Sizzling Summer Western Americana Auction (August 2021)

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

Auction Details

Welcome to our August 2021 sale, the "Sizzling Summer Western Americana Auction!"

Our August sale is full of “hot stuff” across the board, and features some of the best collections in their genre offered publicly in a long time.

*The “California” Collection of Native American Jewelry*
The California Native American jewelry collection includes nearly 400 lots of fine, artistic silver and turquoise jewelry from a major collection.

The group of Native American jewelry presented by Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, is from the collection of a long time California collector. Collecting over several decades, the collection features some incredible pieces—the main part of the collection is represented by bolos from Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico. There are also necklaces, bracelets, rings, belt buckles, and brooches. Much of this jewelry collection is “museum worthy art.”

The Zuni people are famous for their inlay—both mosaic inlay and channel inlay. The Zuni petit-point and needlepoint work in stones is just as well-known. The collection focuses on pieces from c1940s-60s. Some Zuni artists represented are: Dan Simplicio, Leo Poblano, Lambert Homer Sr., the Edaakies, Frank Vacit, Dexter Cellicion, Myra Tucson, Elliot Qualo, Annie Quam Gasper, Alonzo and Helen Hustito, Velma Lesansee, Horace Ilue, and many others. Most of the jewelry made before 1970 was not hallmarked. We have named the artists of each piece whenever possible, however, some are “attributed to,” and others we were unable to identify.

Many of the artists are presented in the books by Toshio Sei, published by Schiffer. Toshio Sei began collecting Zuni jewelry in 1993 and has written several books on the various forms of Zuni jewelry. Besides presenting the artists, he has done much research and gives detailed analyses that explain connections of artists and styles, thus giving us history and meanings for the pieces of jewelry. A number of the pieces offered here are illustrated in his books.

The “California” collection also includes jewelry from the Navajo, Santo Domingo Pueblo, and the Hopi. You will find amazing pieces of jewelry from all of these Native people and will have a difficult decision deciding on those to choose for your own collections!

For Western bolo tie collectors, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, with the largest sale of its kind ever held.

*The Western Collections*
We received two major collections containing outstanding items--both for their visual appeal and historical importance.

The first centers around Arizona and Colorado ephemera (19th century photos and documents) related to major mining camps, supplemented by gorgeous oil paintings of Native American and Western scenes by Douglas Rosa. One of our favorites from this collection is a framed photo of Tombstone prostitute “Amelia” (in classic prostitute attire) with her business license.

The second Western collection includes incredible military items (highlighted below), rare Western postcards, and a fantastic library including rare firearms references.

*Militaria*
This section is phenomenal, highlighted by George Armstrong Custer’s holster and gun belt, which is accompanied by a long history. Added to this is a major collection related to the Mexican War and Pancho Villa, including a photo-diary by Arizona photographer Walter Horne. Of great interest will be the associated collections from the Prag Collection and others, rounding out a phenomenal section on the Civil War, Spanish American War, and both World Wars.

For the Firearm collector is a large library of historical books on guns, hunting and related, with some of the all-time key references. These complement a large collection of rare books. Exploration researchers will love the Arctic Exploration library and other early works on Western exploration.

*Ken Prag Collection*
Wow! There are three distinct parts of his collection in this sale: ephemera, postcards, and stocks.

First and foremost, most or all of the material is from his unsorted acquisitions for decades. We found amazing items here. Like the Bodie & Bridgeport Telegraph archive with a message about a failed robbery of the SF mint right after the earthquake!

There is a wealth of paper ephemera, particularly from California. The postcards (over 500 lots) are stunning, and among the best offered so far, with exceptionally rare views in both RPC and printed format. Large collections include California (incl. Tahoe and Yosemite) and Hawaii. Nearly every lot has great cards, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity. Pioneer cards? Hundreds of them. One of the sections we had the most fun with is the gaming section--postcards with a gaming or playing card theme. This collection is now in about 20 lots, comprised of hundreds of cards.

*Numismatics*
A large offering of foreign and US coins, medals, counters, and other exonumia. Includes a C. Bechtler Dollar; Carson City Mint morgans; a fantasy Wells Fargo & Co. Express, Goldfield Iron Strongbox; and a large selection of California and Western tokens and Good For mirrors (ex. Ron Lerch Collection).

*Other Highlights*
Stocks and Bonds: Another fantastic selection from
perhaps a dozen collections. Features rare Arizona pieces and foreign mining stocks from the Prag Collection.

Railroadiana: Another great batch of railroad passes from an incredible Western collection we have been selling over the past year and a half. Also, a rare Colorado railroad section, and a collection of Virginia & Truckee Railroad ephemera from the Prag Collection.


