THE GOLDEN WEST AUCTIONS

Auction Details

The Golden West Sale encompasses three sessions of auctions covering some of the most important historical western material from the Gold Rush periods of California, Nevada and Colorado. The material has been assembled from many of the great western collections, as well as original material handed down within Gold Rush families, held intact for over 100 years.
Session A of the Golden West Sale encompasses the annual WESTS (Western States Token Society) token auction. This year the highlight is clearly and unarguably the finest Western Indian Trader, Fort & Territorial collection ever assembled at public auction. The more than 500 lot sale contains dozens of R9 and R10 tokens, many of which have not seen the light of day in at least four decades. Some ephemera also is included from Indian Trader sites. Indian Trader tokens are an important form of money exchanged between Indians and Anglos in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Trading Posts were a way of life in the isolated outposts of the western plains and mountains, swapping furs, rugs, coats and other items for food stuffs and equipment. There has never been a sale of this magnitude and importance. The end of this sale will include a comprehensive collection of Naval tokens never before offered and with NO ESTIMATES or MINIMUM BID REQUIREMENTS, as this offering will set the pricing precedent for naval tokens.
Session B encompasses many of the popular collecting categories. It includes a strong photograph collection of American saloon interiors, saloon ephemera and Gold Rush region saloon tokens, also known as Pioneer Minor Coinage. Part of the saloon section includes a large collection of the ultra-rare Good-for mirrors, one of the rarest forms of money, many with pictorial representations of the fabulous “gay-90’s” saloon girls, as well as advertising mirrors. This is the largest mirror offering since the Rosa sale of 1988. Most of the mirrors are so rare that only one to three specimens of each are known. The session will be rounded out by a collection of So-called dollars and Hibler Kappen related material, $50 slug facsimiles, Chopmarked coins, Golden Gate International Exposition Medals and more. Much of this section is from the well-known Bill Weber Collection.
Session C The highlight of the sale is certainly the newly discovered Washington Nugget, a nearly 100 ounce nugget (and several others) found in an unmined section of the Omega-Malakoff Tertiary Channel in February, 2010 that made national news. The nuggets are accompanied by two large original nineteenth-century bullion scales (Christian Becker, New York; Henry Troemner, Philadelphia), It is accompanied in the sale by some masterful original Gold Rush art, inclusive of a spectacular and early rendition of a miner, several broadsides- a miner in lithographic form, panoramic views of mining communities, a number of original Currier & Ives prints of the Gold Rush and Salt Lake City, stage coach pieces, and the Alaska 1893 Yukon/Alaska Miners Union Banner.
A massive Gold Rush banking collection covers the 1850’s through 1860’s in California and Nevada, with what is probably the largest Gold Rush period banking collection ever offered publicly. It contains more than 100 different Bills of Exchange, a form of the first circulating currency on the West Coast. A wonderful and large collection of Gold Rush banking documents augments this fine collection, along with original leather gold pokes and money belts.
Some of the highlights of the Gold Rush Collection are documents from the original 1910 San Francisco sale of the estate of James King of William, documents signed by Adolph Sutro, California coiner F. D. Kohler, and others. A very rare letter book from Nevada mining and railroad magnate Hume Yerington from the mid-1860’s contains incredible information about his life prior to his railroad successes.
A large collection of US Mint ephemera is included, including rare bullion receipts, photographs, lithograph, gold coin and other coin bank bags, as well as rare Carson City gold and silver coins. Accompanying the Mint ephemera is a section of California Counters and rare California Gold Rush tokens.
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San Francisco,CA - Oct 21, 1881 - E. Chielovich & Co. Masthead Letter :1141 - San Francisco,CA - Oct 21, 1881 - E. Chielovich & Co. Masthead Letter :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
A letter from the E. Chielovich & Co. to the San Joaquin recorder requesting more information about J.E. Spencer. The Chielovich Liquor Company ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to m*******2 for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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San Francisco,CA - c1900-1915 - Exchange Saloon Interior Photograph :1142 - San Francisco,CA - c1900-1915 - Exchange Saloon Interior Photograph :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Great interior shot shows 11 finely dressed gentlemen standing at the bar in the foreground with a bartender in the background. This is believed to be
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 120.00 - 200.00
Sold to f*****a for (70.00 + 12.25BP) = 82.25
 
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San Francisco,CA - June 8, 1878 - Flood & O'Brien's Liquor Saloon Illustration :1143 - San Francisco,CA - June 8, 1878 - Flood & O'Brien's Liquor Saloon Illustration :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Frank Leslie's colorized illustration from a saloon in San Francisco where they promoted Mackay & Fairs Comstock mining. The illustration me...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to 8***8 for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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San Francisco,CA - Hirsch’s Clothiers and Furnishings Mirror :1144 - San Francisco,CA - Hirsch’s Clothiers and Furnishings Mirror :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Advertising, redemption | “Mirror with obverse of gold sparkled lettering on whole sided vignette. Image of a fair-skinned brown haired women looking
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - January 29, 1875 - J.C. Morrison Jr. Receipt and Cover :1145 - San Francisco,CA - January 29, 1875 - J.C. Morrison Jr. Receipt and Cover :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
The maker of California Club House Whiskey, the most famous and collectible embossed western whiskey bottle.
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to m*******2 for (140.00 + 24.50BP) = 164.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - c1910 - Louvre Saloon Interior Photograph :1146 - San Francisco,CA - c1910 - Louvre Saloon Interior Photograph :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
On back wall above swinging saloon doors is a sign "Trade Checks Good For Drinks and Cigars Only". Fancy wood back and front bar. Shlitz a...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to t********n.. for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - M & M Saloon-237 Kearny St. : 5 c I.T. -1147 - San Francisco,CA - M & M Saloon-237 Kearny St. : 5 c I.T. -
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Obverse: M & M / Saloon / 237 / Kearny St. /S.F. Reverse: Good For / 5c / In Trade
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to m*****r for (190.00 + 33.25BP) = 223.25
 
