, but only a half dozen buyers were there at first. They all knew each other and chatted amicably. As the seats began to fill after the ten o'clock start of the auction, our man must have wondered quietly about things. He may not have realized that by the time the first lot hammered down as "sold," more than 375 people had already participated by leaving absentee bids. More people had already played than could fit on a 747. The internet auction site had begun to be used profusely by collectors, and it saved time in lengthy phone calls letting customers know what price an auction lot was going to open on the floor.
As the morning grew toward noon and the autumn blue sky outside filled the auction room with extra light and a crisp cool air, more and more people filtered in. They came form Los Angeles, Bishop, San Francisco, Sacramento and distant places. Lunchtime arrived and the auction was still on time, moving ahead at a rate of 200 lots per hour. Catered lunch from the Washoe Grill was served to the by-now more than 30 people in the room.
Our mystery man sat quietly and still after lunch. The Nevada lots were about to start, and we wondered if this was where the interest fell. Finally, when lot 512 came up, the Elko Prince Mine ingot, up went the bidder's card. Ah ha.
The initials O. W. B. were literally carved out on the back. We were never able to decipher this person's name, but usually note that these small ingots were usually keepsakes for mine managers, foremen, or mine owners and investors. Later, after the auction, we learned that this mystery man was the son of the man who carved his initials in the ingot. Oscar Wilhelm Berg, mine manager from 1917 to 1922. Len Berg had sat quietly all day waiting for his father's own ingot to hit the auction block. He wasn't buying for himself, but for the museum in Midas. For us at Holabird Americana, this was a homerun. When a piece goes home to a local museum, its great fun for us because we know thousands of interested people will get to see it and learn just a little more about western history. fh-
Western Americana
Please note: Prices include 15% Buyers Premium. $0.00 = No Sale; RNM=Reserve Not Met
101 $258.75
102 $161.00
103 $149.50
104 $92.00
105 $97.75
106 $103.50
107 $138.00
108 $126.50
109 $138.00
110 $46.00
111 $258.75
112 $115.00
113 $0.00
114 $287.50
115 $316.25
116 $17.25
117 $0.00
118 $0.00
119 $195.50
120 $40.25
121 $23.00
122 $46.00
123 $57.50
124 $149.50
125 $40.25
126 $17.25
127 $0.00
128 $0.00
129 $517.50
130 $46.00
131 $0.00
132 $86.25
133 $63.25
134 $57.50
135 $11.50
136 $115.00
137 $57.50
138 $11.50
139 $23.00
140 $92.00
141 $0.00
142 $23.00
143 $86.25
144 $34.50
145 $0.00
146 $17.25
147 $115.00
148 $0.00
149 $218.50
150 $460.00
151 $28.75
152 $115.00
153 $115.00
154 $0.00
155 $126.50
