SOLD
7,000.00USD+ (1,750.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2022 Mar 02 @ 11:34UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
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Frederick Robert (Roderick) Merk (1833-1912)
Frederick Robert Merk was a Montana Pioneer, expert businessman in hardware and mercantile companies, very profitable mining ventures and ranching (farms) in Montana. This collection is a massive family archive of letters from the mid 1850s through and after the death of the patriarch in 1912. He was one of the moving forces in the development of several important mining camps - Virginia City, Twin Bridges, Silver Star and Rochester. His son William continued the businesses for the family in Fred's older years and afterwards.
The archive consists of about 2000-2500 or more hand written letters primarily among family members, but also a large correspondence regarding his mining ventures and some financial records. One of the keys here is that these letters are full of detail, with many pages each with very little brevity. The letters are organized in notebook form by specific correspondent and years, occupying about two cubic feet. They offer an incredible inside look at the discovery and development of important mines at Twin Bridges, and how, over time, Merk tried to ìsell out"but got the mines back, then changing his approach to leasing them out and taking a royalty, or contracting with miners. His mines may have produced over $1 million in his life - it becomes difficult to estimate, and published figures show between $500,000 and $1m for the Broadway Mine alone.
Merk was from Stuttgart, Germany, and apparently was a family friend of Virginia City banker Henry Elling, also from Stuttgart, though 12 years Elling's senior. Merk met Mary Elizabeth Horton in the early 1850s, possibly in Kansas, where they married and first lived. They had a daughter Ellie and son William (Willie). Along the way they had a large expensive house in Philadelphia, though apparently no business interests there. Ellie was sent away to school in 1869 to St. Mary's Hall.
Elling came to Montana in 1864 and may have convinced Merk to come to the budding new mining camp of Virginia City, or vice versa. Both were in business there and well established by 1866: Merk with a hardware and general merchandise store, and Elling as a banker. The correspondence group has a number of letters from the mid 1850s period, but little from the Civil War years.
Merk ran a grocery store In Virginia City with partners A.G. Smith and C.W. Bittman at least as old as 1866. That later expanded to include general merchandise and hardware. Other partners came and went. These stores were tremendously successful, as gold mining in Virginia City boomed.
Fred Merk and some partners became involved with, or staked the Broadway mining claim at a place called Twin Bridges. This mine became a major gold producer, and in 1880, Merk granted a lease/option to British mining interests, who formed the Broadway Gold Mining Co. Ltd. At the time, the mine had produced over $500,000 in gold. But the British venture failed, and Merk got the mine back. But along the way, he and partners staked claims on ground adjacent to the Broadway, which included part of the same ore deposit. Several suits ensued, all to the ultimate benefit of Merk. The archive contains a huge amount of detailed correspondence on this important mine over the years.
During the 1870s, the Merks appear to have gained ownership to a large expensive house in Philadelphia. In 1876, Merk engaged Philadelphia agent James Page to sell off personal belongings and some properties, and in 1877 an auction was held to sell the household furnishings and everything else. There are two original broadsides advertising this sale, as well as records of the sale itself. Fred Merk appears to have traveled back to Philadelphia in late 1876 to oversee the process, and returned to Montana in the fall of 1877.
By the late 1870s, Merk was also managing the Silver Star Mine at Silver Star. It had been discovered in the late 1860s, written up in great detail in Raymond in 1873 , and again in succeeding years. Raymond had discussed how the mine appeared to have ore, but lacked the know-how to make the mine work. Merk and partners brought needed capital to the project, rendering it successful. The archive has much on this mine in great detail.
Merk started or invested in and became active in several other mines, including the Watseka Mine at Rochester. All the while he was living in Twin Bridges where the Broadway mine was located.
The early 1880s were tumultuous years for Merk. Deals were made, front monies paid, promissory notes were executed to his benefit for mines and mining claims, but none were completed in total fulfillment. The stress was at times overwhelming. Merk kept financial control of his empire, but at a great personal cost. His relationship with Lizzie began to deteriorate markedly, as his hot temper took over conversations and letters. In an emotionally explosive letter to Fred from Lizzie in 1884, Lizzie lets him have it - the kind of letter that usually results in divorce. Yet no direct answer to it was found in the archive in a singular letter - but the overall answer is and was clear - they worked it out.
In an interesting side note, Lizzie had a lifelong friendship with US Supreme Court Judge David J. Brewer (1837-1910), and a letter is in the archive on USSC stationery signed by him.
Merk remained in very close communication with his wife Lizzie, son ìWillieî, and daughter Ellie. In particular, he wanted his son to get a good education so that he could one day help his father at business. In this regard, the archive traces the life of Willie, who did succeed his father, and became another important force in the Montana business world.
In 1875, Merk wrote his son: ìPapa is getting rich and can make us more comfortableÖ I have about $15,000 invested in good securities Ö You'll soon be big enough to attend to papa's business.î
Lizzie and the two children went to Germany c1876-1881. Many letters were written and retained from this period.
Fred had expressed an interest in selling out of his mining ventures by 1882 and getting back into the hardware business.
In 1882 Willie worked for a surveyors office in Salisbury, Willie was sent to business school in Chicago 1883, where, he steadfastly wrote his family. From there, he held several positions as he grew in the business world. 1884 worked for another surveyors office, then a hardware store in Belknap. From there on to work with the Montana Central RY in 1886. By the late 1880s, he held a senior position with the USPS in Spokane, then on to working for Staver & Walker, farm equipment sales. He began helping another company sell and lease mining claims. And worked with the Princess Maud MC.
