Holabird's Wild West Wonders Auction, Aug. 8-10, Online And Live In Reno, Nev., Contains 1,737 Lots

By Author: Fred Holabird
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Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC will take some attention away from the summer heat with a three-day Wild West Wonders auction, Friday thru Sunday, August 8th-10th, online and live in Holabird’s gallery located at 3555 Airway Drive (Suite 308) in Reno. Start times each day will be 8am Pacific Time. It’s a premier auction, packed with 1,737 lots.

The categories are many and will include mining collectibles, numismatics, Native Americana, philatelic, Western Americana, antique stocks and bonds and more. Bids can be placed live and in-person, over the phone with an agent, or online via iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. It’s a fantastic sale, filled with many Americana treasures.

“We’re in our final series of auctions before my official retirement at the end of this year,” said Fred Holabird, the president and owner of Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC. “The August auction will be the penultimate live sale, with one more scheduled for October. We’re calling that one Holabird’s Grand Finale. Consignments must be in no later than September 1st.”

“The ...
... material already coming in for the October sale is great, and we’re imagining it will be a proper send-off for Fred, who has spent decades creating new collectors, building collecting markets, writing original research articles and bringing thousands and thousands of historical items to auction,” said a spokesperson for the company, adding, “What a run!”

Wild West Wonders is appropriately named, as the ‘wonders’ will feature several outstanding collections, beginning with the mineral ore specimens and stock certificates from the collection of mining geologist Dave Shaddrick, offered on Day 2. The Homestake ore specimens are truly spectacular and they include the likely best high-grade specimen to ever hit the auction block.

The stock certificates are some of the earliest offered for the Lawrence County, South Dakota districts, including the second issued Homestake Mine stock, as well as numerous certificates signed by Deadwood sheriff Seth Bullock.

Also up for bid on Day 2 is a fantastic group of lead-zinc mining ephemera and collectibles (including ingots) from the Tri-State mining region (Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas). The collection includes choice underground mining photos, as well as panoramas, rare publications, mining artifacts and lead ingots.

Fans of US Mint items will not want to miss the items featured on Day 3. These will include rare documents from the Fred Weinberg Numismatic Ephemera Collection (Dahlonega Mint, Carson City Mint, Philadelphia and early US Treasury); an original 18760s Carson City Mint $20 double eagle coin die found on the Mint grounds; an original Carson City Mint coin bag; and more.

Day 1 will be highlighted by an excellent group of Western saloon photographs from Alaska, California, Nevada and other areas, including a Truckee, California saloon interior, and shots of Angels Camp, Napa, Soapy Smith and more. To view these, check out lots 1174-1194 online.

Returning to Day 2, the 2 Spirits Trading/Ken & Carolyn Osborne Native Americana Jewelry Collection contains arguably the finest grouping of Native Americana jewelry Holabird has ever offered. The collection features gorgeous silver and turquoise Navajo necklaces, cuffs, squash blossoms, white buffalo, spiny oyster and more, all in the Day 2 Native Americana section.

Rounding out the auction’s many fine collections will be items from the well-known Nevada historian and author Douglas McDonald. Many check collectors have a copy of Doug’s Nevada Check Book on their shelves. Items include extremely rare California and Nevada scrip, and choice Western mining stocks and documents.

The Cowboy and Wild West section on Day 2 features a book with an original inscription by poet-bandit “Black Bart” (lot 2153); original photographs of legendary outlaw “Bloody Bill” Anderson (lot 2154); a Buffalo Bill Cody carte de visite from the Bracken Collection (lot 2149); original newspapers with headlines about the James Brothers and Butch Cassidy; and more.

In addition to the Tri-State Collection of Dave Shaddrick, the Day 2 mining section will also showcase gold nuggets and specimens; a new group of Comstock checks from a discovery archive; a stunning 19th century gold-in-quartz watch chain from Belmont, Nevada (lot 217); a huge batch of Nevada turquoise; rare Inyo County ore bags; a huge Natomas County gold dredge archive); an incredible US Mineral Surveyor Archive from Silverton, Colorado (lot 2338); and one of the first maps to show Mexico silver deposits (lot 2431).

Day 3 numismatics will feature World’s Fair/Exposition ephemera; US Mint collections; rare scrip and currency; US coins and medals; Nevada hunting licenses; and some choice Western tokens, including an FM Rickey Markleeville piece (lot 3274); and a Macqueen House territorial token (ex. John J. Ford, lot 3296).

There’s a new Superman movie in theaters, and Holabird is offering on Day 1 an historic collection of original artwork from comic artist Edward Dabrotka, including original sketches on transparent paper for a Superman ‘Superbaby’ comic (lot 1018).

Other treasures in the day’s Americana section will contain Western states goodies, to include Sacramento and San Francisco ephemera (Gold Rush, too); Redwood and Lumbering in California Forests, 1884, an exceptional rarity (lot 1071); Colorado stereoviews and directories; choice Montana ephemera, including vigilante and pioneer signatures; a large Deadwood check archive; early fishing ephemera; a large map section, with choice early US and world maps; jewelry; toy trains; and a large offering of early 1900s compasses.

Day 1 ends with philatelic offerings, which include Wells Fargo Express and Adams Express collectibles; California and Colorado postcards and covers; a rare collection of Montana postmarks; Art Nouveau postcards; and a diverse group of US stamps ID’d by Scott numbers.

Day 2 will officially kick off with Art & Native Americana. Up for bid will be Salvador Dali prints; a Yosemite painting by Benjamin Sears; a Folies Bergere play ad; bronzes; gorgeous miniature New Mexico pots; choice weavings (including a Brenda Nez eye dazzler and a Chinle/Wide Ruins blanket; an excellent Native American-themed silver spoon collection; original photo prints by E. S. Cutrtis; and more.

The Day 2 Stocks and Bonds section will feature California, Colorado and Nevada mining stocks; important American Express pieces; the last Mt. Tamalpais railroad stock left from the Ken Prag Collection; rare Wawona Hotel stocks; Founding Father Robert Morris; and more.

Railoadiana on Day 3 will begin with a small group of nicer railroad and stage passes (including National Mail), along with artifacts like a Carson & Colorado and Virginia & Truckee Railroad locks and railroad lamps.

The auction will conclude on Day 3 with the Militaria, Political & Firearms section, boasting huge Civil War and World War II ephemera collections, including photographs, letters, postcards, booklets, compasses and artifacts; Custer-related items; early firearms and knives; political and presidential ephemera; and much more.

In addition to the live auction planned for October, Holabird will also have at least one more timed auction in September, with a likely second timed auction in October (no live bidding).

Telephone and absentee bids for Wild West Wonders will be accepted. Color catalogs are available by calling 1-844-492-2766, or 775-851-1859. To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC and the three-day Wild West Wonders auction planned for August 8th thru 10th, starting at 8am Pacific Time each day, please visit www.holabirdamericana.com. Updates are posted frequently.