156 $97.75
157 $97.75
158 $230.00
159 $11.50
160 $57.50
161 $0.00
162 $172.50
163 $51.75
164 $0.00
165 $172.50
166 $207.00
167 $115.00
168 $74.75
169 $28.75
170 $805.00
171 $287.50
172 $23.00
173 $373.75
174 $51.75
175 $86.25
176 $28.75
177 $0.00
178 $126.50
179 $97.75
180 $690.00
181 $0.00
182 $316.25
183 $230.00
184 $207.00
185 $161.00
186 $109.25
187 $51.75
188 $34.50
189 $63.25
190 $46.00
191 $0.00
192 $17.25
193 $0.00
194 $34.50
195 $51.75
196 $345.00
197 $218.50
198 $161.00
199 $40.25
200 $40.25
201 $103.50
202 $172.50
203 $11.50
204 $23.00
205 $11.50
206 $17.25
207 $0.00
208 $17.25
209 $0.00
210 $74.75
211 $28.75
212 $230.00
213 $431.25
214 $57.50
215 $316.25
216 $11.50
217 $460.00
218 $218.50
219 $51.75
220 $28.75
221 $34.50
222 $149.50
223 $149.50
224 $86.25
225 $51.75
226 $17.25
227 $40.25
228 $11.50
229 $28.75
230 $207.00
231 $575.00
232 $69.00
233 $632.50
234 $46.00
235 $86.25
236 $63.25
237 $51.75
238 $80.50
239 $109.25
240 $373.75
241 $86.25
242 $0.00
243 $0.00
244 $80.50
245 $69.00
246 $57.50
247 $149.50
248 $46.00
249 $0.00
250 $57.50
251 $63.25
252 $0.00
253 $258.75
254 $28.75
255 $0.00
256 $86.25
257 $161.00
258 $63.25
259 $92.00
260 $0.00
261 $5.75
262 $69.00
263 $149.50
264 $11.50
265 $63.25
266 $40.25
267 $0.00
268 $51.75
269 $172.50
270 $69.00
271 $0.00
272 $97.75
273 $218.50
274 $63.25
275 $63.25
276 $63.25
277 $46.00
278 $63.25
279 $23.00
280 $5.75
281 $184.00
282 $46.00
283 $28.75
284 $172.50
285 $51.75
286 $63.25
287 $149.50
288 $69.00
289 $57.50
290 $258.75
291 "$3,105.00 "
292 $138.00
293 $63.25
294 $632.50
295 $172.50
296 $63.25
297 $5.75
298 $149.50
300 $316.25
302 $51.75
303 $57.50
304 $34.50
305 $258.75
306 $17.25
307 $0.00
308 $57.50
309 $0.00
310 $28.75
311 $11.50
312 $34.50
313 $161.00
314 $57.50
315 $0.00
316 $11.50
317 $28.75
318 $17.25
319 $46.00
320 $17.25
321 $23.00
322 $40.25
323 $23.00
324 $57.50
325 $28.75
326 $17.25
327 $57.50
328 $86.25
329 $69.00
330 $86.25
331 $86.25
332 $86.25
333 $0.00
334 $74.75
335 $138.00
336 $184.00
337 $575.00
338 $109.25
339 $517.50
340 $46.00
341 $74.75
342 $86.25
343 $86.25
344 $345.00
345 $161.00
346 $51.75
347 $97.75
348 $92.00
349 $63.25
350 $28.75
351 $172.50
352 $172.50
353 $172.50
354 $287.50
355 $92.00
356 $92.00
357 $17.25
358 $74.75
359 $11.50
360 $51.75
361 $230.00
362 $373.75
363 $460.00
364 $287.50
365 $546.25
366 $23.00
367 $126.50
368 $57.50
369 $57.50
370 $920.00
371 $46.00
372 $149.50
373 $109.25
374 $57.50
375 $40.25
376 $230.00
377 $80.50
378 $23.00
379 $23.00
380 $74.75
381 $103.50
382 $23.00
383 $11.50
384 $17.25
385 $316.25
386 $17.25
387 $103.50
388 $258.75
389 $258.75
390 $28.75
391 $57.50
392 $80.50
393 $161.00
394 $258.75
395 $126.50
396 $161.00
397 $172.50
398 $138.00
399 $126.50
400 $126.50
401 $690.00
402 $28.75
403 $126.50
404 $138.00
405 $34.50
