SOLD
87,000.00USD+ (16,965.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2012 Aug 18 @ 16:25UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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The Knights Templar held national gatherings in prominent cities every three years known as the Triennial Conclave. The 25th Triennial Conclave was held in Denver in August 1892 and attended by Knights Templar Commanderies from all over the United States. As the Silver Anniversary conclave, it took on much added significance.
The conclaves of the Knights Templar, as well as special gatherings of other fraternal organizations, often were great celebrations held in conjunction with a public parade. These parades featured the members in full formal regalia. The costumes of the Templars are among the most colorful and artistic of the many fraternal organizations. Their members, as well as those of other fraternal organizations, commonly took part in parades. At their triennial conclaves, the hosting venue created and presented unique special awards to the commandery drill team that presented the best “Exhibition Drill.” On this special 25th Conclave commemorating the “silver anniversary” of the American Conclaves, a special award was presented to the Chicago St. Bernard Commandery, Number 35, by the Denver Chamber of Commerce whose names are engraved on the ingot.
The beautiful scene of the Mount of the Holy Cross on the front face of the ingot is significant. The original Templars were formed by a group of nine Knights from the Champagne region of France in about 1119, formed to protect pilgrims traveling to and visiting Holy places. The growth of the organization, their political influence, power, rise and fall, have all been well chronicled in many scholarly works. The Templars are most well known for the banking system they initiated originally to safeguard property and money of pilgrims voyaging to the Holy Land. Their symbol was a Knight with a cross and a sword. The cross carried great symbolism, and as such, the cross of Mount Holy Cross became a symbol for the Templars within the United States.
The 25th Conclave held in Denver was destined to be special. Colorado was legend for its silver mines and this was the Templars silver anniversary. The Mount of Holy Cross, itself a natural symbol of the Holy Cross as well as a Templar emblem, is located in central Colorado near Leadville. It was thought to be first ascended by explorer Francis V. Hayden and famous Colorado photographer William H. Jackson in 1873, who were specifically exploring for a mountain with a “Holy Cross” on it that had been mentioned by several pioneers. Jackson captured this famous scene in a number of photographs, and the engraving on the ingot is taken from one of these photos. The “Holy Cross” on the mountain is a product of snow-filled, naturally occurring eroded faults and fractures in the north east face of the mountain. When Jackson photographed it, and sketches of his photographs were subsequently distributed to national press, it moved the nation. Celebrated landscape artist Thomas Moran visited the site a year later in 1874 and painted the scene, a famous painting today (held by the Maine Historical Society).
With the Conclave being held in Denver and the Templar’s tie to Mount Holy Cross, it was intuitive that the Denver elite would create a memorable commemorative presentation piece that would capture the importance of Denver and Colorado’s silver mining industry as well as the symbolism of the Knights Templar. An engraved silver ingot was perfect. With luck, it would endure the centuries. The Chamber of Commerce Committee probably secured the silver from its key mining member, Edward Eddy, General Manager of the largest smelter in Denver, the Omaha and Grant Smelting & Refining Co. The group arranged with one of the dozen or so Denver engravers to create the ornate scenes, vignettes and creative mastery that adorns the ingot today.
Throughout history, the Templars have shunned publicity, particularly on an individual basis– indeed, even in the written histories of Colorado, the name of the group is rarely mentioned; however, this event was well publicized in the Denver’s newspapers including the Rocky Mountain News as well as in the Chicago, Daily Inter Ocean, home of the St. Bernard Commandery, No. 35. The Knights were usually composed of the leading citizens in their community and although fairly secretive, their annual conclaves were quite public affairs, lavishly celebrated and accompanied with a generous amount of pomp and ceremony. The 25th Triennial Conclave was no exception and some 35,000 visitors arrived in Denver for the festivities (on the first day alone!) with perhaps a quarter of them being Knights representing every major city in the United States. Two hundred eastern trains arrived in one day carrying participants and visitors alike. A special contract carried out by the Denver Consolidated Electric Company illuminated miles of the Denver’s streets with colored stringers and powerful searchlights.