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San Francisco,CA - c1910 - Mecca Bar Saloon Interior Photograph :1148 - San Francisco,CA - c1910 - Mecca Bar Saloon Interior Photograph :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Large safe appears at left with safe deposit boxes, which is unusual. Union Bar sign appears above bar. Advertisement for Milwaukee Brewery Golden Sta
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 120.00 - 250.00
Sold to 8***6 for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - Mohns and Kaltenbach Purest Wines and Liquors Mirror :1149 - San Francisco,CA - Mohns and Kaltenbach Purest Wines and Liquors Mirror :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Advertising| “Mirror in encased in a 4mm thick metallic ring. Imbedded in the ring are the obverse image and reverse mirror. The metallic ring has som
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to 8***8 for (275.00 + 48.13BP) = 323.13
 
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San Francisco,CA - c1915 - Old Kirk Whiskey Medallion :1150 - San Francisco,CA - c1915 - Old Kirk Whiskey Medallion :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Star shaped brass medallion. Obverse; Old/Kirk/Whiskey. Reverse; A.P. Hotaling & Co./429/tp 437/Jackson/St./S.F.Cal. Attached is a piece of red ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to m*******2 for (110.00 + 19.25BP) = 129.25
 
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Martinez,CA - Palace Saloon 19 Grangers Wharf : 50 -1151 - Martinez,CA - Palace Saloon 19 Grangers Wharf : 50 -
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Obverse: The Palace Saloon / M. Caldarralla / 19 / Grangers Wharf. Reverse: 50
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 500.00 - 800.00
Sold to 9***6 for (375.00 + 65.63BP) = 440.63
 
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San Francisco,CA - Saloon Interior Photograph - 1907 :1152 - San Francisco,CA - Saloon Interior Photograph - 1907 :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Union Bar sign above bar. "John L. Masternsa Place, 9th and Pine St. San Francisco, 1907" written on reverse. Advertising of German Bottle...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 120.00 - 250.00
Sold to t********n.. for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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San Francisco,CA - Saloon Interior Photograph - c1885 :1153 - San Francisco,CA - Saloon Interior Photograph - c1885 :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Men wearing bowlers and top hats. Each man has a watch chain on his vest and two of the watch chains have pendants of some kind. By Elite Photographer
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 120.00 - 200.00
Sold to t********n.. for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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San Francisco,CA - Saloon Interior Photograph with Slot Machine - c1900 :1154 - San Francisco,CA - Saloon Interior Photograph with Slot Machine - c1900 :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Very fancy new bar and back bar. The photo is clearly designed to show off the beauty of the woodwork. Slot machine appears on the left end of the bar
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to 9***0 for (85.00 + 14.88BP) = 99.88
 
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San Francisco,CA - Selig Brothers & Co Wholesale Tailors Mirror :1155 - San Francisco,CA - Selig Brothers & Co Wholesale Tailors Mirror :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Advertising | “This is a brown leather bound fold-out pocket mirror. There are two obverse sides. The first obverse side has a beautiful vignette of a
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to 9***6 for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - Westerfelds Wedding Cakes Mirror :1156 - San Francisco,CA - Westerfelds Wedding Cakes Mirror :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Advertising | “Mirror is encased in a 4mm thick metallic ring. Imbedded in this ring are the obverse image and reverse mirror. The obverse is a 42mm c
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 500.00
 
 
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San Francisco - Maverick,CA - Tivoli Saloon : 5c dr -1157 - San Francisco - Maverick,CA - Tivoli Saloon : 5c dr -
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Obverse: Tivoli Saloon / 1434 / Grant Ave. Reverse: Good For / 5 cent / Drink
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 300.00
Sold to A*******e for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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San Jose,CA - Santa Clara County - Lynde & Roop Parlor Saloon : 1 drink -1158 - San Jose,CA - Santa Clara County - Lynde & Roop Parlor Saloon : 1 drink -
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Obverse: Parlor Saloon / Lynde / & / Roop. Reverse: Good For / 1 / Drink
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 300.00
Sold to A*******e for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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Santa Cruz,CA - c1905-1910 - G.A. Deiter Mirror : 10c - 3045721-0091159 - Santa Cruz,CA - c1905-1910 - G.A. Deiter Mirror : 10c - 3045721-009
Holabird-Kagin Americana
A smiling bare-chested brunette woman with a voluminous hairdo holds her hands to her face while leaning over a plumped pillow. Good For 10c in Trade
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 2,000.00 - 4,000.00
Sold to a*******e for (1,300.00 + 227.50BP) = 1,527.50
 
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Shawmut,CA - Happy Hollow Saloon Token :1160 - Shawmut,CA - Happy Hollow Saloon Token :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Obverse: Happy Hollow / Saloon / W.B. Null ; reverse: Good For / 1 / Drink. Br, 21mm, R7. Very fine condition.
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 75.00 - 150.00
Sold to 1***3 for (190.00 + 33.25BP) = 223.25
 
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