About the author
Author Nancy Schaut and her husband Jim (a photographer) have been writing about antiques and collectibles, especially old cars and automotive memorabilia, since 1978. Hundreds of their articles have been published in collector-oriented magazines. The Schauts cover the Cowboy and Native American art scene, and have profiled talented artists and craftspersons. Nancy enjoys writing about historic travel locations in the American West and is currently working on a series of stories about the history behind our Western tourist railroads.
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Books by
Jim and Nancy Schaut
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Collecting the Old West
Horsin' Around: A Guide to Equine Memorabilia
American Automobilia: An Illustrated History and Price Guide
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~ RAILROADING IN THE WEST ~
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Scenic Wonders
of the West Folder,
cowboy cover. Contains
10 prints of Southern Pacific
trains, late 1940s, $65-75.00
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The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869 is often regarded as the single most important event in the taming of the "Wild West". Rugged terrain, unfriendly natives and the scarcity of water made individual travel difficult and dangerous. When the Union Pacific Railroad locomotive Number 119 nosed the cowcatcher of the Jupiter engine of the Central Pacific at Promentory Point, Utah, the journey West suddenly became safer. The railroad not only brought settlers to the West, it provided a faster, more efficient way for Western farmers and ranchers to transport their goods to market.
When Western expansion was at its peak, there were hundreds of small, independent lines. Some existed solely to service mining interests in the area, while others only transported cattle to the slaughterhouse. Most operated only for a short time before they were bought out by a larger railroad or just went out of business when the mines they served petered out. Anything imprinted with the names of these small, local railroads is highly collectible.
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This 3" tall Harvey Girl
figurine is marked Japan
on the base, $50-75.00
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All sorts of railroad memorabilia remains an active part of the antiques and collectibles market. Collectors find the working man's tools, from lanterns and oilers to conductor's uniforms and cap badges very desirable. Lanterns embossed with railroad initials, from the S.P Co. of the Southern Pacific to the rarer, A. E. of the Arizona Eastern, are probably the single most widely collected bit of railroad memorabilia. Colored glass globes in red, blue or amber are rare and add considerably to the value of an old lantern. Lanterns sell for anywhere from $50.00 for a complete, working lantern from a common line like the Southern Pacific to several thousands for brass lanterns presented to employees upon their retirement. Railroad locks and keys are popular as well. Look for those old heart-shaped brass locks. They are more valuable with their original key. Watch out for a brass lock with raised letters purporting to be from a railroad. It is what we dealers call "contemporary" which is a polite way of saying its a reproduction. An old railroad lock will have smooth, rounded edges, from years of wear. This new one has sharp edges and the casting looks rough.
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Denver & Rio Grande
Playing Cards, each card
has a different scene,
$75-100.00
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Railroad collectors love paper from waybills to postcards. Advertising posters, timetables, and travel brochures from the turn of the century are collected for their beautiful illustrations. The more elaborately decorated they are, the more desirable and expensive. Timetables are notable for their artwork and for the unusual slogans used by railroads at the turn of the century. An 1899 timetable for the Colorado and Northwestern Railway advertises "the Switzerland Trail of America". The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad claimed to be "The Old Reliable Route to the West". The Northern Pacific made some of the most beautiful timetables. Their Fall, 1883 timetable with a black and white depiction of Yellowstone Falls and the geyser sells for $100-150.00.
Playing cards, particularly the view cards are avidly collected. View cards offered a series of views from along a particular right of way, each card in the deck would have a different view. These were often accompanied by a small brochure explaining the location of each view. These sell for $25.00-100.00 for a complete deck.
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Alaska Railroad China
is very rare. This bowl
sells for $300-400.00
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The trappings of luxurious passenger trains is collected, as well. Dining car china, silverplate, and linens are sought out by china collectors, railroadiana collectors and Western enthusiasts. Some of the most popular Western railroad artifacts are from the Santa Fe and the Fred Harvey Company.
Santa Fe advertising featuring "Chico" a little Navajo boy as spokesman are especially desirable. The vinyl figure of Chico routinely sells for $300-500. In the sixties and seventies, the Santa Fe issued a series of calendars and pocket calendars featuring Western art. These diminutive pocket calendars are an economical way to amass a superb Western art collection for $3-5 each.
Although modern Western railroads haul mostly freight and many of the smaller lines now operate strictly as tourist attractions, interest in the early railroads remains strong, and railroadiana is always popular among collectors .
Copyright © 2000 Nancy Schaut. All rights reserved
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