The St. Bernard Commandery drill team from Chicago, under the direction of Sir Adam Henry Johnson, gave an exhibition that outclassed their rivals. The Chicago drill team was so polished, that awards at the conclaves had been suspended because the Chicago Commandery always won. This created internal grumbling, but it was decided to once again open up the competition for the 25th conclave.
This was an event that was great for Denver’s businesses and the Denver Chamber of Commerce Committee was committed to its success making the event as a whole, especially the day of the parade as a “day to shine” for their Mountain city and one that the Knights Templar would never forget.
The Men of the Knights Templar Ingot
The presenting body of the ingot was made up of some of the most well known business men in Denver. The names of seven officers and directors of the Denver Chamber of Commerce Committee that presented the ingot are engraved on one end. When we look at history of the names of the group that are on the ingot, we understand why they were part of the Knights Templar. These men are all about their charity to humankind. Their own personal accomplishments cited below were difficult to locate, often rendered to pages of newspapers and select reference works. The classic biographical works on Colorado have little or nothing on any of these men.
The men of Denver as presenters of the Knights Templar Silver ingot:
W. R. Harp - Harp was a founder and superintendent of the Royal Gorge Smelting Co. located in Canon City founded in Jan. 1883. In 1895 he had moved to Leadville managing the Union Smelter and participated as the Grand Marshall of their Leadville Ice Palace Festival in January of 1896.
Edward Eddy – (1840-1896) Eddy, born in Cornwall England, was a professional mining man from the get-go. He graduated from the Kennsington School of Mines, worked in the mines of Cornwall, becoming an expert at the milling processes and in sampling techniques. He arrived in Georgetown, Colorado in 1871 and built what was reputed to be the first successful concentrating plant in Colorado. Eddy partnered with William H. James starting the Silver Plume Sampling and Concentrating Works.
After succeeding well at milling and sampling works in Georgetown, he ventured to Leadville, where he moved in 1878, setting up a sampling works (and mill?) by July, 1878. His business was so successful that he began buying up mines in Leadville, some with his friend and partner James, amassing a small fortune. At one time he and James were part owner of the Robert E. Lee mine, which they sold for $50,000, but it later sold for over $200,000.
In 1880, as production at Leadville boomed, he merged with James B. Grant’s smelting company, and the duo became one of the most powerful regional smelters. Eddy stayed with the new company as the General Manager of the Omaha and Grant Smelting and Refining Company, which was ultimately the largest smelter in Denver located where the Denver Coliseum stands today. This smelting company was one of the most successful in America, and became one of the original eleven principal companies purchased by the Guggenheim group in 1899 which became known as ASARCO. Later they merged with the James B. Grant’s Smelting business called the Grant Smelting Co. The company moved to Denver in 1882 from Leadville. It is most probable that Eddy supplied the silver for the ingot.
Eddy nearly didn’t make it long enough to supply the silver for this ingot. In November, 1879, he and four others needed to get to Leadville from South Park. The train was snowbound by a sudden severe storm, and the group decided to take the stage to Leadville over the mountains. About eleven miles from Leadville, everything changed. The snow was so difficult, that the stage broke over the edge of the road, tumbling down a steep mountainside, overturning several times, landing on its top. The horses ran off, but a doctor was onboard to address the wounds. One was killed. Eddy and the others survived, though several were reportedly in serious condition.
His smelter used a different technology to recover silver and lead than the two other Denver competitors, the Boston and Colorado smelters. Ore was transported from the mountains via the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad and the bullion shipped to Omaha via the Union Pacific Railroad. By 1886, the Omaha and Grant Company was a highly integrated firm with its own mines, sampling works, reduction plants, refinery and even a marketing department. In 1892, Denver's largest smelter expanded, building a giant 350-foot chimney, the tallest structure in the region and a visible symbol of an industry considered vital to the region. This Denver landmark was finally demolished in 1950 to make way for the Denver Coliseum. He was one of the richest men in Colorado at the time of his death.
