NOT SOLD (BIDDING OVER)
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
This item WAS NOT SOLD. Auction date was 2024 Apr 14 @ 08:00UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Document of pledges signed by the United Merchants of Austin, Nevada for a “Sack of Flour” auctioned for the U.S. Sanitary Fund by Reuel Colt Gridley (April 20, 1864) – Also a Billhead from his store and a photograph (Carte de Viste) o R.C. Gridley “That Sanitary Sack of Flour”. (3 Items) Gridley is famous for his April 19, 1864 wager which prompted the auctioning of a sack of flour for donations to the "Sanitary Fund," the Civil War forerunner of the American Red Cross. This is the original document resulting from that wager, thought long lost to history, but now discovered. The original sack of flower is at the Nevada Historical Society today.
The flour was sold first in Austin on the day after the election (April20, 1864) where he and his business, Gridley, Hobart and Jacobs were located and then sold again and again throughout Nevada and California, then taken east and eventually auctioned at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1864, after raising $275,000 for this fund. The U.S Sanitary Fund was the precursor to the Red Cross and was focused on helping the Union Soldiers. The document reads, “We the undersigned Merchants of the town of Austin hereby subscribe the sums opposite our names the aggregate of which is to be the last Bid for the Sack of Flour offered this day at the public sale the proceeds of which is appropriated to the U.S. Sanitary Fund said sum to be the last bid on said flour and shall be known as the “United Merchants Bid” Below this is a list of signatures of Austin Merchants and their bids:
a. Lord Holbrook & Co. $25 (Iron importers, became Holbrook, Merrill & Co., Sacramento)*
b. Paxton Thornburgh $25 (Bankers)*
c. McDaniel & Co. $25 (Groceries and general merchandise)*
d. Bernhard & Co. $25 (Groceries and general merchandise)*
e. Gridley Hobart & Jacobs $25 (General Store)
f. W.S. Gage & Co. $25 (Groceries and general merchandise)*
g. Van Winkle & Duncan $25 (Importers of iron, steel, coal in Sacramento @93 J Street)*
h. (4) Cash @ $5 each $20
i. (Faded entry) $20
j. Hookes & Levy $10
k. Wells Fargo & Co. $25
l. White & Banister $25
m. Veatch & Co. $25 (Assayer)*
The total of $300 agrees with the History of Nevada by Myron Angel 1881 p. 269 for the contribution made by the United Merchants group of Austin. All are marked “paid” and since the payments were collected on the spot in gold, the document is dated the day of the first auction in Austin. Handwritten on light blue note paper. Small tear 1 ½ inches long along a fold, otherwise very fine. A RARE set of Documents!
Reuel Colt Gridley of Austin, Nevada. was born in Missouri and a classmate of Mark Twain, had served in the Mexican War before journeying to California in 1852. While in California he worked as a miner, newspaperman, banker and auctioneer among other occupations. In April of 1864 he became part owner of a General store (Gridley, Hobart & Jacobs) in the small mining town of Austin, Nevada. Later he teamed up with Thomas Callow in 1866. Gridley, an American adventurer and entrepreneur opted to run for Mayor of the town. He was known as a Missouri Democrat with sympathies to the Southern cause. His opponent was a staunch Republican, Dr. H. S. Herrick, who was a Northern Unionist. The Civil War was in full bloom and the debates were hot and heavy on the future of the United States and all the issues involving states’ rights. Gridley bet a sack of flour with Dr. Herrick that he would be elected mayor of the city. The bet was that the loser would carry a 50 lb. sack of flour from Austin to Clifton, a distance of one and a quarter mile, Gridley lost.
Making good on his wager, Gridley lugged a 50 lb. bag of flour (amply decorated with Union flags and ribbons) through Austin to the accompaniment of a brass band and a crowd of raucous, inebriated miners from both political camps. Dr. Herrick "graciously" carried Gridley's coat and cane for him as the many stamp mills steam whistles howled in approval. On arrival a saloonkeeper from the Bank Exchange Saloon invited the crowd in for a drink. There were many jokes and a lot of teasing as Dr. Herrick refused to accept the 50-pound sack of flour, leaving Gridley “holding the bag.”