406 $230.00
407 $97.75
408 $17.25
409 $69.00
410 $307.63
411 $0.00
412 $218.50
413 $51.75
414 $51.75
415 $51.75
416 $51.75
417 $46.00
418 $34.50
419 $51.75
420 $51.75
421 $17.25
422 $69.00
423 $172.50
424 $69.00
425 $431.25
426 $46.00
427 $17.25
428 $86.25
429 $17.25
430 $97.75
431 $103.50
432 $51.75
433 $34.50
434 $34.50
435 $69.00
436 $207.00
437 $126.50
438 $69.00
439 $28.75
440 $23.00
441 $51.75
442 $115.00
443 $28.75
444 $28.75
445 $34.50
446 $86.25
447 $0.00
448 $23.00
449 $0.00
450 $34.50
451 $161.00
452 $17.25
453 $258.75
454 $46.00
455 $51.75
456 $149.50
457 $80.50
458 $0.00
459 $28.75
460 $373.75
461 $17.25
462 $5.75
463 $69.00
464 $17.25
465 $115.00
466 $0.00
467 $92.00
468 $92.00
469 $103.50
470 $207.00
471 $195.50
472 $57.50
473 $63.25
474 $103.50
475 $0.00
476 $86.25
477 $40.25
478 $92.00
479 $86.25
480 $63.25
481 $57.50
482 $109.25
483 $109.25
484 $575.00
485 $51.75
486 $92.00
487 $184.00
488 $161.00
489 $40.25
490 $63.25
491 $115.00
492 $195.50
493 $0.00
494 $57.50
495 $0.00
496 $0.00
497 $5.75
498 $28.75
499 $74.75
500 $11.50
501 $86.25
502 $28.75
503 $97.75
504 $17.25
505 $34.50
506 $126.50
507 $23.00
508 $23.00
509 $5.75
510 $80.50
511 $0.00
512 "$1,552.50 "
513 $46.00
514 $97.75
515 $46.00
516 $345.00
517 $28.75
518 $17.25
519 $23.00
520 $11.50
521 $69.00
522 $138.00
523 $92.00
524 $161.00
525 $126.50
526 $230.00
527 $5.75
528 $28.75
529 $46.00
530 $40.25
531 $57.50
532 $74.75
533 $63.25
534 $80.50
535 $23.00
536 $69.00
537 $17.25
538 $138.00
539 $34.50
540 $74.75
541 $28.75
542 $40.25
543 $63.25
544 $0.00
545 $138.00
546 $46.00
547 $0.00
548 $86.25
549 $11.50
550 $40.25
551 $23.00
552 $40.25
553 $34.50
554 $46.00
555 $17.25
556 $34.50
557 $23.00
558 $115.00
559 $86.25
560 $115.00
561 $17.25
562 $11.50
563 $0.00
564 $11.50
565 $115.00
566 $103.50
567 $431.25
568 $17.25
569 $97.75
570 $80.50
571 $74.75
572 $23.00
573 $28.75
574 $28.75
575 $747.50
576 $51.75
577 $23.00
578 $0.00
579 $0.00
580 $23.00
581 $46.00
582 $97.75
583 $28.75
584 $126.50
585 $63.25
586 $97.75
587 $46.00
588 $74.75
589 $34.50
590 $63.25
591 $287.50
592 $0.00
593 $51.75
594 $115.00
595 $11.50
596 $17.25
597 $57.50
598 $28.75
599 $258.75
600 $258.75
601 $460.00
602 $373.75
603 $17.25
604 $17.25
605 $28.75
606 $63.25
607 $57.50
608 $28.75
609 $17.25
610 $0.00
611 $11.50
612 $74.75
613 $138.00
614 $28.75
615 $57.50
616 $57.50
617 $40.25
618 $40.25
619 $46.00
620 $207.00
621 $23.00
622 $92.00
623 $40.25
624 $17.25
625 $51.75
626 $28.75
627 $103.50
628 $57.50
629 $40.25
630 $46.00
631 $11.50
632 $34.50
633 $63.25
634 $103.50
635 $17.25
636 $23.00
637 $51.75
638 $28.75
639 $28.75
640 $5.75
641 $46.00
642 $149.50
643 $11.50
644 $161.00
645 $5.75
646 $11.50
647 $2.88
648 $51.75
649 $5.75
650 $11.50
651 $23.00
652 $28.75
653 $103.50
654 $5.75
655 "$2,760.00 "
656 $80.50