Edward Monash – A German who immigrated to the United States in 1865, Monash started out as a store clerk. After a number of moves and promotions, he settled in Denver in 1881 and was proprietor of the Dollar Store, a mercantile store. Later he was proprietor of the well known Denver store “The Fair”, the original department store in the city. The store was located on Sixteenth and Champa streets after 1887, where “The Fair” occupied a large ground space and four floors. An innovator in business practice, he built a mail-order trade that extended throughout Colorado. For years he was a member, as well as an officer, director and later President of the Denver Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade. His civic duties were no less impressive. He was appointed as president of the board of Public Works in 1895, and Park Commissioner in 1897.
George Washington Cook – was Superintendent of the Colorado Midland Railroad and Mayor of Leadville from c1884-87. He had moved there in 1880 becoming the Superintendent of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. By 1884 he switched sides, and become agent for a competing rail line, the Colorado Midland Railroad. As Mayor of Leadville, Cook was present when the company built a short length of rail line after midnight on a day in the fall of 1884, over a patent owned by competitor Denver & Rio Grande, who had refused to sell a right of way. A group led by Cook built the line by morning starting five minutes after midnight -finishing by daylight, and the rail was then complete to Leadville. The Denver & Rio Grande fought in court, eventually winning a handsome settlement – but the rail was in, and the competition was “on”.
Cook moved to Denver in 1888 and became the general sales agent for the Colorado Fuel &. Iron Co., a major western mining company. Cook was active in the Denver Chamber of Commerce. He was very active in the Grand Army of the Republic for Colorado and Wyoming from the early 1890’s to well into the twentieth century. Cook was elected as a Republican to the Sixtieth Congress in 1907. A typical westerner and Coloradan, Cook was very active in mining ventures, and remained so the remainder of his life.
S. (Silas) M. Allen – In 1880 Allen was cashier for the Bank of Breckenridge in Colorado. Later he was manager of the Denver branch of R.G. Dun & Co., the mercantile credit reporting agency. In the early 1900’s he went on to be President of the Arkansas Valley State Bank in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
George W. Clark was a mining man in Denver and one of the first men to help organize the new Jefferson Territory. He was elected as Treasurer October 24, 1859.
Chas. (Charles) D. Cobb – (1844-1914) Cobb was a well known politician in Denver and ran a Fire Insurance business in Denver. The business covered Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico and was born of his days after being an Indian Trader at Fort Fetterman in Wyoming in the 1860’s. His need to protect and help people drove him to create this long lasting business.
Cobb was nominated by the Democratic party as its candidate for Mayor of Denver, but was defeated by William Scott Lee by a small margin. Cobb participated in the organization of the Commercial National Bank and became its Vice President. He was also the Grand Master of the IOOF, President of his Sunday School, an organizer of the Chamber of Commerce.
W. W. Anderson - Dr. W. W. Anderson was a perhaps the most well known physician in Denver. He attended Bat Masterson after he was shot in a barroom scuffle in October of 1886 and was known for attending and witnessing time of death at hangings.
470.5 Ounces – A Special Size Ingot
The 470.5 troy ounce size of the ingot is significant in the history of the Templars. This number is reported historically as the exact number of years (470 years, six months) that the Temple of Solomon existed, from the time it was built to the time it burned and was destroyed. This number has been reported throughout history, particularly in William Whiston’s republishing of Flavius Josephus’ early work in 1854. Josephus, a Roman-Jewish historian (37-100AD) is known as the prime historian of the first century after Christ. Later scholars dispute the 470 year life of the Temple, and show it as 410 years or thereabouts, based on other evidence than that discussed by Josephus, who was a contemporary of Pliny the Elder (Natural History), who died at Pompeii, 79AD. The two probably never met.
The ingot is so heavy and important, that it was carried in the procession in Denver on a litter held by four Knights in full uniform. A caricature was drawn and published at the time showing the men in costume with the litter and ingot.