At last Gridley said, “This crowd of people has had their fun at my expense; let us see now who will do most for the sick and wounded soldiers. We will put this sack of flour up for auction to be sold for cash, with the understanding that the buyer is to return it, to be sold again for the benefit of the Sanitary Commission.” The Sanitary Commission provided for wounded Civil War soldiers and was the forerunner of today’s Red Cross. Gridley auctioned the sack to T.B. Wade for $350. Wade returned the sack and asked Gridley to auction it again. The entire afternoon was spent auctioning and re-auctioning the same 50-pound sack of flour. By day’s end, $4,549.80 had been collected and Gridley still had the sack. He took the act on the road.
According to author Mark Twain in his 1870 book "Roughing It”, “The excitement grew and grew. The sack was sold over and over again for the benefit of the Fund. The news of it came to Virginia City by telegraph. It produced great enthusiasm, and Reuel Gridley was begged by telegraph to bring the sack and have an auction in Virginia City. He brought it. An open barouche was provided, and also a brass band. The sack was sold over and over again at Gold Hill, then was brought up to Virginia City toward night and sold -- and sold again, and again, and still again, netting twenty or thirty thousand dollars for the Sanitary Fund. Gridley carried it across California and sold it in various towns. He sold it for large sums in Sacramento and in San Francisco. He brought it East, sold it in New York and in various other cities, then carried it out to a great Fair at St. Louis, and went on selling it; and finally made it up into small cakes and sold those at a dollar apiece. First and last, the sack of flour which had originally cost ten dollars, perhaps, netted more than two hundred thousand dollars for the Sanitary Fund.” The fact was it netted over $275,000.
Gridley, who had become a Union supporter during his travels, was now famous. Where the flour was last sold is the stuff of legends. It definitely made it to the St. Louis World's Fair in 1864, possibly even to the Sanitary Fair in St. Louis in 1865. The sack was adopted by Austin as the city's symbol and today the empty sack can be found in the Nevada Historical Society Museum in Reno.
Ref. References:
- Roughing It by Mark Twain 1872, p. 314-319
- Reese River Reveille April 20, 1864
- Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1867 by Langley p. 209, 296-299
- History of Nevada by Myron Angel 1881 p.269
- The Town That Died Laughing – Austin and the Reese River Reveille by Oscar Lewis 1955, p.121-131
- Reuel Colt Gridley “The Auction Man” & “Citizen Extraordinaire” (1829 –1870)
By Robert A. Doyle, http://www.auctioneersfoundation.org/museum-articles-detail.php?id=4764 Austin Nevada 1864
Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 308, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview
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Nevada State Sales Tax
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NSST |
8.375% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
| CSST |
8% |
California Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS
This is a Live Auction conducted by Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC (HWAC).
1. The placing of a bid shall constitute the bidder’s acceptance of these terms of sale.
2. BUYER’S PREMIUM & INSURANCE: There will be a 25% Buyer’s Premium added to the sale price (hammer) of each lot. We accept cash, checks, money orders, wire transfers, credit cards and PayPal.
3. COINS, CURRENCY AND PRECIOUS METALS, Insurance. The buyer’s commission for this section is 20.5%. Coins and currency shall be defined as any regular Federal issue circulating coins and currency. Tokens are not considered coins. Precious metals shall be defined as ingots, silver or gold rounds, bullion items and gold nuggets. Mineral specimens are not considered under the precious metals category. Commemorative items such as metals and ribbons are not considered coins of precious metals. However, lots that consist entirely of gold or silver of high purity, including commemorative metals, are considered precious metals. Please contact our office if you need clarification on a specific lot.