Auction Schedule

Day 1, Thursday, August 5th, 2021, Lots 1000-1605
*General Americana (Lots 1000-1605)
Geographic Sort (1000-1251)
World’s Fair & Expositions (1252-1286)
Gaming (1287-1311)
Bottles & Saloon (1312-1342)
Marbles & Toys (1343-1365)
Jewelry (1366-1421)
Clothing (1422-1452)
Music (1453-1465)
Miscellaneous incl. Photos, Furnishings, Ephemera (1466-1605)

Day 2, Friday, August 6th, 2021, Lots 2000-2596
*Transportation (2000-2153)
Railroad (2000-2119)
Aviation & Automobile (2120-2153)
*Philatelic (2154-2596)
Stamps & Covers (2154-2175)
Postcards (2176-2596)

Day 3, Saturday, August 7th, 2021, Lots 3000-3606
*Native Americana (3000-3387)
Jewelry (3000-3271)
Artifacts, Art, Baskets, Pottery (3272-3315)
Ephemera incl. Rare Photographs, Postcards, & Books (3316-3387)
*Military incl. Custer and Pancho Villa Collections (3388-3514)
Chronologically Sorted (Civil War, Spanish American, WWI, WWII, etc)
*Political (3515-3535)
*Firearms feat. Firearms & Weaponry Historical Books (3536-3606)

Day 4, Sunday, August 8th, 2021, Lots 4000-4606
*Cowboy & Western (4000-4040)
*Art (4041-4105)
*Mining (4106-4189)
*Stocks & Bonds (4190-4310)
*Numismatics (4311-4505)
*Tokens (4506-4606)

Day 5, Monday, August 9th, 2021, Lots 5000-5583
*General Books (5000-5072)
*Bargains & Dealer Specials (5073-5583)
General Americana (5073-5189)
Philatelic (5190-5408)
Stocks & Bonds (5409-5479)
Numismatics incl. Dies, Coins, Counters, & Tokens (5480-5583)
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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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Ephemera Collection  [132618]2100 - Virginia & Truckee Railroad Ephemera Collection [132618]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Ten pieces of Virginia and Truckee Railroad ephemera. Ticket, employee pass, billheads, shipping orders. 1870s-1880s. Date: Country (if not USA):
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to b*******n for (90.00 + 22.50BP) = 112.50
 
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Virginia & Truckee Railroad, Douglas County Creamery Shipping Archive  [135271]2101 - Virginia & Truckee Railroad, Douglas County Creamery Shipping Archive [135271]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of 60+ V&T shipping receipts for the Douglas County Creamery, 1899-1908. Shipped lumber, butter boxes, pipes, etc. 4.5 x 7.25" This com...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to d*******f for (60.00 + 15.00BP) = 75.00
 
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Railroads of Nevada, 2 Volumes, Mint  [135036]2102 - Railroads of Nevada, 2 Volumes, Mint [135036]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
First edition of Railroads of Nevada 1962 by Myrick, with original dust covers in dead mint condition. Date: Country (if not USA): State: Nevada
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 250.00
Sold to r**4 for (100.00 + 25.00BP) = 125.00
 
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Ithaca Street Railway Co. Ephemera (Billheads & Checks)  [135252]2103 - Ithaca Street Railway Co. Ephemera (Billheads & Checks) [135252]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of 13 invoices/vouchers/billheads with pictorial checks attached. Two checks have imprinted revenues, 1899, RN-X. Issued 1899-1903. For bills from
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to d*******f for (40.00 + 10.00BP) = 50.00
 
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Tintypes of Railroad Employees  [134184]2104 - Tintypes of Railroad Employees [134184]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of 2 different. 1) One shows a man sitting down in uniform, with "LIRR" visible on his shoulder. We believe this to be Long Island Rai...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
 
 
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New York & New Haven RR Padlock  [137050]2105 - New York & New Haven RR Padlock [137050]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
A wonderful working padlock and key from the New York & New Haven Railroad (1849-1872). This is a 3"x 4" lock with a bold embossment o...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
Sold to r**y for (150.00 + 37.50BP) = 187.50
 
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Munly Creek Railway Company Letterhead Group, 1881  [137421]2106 - Munly Creek Railway Company Letterhead Group, 1881 [137421]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Group of 22 letterheads involving the Munly Creek Railway in Hughsville, Lycoming County PA. This is an important group because of the variety of lett
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to l*******c for (160.00 + 40.00BP) = 200.00
 
