Auction Details
"A Celebration of Our Great Basin Native American Heritage"
Featuring the Moe Royels Great Basin Wigwam Collection plus two other important Native American Collections
The sale of the Moe And Mary Royels Wigwam Café Collection and the Great Basin Collection is a true celebration. The items within the collections reflect the very rich history we have here in this unique place we call the Great Basin.
Moe Royels was born in Montana in 1940. The family moved to Nevada when Moe was only three months old. He grew up in Wadsworth and Fernley and was in the Army from 1959-1961. Moe married Mary in 1964 and the pair opened the Dainty Cone in Fernley and immediately started displaying their Indian Artifact collection. As an exploration geologist during the 1970’s and early 1980’s the Dainty Cone was always a place to grab a hamburger and have fun looking at the artifacts. In 1984, the place was remodeled into the Wigwam Café. Along the way there were more remodels, finally ending up with massive display cases throughout the restaurant showing off the collection. Meanwhile, across the street, another parallel collection had developed over time which also went on public display, today known as the “Great Basin Collection.”
Moe was a fanatic fan of the Nevada desert communities. It seems everyone for about 100 miles around had been touched in some way by Moe. When he died in 2014, hundreds attended his memorial celebration, from Nixon to Fallon.
The Wigwam Collection is a fantastic array of Native American collectibles, art and artifacts. A number of the items (dresses) were made especially for Mary Royels and few for Moe generally by local Paiute friends. The collections include some fabulous Baby Baskets, beaded baskets, spectacular art depicting early man in the Great Basin by renowned artist William A. Moore, and stone artifacts. A large collection of moccasins is also a part of the collections. The stone projectile point collections are probably the largest offering of Great Basin points ever made, reflecting over fifty years of collecting.
Sixth generation Paiute basket weaver Norm Delorme has helped identify basket makers. Norm and I have also written several essays regarding the collections and cultural losses. We encourage you to read and digest them, creating thoughtful discussion, not only of cultures past, but cultures present. We also have a discussion of recent regulations regarding collection, especially NAGPRA. During the entire process of cataloging, we found a trade organization dedicated to preserving cultures and the ethics of collecting, ATADA, and we joined.
Two other important collections round out this large Native American offering: a wonderful collection of choice Native American art and a massive collection of vintage Native American post cards. In the latter category, we are only offering a part of the collection in this sale, with more to come in May and perhaps the following sale, date to be determined. (maybe July).
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
* A huge Mining section featuring another selection of rare mining stock certificates from the Ken Prag Collection plus mining artifacts, books, & other ephemera
*Numismatics: medals and so-called dollars from the Salvatore Falcone Collection, dies & other collectibles from the Northwest Territorial Mint, and US & foreign coinage.
*Bottles: California & Nevada sodas, Nevada medicines, rare Nevada whiskies, and more.
*General Americana feat. US directories, documents, photos, hard goods, and more with a focus on the Western States. Also non-mining stock certificates from the Prag Collection & ephemera from the Joe Elcano Nevada History Collection.
*Railroad, Auto. & Transportation Company stocks from the Prag Collection
*A Bargains & Dealer Specials section featuring larger groups ideal for resale and entry-level collectibles in many categories.
