Items which have sold or are otherwise no longer available have been moved to the Sold Items Archive
Western Ephemera
RFG-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.
RFG-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.
RFG-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.
RFG-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.
RFG-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.
RFG-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.
RFG-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.
RFG-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.