December Dreams Premier Auction: Western Americana, Mining, & Numismatics (December 2021)

Auction CurrencyUSD Auction Location3555 Airway Drive Suite 309, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States In Person PreviewPreview

Auction Details

Welcome to our "December Dreams" Premier Auction, our final sale of 2021!

December Sale Highlights
This December Sale includes many highlighted collections, including parts of the Ken Prag Postcard Collection, Bill McKivor Token and Medal Collection, MacKenzie Montana Collection, and the Ron Lerch Western Directory Collection, all supplemented by some world-class great rarities from other private collections nationwide.

Fresh to the market is the Ron Lerch Collection of Western Directories. The collection numbers nearly 700 different directories, and here are presented about 200 directories as the first part of this major historic and all-important reference material collection, picked somewhat randomly from the collection. Most of the Western states have several directories offered in this first sale. Some of the key pieces in the December sale are the two very rare San Francisco Chinese business directories, as well as a number of very rare county directories of the nineteenth century. Directories are considered “primary source” material, and as such are essential in aspects of historical research. Few of the directories in the Lerch Collection have been digitized (with the Langley’s San Francisco an obvious exception).

Yes, the Prag Collection keeps on giving! This sale contains about 500 lots of postcards, but the majority, perhaps 350 lots, are from California. This large group offers some of the best and rarest postcards we’ve offered yet, from Pioneer cards (Private Mailing Cards, c1898-1902) to rare artists and themes, such as Disney (1930s cards) and the Titanic (both pre-sinking and post sinking from 1912).

Within these two massive collections is a common theme: Hawaii. The Prag Collection offers about 40 lots of vintage Hawaii postcards, and there are about 7 Hawaiian directories from the Lerch Collection.

Antiquarian photography is another key category for collectors, including many historic and possibly unique western stereo-view cards and photographs, and an absolutely fabulous Ansel Adams original photograph group from his Yosemite Series (all signed), highlighted by “Moon over El Capitan”, print No. 10, considered by many as one of his greatest photographs.

As always, we have a strong Native Americana section, with baskets (more coming in the next sale), jewelry and art. Speaking of Art, we have three early Salvador Dali signed lithographic prints, and a rather wonderful group of Japanese wood block and lithograph prints, many with original signatures.

The MacKenzie Montana Collection continues, with several hundred lots of historical Montana documents and ephemera.

The Railroad and Mining sections contain selections from several private collections with a number of rarities. This sale features premier California Gold Rush and Nevada Territory mining collections!

Our Numismatics section includes a collection of So-Called Dollars and new offerings from the Bill McKivor Nevada token and world-medal collection, not to be missed!

Make sure to use the Keyword search tool to find items in your collecting areas across the three auction days. As usual, our team is happy and ready to answer questions.

And please send us those great collections for 2022! Yours could be the next world record!

--Fred Holabird & Team--


Auction Schedule

Day 1, Friday, December 17th, 2021, Lots 1000-1610
Philatelic (1000-1527)
Military, Political, & Firearms (1528-1558)
Gaming (1559-1577)
Model Railroad & Toys (1578-1610)

Day 2, Saturday, December 18th, 2021, Lots 2000-2683
Books feat. Ron Lerch Directory Collection, Part I (2000-2229)
Mining Artifacts & Ephemera (2230-2363)
Stock Certificates & Bonds (2364-2683)
Mining (2364-2551)
Railroad (2552-2624)
Miscellaneous (2625-2683)

Day 3, Sunday, December 19th, 2021, Lots 3000-3614
Native Americana (3000-3044)
Art feat. Ansel Adams (3045-3087)
General Americana (3088-3388)
Geographically Sorted
Misc. Categories incl. Coffee Mill Collection
Numismatics (3389-3613)
Coins & Currency (3389-3397)
Medals & So-Called Dollars (3398-3447)
Tokens feat. Bill McKivor Nevada Tokens, Part II (3448-3614)
SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. Shipping and handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing as it is based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping and handling costs, if required, 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.SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size a...
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Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Arizona Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1884 [14302200 - Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Arizona Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1884 [1430
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Arizona Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1884-5. R. L. Polk and A. C. Danser. 891pp with full busine
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 1,000.00 - 2,500.00
Sold to 8***0 for (950.00 + 237.50BP) = 1,187.50
 
