Press Release

Reno, NV, USA, January 21, 2024 -- Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC’s original plan was to have two auctions in January – a timed online-only sale in the middle of the month and a live auction (with online bidding) at the end of the month. That idea has been scrapped. Now, both sales will be combined into one catalog – the timed online sale Jan. 25-26 and the live auction on Jan. 27-28.

Taken collectively, the two auctions are titled Marvels of the West – aptly named due to their contents. Both events will contain about 500-600 lots per day, in the categories collectors have come to expect from Holabird: Western and Native Americana, Gold Rush, mining, coins and currency, railroadiana, tokens, philatelic, bottles, ephemera and more. Start times all four days are 8 am Pacific. The live auction, Days 3 and 4, will be held at 3555 Airway Drive in Reno.

“We know people love our live auctions, but don’t miss the timed online-only sales,” advised Fred Holabird, president and owner of Holabird Western Americana, LLC. “Hidden in those two days are goodies I call ‘bait’ – items to get folks interested in certain categories and steer them to the live sale on Days 3 and 4. Timed sales are very popular, especially with dealers worldwide.”

Mr. Holabird added, “The timed online sale provides a chance for collectors to compete for less expensive items on their own terms of value. Also – and this is important - all lots open for bidding at just ten dollars during the timed auction. Bargains will be in abundance.” Internet bidding will be facilitated by iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.

“The live sale on Days 3 and 4 features great rarities in more than twenty different categories,” Mr. Holabird said. “You can scroll through the listings in the virtual catalog, which I always recommend, and also scroll through the listings on the various auction platforms. Don’t miss the Table of Contents page to help you find things in a general sense. Scrolling through the virtual catalog (the digital version of the printed catalog) is the easiest way to look through the listings.”

Perhaps the most intriguing and important item in the entire auction is lot #3027 on Day 3 - a remarkable and historic handwritten 1833 letter delivered to a US Indian Agent and intended for publication in the Buffalo Journal, an obscure, short-lived newspaper in which no copies have been digitalized, let alone finding out how many still exist in any form. Here, the Chiefs of the Six Nations proclaimed though this signed document written for them by their Indian Agent that they had no interest and would not trade any more of their lands at the Government’s request.

Apparently, some skullduggery had taken place between some Government officials, agents, and a few lesser Chiefs to acquire key land parcels in a dubious scheme to benefit a few (or line the pockets, as we might say today), without the permission or knowledge of the Council of the Six Nations. In this document, the Chiefs of the Six Nations at Council, all unilaterally proclaimed, “The Chiefs belong to the Nations, not the Nations to the Chiefs” … in short, the Chiefs cannot act individually or without consent of the Council for their own benefit. (est. $5,000-$10,000).

Several key collections will also come up for bid, beginning with a major collection of railroad dining ware that began in Holabird’s last auction. The massive, high-quality collection of logo marked china and “silver” items from US railroad company dining cars continues in this sale with hundreds of pieces. The collection is quite varied, offering items from dozens of America’s famous and not-so-famous (and rare) rail lines, mostly from the first half of the 20th century.

To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, and the four-day Marvels of the West auction slated for January 25th-28th, starting at 8 am Pacific each day, please visit www.holabirdamericana.com.

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