Auction Dates:
October 8 & 9

Auction Hours:
Starting daily at
10AM(ET); 7AM(PT)

Public Preview:
Online only

Online Bidding:
www.proxibid.com
www.liveauctioneers.com

History

Early in our Nation's history... pioneers considered Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to be the "Gateway to the West". Years ago, the then Mayor of the Pennsylvania state capital saw the wisdom in creating a museum paying homage to those pioneering days. To create the magnificent institution he envisioned, the City spent millions for the acquisition of rare artifacts pertaining to the Old West. In the process, the Mayor also saw fit to assemble collections relating to the Revolutionary, Civil and Indian Wars, and a wide range of other historic collectibles.

For various reasons, the Old West museum that the Mayor dreamt of was never built. The staggering collection he amassed on behalf of the City - consisting of more than 8,000 antiques, artifacts, firearms, and rare documents - has languished in Harrisburg's storage facilities. Guernsey's will be presenting at Unreserved Auction this magnificent Collection. Those interested are urged to either follow Guernsey's website (www.guernseys.com) for auction updates or feel free to contact Guernsey's directly.

The Auction

Thousands participated two months ago when Guernsey's sold 4,000 unreserved auction lots on behalf of the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As huge as that event was, there still remains a substantial body of material simply too vast to have been included in that first sale. Those items will now be sold - online only - on October 8 & 9.

Primarily ephemera. The upcoming offering will mostly contain paper in the form of historic correspondence, printed matter, photography, books, etc. Additionally, as this advertisement is going to press, there remains a small percentage of items from the first Harrisburg Auction that have as yet been paid for and should this remain the case, those items will also be included. As those who followed the first auction know, the majority of items in the Harrisburg Collection focused on the Old West. There were, however, many items relating to other periods of American history… from the Revolutionary period on through World War II. The same will be true of Harrisburg, Part II.

One thousand unreserved lots. With many lots containing multiple items (for example, one lot contains 10 original letters from survivors of the Battle at the Little Big Horn), thousands of items will be sold - all without reserve - over two exciting days. Bidders can participate via Proxibid.com or Liveauctioneers.com where the auction items can currently be viewed. There will also be a limited opportunity to bid via the telephone. As with the first Harrisburg Auction, the event is being conducted by Guernsey's which should be contacted with any questions.

Online Bidding

Those interested in participating can view the full catalogue online, and leave advance absentee bids, as well as bid live as the sale is taking place at www.proxibid.com and www.liveauctioneers.com

Links

Interested bidders should review the Terms & Conditions, as well as the Bidder Agreement form.

Following is a small sampling of the significant items to be sold:

Lot 8499. Daguerreotype - Indian Wars Artillery Featuring 12 soldiers and men gathered around a cannon in a field. A very unusual photo in a desireable size and contained in a gutta percha case with a western scene at the front and with an advertisement beneath the image for Littlefield and Parsons & Co., manufactures of daguerreotype cases called Union Cases. 1/2 plate. Circa early 1860s. Estimate: $600 - 800

Lot 8591. Letter Sgd by King Ferdinand V; Circa 1476 Letter signed by King Ferdinand V of Spain in 1476. Ferdinand was the husband of Isabella, and together with her, the patron of Christopher Columbus. Estimate: $2,000 - 3,000

Lot 8082. J. Manton 12 Gauge Hammer Coach Gun Rib is marked Sam J. Hayhurst Arizona Rangers. Twist steel barrels. VG condition. Estimate: $600 - 800

Lot 8138. Oversized Tintype - Abilene, Texas Outdoor scene with figures and wagons, Abilene, Texas. 7x5" Estimate: $300 - 400

Lot 8534. ALS by H.J. McGrath, 4th Cavalry Handwritten letter describes life at Fort Bowie in 1885. Included in the lot is a biographical sketch of McGrath. Estimate: $6,000 - 8,000

Lot 8686. Buffalo Bill's Gillette Razor King Gillette Pocket Edition Safety Razor in a traveling case or ornate repoussed silver plate. Marked at the top in fancy script. W. F. Cody 4"L. 2"W Estimate: $1,000 - 1,500

Lot 8726. Large Format Photo "Iron Cloud" Full view portrait of Iron Cloud striking a dignified pose with his arms crossed and his head turned to the side looking upward. 10x13" Estimate: $600 - 800

Lot 8590. Document Signed by Isabella I Spain C. 1499 Daughter of John II, King of Castile, her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon united the crowns of Castile and Aragon and helped begin Spain's ascent to greatness. She was the patroness of Christopher Columbus, whose project had been neglected by the King. Estimate: $2,000 - 3,000