SOLD
12,500.00USD+ (3,125.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2018 Jun 23 @ 10:54UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All shipping is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer will be reinvoiced for the balance due. Items are not shipped until the invoice is completely paid. Many buyers purchase a number of lots. Every effort will be made to include all lots in a single shipping charge calculated to cover the weight and size of the package(s). NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require sp...
Detailed PDF of Dayton Consolidated Mineral Collection
The Consolidated Virginia Mine and Company was one of the richest and best-known companies in the Comstock Mining District of Nevada. It produced upwards of $30 million in gold and silver. The company lasted well into the 1940s.
While the history of the old company is well known, their march into the early 20th century is not.
The company was reincorporated in 1904 and continued to produce gold and silver up into and after World War II. In 1916, the company and their “partners,” the Ophir and Mexican Mines, produced about $500,000. Herman Zadig was president. By 1931, Zeb Kendall was president with Roy Hardy acting as superintendent. Kendall also ran the Ophir and Mexican partner companies. In 1921, the production was $4,346,000 from the Con-Virginia alone. Production scaled back the next year, and the company planned a cyanide plant in 1929.
Dayton Consolidated was formed in 1933, and two years later the company took over the Mexican and Ophir operations. By 1936 they had begun to acquire more mine properties on the Comstock. They had a 200-ton cyanide mill at Silver City, which in 1936 produced about 55,000 tons from the Gold Hill properties. In 1937, Zeb Kendall was still president, and W.J. Henley was vice president.
The Con-Virginia of the 1930s ran their own ore, and while the Dayton Consolidated started that way, with the weak economic times, Dayton Consolidated considered operating as a “custom” mill, a term for ore-milling facilities that processed material from different mining companies.
During the late 1930s, the United States was coming out of a deep depression. Jobs were needed. Cash was needed. As many mining men began to extract good ore from around the Western US, they needed a place to process their ore, and the Dayton Consolidated mill fit their needs perfectly.
By World War II, with Zeb Kendall still president and W.J. Henley as secretary, the Con-Virginia used a 150-ton-per-day flotation mill in Virginia City. Dayton Consolidated, meanwhile, was run by Kendall as superintendent. They had two mills – a 200-ton cyanide plant in Silver City and a 200-ton flotation-cyanide plant.
The two companies were very closely intertwined, with Zeb Kendall at the helm. Zeb’s son Bob went to school in Virginia City, which for a time was a mining school. Bob later went on to become the president of one of the world’s most profitable mining companies, US Borax. Bob Kendall was a good personal friend of mine for the last approximately fifteen years of his life, and he was kind enough to share many family mining stories and show me the key locations along the Comstock.
Just after World War II, Zeb and Bob had an idea for an open pit on the Comstock. They subsequently mined the surface ores at the Ophir and Mexican, right over the original Ophir shaft above A Street in Virginia City, where today the 1,200-foot-long and perhaps 80-foot-deep pit still sits. You can see the original 1860 Ophir Mine map – drawn in black ink on linen – at the Fourth Ward School Museum in Virginia City.
Along the way, the family of W.J. Henley inherited the Con-Virginia archive. I was shown the collection in about 1981. I sold off several thousand checks, including the elusive purple Nevada RN from the Chollar-Potosi, acquired key books from the company library, and ultimately wound up with this ore specimen collection. By then the company archive of maps had been disbursed, many to other family members or to the Sutro Tunnel Company.
Contents of the Collection
The Collection is perhaps best described as a two-company collection, the Con-Virginia and Dayton Consolidated. With both companies run by Kendall, the works sort of merge together. It includes over 250 numbered and identified specimens with locations, and it is unique because the samples are contained in two forms – small hand samples, all of which were kept in Giant-brand Blasting Cap Tins with hand-written labels from various mines or locations – and a matching sample of crushed rock (1/4”-minus) carefully placed into 3.5” tall, half-ounce, glass drug bottles made by Owens Duraglass. These bottles are displayed in sixteen custom-made wooden racks, twenty-one bottles per rack. The only incomplete portions of the collection are because of broken bottles or labels lost over time. No part has been separated since it was acquired.
The Con-Virginia Dayton Consolidated Ore Specimen Collection is nothing short of phenomenal. It contains samples of high-grade ores – often with visible gold – for nearly every important mine on the Comstock. Of particular note is specimen 111, labeled “Kossuth Lyon County, Nev” which comes from the site of the Grosh Brothers’ 1850s, pre-Comstock-era placer gold discovery in what would later become known as Gold Canyon. Other gold districts are also represented in the collection including Bullfrog, Willard, Midas, Ione, etc. Gold-bearing specimens from Garden Valley, California, show strong native gold. Major silver deposits are also well represented – especially those in production after 1920 – such as the Kelly Mine at Randsburg and the Darwin mines in California.
