SOLD
9,100.00USDto 9*****c+ buyer's premium (1,774.50)
This item SOLD at 2014 Sep 14 @ 12:32UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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The Tonopah Stampede for Gold and Silver
This fabulous Schmidt & Co. lithograph broadside is from an early, long forgotten movie released in March, 1913. It measures approx. 84" x 44"!
Introduction
When we first got this remarkable broadside, which measures over 7 feet tall, it was completely foreign to me. My first guess was that it was an early poster from San Francisco promoting the sale of Tonopah mining stocks in the first or second year of Tonopah's existence. After extensive research and help from our friend Eva LaRue at the Central Nevada museum in Tonopah, it is clear that this piece is even more important than we first realized. It is, in fact, possibly the only surviving movie poster of The Tonopah Stampede for Gold and Silver, made in the first productive years of Tonopah, and would have been used for mining stock promotions in Tonopah and San Francisco. All of the attributes from the poster date to October, 1901. These are discussed in detail below. The movie was made by Yale Feature Films of New York in the first few months of 1913. The producer, Charles Pryor of New York, shot the film in Tonopah and used all of the original personalities from the original Tonopah "rush." Jim Butler, Wils Brougher, and even Tasker Oddie are in the film. At the time, Oddie was Nevada governor. The silent movie consisted of four reels, according to Gary DuVal (The Nevada Filmography, 2002). A nine minute segment is on file at the Central Nevada Museum.
Details of the Broadside
This timing of the events depicted on this large broadside date to approximately October 1901, coinciding with the formation of many public companies right after the formation of the great Tonopah Mining Company in June, 1901, and the marketing of these new company's stock in San Francisco. It is a lithograph by Schmidt of San Francisco, one of the more colorful lithographers of the period. There are several things that date the contents of the broadside: The central view of "a smelting scene" shows stacked gold and silver ingots and specific reference to a production of "$200,000 in silver and gold". This statement reports a production that was achieved by October, 1901 and was to balloon nearly two fold in each month following for a period into the next year. Thus the printing must have been done in October or November, 1901. A report in the Mining and Scientific Press recorded production at Tonopah in October alone at $100,000 and $250,000 in November. Secondly, a vignette in the upper left shows "Sadie saves the mine deeds". "Sadie" refers to Sadie Grieves, partner with Lottie Stimler Nay and close friend of Belle Butler. These three women were the first (and only) women in the Tonopah camp until April, 1901. The event referred to by the vignette may be lost to history (or is fictional), but appears to refer to an incident, or accident, in which the original mining deeds were in Sadie's possession when an accident or explosion took place, possibly while she had the papers for recordation at the Belmont Court House in August, 1900. The other vignettes are equally important, very early scenes at Tonopah, and clearly pre-date any large scale production, typical of post-September, 1901. The vignette at the lower left appears to represent Jim Butler prospecting dry dirt for the original discovery. The vignette at the lower right is clearly Jim Butler showing his prospect to Tasker Oddie and Wils Brougher, the pair of miners who grubstaked him.
Background of the Discovery
Jim Butler had located five mining claims August 25, 26, 27, 1900. He and Belle were "outfitted" by Tasker Oddie and Wils Brougher, both from Belmont, a large silver camp a day's horse ride east of Tonopah. Together, in November, 1900, the foursome mined the first two tons of ore. "Their mining methods were primitive and extreme", according to Byrd Sawyer in The History of Fifty Years of Mining at Tonopah, 1900-1950 (Carpenter et al, 1953). Those two tons produced a check for $500, from which Butler and partners hired Nay and John Humphrey to mine more ore. Sadie Grieves and her partner Lottie Stimler Nay (Harry Stimler's sister, who married Harry's partner John Nay) were partners in the first cook house and lodging quarters in Tonopah, at a time when there was one single wood building and about 8 small tents. Belle Butler oversaw the mining of the ores, and her friends Sadie and Lottie eagerly agreed to set up a lodging house and cook tent. On January 29, 1901, the pair set up the 14 x 15' tent, planning for 15 customers. 30-40 showed up. "They were all good natured and seemed well pleased with the supper" reported Lottie. But a fierce winter storm attacked the camp the next day. Soon the snow was two feet deep in front of the tent and six feet deep behind it, and it lasted for 2 weeks.
This poster probably hung in a brokerage house in San Francisco. The distinct possibility exists that it could date from September, as the "$200,000" could be an exaggeration. Reports of Tonopah in national mining news was scant until the first detailed article was published in the Mining and Scientific Press May 18, 1901. Subsequent articles Nov 9, 1901(MSP) and Dec. 14, 1901 (Engineering and Mining Journal) detailed the activity and production. The very first report was Dec. 15, 1900 in MSP, which threw out the bait: a report of ores running "$267.66 in gold and $187.22 in silver per ton". This report would have been good enough to hook the best of prospectors and speculators. Another short report in May, 1901 stated that the ores "were not unlike the surface ores of Cripple Creek." By July, 1901, the deepest shaft was the Frank Golden shaft on a Tonopah Mining Co. lease, at 67 feet. By December, 1901, there were more than 1000 men in camp, and it was stated in MSP that "it will take at least eight months after the first of the year to clear away all of the high grade ores, ... plus 10,000 to 20,000 tons of second class ore on the dumps". By that time, the Tonopah Company had let 115 leases, with the deepest shaft driven to 180 feet.