Auction Schedule
Day 1, March 7th, 2019 (Lots 1000-1534)
*Numismatics (1000-1285)
Books (1000-1006)
Checks (1007-1017)
Coins (1018-1046)
Dies (1048-1105)
Ephemera & Collectibles (1106-1115)
Medals (1116-1155)
So-Called Dollars (1156-1264)
Tokens (1265-1285)
*Bottles (1286-1451)
*Saloon (1452-1461)
*Cowboy (1462-1496)
*Firearms & Weaponry (1497-1523)
*Gaming (1524-1534)
Day 2, March 8th, 2019 (Lots 2000-2686)
*Bargains & Dealer Specials (2000-2113)
Ephemera & Collectibles (2000-2069)
Stock Certificates (2070-2113)
*General Americana (2114-2664)
Advertising & Apparel (2214-2129)
Art (2130-2141)
Books & Directories (2142-2195)
Calendars (2196-2204)
Entertainment Industry (2205-2216)
Ephemera & Collectibles (2217-2499)
Gold Rush (2500-2507)
Political (2512-2522)
Military (2523-2546)
Postal History (2547-2555)
Wells Fargo & Express (2556-2570
Silverware/Flatware/Spoons (2575-2586)
Non-Mining Stock Certificates (2587- 2656)
Misc. incl. Toys, Worlds Fair (2657-2664)
*General Foreign (2665-2686)
Day 3, March 9th, 2019 (Lots 3000-3575)
*Art (3000-3052)
*Native Americana Part I (3053-3575)
Art (3053-3197)
Apparel (3198-3223)
Gloves (3224-3235)
Moccasins (3236-3279)
Accessories (3280-3304)
Jewelry & Trade Beads (3305-3361)
Artifacts (3362-3544)
Pipes (3545-3551)
Dies (3552-3554)
Baby Baskets (3555-3575)
Day 4, March 10th, 2019 (Lots 4000-4731)
*Native Americana Part II (4000-4301)
Pottery (4000-4011)
Baskets (4012-4140)
Dolls (4141-4155)
Books (4156-4170)
Ephemera & Collectibles (4171-4248)
Photographs (4249-4272)
Postcards (4273-4291)
Rugs/Weavings (4292-4301)
*Transportation (4302-4546)
*Railroad (4547-4731)
Day 5, March 11th, 2019 (Lots 5000-5592)
*Minerals (5000-5013)
*Mining (5014-5592)
Artifacts & Assay (5014-5035)
Books (5036-5049)
Ephemera & Collectibles (5050-5113)
Explosives (5114-5123)
Maps (5126-5140)
Mine Lighting (5141-5151)
Signs (5162-5167)
Spoons (5168-5180)
Mining Stocks (5181-5592)
SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All shipping is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer will be reinvoiced 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 sp...
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1070 - Celebration of Music Dies (11) (100127)Holabird Western Americana Collections
Put on the tunes and enjoy the wide variety of musical styles represented in this collection of 37mm token dies: Merry Makers of Music 1970; Cavalcade
Bidding Has ConcludedEstimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to c*****r for (50.00 + 12.50BP) = 62.50
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1071 - CIvil War Themed Dies (3) (100117)Holabird Western Americana Collections
Three token dies: 34mm Bull Run, July 21, 1861; 37mm Robert E. Lee 1805-1882 with an image of the Confederate General against the Stars and Bars flag;
Bidding Has ConcludedEstimate : 80.00 - 120.00
Sold to 8********l.. for (20.00 + 5.00BP) = 25.00
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1072 - Da Vinci Die (100104)Holabird Western Americana Collections
This 37mm die looks as though it was from a set entitled Great Artists of History and bears a image of a long-bearded Leonardo Da Vinci and the date 1
Bidding Has ConcludedStart Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
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1073 - Four Round Tuit Token Dies (10088)Holabird Western Americana Collections
Get those projects finished when you get A ROUND TUIT -- not just one but FOUR times as often with this set of four 34 and 37mm TUIT dies. One even sa
Bidding Has ConcludedStart Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
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1075 - Gaming & Gambling Dies (8) (100119)Holabird Western Americana Collections
Eight 37mm token dies: Blackjack Tutor - Double Your Bet shows card combinations and suggests playing strategy; Kiawah Island Magic Coin;Baccarat Prom
Bidding Has ConcludedEstimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to c*****r for (25.00 + 6.25BP) = 31.25
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1076 - Here, Hold My Beer -- Dies (100126)Holabird Western Americana Collections
Three 34 - 37mm token dies with beer-related designs: Genesee Beer logo; Hofbrau Haus Oktoberfest, Cleveland; Vancouver Oktoberfest. After buying thes
Bidding Has ConcludedStart Price : 75.00 | Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
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1077 - High School Music-related Hubs (100091)Holabird Western Americana Collections
Balfour produced class rings, lapel pins, and other decorative items that were used by schools all over the world. This is a set of 23 hubs, most of w
Bidding Has ConcludedStart Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
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1079 - Horseshoe Encased Penny Dies (100089)Holabird Western Americana Collections
These three dies produced horseshoe-shaped brass or aluminum with a penny-sized hole in the center where a shiny, lucky penny would later be inserted.
Bidding Has ConcludedEstimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to c*****r for (30.00 + 7.50BP) = 37.50
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