657 $11.50
658 $0.00
659 $11.50
660 $2.88
661 $5.75
662 $0.00
663 $161.00
664 $0.00
665 $23.00
666 $17.25
667 $23.00
668 $5.75
669 $23.00
670 $28.75
671 $57.50
672 $17.25
673 $17.25
674 $115.00
675 $23.00
676 $23.00
677 $109.25
678 $0.00
679 $5.75
680 $546.25
681 $57.50
682 $17.25
683 $17.25
684 $17.25
685 $373.75
686 $69.00
687 "$1,840.00 "
689 $517.50
690 $80.50
691 $57.50
692 $632.50
693 $431.25
694 $86.25
695 $5.75
696 $11.50
697 $97.75
698 $92.00
699 $40.25
700 $69.00
701 $92.00
702 $80.50
703 $46.00
704 $17.25
705 $57.50
706 $97.75
707 $23.00
708 $172.50
709 $69.00
710 $69.00
711 $34.50
712 $57.50
713 $63.25
714 $17.25
715 $40.25
716 $51.75
717 $5.75
718 $11.50
719 $92.00
720 $11.50
721 $149.50
722 $23.00
723 $97.75
724 $34.50
725 $17.25
726 $34.50
727 $11.50
728 $23.00
729 $97.75
730 $5.75
731 $373.75
732 $258.75
733 $57.50
734 $40.25
735 $80.50
736 $51.75
737 $23.00
738 $34.50
739 $11.50
740 $109.25
741 $34.50
742 $5.75
743 $92.00
744 $57.50
745 $40.25
746 $23.00
747 $34.50
748 $74.75
749 $161.00
750 $5.75
751 $5.75
752 $40.25
753 $11.50
754 $402.50
755 $34.50
756 $92.00
757 $40.25
758 $74.75
759 $17.25
760 $97.75
761 $161.00
762 $17.25
763 $23.00
764 $63.25
765 $0.00
766 $0.00
767 $63.25
768 $57.50
769 $11.50
770 $63.25
771 $17.25
772 $172.50
773 $0.00
774 $11.50
775 $34.50
776 $115.00
777 $0.00
778 $17.25
779 $17.25
780 $17.25
781 $5.75
782 $74.75
783 $0.00
784 $17.25
785 $28.75
786 $0.00
787 $51.75
788 $11.50
789 $17.25
790 $34.50
791 $40.25
792 $57.50
793 $17.25
794 $51.75
795 $46.00
796 $51.75
797 $40.25
798 $17.25
799 $17.25
800 $69.00
801 $23.00
802 $316.25
803 $23.00
804 $63.25
805 $46.00
806 $28.75
807 $0.00
808 $0.00
809 $115.00
810 $115.00
811 $115.00
812 $92.00
813 $23.00
814 $28.75
815 $0.00
816 $17.25
817 $460.00
818 $51.75
819 $0.00
820 $23.00
821 $51.75
822 $0.00
823 $17.25
824 $230.00
825 $28.75
826 $23.00
827 $17.25
828 $0.00
829 $0.00
831 $0.00
832 $0.00
833 $46.00
834 $172.50
835 $23.00
836 $747.50
837 $184.00
838 $86.25
839 $86.25
840 $0.00
841 $86.25
842 $805.00
843 $34.50
844 $0.00
845 $0.00
846 $0.00
847 $17.25
848 $92.00
849 $28.75
850 $172.50
851 $0.00
852 $0.00
853 $11.50
854 $57.50
855 $0.00
856 $17.25
857 $0.00
858 $0.00
859 $0.00
860 $0.00
861 $0.00
862 $11.50
863 $0.00
864 $0.00
865 $0.00
866 $0.00
867 $28.75
868 $23.00
869 $28.75
870 $34.50
871 $0.00
872 $69.00
873 $17.25
874 $0.00
875 $23.00
876 $0.00
877 $0.00
878 $17.25
879 $0.00
880 $0.00
881 $46.00
882 $0.00
883 $161.00
884 $0.00
885 $40.25
886 $0.00
887 $0.00
888 $57.50
889 $0.00
890 $0.00
891 $0.00
892 $11.50
893 $17.25
894 $0.00
895 $0.00
896 $0.00
897 $0.00
898 $0.00
899 $0.00
900 $86.25
901 $17.25
902 $0.00
903 $0.00
904 $40.25
905 $17.25
906 $23.00
907 $28.75
908 $46.00
909 $63.25
910 $51.75
911 $34.50
912 $28.75
913 $11.50
914 $149.50
915 $17.25
916 $23.00
