SOLD
5,750.00USD+ (1,437.50) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2024 Jun 08 @ 08:58UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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A full invoice should be emailed to the winner by the auctioneer within a day or two.
UNCLAIMED MERCHANDISE: In the event that a successful bidder has paid in full for their merchandise but fails to settle outstanding shipping invoices or make arrangements for merchandise pickup within 60 days, HWAC reserves the right to declare the merchandise forfeited. This forfeiture will result in the merchandise becoming the property of HWAC and the successful bidder shall have no claim to or rights over the forfeited merchandise.
This is often said to be the absolute top western "Wanted" poster, the Black Bart Poet Stage Robber four page circular. J. B. Hume, Wells Fargo & Co.'s Express Special Officer compiled this dossier in San Francisco, December 18th, 1882. Distributed to Wells Fargo agents who were advised not to post the circular, but place them in the hands of their local and county officers and reliable citizens. It offers an $800 Reward! and documents Black Bart moniker: "P o 8". Included is a poem found after a robbery; a list of the 16 robberies committed; and a description of the robber. Three pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Hume eventually captured Black Bart by tracking down a San Francisco laundry receipt left at the scene of a robbery. Black Bart was in actuality Charles E. Boles. Boles was born in England, immigrated with his family to New York where they farmed. In 1849, he and his two brothers left for the Gold Rush. His brothers died shortly after arrival, and Boles kept his hand in mining for a couple years. In 1854 Boles married Elizabeth Johnson. The pair had four children and were living in Decatur, Illinois in 1860. He enlisted in 1862, was wounded at the battle of Vicksburg, and was breveted out in June, 1865 at Washington, DC. Boles, however, had not lost his fever for placer gold. He went to the placer mines around what is today known as Butte, Montana, probably mining along Silver Bow creek in one of the small mining camps. One source reports that Wells, Fargo was after his placer property for building purposes, and Boles refused to sell. The opposition cut off the water supply, which caused him to stop mining gold, and he reportedly swore to "get even." Boles wrote his wife regularly until after he stopped mining in Montana, and she never heard from him again, assuming he died in a mining accident.In Dillon's biography of Hume, Hume claimed that Black Bart's first stage robbery was July 26, 1875 four miles below Copperopolis headed west toward Milton along a very rural stage route through the lower foothills, well below the central mother lode area of today's highway 49. With a double-barreled shot gun, and a white flour sack over his head with cutouts for the eyes, the robber simply said "Please throw down the box." In actuality, that was simply the first time this stage robber used this disguise and phrase. Had he practiced on nearby stage lines in prior months? We may never know, since Black Bart only started "talking" after days of interrogation. Black Bart acted alone on that Monday. But the stage driver didn't know it, as Black Bart referred to his men in the manzanita bushes with rifles aimed at the stage driver. After Black Bart left with the gold, the driver found out the objects that looked like rifle barrels were no more than properly shaped and sized sticks carefully placed to imitate rifle barrels. Overall, Hume credited 29 holdups to Boles (Black Bart), but the 29th was not successful, thus the number 28 has been used through history. Were there more? Did Boles really wait a year between stage robberies in those first few years? It seems doubtful, though Wells Fargo kept excellent records on who did what to whom, where and when.Black Bart became forever infamous because of the notes he started to leave behind. On August 3, 1877, Black Bart left behind a note that appeared to be written by several men, with each line in an apparent different handwriting: I've labored long and hard for bread
for honor and for riches
But on my corns too long you've tread
you fine haired sons of bitches
It was signed "Black Bart, the Po8"
Within a year, Black Bart left other poems including;
Let come what will, I'll try it on
My condition can't be worse
And if there's money in that box
Tis muny in my purse
Hume was on fire. he took it personally, and began an intense search for who this bandit poet stage robber was. Hume at first mis-identified the robber as another man. In his last stage robbery, Black Bart was on the very same stage route of Copperopolis to Milton, which he later stated he intended to be his last holdup, when everything went wrong. The driver pulled a gun and shot at Black Bart instead of delivering the treasure box. Black Bart skedaddled into the brush, but as he ran at full tilt to get away, he left behind the first good clues: a black derby, two paper bags containing crackers and sugar from an Angel's Camp store, a pair of filed glasses in a case, a belt, a razor, and a handkerchief full of lead shot, three soiled shirt cuffs and two empty flour sacks. The local sheriff emptied out the handkerchief to find a laundry mark "F.X.0.7"
This led to a search of nearly 100 laundry outfits, and at last they found the right one (in SF). The owner stated that Boles used his shop as his office when he was in San Francisco away from his mine. Under disguise, Wells Fargo and Law agents met with Boles. After days of interrogation, he "cracked." The story is phenomenal. and well told in Hume's biography "Wells Fargo Detective" (1969.)
