Reno, NV, USA, August 15, 2023 -- Rare Gold Rush-era antique bottles, beautiful 19th century stock certificates, boxing cards from the first half of the 20th century and scarce old coins and tokens all did well in Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC’s online-only “Time Flies in July” auction, held July 28th, 29th and 30th. The special timed auction featured nearly 2,200 lots in many categories.
Day 1, on Friday, July 28th, contained 728 lots of general Americana, to include autographs, books, collectibles, cowboy, entertainment, ephemera, firefighting memorabilia, fraternal organizations, gaming, jewelry, maps, model railroading, music, photography and sports.
The day’s top achiever (and the overall top lot of the auction) was a group of three scrolls containing early data (1950s and 60s) on whitewater canoeing and rafting, plus other activities. The rapids ratings, maps and other material pertained mostly to the Colorado River and Salmon River National Forest. Bidders rewarded the lot’s rarity with a final selling price of $2,875.
Groups of picture cards featuring boxing greats such as Kid Gavilan, John L. Sullivan, Rocky Marciano, Gene Tunney, Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey scored a knockout with bidders, who were attracted to the colorful photos and stances. Two groups of 60 each ‘Boxers of Yesteryear’ brought $562,50 and $500, while a lot of 11 ‘Boxing Champions of the Past’ made $312.50.
A group of three cotton bale shipping receipts from circa 1845-1879, via steamer and other modes of transportation, one from 1866 having a 2-cent brown adhesive revenue stamp, went for $281.25. Also, a copy of an Outlaws of the West scrapbook with 64 pages of famous and not so famous outlaws, Wild West shows, lawmen and a Judge Roy Bean wanted poster, hit $237.50.
A hoard of around 600 issued Humboldt County, Nevada warrants from the 1920s, issued by the treasurer of the county, signed by the county auditor and datelined Winnemucca, hit $237.50; while a framed Colorado Pabst Chemical Company cures broadside (“positively and without fail cures gonorrhea and gleet”), housed in a 10 ½ inch by 7 ½ inch frame, gaveled for $212.50.
Day 2, on Saturday, July 29th, was packed with more than 750 lots of tobacco and saloon, bottles, firearms and weapons, militaria, political, minerals, mining, stocks and bonds and transportation.
Bottles and stock certificates were what bidders flocked to on Day 2. The overall top lot of the session was a pair of very light lime colored Stillwater (Oklahoma) Bottling Works / C. F. Knowles / Corliss Bros. bottles, each one 6 ¾ inches tall, that sold as one lot for $2,000. Other bottles, offered individually and in group lots, also performed well, to include the following:
- A very rare clear City Drug Store (Goldfield, Colo.) citrate bottle, 8 ½ inches tall, with no apparent chips or cracks ($1,125).
- Two Colorado mining camp embossed milk bottles, one for Black Bruns Dairy in Creede and one for Camp Bird Dairy in Ouray ($1,125).
- Two different black Sapulpa Bottling Works bottles from the Sapulpa Indian Territory, one aqua crown top and the other clear crown top, both just over 7 ½ inches ($937.50).
Stock certificates were led by two examples from the Republic of Texas, dated 1840. One was certificate no. 1364, issued to P. Burns for $100 ($812.50). The other was certificate no. 674, issued to Joseph C. Eldridge for $500 ($750). Both were signed by Charles DeMorse as Stock Commissioner and James Wright Simmons as Comptroller and featured gorgeous vignettes.
An American Express Company stock certificate from 1863, signed by Henry Wells as president and William G. Fargo as secretary (two of the three founders of American Express and Wells, Fargo & Company) brought $625. Also, a group of 21 framed stock certificates from railroad and mining companies in and around Cripple Creek, Colorado, 1890s-1940s, reached $281.25.
A lot of 43 vintage aircraft photo postcards, including five of the Pacific Air Transit plane “The Glacier” from 1931, plus several of the famous stunt pilot Art Smith, in protective shells, went for $500. Also, a large collection of military related medals, buttons and pins, including ten Gen. Douglas MacArthur “Man of the Hour” pinbacks, Remember the Maine and more, hit $406.25.
The auction’s last day, Sunday, July 30th, featured more than 700 lots of art, Native Americana, numismatics, tokens, philatelic (stamps) and postal history. The day’s top lot was a group of five miscellaneous pieces, including an 1853 half dime, an Ohio Volunteers medal presented to Henry Ford, an 1849 California token with the American flag, and a tiny spiel mark ($1,438).
An Arkansas Mail Stage & Transfer Company stage pass from 1864 fetched $750; a lot of 14 miscellaneous foreign coins, including a 1903 Saxony five marks coin, two 1937 German two marks coins, two Iranian coins and five Asian coins rang up $688; and an 1874 California round fractional gold half dollar, BG 1053, in Very Fine-Extra Fine condition, changed hands for $625.
Two transportation token collections sold as single lots fort a combined $1,136. One comprised eighty rows of nine inches of transportation tokens from all over the U.S., over 600 tokens in all ($574). The other was a double wide 14-inch box of 2 x 2 envelopes with tokens from Alabama to Washington, plus a small group of international tokens, all in around 200 envelopes ($562).
Next up fort Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC is a “Raise a Glass to Yesteryear” auction, slated for Thursday thru Sunday, August 24th-27th, starting at 8 am Pacific time each day, online and live at the Holabird gallery in Reno. Up for bid will be 2,000 lots in collecting categories that include Saloon, Bottles, Brewery, Mining, Numismatics, Philatelic, General Americana, Stocks and Bonds, Fine Art, Display Minerals, Vintage Toys and much more.
Anyone owning a collection that might fit into a Holabird Western Americana Collections auction is encouraged to get in touch. The firm travels throughout the U.S., to see and pick up collections. The company has agents all over America and will travel to inspect most collections.
To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, please visit www.holabirdamericana.com.
About Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC:
Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC is always seeking new and major collections to bring to market. It prides itself as being a major source for selling Americana at the best prices obtainable, having sold more than any other similar company in the past decade alone. The firm will have its entire sales database online soon, at no cost – nearly 200,000 lots sold since 2014. To consign a single piece or a collection, you may call Fred Holabird at 775-851-1859 or 844-492-2766; or, you can send an e-mail to fredholabird@gmail.com. To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections and the upcoming auction, visit www.holabirdamericana.com.