The Collection is not limited to precious metals. Major tungsten mines are also represented, including Atolia and Pine Creek in California and deposits in Nevada such as Rawhide and Sutton. Major copper deposits, such as Ludwig and Yerington, are included. There are mercury ores from the Opalite District around McDermitt in northern Nevada, as well as specimens of antimony, arsenic, lead, zinc, strontium, chromium, vanadium, manganese, molybdenum, and even uranium – many from well-known, classic mining operations of that era. The collection also has samples of non-metallic, industrial minerals such as sulfur, bentonite, magnesite, perlite, mica, fluorspar, chalk, diatomaceous earth, and asbestos. There are even a few specimens of petrified wood, calcite, turquoise, amethyst, prasiolite, chrysocolla, rose quartz, “Nevada Jade,” and “Nevada Black Diamonds” (obsidian).
Among the incredibly important Comstock specimens is one labeled “Amalgam” – an agglomerated blob of silvery material, which was recorded as being found in a creek bed near the Keystone Mine near Gold Hill in the Comstock District. It would be a unique specimen in any collection, as it records a point in history when the precious metal ores of the Comstock, and countless other districts around the world, were critically dependent on the use of mercury to recover gold and silver from crushed ores, leaving a lasting environmental legacy.
The Con-Virginia Dayton Consolidated Ore Specimen Collection is probably the last of the great mining company specimen collections known to exist in its entirety, and it represents a snapshot in time of the important mining commodities and locations of its day. Whoever assembled it – probably Zeb Kendall – and whenever it was completed (c1940) it is evident today that great care was taken to preserve and present this history for posterity.
The Con-Virginia Dayton Consolidated Ore Specimen Collection will be offered at a starting price of $12,500. A fully detailed, 25-page inventory is available.
Location: Virginia City, Nevada HWAC# 75276
Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 309, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview will be at our Auction Location,
3555 Airway Drive Suite 309
Reno, NV 89511
on Thursday, June 21st, from 9:00 am to 5:00pm or by appointment.
Please call 775-851-1859
Nevada State Sales Tax
Taxes:
Tax | Rate | Desc. |
NSST |
8.265% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
Additional Fees:
Fee | Amount | Applicable Locations | Applied To |
Handling |
5.00
|
Not Applicable
|
This fee applies to the total of the invoice
|
Shipping Details:
SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All shipping is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer will be reinvoiced for the balance due. Items are not shipped until the invoice is completely paid. Many buyers purchase a number of lots. Every effort will be made to include all lots in a single shipping charge calculated to cover the weight and size of the package(s). NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require special handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice. The buyer is responsible for arranging and paying for shipment of large or special items. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal Express or USPS will be insured for the full value determined at auction by HWAC, which is included in our buyer’s premium. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction.
Large, heavy or fragile items will incur extra shipping charge. After initial payment we will pack your shipment and print shipping label. We will then re-invoice you for any additional charges.
Please consider extra costs of shipping and handling charges when you make your purchases.
We encourage you to pick up items after the auction. Many items may require special handling and would incur additional handling and shipping costs way beyond those anticipated.
Payment Details:
Due on receipt of invoice.
If paying by Credit Card please call our office at 775-851-1859 to arrange payment.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
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- AMEX
- Discover
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- Check/Cheque
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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 or 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, gold nuggets. Mineral specimens are not considered under the precious metals category. Commemorative items such as metals and ribbons are not considered coins or 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 will apply, according to Nevada State law, for any items that ship to or are picked up in Washoe County, Nevada (8.265%) unless a current, valid resale certificate is faxed to us at 775-851-1834 before bids are placed.
5. SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All shipping and handling is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer will be re-invoiced for the balance due. Items are not shipped until the invoice is completely paid. Many buyers purchase a number of lots. Every effort will be made to include all lots in a single shipping charge calculated to cover the weight and size of the package(s). NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require special handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice. The buyer is responsible for arranging and paying for shipment of large or special items. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal Express or USPS will be insured for the full value determined at auction by HWAC, which is included in our buyer’s premium. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction.
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 200 lots per hour. An item is not sold until the next lot is announced. (We cannot be 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 requests 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 are considered no-bids. Bids made in amounts that do not conform to the bid increment table in item 8 below 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 for those bidding via the Internet. 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. Gold is generally reserved at or near spot, though it could be slightly below spot.
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.
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: Shipping charges will be added to all invoices. 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 Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Money Order/Cashier’s Check, Personal Check or PayPal. Customers wishing to pay by check or money order MUST contact our office for an invoice total before sending payment 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. SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All invoices are subject to a minimum shipping and handling charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer will be re-invoiced for the balance due. Items are not shipped until the invoice is completely paid. Many buyers purchase a number of lots. Every effort will be made to include all lots in a single shipping charge calculated to cover the weight and size of the package(s). NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require special handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice. The buyer is responsible for arranging and paying for shipment of large or special items. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal Express or USPS will be insured for the full value determined at auction by HWAC, which is included in our buyer’s premium. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction.
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 and may be barred from participating in future Holabird Western Americana auctions.
23. 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 in the opinion of different people or collectors.
24. 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.
25. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. 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.