Holabird thrilled bidders with four days’ worth of prizes

IN PROGRESS 

RENO, Nev. – An Ansel Adams-signed Yosemite photo from around 1959 sold for $38,750 at a four-day Western Frontiers auction held October 13-16 by Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC. The 2,100-lot sale featured Native and general Americana, mining material, numismatics, art, bottles, stocks and more.

There were five lots of Ansel Adams framed prints in the sale, but it was lot #3022 – the large print of a snow-covered tree at Yosemite – that brought $38,750, making it the auction’s top lot.

Day 1, on Thursday, October 13, showcased Express and philatelic and general Americana, geographically sorted and including miscellaneous categories such as gaming, tobacciana and musical instruments. A Gibson model ES175 Sunburst electric guitar with a factory Bixbee whammy bar and a dark swirl pick guard was a true beauty that changed hands for $3,500.

Also performing well on Day 1 was a Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad lantern with its original lock and key and red embossed Southern Pacific globe, which made $2,000.

Day 2, on Friday, October 14, included political collectibles; militaria, firearms and weaponry; mining artifacts and ephemera; and stock certificates and bonds. A chunk of banded and dendritic gold and quartz pulled from the Sleeper main vein in Humboldt County, Nevada, boasting a beautiful cross-sectional cut face exposing native gold (electrum) in the banded quartz sequence realized $1,562.

Also, a suite of seven different buttons, badges and ribbons from Teddy Roosevelt’s 1904 presidential campaign, including a Progressive Party button and a delegate ribbon from the Republican State Convention of 1904 in Billings, finished at $1,375.

A stock certificate for the Upper San Miguel Gold & Silver Mining Company, issued for 500 shares to Henry Gerbs in May 1881, signed by company president A.T. Nichols and secretary John B. Corliss, earned $1,220.

Day 3, on Saturday, October 15, highlighted art; Wild West, law and order and cowboy material; and numismatics. A letter written and signed by the famous lawman Sheriff Seth Bullock, written on “Sheriff’s Office” letterhead, dated July 3, 1874 from Helena, Montana, and addressed to Geo. Callaway of Virginia City, Montana, with Bullock thanking Callaway, achieved $3,250.

Also, a .9999 one ounce of fine gold 1914 $50 American Buffalo coin, in brilliant uncirculated condition, as new from the U.S. Mint, designed to look like the Buffalo nickel, went to a determined bidder for $2,250.

Day 4, on Sunday, October 16, was led by Native Americana; saloon and brewing ephemera; and bottles. A beautiful circa-1900 red mesa chief pattern rug achieved $4,000, and a pictorial Apache basket having a waterfall design with four crosses and eight human figures that are symbolic to the land, made from willow or sumac and Devil’s Claw, realized $1,562.

Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC is always seeking new and major collections to bring to market. To consign a single piece or a collection, call Fred Holabird at 775-851-1859 or 844-492-2766; or email fredholabird@gmail.com. To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, visit www.holabirdamericana.com.

 

View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/