Reno, NV, USA, July 22, 2023 — Some auction houses choose to take the summer off, but not Holabird Western Americana, Collections, LLC. Fresh off a High-Grade Auction held June 15th-18th, the firm will host a three-day “Time Flies in July” auction, July 28th, 29th & 30th, a special timed event that will feature nearly 2,200 lots of Western Americana, numismatic, philatelic and dealer items.
Start times all three days will be 8 am Pacific time. The timed auction will be hosted exclusively on iCollector.com (Holabird’s preferred online bidding platform) and will contain collectibles in over ten categories, including postcards and stamps, mining, art, general Americana, books, bottles, stocks, numismatics, railroad, tokens, Native Americana and more – a collector’s dream.
Every lot will have a start price of just ten dollars. “But starting at ten dollars doesn’t mean the items are cheap, common or unwanted,” said Fred Holabird, the owner of Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, based in Reno. “What it does is let the bidder and the collector set the prices. If the lots start cheap, then all it takes is your bid to jump in and get what you want.”
Day 1, on Friday, July 28th, will contain 728 lots of general Americana, to include autographs, books, collectibles, cowboy, entertainment, ephemera, firefighting memorabilia, fraternal organizations, gaming, jewelry, maps, model railroading, music, photography and sports.
Lot 1439 is a group of seven custom, hand-made carved bone bead necklaces and shell necklaces (est. $600-$1,200). All beads are natural materials, with some unique hand-carved bone beads. Included are pieces that may be of Native American, Inuit, African and Tibetan origin. All are in fine condition and well made. One has a bright blue natural turquoise set in silver at the center.
One lot consisting of an unmarked less-than-full violin in a soft case with two bows, a circa 1950s-1960s tourist ukelele in the original cardboard box, and an Appalachian dulcimer with mother of pearl inlays has an estimate of $200-$400. Also, a collection of around 200 baseball cards, mostly 1980s and later but also including an occasional 1950s card, should fetch $20-$100. The cards feature many well-known players, Hall of Fame inductees and rookie cards.
Day 2, on Saturday, July 29th, is packed with more than 750 lots of tobacco and saloon, bottles, firearms and weapons, militaria, political, minerals, mining, stocks and bonds and transportation.
A lithograph depicting Seltzer Man, a well-known and highly collectible character by the world-famous artist Seymour Rosenthal (1921-2007), signed by Rosenthal and housed in a wood frame measuring 25 ½ inches by 31 ½ inches, should fetch $600-$800. Also, a pewter Chilmark Civil War sculpture by Francis J. Barnum, titled Merry Christmas Yank, 78 inches tall, depicting two soldiers in front of a fireplace sharing a moment of holiday peace, should command $220-$600.
A Hay’s Farm Oil Company (Venango Cty., Pa.) stock certificate no. 126 from 1865, issued for 25 shares to William Supples of Philadelphia, featuring a vignette of oil derricks, tanks and barrels, signed by the company president and secretary, has an estimate of $200-$500. Also, a group of four original photos of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his train at Glacier Park, Montana, with Eleanor, military and spectators visible (but not FDR), is expected to realize $60-$100.
A J. B. Williams Company (Glastonbury, Conn.) Swiss Violet Shaving Cream pot lid, circa 1876-1880, listed in Jackson (p. 74-75), in fine condition except for a chip on the edge, carries a pre-sale estimate of $100-$300; while a pair of slope shoulder, two-tone mini Radium Water jugs (one for the Sequoyah Hotel and the other for The Bungalow Hotel, both in Claremore, Okla.), with light and dark brown shoulders and standing 4 ½ inches tall, should finish at $70-$150.
Bottles will led by a pair of different Stroud Bottling Works / Stiller Bros. (Stroud, Oklahoma) bottle hutches, showing a top crack but no other apparent chips or cracks, estimated at $100-$200; while a black embossed medicine bottle (“W T Foreman / Druggist / Duncan, Okla.”), 3 ¾ inches in height and in remarkable condition, with no chips or cracks, should make $50-$100.
The auction’s last day, Sunday, July 30th, will feature over 700 lots of art, Native Americana, numismatics, tokens, philatelic (stamps) and postal history.
A sculpture of a lady looking upward and holding her arms outward, 14 inches tall, appearing to be cast bronze with a clay-like surface coating, signed on the bottom “Eason” and numbered (13/100), has an estimate of $200-$500. Also, an original framed Chinese fan style artwork depiction of a village scene with two men on horses, plus red and black stamps, contained in a frame that measures 19 ½ inches by 25 ½ inches, is expected to change hands for $1,200-$1,500.
A collection of 400 lady art prints from circa 1906-1907 by Gray Litho, four groups of 100 each (New York Showgirl-Knickerbocker, Lady with Flower, Lady with Cravat, Lady with Orchid), each print 12 ½ inches by 10 inches, should sell for $100-$400. Also, a pair of ceramic pots from Mexico, one painted black (9 inches tall, signed but the signature is illegible) and the other one having a black and white geometric pattern (5 ½ inches tall) carries an estimate of $150-$300.
A “so-called dollar” issued by the California Medalists Society (San Francisco) at the request of the state Chamber of Commerce, dated 1948 and made to commemorate the centennial of the California Gold Rush in 1848, one of about 3,000-4,000 of the octagonal bronze medals issued, should rise to $60-$100. Also, an 1871 New Zealand #42 stamp has an estimate of $50-$70.
This is a timed auction, so there will be no live auctioneer or audio/video feed. Folks can bid now, up to the day each session closes. On all three auction days, they will be able to log in to a virtual console and bid live, per normal. Each lot will open with an automatic timer that’s reset with each live bid. Once the bidding stops and the timer runs out, then the next lot is presented.
Internet bidding will be provided exclusively by iCollector.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Color catalogs are available by calling 1-844-492-2766, or 775-851-1859.
To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, and the three-day online-only “Time Flies in July” auction on July 28th, 29th and 30th, at 8 am Pacific time each day, please visit www.holabirdamericana.com.
About Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC:
Anyone owning a collection that might fit into a Holabird Western Americana Collections auction is encouraged to get in touch. The firm travels throughout the U.S., to see and pick up collections. The company has agents all over America and will travel to inspect most collections. Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC is always seeking new and major collections to bring to market. It prides itself as being a major source for selling Americana at the best prices obtainable, having sold more than any other similar company in the past decade alone. The firm will have its entire sales database online soon, at no cost – nearly 200,000 lots sold since 2014. To consign a single piece or a collection, you may call Fred Holabird at 775-851-1859 or 844-492-2766; or, you can send an e-mail to fredholabird@gmail.com. To learn more, please visit www.holabirdamericana.com. Updates posted often.