One of Two Ornately Engraved Colorado Silver Ingots
Only one other silver or gold ingot that we’ve observed has artistic renderings of American scenery, and that was also a Colorado silver ingot, the 1881 Lord-Drake ingot of Leadville, formerly of the famous Ford Collection. The sketch of Leadville on that ingot, also on the front panel, is much more crude, lacking the detail of a skilled artisan. It was engraved by Paul Lyon and Daniel G. Golding of Leadville, but their style of engraving is not at all consistent with the style of engraving on this Templars ingot. The Lord-Drake ingot weighs about 33 troy ounces, less than one tenth of the weight of this Knights Templar ingot and was sold by this firm at public auction in 2011 for more than $50,000. The provenance of this ingot comes from a private collection of Knights Templar material in New York. The entire collection was sold and disbursed in 2012.
Conclusion
This is the largest American nineteenth century silver ingot extant. Ornately engraved, it is a testament to the strength of American fraternal organizations who have charitably helped others. As the most ornate of all American silver ingots, as well as the largest, it is a magnificent piece that was hidden in a private collection for more than a century. The names of prominent Colorado mining, railroad and business men adorn the ingot as a permanent reminder of the great and rich history of Colorado pioneers.
-60280
Auction Location:
Atlantis Casino Resort ~ 3800 S. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, 89502, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview:
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite#309
Reno, NV 89511
(Full preview, all items will be available for viewing)
Thursday - August 16, 12pm-6pm
Atlantis Casino & Resort
(Partial preview. Some of the oversized items will not be available for previewing at the Atlantis)
Friday Aug 17, 10am-6pm
Saturday Aug 18, 10am-6pm
Sales tax will apply, according to state law, for any items that ship to Nevada or California or are picked
up at our Reno, Nevada location, unless a current, valid re-sale certificate is provided at the time of
purchase.
Taxes:
Tax | Rate | Desc. |
NST |
7.725% |
Nevada Sales Tax: |
CST |
9% |
California Sales Tax: |
Buyer's Premiums:
From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
0.00 |
Infinite |
19.5% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
Shipping: Shipping will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping fees may be invoiced seperately. 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 will be insured for the full value determined at auction by Holabird-Kagin Americana 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.
Payment Details:
We accept Visa, Master Card, Money Order/Cashiers Check, Person Check, PayPal: HKAEbayRep@yahoo.com. A 3% discount is applied to the Buyer’s Premium on all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card or through PayPal.
Accepted Payment Methods:
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Terms and Conditions
1. This is a Live Auction.
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. Tie bids are awarded to the first absentee bid placed if not advanced on the floor, or by a phone bidder, whoever is first. Auctioneer reserves the right to reopen the lot in the case of an immediate dispute at the actual time of the sale.
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5. Live Auction Absentee Bidding: Absentee bids for the live auction will be accepted until Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 5pm PST. 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.
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WARNING: Auction participation through the live internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is still under review and 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:
$0 $29 $1
$30 $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.
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 includes 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 Nevada (7.725%) or California (9.0%) unless a current, valid resale certificate is faxed to us at 775-852-8866 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 days of receipt of invoice, payment is due in full to Holabird-Kagin Americana, 3555 Airway Dr., #308, Reno, NV 89511. We accept cash, personal checks, money orders, wire transfers, etc. 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. Sales tax will be added to all sales picked-up after the auction or shipped to California or 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, PayPal: HKAEbayRep@yahoo.com. A 3% discount is applied to the Buyer’s Premium on all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card or through PayPal.
19. Shipping: Shipping will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping fees may be invoiced seperately. 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 will be insured for the full value determined at auction by Holabird-Kagin Americana 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. Return Policy: All items are guaranteed to be authentic. 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 one week 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-Kagin Americana.
21. This sale is being held under the laws of the states of Nevada and California.
22. Neither Kagin’s, Inc. nor its subsidiary auction company Holabird-Kagin Americana 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.