917 $28.75
918 $40.25
919 $103.50
920 $17.25
921 $23.00
922 $74.75
923 $23.00
924 $80.50
925 $11.50
926 $23.00
927 $28.75
928 $28.75
929 $57.50
930 $109.25
931 $28.75
932 $11.50
933 $51.75
934 $28.75
935 $17.25
936 $546.25
937 $23.00
938 $63.25
939 $57.50
940 $97.75
941 $0.00
942 $74.75
943 $92.00
944 $46.00
945 $23.00
947 $17.25
948 $218.50
949 $86.25
950 $172.50
951 $63.25
952 $0.00
953 $34.50
954 $28.75
955 $40.25
956 $5.75
957 $40.25
958 $40.25
959 $17.25
960 $0.00
961 $46.00
962 $11.50
963 $0.00
964 $28.75
965 $11.50
966 $86.25
967 $51.75
968 $0.00
969 $80.50
970 $138.00
971 $11.50
972 $690.00
973 $69.00
974 $287.50
975 $805.00
976 $0.00
977 $11.50
978 $0.00
979 $40.25
980 $218.50
981 $69.00
982 $34.50
983 $28.75
984 $34.50
985 $161.00
986 $63.25
987 $51.75
988 $23.00
989 $0.00
990 $0.00
991 $23.00
992 $40.25
993 $40.25
994 $28.75
995 $97.75
996 $34.50
997 $0.00
998 $103.50
999 $0.00
1000 $0.00
1001 $0.00
1002 $23.00
1003 $0.00
1004 $57.50
1005 $0.00
1006 $23.00
1007 $80.50
1008 $23.00
1009 $17.25
1010 $11.50
1011 $23.00
1012 $0.00
1013 $0.00
1014 $11.50
1015 $17.25
1016 $40.25
1017 $126.50
1018 $74.75
1019 $0.00
1020 $17.25
1021 $63.25
1022 $17.25
1023 $0.00
1024 $92.00
1025 $0.00
1026 $69.00
1027 $69.00
1028 $28.75
1029 $23.00
1030 $57.50
1031 $80.50
1032 $34.50
1033 $23.00
1034 $0.00
1035 $0.00
1036 $0.00
1037 $40.25
1038 $34.50
1039 $0.00
1040 $0.00
1041 $40.25
1042 $34.50
1043 $51.75
1044 $17.25
1045 $28.75
1046 $40.25
1047 $92.00
1048 $28.75
1049 $287.50
1050 $23.00
1051 $51.75
1052 $115.00
1053 $23.00
1054 $17.25
1055 $0.00
1056 $28.75
1057 $57.50
1058 $23.00
1059 $0.00
1060 $86.25
1061 $23.00
1062 $5.75
1063 $149.50
1064 $17.25
1065 $0.00
1066 $11.50
1067 $0.00
1068 $28.75
1069 $0.00
1070 $11.50
1071 $11.50
1072 $287.50
1073 $0.00
1074 $23.00
1075 $28.75
1076 $57.50
1077 $40.25
1078 $51.75
1079 $28.75
1080 $80.50
1081 $51.75
1082 $34.50
1083 $46.00
1084 $40.25
1085 $11.50
1086 $40.25
1087 $80.50
1088 $23.00
1089 $34.50
1090 $28.75
1091 $40.25
1092 $0.00
1093 $28.75
1094 $0.00
1095 $11.50
1096 $0.00
1097 $0.00
1098 $0.00
1099 $0.00
1100 $0.00
1101 $0.00
1102 $34.50
1103 $40.25
1104 $46.00
1105 $17.25
1106 $46.00
1107 $28.75
1108 $977.50
1109 $0.00
1110 $46.00
1111 $920.00
1112 $11.50
1113 $17.25
1114 $34.50
1115 $11.50
1116 $17.25
1117 $46.00
1118 $28.75
1119 $80.50
1120 $207.00
1121 $115.00
1122 $23.00
1123 $0.00
1124 $23.00
1125 $34.50
1126 $0.00
1127 $0.00
1128 $126.50
1129 $40.25
1130 $40.25
1131 $28.75
1132 $23.00
1133 $92.00
1134 $28.75
1135 $23.00
1136 $28.75
1138 $23.00
1139 $0.00
1140 $0.00
1141 $0.00
1142 $11.50
1143 $51.75
1144 $11.50
1145 $103.50
1146 $63.25
1147 $0.00
1148 $23.00
1149 $23.00
1150 $74.75
1151 $28.75
1152 $28.75
1153 $0.00
1154 $0.00
1155 $5.75
1156 $17.25
1157 $0.00
1158 $28.75
1159 $23.00
Total $91,289.88