Any western history or mining man should ask "why did Boles hit the stage from Copperopolis to Milton as his possibly first target?" There are several reasons: First, this route was a little used stage route, a good dozen or more miles down slope from the central motherlode region. The major "traffic" was on the roads connecting the towns and mines. The Milton route was obscure, and there was very little chance Boles would be seen by anyone else, both while he was robbing the stage, or while he was in transport to the robbery site. Secondly, Boles acted as a successful mining man while in San Francisco, inclusive of meeting and befriending Wells Fargo agents, according to Hume's biography. This gave Boles significant "inside" information about stage routs and perhaps money transfers, though the key element to Wells Fargo was "secrecy."
This is unquestionably one of the all-time great western history pieces.
Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 308, 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:
Shipping Details:
Shipping is billed after Auction items are paid for and items have been packed. Items will be packed in order that payments are received.
Please be aware that about 300 invoices are paid on the first day so it may still take a while.
Large item, fragile items and very large orders will take longer. We do not ship via Freight. For an additional fee we will prepare a pallet for Freight pickup, arranged by the customer, as time allows. Please be patient!
Shipping invoices will be sent through our shipping program "Shipping Saint".
Payment Details:
Due on receipt of invoice.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
- Master Card
- AMEX
- Discover
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- Check/Cheque
- COD (cash on delivery)
- PayPal
- Wire Transfer
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
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.
4. SALES TAX: Sales tax may be applicable in any of the 50 states according to current tax laws regarding internet sales. Please check your state's tax regulations. HWAC will charge sales tax for those states that we know have instituted internet sales tax. All bonafide resale dealers with a current valid resale license should submit their license in advance to HWAC.
5. SHIPPING & HANDLING: The customer is responsible for all shipping and packaging charges. We offer shipping service as a convenience to our buyers. Items are not shipped until the invoice and shipping charges are completely paid. Shipping costs will be calculated and billed separately after your items have been paid for. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: FedEx, UPS, USPS or DHL. Pick up is available from our Reno office, once you have received your invoice post auction, with 24 hours notice given to HWAC prior to pick-up. Merchandise not picked up or shipped within a reasonable time period may be subject to storage fees, and in cases of continued non-compliance, may result in forfeiture. Also see clause 23.
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 responsible 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 #13 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, at 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: 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.
20. PAYMENT: We accept Cash, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Money Order/Cashier’s Check, Wire Transfer, Personal Check or 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.
21. Automatic Credit Card Billing: Internet bidders are subject to the payment terms and conditions outlined on the internet bidding platform they utilize, which may include the automatic payment of auction invoices with the credit card information on file at the time of registration.
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, Live Auctioneers, Invaluable, or applicable bidding platform, and may be barred from participating in future Holabird Western Americana auctions.
23. RESTOCKING FEE: In the event that purchased item(s) remain unclaimed by the buyer for a period of more than 30 days after the auction concludes, or is returned without valid reason, the buyer shall be subject to a restocking fee equal to 10% of the total purchase price. This fee is intended to cover administrative costs, storage fees, and other expenses incurred as a result of the unclaimed or returned item.
24. UNCLAIMED MERCHANDISE: In the event that a successful bidder has paid in full for their merchandise but fails to settle outstanding shipping invoices or make arrangements for merchandise pickup within 60 days, HWAC reserves the right to declare the merchandise forfeited. This forfeiture will result in the merchandise becoming the property of HWAC and the successful bidder shall have no claim to or rights over the forfeited merchandise.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada.
28. 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.
29. 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.
30. 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.
31. 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.