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Bradstreet's Commercial Reports ... Western and Southern States, 1871 [143058]2201 - Bradstreet's Commercial Reports ... Western and Southern States, 1871 [143058]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Very Rare Bradstreets for the Western and Southern States, published by Bradstreet, new York, January 1871 (thus 1870 data). An incredible research to
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 900.00
Sold to f*****E for (160.00 + 0.00BP) = 160.00
 
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1895 Bradstreet Commercial Report, Western U. S.  [142703]2202 - 1895 Bradstreet Commercial Report, Western U. S. [142703]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Arizona. From large cities (San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles) to small towns (Ross, Glenn...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 600.00
Sold to 6*****b for (1,200.00 + 264.00BP) = 1,464.00
 
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Bradstreet's Commercial ratings... Portion of the United States... Western States, 1908 [143059]2203 - Bradstreet's Commercial ratings... Portion of the United States... Western States, 1908 [143059]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Bradstreet's Commercial ratings... Portion of the United States... Western States, 1908. This volume has all the western states, unlike the 1871...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 800.00
Sold to 6*****b for (1,000.00 + 220.00BP) = 1,220.00
 
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Bradstreet's Book of Commercial Ratings, 1932 Vol. 256 w/ Map! [142964]2204 - Bradstreet's Book of Commercial Ratings, 1932 Vol. 256 w/ Map! [142964]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Bradstreet's Book of Commercial Ratings of Bankers, Merchants, Manufacturers, etc. in the United States and the Dominion of Canada Volume 256 - ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to 6*****b for (300.00 + 66.00BP) = 366.00
 
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Bradstreet's Book of Commercial Ratings, 1933 Vol. 263 [142963]2205 - Bradstreet's Book of Commercial Ratings, 1933 Vol. 263 [142963]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Bradstreet's Book of Commercial Ratings of Bankers, Merchants, Manufacturers, etc. in the United States and the Dominion of Canada Volume 263 - ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 160.00 - 320.00
Sold to C*****r for (80.00 + 17.60BP) = 97.60
 
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1899 Bullinger's Postal and Shippers Guide [142719]2206 - 1899 Bullinger's Postal and Shippers Guide [142719]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Index of advertisements. Wells Fargo direct lines to Mexico, how to ship, Postage within country and our of country, ports and places in Asia, etc. Li
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 300.00
Sold to 6*****b for (150.00 + 33.00BP) = 183.00
 
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1907 & 1911 Mercantile Agency Postal Shipper Guide [142720]2207 - 1907 & 1911 Mercantile Agency Postal Shipper Guide [142720]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of two. Lists town, counties, states with railroad and express information, Also mentions water routes. One book in good condition and one fair. A
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 140.00 - 300.00
Sold to 6*****b for (1,300.00 + 286.00BP) = 1,586.00
 
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1908 Pacific Coast Mercantile Agency [142722]2208 - 1908 Pacific Coast Mercantile Agency [142722]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
May 1908. Find places like Bodie (JS Cain), Silver City (Idaho, Hasting Saloon), Jennings (general merchandise, Montana), Rawhide (Baker Saloon, Nevad
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 600.00
Sold to C*****r for (850.00 + 187.00BP) = 1,037.00
 
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1914 Walter's Legal Directory [142691]2209 - 1914 Walter's Legal Directory [142691]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lists attorneys in various cities in the states. The most interesting part of this is a cypher code: Cabin-Not paid or Bannister-gone into liquidation
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to J****1 for (55.00 + 13.75BP) = 68.75
 
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