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Pennsylvania Railroad Train Mans Hat   [136660]2107 - Pennsylvania Railroad Train Mans Hat [136660]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
with multi color die struck hat badge Date: Country (if not USA): State: Pennsylvania City: Provenance:
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to d*******f for (140.00 + 35.00BP) = 175.00
 
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Railroad Property Leases from Pennsylvania - 18 Items  [135630]2108 - Railroad Property Leases from Pennsylvania - 18 Items [135630]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
These are all leases for property immediately next to the tracks of various railroads in Pennsylvania. What is remarkable for these leases, they all s
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to L******8 for (100.00 + 22.00BP) = 122.00
 
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Album of the Union Pacific Railway  [135292]2109 - Album of the Union Pacific Railway [135292]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Rare and in very good condition. 4 x 6" Brown covers with gilt lettering. Opens to 20 panels of illustrations printed on glossy paper (each 3.5...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to L******8 for (80.00 + 17.60BP) = 97.60
 
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Early Rand-McNally State Shipper’s Guides w/Color Maps (2)  [137622]2110 - Early Rand-McNally State Shipper’s Guides w/Color Maps (2) [137622]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Indexed for Railroads, Counties, Towns, Rivers, Islands, Lakes, Mountains, etc. 1) Washington, 1892 - (27”x 21” Map, 28 pages) 2) N
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to t********f for (100.00 + 25.00BP) = 125.00
 
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Miscellaneous Railroad Ephemera Group  [135246]2111 - Miscellaneous Railroad Ephemera Group [135246]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of 17. Includes: 1892 Michigan Central Railroad pass; unusual multi-year pass for the Ferrocarrill Del Norte, Republica de Guatemala, 1884-1893, w
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
Sold to a******a for (100.00 + 25.00BP) = 125.00
 
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"Steam & Thunder in the Timber," Saga of the Forest Railroads  [136358]2112 - "Steam & Thunder in the Timber," Saga of the Forest Railroads [136358]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
"Steam & Thunder in the Timber," Saga of the Forest Railroads, By Michael Koch (Signed), Illustrated by Richard Ward, LE #2008, Publis...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to S*****3 for (225.00 + 56.25BP) = 281.25
 
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American Historical Railway Magazines (14)  [136882]2113 - American Historical Railway Magazines (14) [136882]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
1) "Vintage Rails," Published Quarterly by Pentex, Inc., 11 Issues, Nos. 7-17, 1997-1999 2) "TRP," Published Quarterly by The Ra...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 70.00 - 100.00
Sold to j*****0 for (10.00 + 2.20BP) = 12.20
 
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Railroad & Modeling Magazines (40)  [137634]2114 - Railroad & Modeling Magazines (40) [137634]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Historic Railroad Society Publications Including: 1) “The Streamliner”, official publication of the Union Pacific Historical Society
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 120.00 - 240.00
Sold to m********s.. for (20.00 + 5.00BP) = 25.00
 
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Railroad Magazines, Two Sets (35)  [137633]2115 - Railroad Magazines, Two Sets (35) [137633]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Two sets of magazines, 35 total includes: 1.) “NMRA Bulletin, official publication of the National Railroad Association – Publish
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to m********s.. for (20.00 + 5.00BP) = 25.00
 
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Railroad Ephemera (Letterheads & Timetables)  [135251]2116 - Railroad Ephemera (Letterheads & Timetables) [135251]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of 6. Includes: North Pacific Coast Railroad Time Table 1888 to and from San Francisco, taken from the Trade Postal Journal; North Pacific Railway
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
 
 
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Railroad Lanterns (4)  [137432]2117 - Railroad Lanterns (4) [137432]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
4 handheld railroad signal lanterns. 1.) Adams and Westlake Lamp, no name in top, red globe embossed Southern RY 2.) Deitz XLCR Lamp, no RR name embo
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to d*******f for (250.00 + 62.50BP) = 312.50
 
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Railroad Passes, Tickets & Timetables  [132634]2118 - Railroad Passes, Tickets & Timetables [132634]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Eclectic group of 21 railroad collectibles from all over. Timetables, passes and tickets. Some of the railroads include: Troy & Boston; Missouri...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to k******k for (85.00 + 21.25BP) = 106.25
 
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Railroad Survey Illustrations Colorado River Desert  [132616]2119 - Railroad Survey Illustrations Colorado River Desert [132616]
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Lot of three (11 1/2 x 8 1/2) illustrations from the U.S.P.R. R. exploration and surveys done circa 1855 to find the route for the transcontinental ra
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 120.00
Sold to j*******h for (55.00 + 12.10BP) = 67.10
 
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