Auction Details
April auction
Highlights
1. The Great American Mining Collection
a. Miners Candlesticks. About 300 different. This is easily the finest public offering of uniquely American historic miners candlesticks in history. The sheer volume of the offering is sure to stimulate new collectors in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The material is organized roughly around Wilson-Bobrink, the breakthrough reference for miners candlesticks. You’ll find new discoveries, personalized sticks and expanded discussion regarding manufactured sticks.
b. Mine Carbide Collectibles. The Collection is so massive that we’ve split it into two parts, with the second part coming in June. The development of the acetylene lamps was a scientific breakthrough for the mining industry. The April sale has many tidbits for the collection, including some large hand held lamps and a sampling of other lamps. The June sale has the majority of the Superintendent style hand/hanging lamps and the cap lamps. The collections of carbide/acetylene devices number in excess of one thousand pieces, all different.
c. Miner’s Safety Lamps. This historic invention created generations of scientific devices used for the all-important gas detection. The Collection has 90 different safety lamps. Most will be offered in June.
d. Miner’s Oil wick lamps, hundreds, all different. A large collection of these coal region lamps, they will be offered in June.
e. Other underground mine lighting devices – a vast collection of foreign lamps
f. Wood Blasting and Candle boxes. There is a wonderful collection of these very “showy” collectibles. The variety of the collection is excellent, from explosives boxes to cap boxes to candle boxes. The variety in size is notable too, with a number of the smaller 25 pound boxes. There are at least 50- a sizable collection. A few will be in the June sale, but most in April.
g. Blasting cap tin collection. A significant collection that has singles as well as original boxes full. Easily over 100 blasting cap tin boxes.
h. Mine bell signal signs and other mining enamel signs. A Collection you won’t want to forget. This collection has a wide variety of not only western mines, but international mine signs. The individual state mine bell signal signs are the clear highlight.
i. Mining equipment Patent models -three of them, nineteenth century
2. Antique Bottle Collections
a. Arizona Collection. A wide variety of medicines, sodas and milk bottles
b. Small Nevada Collection. The April sale has some rare Nevada items, with more coming in June.
c. Major Western Whiskey Flask Collection. This collection is slated for June.
d. Great Rarities of Western Whiskies. The April sale offers some outstanding rarities not usually seen at any auction gallery. These are sure to excite the advanced collectors.
e. Colorful antique bottles. It seems we always have submittals of beautiful antique bottles. We’ve got a section in every sale.
f. Leadville, Colorado Collection. A collection of medicines and soda bottles. This one is different – nearly every specimen is dead mint. Watch for the Colorado whiskies coming in June!
3. Postal History and Wells Fargo Express- a large collection of widely varied material. A section we always have, a popular colleting category.
4. Gold
a. Nuggets from Western Sites
b. High grade visible gold in ore specimens from major Nevada mining districts such as Austin and Tuscarora.
c. Jewelry and watches. A collection of pocket watches, gold and Native America jewelry. Diamond jewelry too.
5. Coins, Currency – Numismatics
a. Important 1860’s Unionville silver ingot, a discovery piece
b. Major Morgan Dollar Collection, including varieties
c. US coins, including gold
d. US $20 Gold Note, AU
e. Hundreds of US Proof and Mint sets
f. Fun US currency collectible lots
g. Rare So-Called dollars and gaming items
h. Tokens- great variety of national interest
6. Toys
a. Trains. HO sets, more than 60 engines
b. Hot Wheels. Hundreds of cars.
c. Military toy planes, boats, etc.
d. Original boxed models
7. Documents
a. Mining stocks, some great material
b. Rare western maps
c. V&T RR Document Collection- a beauty
d. Lots of other key pieces
8. Firearms- More than 100 antique firearms. A wide variety of collectible firearms including rarities.
9. Militaria. A nice collection of maybe 100+ pieces coming in June.
a. Swords. A couple dozen
b. Helmets. Dozens
10. Cowboy
a. Great spurs, including silver inlay Garcia
11. Western Research- Key books – a dozen rare western directories, etc.
More Coming In June or Later:
1. A great Western Antique Bottle Collection- considering having a sale in conjunction with the Reno Show in June.
2. Swords- Katana Collection, about 800 different, one of the best collections in America. Watch for an important separate auction!
3. More from the Great American Mining Collection, Carbide lamps, part 2; and Oil wick Lamps
4. The Appalachian Gold Belt Collection- America’s First Gold Discoveries, 1828- the finest collection of documents in private hands. Watch for a stand-alone sale here. We are negotiating venues now.
5. A special offering of mining properties in Colorado. The fee-simple patented claims are in a major gold district, where current exploration is just getting going. Some properties in this district have also produced great gold specimens for the collectors.
If you have collections that might fit into our upcoming sales, please be sure to contact us - we will be traveling to pick up collections for the next 2 months in California, Arizona, Montana and Colorado, with a possible trip to the New York-Boston area later in the year as well.