Western Ephemera
1. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Company Stock Certificate 21-Mar 1887
This is absolutely the quintessential western stock certificate, bar none. It is a truly great work of art with one of the most important and memorable themes – the Wild West Show. This certificate (No. 156) is issued to N. Salsbury for five shares and signed by N. Salsbury as Treasurer. 8.5 x 12.5” with black print on crème paper with orange under print and safety print. Incorporated under the laws of New Jersey and printed by the American Bank Note Co., New York Lithograph. This is the most artistic and historic of all western stocks with art worthy of the exclusive Couer D’Alene Western Art sale. This certificate is beautifully illustrated with detailed and intricate vignettes decorating the entire face; they include an Indian on horseback, a portrait of Buffalo Bill (William Cody), a cowboy on horseback holding a rifle, two Indians hunting bison on horseback, a western homestead scene, and a man chopping down a tree with two small children and two oxen. The piece also has exceptionally decorative borders and corner designs. Only two of these stocks are known by the author to be in private collections.
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show was formed in 1883 and performed for the first time in Omaha. The Wild West Show was founded by Buffalo Bill and Nate Salsbury and was a great success, with performances thrilling audiences all over the country until 1913, when Bill sold the production. This certificate is issued to and signed by N. Salsbury, the manager and primary owner of the show. Salsbury was an orphan from Illinois, who served with the Union Army during the Civil War. After discharge he became an actor and playwright, forming a successful acting group in 1875 known as the “Salsbury Troubadours.” In 1883 he joined up with Buffalo Bill Cody and partnered-up as co-owner of the Wild West Show. Eleven years later he established “Black America”, a performance group with a cast of 600 black actors, singers and acrobats.
This certificate has only come up for sale twice in history. It is in Extremely Fine condition. $35,000.
2. Western Cattle Horn Chair, c 1895
Now and then rare pieces of original western art cross our paths that can be and are very exciting. This chair is one such piece. It is a classic Frederick Remington era cowboy chair, and thought to have been specially made by the L.H. Cranes Furniture Co. in St. Louis.
This piece, constructed of cattle horns with a classic Victorian era red leather swivel seat, is in excellent condition, having in all probability never been used. As original cowboy art, it would have been purchased by an advanced collector, perhaps sitting in a gallery beneath a piece of classic western art, such as Remington, George Catlin, Charles Russell, or Maynard Dixon.
Chairs such as these first became popular in the 1870’s coincident to and part of America’s fascination with the cowboy. Wild West Shows spread the popularity. Chairs of this specific style are known from the mid 1880’s. This piece is thought to be from the 1890’s or perhaps shortly after.
Thanks to Alan Rogers, founder of the National Texas Longhorn Museum, for assisting us in the identification of this wonderful chair. $4,000.
3. S.J.V. Ingot c 1875-1885
No.1 Small silver ingot weighing 2.03 troy oz and measuring 2.5 x .5 x .25. Face reads: No. 1 S.J.V. G00/FINE 00 VALUE $000. 300, and back reads: OZ. 2.12. This appears to be a trial piece by an unknown assayer. It may have been used in a display. We were unable to find the person of these initials. Since the ingot is in the style of an 1870’s piece, it could also be a product of one of the advanced schools of assaying, such as that run by Thomas Price of San Francisco. It would have been likely that Price would have required his students to create realistic ingots. In fact, the more I think about this, this appears to be the product of a teaching tool, possibly with the student’s initials. It is the only such piece surviving to our knowledge. Provenance: Mehl to Kagin to anonymous private collector to here. $15,000.
4. Rare Nineteenth Century Gold Ingot, “Mill Bar” c1860-1885
Classic gold ingot engraved “Mill Bar” on one polished face. This ingot is 1.3” long x .3” wide x .1” thick. 0.426 troy oz. Trapezoidal shaped gold ingot made in a classic c 1860-1885 syle. Polished on all sides, it may represent a first mill product, a common form of commemoration for any mill when the first ores are processed. The resultant gold ingot or ingots were usually kept or presented to the mine manager, superintendent or owner as keepsakes. This particular bar may have been made for use as a watch chain fob, which was typical of many of the small silver ingots known from the early 1860's. $3,500.
