Dynamite, Guns, and Gold

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.
If you want to view an enlarged image, click on the thumbnail image in the lower left of the main image.
You can download a higher resolution image by clicking on the title below the enlarged image.
If a Coin is certified(NGC, NCS, PCGS) the coins may not be as sharp or the edges may appear distorted or damaged. If you have any questions contact me.
You can request extra images to be added by contacting HWAC at uwe@fhwac.com or by calling 775-851-1859
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Bradford & Hill Drug Bottle2559 - Bradford & Hill Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Bradford & Hill, Druggists. 1884-1886 only. Clear, mint, but minor inside stain. 5.25". Little is known of this firm and more research is n...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to o******s for (85.00 + 17.85BP) = 102.85
 
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Red Cross Pharmacy Drug Bottle2560 - Red Cross Pharmacy Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Red Cross Pharmacy, clear, light purple, 4.85" tall, sparkling mint. Pictorial with a Red Cross symbol. Little is known of this pharmacy. More ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
Sold to S*********m for (20.00 + 4.80BP) = 24.80
 
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Silas Canfield Drug Bottle2561 - Silas Canfield Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
At R4, this is a rare Leadville Drug bottle. c1888-1889 only. 6.1" tall, clear, mint. Tiny base wear at the front bottom. Silas Canfield was on...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to o******s for (150.00 + 31.50BP) = 181.50
 
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Taylor & Allen Drug Bottle2562 - Taylor & Allen Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Light purple, mint 5.15" tall. R3. Geoge E. Taylor and John W. Allen had their store at 202 Harrison Street, the wide main street seen in Leadv...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to F****e for (55.00 + 11.55BP) = 66.55
 
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St. Luke's Hospital Drug Bottle2563 - St. Luke's Hospital Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
St. Luke's Hospital bottle, c 1884-1915. Clear, mint. 5.4" tall. This is one of the few western drug bottles that is hospital specific. Mo...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
Sold to S*********m for (20.00 + 4.80BP) = 24.80
 
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Kostitch Drug Bottle2564 - Kostitch Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
One of the earliest known Leadville drug bottles, S.T.Kostitch started his drug business in Leadville in 1879. Stephen Kostitch moved to HArrison stre
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
Sold to c*********p for (25.00 + 6.00BP) = 31.00
 
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Kolsch Drug Bottle2565 - Kolsch Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
This is an unlisted variety with a starburst base. Julius Kolsch and two other family members worked at this drug store as registered pharmacists. No
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
Sold to f*****E for (15.00 + 3.60BP) = 18.60
 
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Uhland Drug Bottle2566 - Uhland Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
This small, 3.6" drug bottle in mint condition was used between 1882-1886. Their store was at the corner of 5th and Poplar streets. State:Col...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to i*********1 for (85.00 + 20.40BP) = 105.40
 
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J.S. Miller & Co.  Drug Bottle2567 - J.S. Miller & Co. Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
This fancy embossed bottle is 4.75" tall, clear and mint. Jay Miller was one of several Leadville druggists to get their start in Leadville in ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to f*****E for (30.00 + 7.20BP) = 37.20
 
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Macke Drug Bottle2568 - Macke Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Fred J. Macke got his start in Leadville in 1881 during the big silver rush where production reached $20.5 million. This was an explosion of silver pr
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to l**********5 for (50.00 + 12.00BP) = 62.00
 
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Stewart Noble Drug Bottle2569 - Stewart Noble Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
At R-5, this os one of the rarest Leadville drug bottles. Clear, mint, 5.75" tall. This is a "late" embossed drug bottle, which Prebl...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to o******s for (160.00 + 33.60BP) = 193.60
 
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Pictorial Miller Drug Bottle2570 - Pictorial Miller Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
J.S. Miller Druggist with the graduated cylinder as a vignette at left. Clear, mint, 5" tall. This pictorial Miller drug bottle is a typical mi...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to o******s for (40.00 + 8.40BP) = 48.40
 
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Taylor & Brother Drug Bottle2571 - Taylor & Brother Drug Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
One of the earliest Leadville embossed drug bottles. 1879. Clear, clean and mint, 6.5" tall. R.T. Taylor moved to Leadville in 1879 after worki...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to i*********1 for (85.00 + 20.40BP) = 105.40
 
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Arkansas Valley Smelting Co. Embossed Bottle2572 - Arkansas Valley Smelting Co. Embossed Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Not listed in Preble, probably because the contents were unknown, thus no category to place it in. Probably held a key chemical for the assay business
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to o******s for (110.00 + 23.10BP) = 133.10
 
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McDonald Hutch Soda2573 - McDonald Hutch Soda
Holabird Western Americana Collections
J. McDonald, Leadville Hutch soda in Tombstone slug plate. Clear, wont turn purple, clean, generally sparkling. Only minor surface abrasion. A beauty.
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
 
 
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Three Different Schmidt Soda Bottles2574 - Three Different Schmidt Soda Bottles
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Every year in Leadville, dozens of diggers flock to the old dumps in search of tokens and bottles. I've seen hundreds of drug bottles and dozens...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to s*********1 for (90.00 + 18.90BP) = 108.90
 
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Trinidad Colorado Hutch Soda2575 - Trinidad Colorado Hutch Soda
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Standard Bottling and Extract Company, Trinidad Colorado. Preble S306. Tooled top. Clear, light purple, some minor stain, never professionally cleaned
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to f*****E for (40.00 + 9.60BP) = 49.60
 
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H. UMBACH & CO. Pictorial Soda Bottle2576 - H. UMBACH & CO. Pictorial Soda Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Spectacular teal green Umbach bottle with the full face flag and eagle on the reverse. Applied top, no pontil. X-Harmer Rooke from the 1980's. A...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 250.00 | Estimate : 500.00 - 900.00
 
 
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GEO. GEMENDEN Pictorial Soda Bottle2577 - GEO. GEMENDEN Pictorial Soda Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Classic Gemenden applied top soda with the flag and eagle reverse. small chip on base at small bubble burst, pontil. Deep green. State:Georgia Ci
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 700.00
Sold to t*****4 for (200.00 + 48.00BP) = 248.00
 
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Bludwine Soda Bottle2578 - Bludwine Soda Bottle
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Rare Bludwine "For Your Health's Sake". In 1894 Henry C. Anderson of Watkinsville, Georgia began developing a formula for a cherry fla...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
 
 
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