4. SALES TAX: Sales tax may be applicable in any of the 50 states according to current tax laws regarding internet sales. Please check your state's tax regulations. HWAC will charge sales tax for those states that we know have instituted internet sales tax. All bonafide resale dealers with a current valid resale license should submit their license in advance to HWAC.
5. SHIPPING & HANDLING: The customer is responsible for all shipping and packaging charges. We offer shipping service as a convenience to our buyers. Items are not shipped until the invoice and shipping charges are completely paid. Shipping costs will be calculated and billed separately after your items have been paid for. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: FedEx, UPS, USPS or DHL. ALL Pick ups MUST be scheduled online with the service provided or by calling our office after receipt of your auction invoice. Pick-up dates and times are subject to change according to our auction schedule. Orders not claimed by way of pick-up or payment of shipping fees within a reasonable period of time may be subject to storage fees and cases of continued non-compliance, may result in forfeiture. Also see clause 23.
6. LIVE (FLOOR) BIDDING: Please arrive a few minutes early to check in and receive your bidding paddle. We will open lots with more than one bid at the current high absentee bid or 50% of the low estimate at the auctioneer’s discretion. Please be sure to bid on the correct lots during the live auction. Our auction progress is at a rate of between 60 and 150 lots per hour. An item is not sold until the next lot is announced. (We are not responsible for Internet bids that arrive late.) The auctioneer will identify the successful bidder by number and announce the winning bid amount. If you are not sure whether you won the lot or not, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification immediately, prior to the start of the next auction lot. Auctioneer reserves the right to reopen the lot in the case of an immediate dispute at the actual time of the sale.
7. TELEPHONE BIDDING: Telephone bidding MUST be scheduled prior to this auction. If you do not schedule in advance, and choose instead to call on the day of the auction to request a line for bidding, you may find that we are unable to accommodate your request. Please limit your telephone bids to items of value greater than $500, or to a string of items with a similar total.
8. LIVE AUCTION ABSENTEE BIDDING: Mail or FAX Absentee bids for the live auction MUST be received by 5pm Pacific Time the day before the auction. Bids accepted after the cutoff time will be represented live only if an agent is available and will not be considered absentee or given first priority as such. It is your responsibility to submit all lot numbers and bid amounts accurately. Absentee bids MUST be equal to at least 50% of the low estimate if an estimate is provided. Bids on “No Lots” or “Withdrawn” Lots will not be executed. Bids made in amounts that do not conform to the bid increment table under Item #13 will be automatically rounded up or down by the computer, or rounded to the nearest proper bid increment at the discretion of the auctioneer. Absentee bids are entered into a computer that will bid live on your behalf at the auction. Absentee bids will compete live against other absentee bids, live internet bidders, floor bidders and phone bidders.
9. INTERNET BIDDING: Both Absentee and Live Internet bidding are available through our live auction networks. If you wish to bid LIVE via the Internet, you MUST pre-register. A live feed is generally accessible during the auction. Online bidding remains open through the live auction, and online absentee bids may be placed anytime. Live bidding will open when the auction starts. Internet bidding is offered as a convenience for those who cannot attend the live sale. Please note that there may be delays or interruptions in Internet connectivity that are beyond our control. Attending the live auction or arranging for an agent is the most reliable way to secure your bids.
10. NEW BIDDERS: Bidders unknown to us, who anticipate an expenditure in excess of $20,000, must provide commercial references or a deposit of 25% of the amount to be bid in order for the auction staff to execute bids. Deposits will be credited towards lots won and any balance will be refunded within 10 business days after the auction has concluded. New bidders will be given a spending limit at their initial request to participate. In order to increase this limit, you may be required to provide a letter of authorization from your bank in addition to providing references. Please contact our office at any time if you have questions regarding spending limits or references required to bid.