By the early 1890s, Fred needed Willie's help, and Wille took to his father's business interests like a fish to water. Lizzie was hospitalized in 1895, about the same time Fred started to realize his health was going downhill. In 1896 he wrote Willie that he had written a will giving everything to his wife and Willie and Ellie. In the late 1890s there were internal family arguments about property ownership.
Willie went on to do great things. He managed a major mine at Stanley, Idaho that probably out-produced anything his father had done, which was substantial.
This is a substantial archive of a major player in Montana mining history well outside the Clark-Daly interests.
Date:
Country (if not USA):
State: Montana
City: Virginia City
Provenance: Stuart Mackenzie Montana Ephemera Collection
Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 309, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview
Phone or video previews are strongly encouraged. Our staff is tech savvy and ready to use Skype/Facetime/Zoom if you would like to video preview with us. Please provide a list of items and minimum of 24 hours notice so that we may pull your lots and schedule a private viewing. Office preview by special private appointment ONLY. Call (775) 851-1859 to schedule.
Nevada State Sales Tax
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NSST |
8.375% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
| CSST |
8% |
California Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
Additional Fees:
| Fee | Amount | Applicable Locations | Applied To |
| Handling |
5.00
|
Not Applicable
|
This fee applies to the total of the invoice
|
Shipping Details:
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS
This is a Live Auction conducted by Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC (HWAC).
1. The placing of a bid shall constitute the bidder’s acceptance of these terms of sale.
2. BUYER’S PREMIUM & INSURANCE: There will be a 25% Buyer’s Premium added to the sale price (hammer) of each lot. We accept cash, checks, money orders, wire transfers, credit cards and PayPal.
3. COINS, CURRENCY AND PRECIOUS METALS, Insurance. The buyer’s commission for this section is 20.5%. Coins and currency shall be defined as any regular Federal issue circulating coins and currency. Tokens are not considered coins. Precious metals shall be defined as ingots, silver or gold rounds, bullion items and gold nuggets. Mineral specimens are not considered under the precious metals category. Commemorative items such as metals and ribbons are not considered coins of precious metals. However, lots that consist entirely of gold or silver of high purity, including commemorative metals, are considered precious metals. Please contact our office if you need clarification on a specific lot.
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5. SHIPPING & HANDLING: The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. Shipping and Handling will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All shipping and handling is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer 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 of the package(s). 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. 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, which is included in our buyer’s premium. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction with 24 hours notice given to HWAC prior to pick-up.
6. 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 60 and 150 lots per hour. An item is not sold until the next lot is announced. (We are not esponsible for Internet bids that arrive late.) The auctioneer 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, prior to the start of the next auction lot. Auctioneer reserves the right to reopen the lot in the case of an immediate dispute at the actual time of the sale.
7. TELEPHONE BIDDING: Telephone bidding 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.
8. LIVE AUCTION ABSENTEE BIDDING: Mail or FAX 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 MUST be equal to at least 50% of the low estimate if an estimate is provided. Bids on “No Lots” or “Withdrawn” Lots will not be executed. Bids made in amounts that do not conform to the bid increment table under Item #8 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 that 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.
9. INTERNET BIDDING: Both Absentee and Live Internet bidding are available through our live auction networks. If you wish to bid LIVE via the Internet, you MUST pre-register. A live feed is generally accessible during the auction. 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.
10. NEW BIDDERS: Bidders unknown to us, who anticipate an expenditure in excess of $20,000, 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 bidders will be given a spending limit at their initial request to participate. 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.
11. AGENT BIDDING: There are numerous professional agents available to assist you should you require this service. Please contact the office for a list or to arrange for representation on the floor during the live auction. HWAC is not responsible for any acts or omissions by agents acting on behalf of bidders at our auctions.
BE ADVISED: Auction participation through the live Internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is always changing, 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.
12. RESERVES: Most of the lots in this auction are unreserved. Precious metals may be reserved at or near or slightly below spot, t the auctioneer's discretion.
13. 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 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
$3,500 $9,750 $250
$10,000 $30,000 $500
$30,000 up $1000
14. 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.
15. BID INFORMATION: Collectors often ask in advance the price level of a particular lot. We will give out the current competitive 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, which may be beyond our control. We do not own any of the live Internet bidding platforms, and thus many aspects of the Internet technology are out of our control.
16. 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 faxes are not advisable. Errors are easy to make. Please call us if you have any questions on this.
17. 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.
18. We reserve the right to reject any bid we feel is not made in good faith.
19. 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 Western Americana Collections, 3555 Airway Dr., #308, Reno, NV 89511. LATE FEES MAY BE ADDED IF PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS ARE NOT MADE WITHIN THOSE 15 DAYS. Sales tax will be added to all sales picked-up after the auction or shipped to Nevada addresses, according to Nevada State law, unless a resale certificate is provided.
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22. 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 under bidders 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 Western Americana auctions.
23. 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 person to person. High resolution images of all items are available online for inspection. HWAC is not responsible for condition discrepancies; it is the bidders responsibility to determine condition prior to bidding.
24. RETURN POLICY: All items are guaranteed to be authentic unless otherwise noted. If authenticity is challenged, please call our office for assistance. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. You may only return any piece that was significantly inaccurately described by calling our office within 10 days of receipt of item(s) and notifying us of the error and reason for return. We do not refund postage or insurance. Please call us if you require a more specific condition report. Any items that are returned must be returned in the exact, unaltered condition. 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.
25. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada.
26. HWAC shall not be held responsible for any problem due to the bidder’s 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 bidder’s failure to follow the proper bidding procedure outlined herein.
27. 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.
28. 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 on 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.
29. 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 personal 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.