This broadside is a testament to the early days in Tonopah. It is perhaps the first very public product promoting mining at Tonopah, and may be the only copy extant.City: TonopahCounty: NyeState: NVDate:
Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 309, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States
Nevada Satte Sales Tax
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NSST |
7.75% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
19.5% |
Additional Fees:
| Fee | Amount | Applicable Locations | Applied To |
| Handling Fee |
5.00
|
Not Applicable
|
This fee applies to the total of the invoice
|
Shipping Details:
No Info Available
Payment Details:
Due on receipt of invoice.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
- Master Card
- Discover
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- Check/Cheque
- COD (cash on delivery)
- PayPal
- Wire Transfer
Great American Treasure Hunt
Absentee Bidding will end
Friday, September 12, 2014 at 5pm PDT,
Internet bids accepted any time
Terms and Conditions
1. This is a Live Auction conducted by Holabird’s Western Americana Collections (HWAC).
2. 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 100 and 200 lots per hour. When the auctioneer says “sold”, he 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. Auctioneer reserves the right to reopen the lot in the case of an immediate dispute at the actual time of the sale.
3. 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.
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5a. Live Auction Absentee Bidding: 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 should 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 which 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.
5b. NEW BIDDERS: Bidders unknown to us 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 online users will be given a spending limit at their initial request. 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.
6. Internet Bidding: Absentee and Live internet bidding are both available through our live auction network. If you wish to bid LIVE via the internet, you MUST pre-register. A live video and sound feed will be 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.
WARNING: Auction participation through the live internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is still under development, 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
From: To: Increment:
$1 $24 $1
$25 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
$3,500 $9,750 $250
$10,000 $max $500
9. 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.
10. Bid Information: Collectors often ask in advance the price level of a particular lot. We will give out the current 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.
11. 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 fax are not advisable. Errors are easy to make and we are happy to assist all callers.
12. 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.
13. We reserve the right to reject any bid we feel is not made in good faith.
14. The placing of a bid shall constitute the bidder’s acceptance of these terms of sale.
15. Buyer’s Premium: There will be a 19.5% Buyer’s Premium added to each lot. US coins, nuggets, and bullion are calculated at a 15% buyer’s premium. These premiums include a 3% discount for transactions paid with cash, checks, money orders or wire transfers. All other forms of payment are not subject to the 3% discount and the Buyer’s Premium will be calculated at 22.5% (18% on US coins, gold, & currency.)
16. Sales Tax: Sales tax will apply, according to state law, for any items that ship to or is picked up in Nevada (7.725%) unless a current, valid resale certificate is faxed to us at 775-851-1834 before bids are placed.
17. 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’s Western Americana Collections, 3555 Airway Dr., #308, Reno, NV 89511. Sales tax will be added to all sales picked-up after the auction or shipped to Nevada addresses, according to state law, unless a resale certificate is provided.
18. Payment: We accept Visa, Master Card, Money Order/Cashier’s Check, Personal Check or PayPal. A 3% cash discount is automatically calculated to the Buyer’s Premium on all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card or through PayPal. 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.
19. Shipping: Shipping will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping fees may be invoiced separately. The buyer is responsible for arranging and paying for shipment of large or special items. A $5 handling fee will be included in the shipping charge. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. We do not ship any purchases until the auction invoice is paid in full. 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 at no extra cost to the buyer. Federal Express shipments will be sent the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday following receipt of payment. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction. 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.
20. 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 underbidders 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’s Western Americana auctions.
21. 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.
22. Return Policy: All items are guaranteed to be authentic unless otherwise noted. If authenticity is challenged, please call our office for assistance. You may return any piece that was significantly inaccurately described by calling our office within 15 days of receipt of item(s) and notifying us of the error and reason for return. We do not refund postage or insurance. We have attempted to describe the items and their condition accurately. If no condition is given, assume average. Please call us if you require a more specific condition report. Any items that are returned must be returned in the exact, unaltered condition. NGC certified tokens that are returned must be original, unaltered NGC holders. Any tokens removed from the original NGC/NCS certification holders or items returned in an altered condition are deemed not returnable under any circumstances. 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. Therefore, returns are only accepted if prior approval is given by Holabird’s Western Americana Collections.
23. This sale is being held under the laws of the state of Nevada, without reference to choice of law rules.
24. HWAC shall not be held responsible for any problem due to the bidders 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 bidders failure to follow the proper bidding procedure outlined herein.
25. 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.
26. 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 of
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.
27. 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 personam 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.