5. Copper Ingot, 1895
This boat shaped copper ingot is Serial No. 3 dated October 21, 1895 with “AAA” on the top in raised, embossed-like letters. We were unable to find the specific source of this ingot. Copper in 1895 was on the front end of a major boom, which was being fueled by the desire of American industry to install electricity in every home and business as well as for use in manufactured electrical devices. That year the largest producers of copper were Montana at 183 million pounds, Michigan at 114.5 million pounds, Arizona at 44.5 million pounds with no other states even close. Production records suggest the likelihood this bar is from Montana or Michigan, but further research could be conculsive. In our research we were unable to find a copper company’s name with three A’s. No photograph. $1,250.
6. Gold Amalgam Rectangular Ingot, CA/AK Unknown Date
This neat small gold ingot weighs .56 troy oz and is the product of mercury amalgamation of fine placer gold particles. It was kept in the Bass Collection for more than a decade, and in earlier collections for decades before that. Unfortunately, previous owners did not record the source of the gold, one could suspect that it originated in one of the western placer strong states such as California or Alaska. The exact time frame this piece was made has not been established. $750.
7. Crude 1.00 troy Ounce Rectangular Gold Ingot c 1950
This ingot is polished on the top and has no punch marks. It is a homemade ingot from an old time placer miner, probably from the 1950’s or 1960’s. The gentleman’s family, whom we acquired this from, did not recall where their father mined the gold, nor where he poured the ingot, but he spent a lot of time mining in the Republic, and Washington gold regions, but the family said it could be from any of the places he mined over a 30 year period. This is a very attractive, but crude ingot typical of one an 1850’s or 1860’s miner himself would make. $1,425.
8. L. Son Silver Ingot
This is a three ounce silver ingot engraved L.Son with the L overlapping the S. Approximately 2” X 1” X 1/4”. A number of L. Son silver ingots have surfaced in the past few years. Their manufactured style is typical of the post 1960’s silver craze, particularly the activity that occurred around the 1981 silver price spike of more than $50 per ounce. We have been unable to find specific information on this firm and welcome any information our readers may be able to provide. $450.
9. Tea Kettle Saloon and Whiskey Bottle, c 1875-1885
Tea Kettle Whiskey was one of two of the most popular brands of whiskey on the West Coast. It surfaced about 1875 and quickly created a sensation. It was easily the most popular brand of whiskey poured at saloons in Virginia City, Nevada. This whiskey and other brand names such as Gilt Edge, Cutter, Old Judge, etc. were so popular that saloons began to name themselves after the brand name whiskeys. A few of these saloons issued their own pioneer minor coinage. This lot contains a wonderful, dark amber, original Tea Kettle Whiskey Bottle from San Francisco dug in Virginia City and a Teakettle Saloon token (ca.1883-1891) from Needles California. The token was made by Jacob Strahle & Company from San Francisco and dates to approximately the same period as the bottle. It is NCS certified as genuine and is Extremely Rare. $3,500. Sold
10. Cutter Saloon and Whiskey Bottle, c 1875-1908
Cutter Whiskey was the most popular brand of whiskey in all western mining camps. It was so popular that saloons all over the west were named after it. This lot contains a wonderful dark amber original “star” Cutter Whiskey bottle and a token from the Cutter Saloon in Gilroy, slabbed by NGC and graded AU55. The bottle is in Mint condition. $1,000.
11. Marvels of the New West, Norwich, CT 1889
A Vivid Portrayal of the Stupendous Marvels In the Vast Wonderland West of the Missouri River. Six Books in One Volume Comprising Marvels of Nature, Marvels of Race, Marvels of Enterprise, Marvels of Mining, Marvels of Stock-Raising, and Marvels of Agriculture. Graphically and Truthfully Described by William M. Thayer. Illustrated with over three hundred and fifty fine engravings and maps. Norwich, Conn: The Henry Hill Publishing Company.1889. Mint Condition. $350.
12. Crusoe's Island, New York, NY 1864
A Ramble in the Footsteps of Alexander Selkirk. With Sketches of Adventure in California and Washoe. By J. Ross Browne. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, Franklin Square. 1864 Includes Crusoe's Island, A Dangerous Journey, Observations in Office and A Peep at Washoe. There are approximately 115 sketches. $450.
13. Crusoe's Island: A Ramble in the Footsteps of Alexander Selkirk. With Sketches of Adventure in California and Washoe and Adventures in the Apache Country; A Tour Through Arizona and Sonora with Notes on the Silver Regions of Nevada. Two books, New York, NY 1864
A pair of books by J. Ross Browne. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, Franklin Square. 1st Editions. No photograph. Set of two books. $800.