HIGH NOON’S MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR WESTERN AMERICANA AUCTION BECOMES THE NATION’S LARGEST, SETTING MAJ Phoenix, AZ — On Saturday evening, January 20th, 2007, the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix would be the place where the nation’s largest Western Americana auction in history would take place, wher
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HIGH NOON’S MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR WESTERN AMERICANA AUCTION BECOMES THE NATION’S LARGEST, SETTING MAJOR WORLD RECORDS
Phoenix, AZ — On Saturday evening, January 20th, 2007, the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix would be the place where the nation’s largest Western Americana auction in history would take place, where the finest collections of all that is art representing the heart and traditions of the American West would come on the block, where previous world records would crumble and where just over 400 lots would bring $3 million— an event like none other in the country and one that had to be witnessed to be believed.
The energy indicating an exciting evening ahead began building throughout the day as limo after limo arrived at the Hyatt bringing bidders from across North America who came to buy a piece of American history. The lobby, mezzanine and auction preview room became filled to capacity with hopeful bidders, many dressed in amazing and elegant Western regalia which could only be appreciated in person. Over 1,000 bidders in all would take their seats in the Regency Ballroom at 5pm when the auction was set to start. Looking across the ballroom from any vantage point, it seemed as though you were looking across a sea of cowboy hats in every imaginable shape, color and design — quite spectacular indeed.
With over 1,000 bidders in the saleroom, hundreds ready to bid via the Internet and phone bidders on hold, the first of the 400+ lots hit the block and, as they say, the rest would become history (All prices noted in this release include the 15% buyers premium). What made this auction so spectacular? Was it the assemblage of some very important special collections? Was it the assemblage of individual lots never before seen on the block – “What made this auction so magical? “ was the question posed to Linda Kohn, Joseph Sherwood and Danny Verrier, producers of High Noon. It was Kohn’s charming response to the question that perhaps said it best: “For seventeen years, we’ve hosted this event and each year we’ve always hoped for a home run. This year was finally our year – everything just came together and, we didn’t just hit a home run, we sailed it out of the park!”
The trend of the sale was blowing past estimate which was evidenced very early on when just lot #2 came on the block. It was a lovely Herman Heiser fully tooled satchel which was estimated to bring $1,000 to $2,000 but quickly escalated to sell for $3,450. Followed shortly by a bucking horse weather vane estimated at $1,600 on the high side. Competitive bidding drove this lot quickly to over $4,000. The tone had been set but no one could have anticipated the resonance this tone would carry.