11. AGENT BIDDING: There are numerous professional agents available to assist you should you require this service. Please contact the office for a list or to arrange for representation on the floor during the live auction. HWAC is not responsible for any acts or omissions by agents acting on behalf of bidders at our auctions.
BE ADVISED: Auction participation through the live Internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is always changing, and the operation of it and the corresponding Internet connectivity issues are far beyond our control. Some folks have attempted to use the live Internet bidding process as their primary method of bidding, and have been quite successful. Others have failed completely. Depending upon your computer, server, host, and other factors, Internet signals may be delayed, such that bids may not be received in time. We cannot be held responsible for these delays, or for the lack of placed bids in a timely manner, or any other factors leading to unaccepted bids that are far beyond our control. Bidders should always have a backup plan for lots they highly desire. Live participation is best, followed by phone participation. We will not reopen lots for missed bids.
12. RESERVES: Most of the lots in this auction are unreserved. Precious metals may be reserved at or near or slightly below spot, at the auctioneer's discretion.
13. BIDDING INCREMENTS: All bids must be submitted in U.S. dollars and in whole dollar amounts only in the appropriate increments as outlined below. If you choose to submit bids in an increment not listed below, your bid will be rounded to the nearest increment and you will be expected to pay the amount to which the bid was rounded should your bid be the winning bid. If you have any questions about an appropriate bid amount, please call us.
From: to: Increment:
$1 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
$3,500 $9,750 $250
$10,000 $30,000 $500
$30,000 up $1000
14. BID REDUCTION: All winning absentee bids will be reduced, if necessary, to the next bidding increment up from the last competing bid, as long as the minimum bid requirement has been met. For example, if you submit an absentee bid of $1000 and the next highest competing bid is $250, then you will win the lot for $275.
15. BID INFORMATION: Collectors often ask in advance the price level of a particular lot. We will give out the current competitive high absentee bid until we close the day before the live auction. You may also view absentee bids online at www.holabirdamericana.com. While we try to update the absentee bids as often as necessary, bids received close to the bidding deadline might not be reflected online, and we disclaim any responsibility for any bids made in reliance upon inaccuracies on our website, which may be beyond our control. We do not own any of the live Internet bidding platforms, and thus many aspects of the Internet technology are out of our control.
16. BID CANCELLATION: If you wish to cancel or change a bid after you have submitted your bids to us due to an error, you MUST PHONE us to advise us of this. Bid cancellations through mail, email, or faxes are not advisable. Errors are easy to make. Please call us if you have any questions on this.
17. All stock certificates, checks, warrants, and other financial documents sold herein are sold as antiquities, and have no financial, securities, or public trading value whatsoever.
18. We reserve the right to reject any bid we feel is not made in good faith.
19. INVOICING: Invoices are mailed or emailed within two business days after the close of all portions of the sale. Within 15 calendar days of receipt of invoice, payment is due in full to Holabird Western Americana Collections, 3555 Airway Dr., #308, Reno, NV 89511. Late fees may be added if payment arrangements are not made within those 15 days. Sales tax will be added to all sales picked-up after the auction or shipped to Nevada addresses, according to Nevada State law, unless a resale certificate is provided.
20. PAYMENT: We accept Cash, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Money Order/Cashier’s Check, Wire Transfer, Personal Check or PayPal. All returned checks are subject to a $25 fee. Cash received in amounts greater than $10,000 is subject to the filing of IRS form 8300, as required by law.
21. Automatic Credit Card Billing: Internet bidders are subject to the payment terms and conditions outlined on the internet bidding platform they utilize, which may include the automatic payment of auction invoices with the credit card information on file at the time of registration.
