One of two lots to achieve the highest price of the day — $5,000 — was this approximately 90-piece archive of Klondike mining history, circa 1898-1904, which included the unmounted photographs in this image ($500/800).

Review by Kiersten Busch

BERKELEY, CALIF. — PBA Galleries conducted its 847th auction on September 25, offering 372 lots of rare and fine books connected to “Western Americana, with Gold Rushers, God-Fearers, Gunslingers and Anglers.” After all was said and done, the sale totaled $143,288, according to PBA’s Americana specialist Ryan Howe, who shared that this was the first Americana auction that he’s handled at PBA. “There were many lots that blew their reserves out of the water, and it was gratifying to see our finger on the pulse of the Americana market at the moment,” he explained.

The winning price of the day was $5,000, which was awarded to a circa 1898-1904 archive of ephemera relating to Klondike mining, comprising approximately 90 items. The prominent feature of this lot was two manuscript diaries referring to P. V. Thorniley, M. O. Kristianson and Thomas Delhi, “three men embarking into the Klondike” to mine. Other pieces of the lot included a handwritten record of gold panning with diary entries, envelopes, a mining claim, receipts, invoices, maps and unmounted and mounted photographs. Stored in a custom clamshell box, the lot eclipsed the low end of its $500/800 estimate 10 times.

A few books on the Klondike experience also found new homes, ranging in price from $188 for a first edition copy of Tappan Adney’s The Klondike Stampede of 1897-1898 (New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1900), to $406 for a first US edition of Klondyke Nuggets: A Brief Description of the Great Gold Regions in the Northwest Territories and Alaska by former prospector and founder of Dawson City, Joseph Ladue (New York: American Technical Book Co., 1897).

The first promotional pamphlet published in Los Angeles, Homes in Los Angeles City and County by William McPherson, 1873, was published by Mirror Book and Job Printing Establishment and was the second of two lots to earn the sale-high price of $5,000 ($3/5,000).

One other lot also achieved $5,000 — a copy of the first promotional pamphlet published in Los Angeles. Titled Homes in Los Angeles City and County, and Description Thereof. With Sketches of Four Adjacent Counties, the first edition copy, written by William McPherson and published in 1873 by Mirror Book and Job Printing Establishment, came in its original printed wrappers and described “agricultural opportunities, climate, transportation and real estate opportunities, with numerous advertisements.” It also included a folding map of the Los Angeles area, which depicted the Abel Stearns Ranchos, which “comprised the most landholdings in the Southland at the time,” according to catalog notes.

Books of all genres pertaining to California continued to be popular with bidders, as a first edition copy of Illustrations of Napa County California with Historical Sketch made four times its high estimate at $4,063 ($700-$1,000). The publication — which was published by Smith & Elliot (Oakland, Calif.) in 1878 — included two maps, one color, and 68 plates, five of which were double plates. More illustrated volumes of California’s different counties continued to attract bidder attention, as an 1881 first edition copy of History of Merced County, California flipped to $2,813, while a complete first edition copy of Moore & De Pue’s Illustrated History of San Mateo County, California (1878) followed close behind at $2,125; both included various lithographed plates and maps.

More than 30 books by American author Zane Grey were on offer, led by a presentation copy of Tales of Southern Rivers gifted by the author to his son, Loren. What made this copy truly unique was that the inscription to Loren, done in purple ink, was written upside down on the rear flyleaf. It read: “Altadena, Nov 7, 1924 – To Loren, with the hope he learns to love fish as well as he loves bugs, from Dad, Zane Grey.” Published by Harper & Brothers (New York and London) in 1924, the copy swam upstream for $3,125.

$3,125 was the price realized for this presentation binding of Zane Grey’s Tales of Southern Rivers, 1924, published by Harper & Brothers (New York and London), which was inscribed to Grey’s son, Loren ($4/6,000).

Other notable Grey titles that found new homes included a signed presentation copy of Tales of Fishing Virgin Seas (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1925) which included plates from 100 photographs taken by Grey ($2,000) and a signed first edition copy of Tales of Lonely Trails (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1922) ($1,875).

Author Earle Forrest’s personal copy of his book California Joe, Noted Indian Fighter, co-authored by Joe E. Milner, rose past its $800-$1,200 estimate to make $3,125. It also featured an “Authentic Account of Custer’s Last Fight” by Colonel William H.C. Bowen, as well as an inscription by Forrest of both his and Milner’s roles in the creation of the book and a note of Milner’s death in 1936.

The firm’s PBA Platinum auction will take place on November 6. Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 415-989-2665 or www.pbagalleries.com.