Western Trading Post – How a Family Owned Auction Company Became a World Record Holder by Selling The Highest Priced Squash Blossom Necklace Sold at Auction

Dennis Yu from Content Factory Chats with Jim Olson From Western Trading Post

Most businesses shuttered their doors during the pandemic. Western Trading Post, however, was one of the few businesses in America that thrived during these troubling times. Co-owner and lead auctioneer Jim Olson shares with Dennis how choosing a unique niche – Indian jewelry – helped the company become a world record holder. This auction house which is over a century old has kept up with the modern times in terms of Internet marketing and technology. From a strong social media presence to a show on television and everything in between this company has it all. 

Topics discussed were the a rich family history of Western Trading Post, how collectors can receive a fair valuation, how to successfully bid at Western Trading Post auctions, how Western Trading Post is a great investment option for collectors, how Western Trading Post became a world record holder for selling a Lander Blue Turquoise squash blossom set, and Western Trading Post’s easy to use app. 

Want to know more about this historic auction house. Here are some helpful links – Western Trading Post’s website, Award-winning TV show, YouTube channel, and their app.

Western Trading Post – A Rich Family History

Western Trading Post is a true American success story, the beginning of which could be traced all the way back to 1877. This family owned and operated auction house and gallery is a fixture at the Historic District of Casa Grande, Arizona. The business derives its name from being an authentic old-fashioned trading post. The trading post stands out in its sale of Western Americana, Vintage Turquoise Jewelry, Firearms, Southwestern Antiques and Art and other collectible items. From specialty to monthly to annual, Western Trading Post has it all – for buyers and sellers. The auction house also offers several options for bidders to participate – in person, absentee, by dialing in and even online.

The family behind one of the oldest auction houses in America – Western Trading Post

Fair valuation

If you are a collector and are looking to sell your artifacts, it is of utmost importance that you get a fair valuation. Valuing artifacts is not simply at the discretion of a buyer or a seller and can even vary from region to region. So, a collector needs reliable and professional appraisers on their side. And who better to value your collections that has been around for over a century. So, if you have a collection that you need appraised, reach out to professionals at Western Trading Post.

How to bid at Western Trading Post auctions

While providing a fair valuation for the collectors, the professionals at this historic auction house have a fair bidding process in place as well for the bidders. From registering for an auction to bid increments, a systematic process has been put in place. Here’s a blog post on their site with detailed bidding instructions – And a helpful honest to goodness post about being a better bidder.

Western Trading Post is a great investment option for collectors

Any auction-worthy artifact is bound to grow in value with time. So, collectors with such auction-worthy artifacts are a great investment opportunity. However, what is a valuable “collectible”? And which collectibles would make a worthy investment? The professionals at Western Trading Post have answers to these questions. As Jim Olson the co-owner and lead auctioneer says, “One of the first rules of buying as an investment is—don’t buy junk! Know the market on things you collect.” From this simple rule to other valuable pieces of advice about collectibles as investment, read Jim Olson’s post here.

Word record holder

On January the 8th, this historic auction house became a world record holder when a Lander Blue Turquoise squash blossom set – pictured below – was sold for a whopping $112,000. The set was created in the 1970s by an unknown Navajo jeweler and consists of 4 pieces – bracelet, ring, earrings, and a necklace. The set is not just the rarest in the world but was also most sought after. About the world record, co-owner and lead auctioneer Jim Olson said, “We have thoroughly researched results from the biggest auction houses, we googled it, and have also looked at auction results available to us through services we subscribe to, and have found no other squash blossom necklaces sold at an auction for anywhere near this amount. While we do know of a few gallery sales of squash blossoms selling in the six-figure range, we believe this one was the first one ever sold at a live auction for six-figures.”

Lander Blue Turquoise squash blossom set at Western Trading Post sells for a world record price of $112,000

App

Though historic, family-owned and old-fashioned, Western Trading Post has kept with the modern technological age. The auction house has a state-of-the-art app. Here’s a video showing how you can have this app on your phone, and place bids right from the palm of your hand. 

Know more about this historic auction house

Whether you are looking to bid on an artifact or have one to sell, Western Trading Post is your go-to place. Know more about them by visiting their website here. Or check out their award-winning TV show aired nationally for two years in a row on Cowboy Channel, and on the Great American Westerns channel in 2021. Finally, check them out on YouTube and subscribe to their channel to stay up to date.