22. NON-PAYMENT: HWAC reserves the right to cancel any invoice not paid in full within 15 days. A cancelled invoice does not relieve the bidder from their obligation to pay seller fees and buyer’s premiums compensating HWAC for its services in conducting the auction. Interest shall run on all outstanding balances at the highest rate permitted by law. HWAC shall have a lien against the merchandise purchased by the bidder, and any other of bidder’s property then held by HWAC or its affiliates, to secure payment of the invoice, and with respect thereto HWAC shall have all the rights of a secured creditor under the Nevada Commercial Code, including but not limited to the right of sale. HWAC may sell the lot(s) securing the invoice to any under bidders in the auction that the lot(s) appeared, or at subsequent private or public sale, or relist the lot(s) in a future auction conducted by HWAC. A defaulting bidder agrees to pay for the reasonable costs of resale (including a 10% seller’s commission, if consigned to an auction conducted by HWAC). The defaulting bidder is liable to pay any difference between his or her total original invoice for the lot(s), plus any applicable interest, and the net proceeds for the lot(s) if sold at private sale or the subsequent hammer price of the lot(s) less the 10% seller’s commissions, if sold at an HWAC auction. If HWAC refers any invoice to an attorney for collection, the bidder agrees to pay attorney’s fees, court costs, and other collection costs incurred by HWAC. Any bidder who fails to follow the terms of payment will be reported to iCollector, Live Auctioneers, Invaluable, or applicable bidding platform, and may be barred from participating in future Holabird Western Americana auctions.
23. UNCLAIMED MERCHANDISE: In the event that a successful bidder has paid in full for their merchandise but fails to settle outstanding shipping invoices or make arrangements for merchandise pickup within 60 days, HWAC reserves the right to declare the merchandise forfeited. This forfeiture will result in the merchandise becoming the property of HWAC and the successful bidder shall have no claim to or rights over the forfeited merchandise.
24. CONDITION: We strongly recommend that you attend the live preview to see lots in their entirety. Conditions are not always noted, and large lots may not be itemized due to catalog restraints. For questions, detailed information, or additional images of any lot please contact our office at 775-851-1859. Bidders are responsible for understanding the condition of items. Conditions noted are subjective, and may differ person to person. High resolution images of all items are available online for inspection. HWAC is not responsible for condition discrepancies; it is the bidders responsibility to determine condition prior to bidding.
25. RETURN POLICY: All items are guaranteed to be authentic unless otherwise noted. If authenticity is challenged, please call our office for assistance. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. You may only return any piece that was significantly inaccurately described by calling our office within 10 days of receipt of item(s) and notifying us of the error and reason for return. We do not refund postage or insurance. Please call us if you require a more specific condition report. Any items that are returned must be returned in the exact, unaltered condition. When we receive your bids we will assume you have read the description in the catalog, viewed the image of the item, have contacted us regarding any questions you may have on any lot and/or have previewed the lot in person.
26. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada.
27. HWAC shall not be held responsible for any problem due to the bidder’s failure to follow the rules, terms and conditions of this sale, or any failure to bid due to the loss of the online auction process provided by any of the online auction networks; or missed bids, changed bids or cancelled due the bidder’s failure to follow the proper bidding procedure outlined herein.
28. By placing a bid or otherwise participating in the auction, Bidder accepts these Terms and Conditions, and specifically agrees to the dispute resolution provided herein.
29. HWAC shall not be responsible for consequential damages, incidental damages, compensatory damages, or any other damages arising or claimed to be arising from the auction on any lot. Bidder’s sole remedy for any proven act or omission shall be rescission of sale and refund of the amount paid by Bidder.
30. Any claim, dispute, or controversy in connection with, relating to and/or arising out of the Auction, participation in the Auction, award of lots, damages of claims to lots, descriptions, condition reports, provenance, estimates, return and warranty rights, any interpretation of these Terms and Conditions, any alleged verbal modification of these Terms and Conditions and/or any purported settlement shall be exclusively heard by, and the parties consent to exclusive in personal jurisdiction of, the Superior Court of Washoe County, Nevada. The parties expressly waive any right to trial by jury. Any claim must be brought within one (1) year of the auction from which the claim arose or the claim is waived. In every case, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorney’s fees and costs.