The Walter Nelson Artifact Collection

[Th3rty7]

Looks like this was auctioned off a couple years ago but fortunately they've left up 20 some pages of his collection. This guy had one jaw dropping collection of artifacts, lots of eye candy and I find the realised prices interesting, most of them shattered the estimates. Just some good off season time wasting material here.


http://www.antiquehelper.com/catalog.php?id=194&page=1

 

[Tnmountains]

Nice items. Maybe a little high but most were types I do not find in the south. Cool link Thirty7.
TnMtns

 

[joshuaream]

That was a great auction, the big cumberland was spectacular.

 

[*Molly*]

Very reasonably priced. Quality artifacts.
Thanks 37, nice to have a flint fix to start my day..

Molly.

 

[sidmind]

That was a great auction, the big cumberland was spectacular.

$33,000 dollars, is it worth it? who would pay that much?

and are they found in Oklahoma?

 

[Miami-valley-artifacts]

this was the best auction in the last 10 years. I got some of my best pieces from that auction. As far as the Cumberland goes that is one of the best ones I have seen, it went for less than I would have thought. I guessed $50k. I'll attach a few pics of pieces I have from the auction. Scott www.miamivalleyartifacts.com



I also had the large double notch turkey tail

 

[Miami-valley-artifacts]

the neat thing about the walter nelson sale is that his collection was sold off around 60 years ago (everybody thought) at his death, but the relatives of his found these artifacts under the bed in the nelsons house. He had kept back the best ones for himself and never told anybody. just thought you guys would find the history interesting. that is the story I was told, can't verify if it is true or not. Scott

 

[joshuaream]

the neat thing about the walter nelson sale is that his collection was sold off around 60 years ago (everybody thought) at his death, but the relatives of his found these artifacts under the bed in the nelsons house. He had kept back the best ones for himself and never told anybody. just thought you guys would find the history interesting. that is the story I was told, can't verify if it is true or not. Scott

I heard basically the same story from Larry, and figure it's mostly true. Someone (I think his daughter) was cleaning out some boxes in the house her parents left her and found the relics. She took them and a lot of old furniture to the consignment auction house, where the auctioneer recognized the potential value. Larry is pretty well known in that area and had helped out before, so he was called in to check out the pieces. Larry searched around, found a picture of Mr. Nelson in Who's Who volume one with pictures of many of the same points and artifacts, and the rest is history. If the heir had tracked down a dealer or collector instead of the auction house, they probably would have purchased the whole lot for $20 grand and made a mint.

The only part that may not be true is that the entire collection was stored under a bed.

 

[pickaway]

Wow some killer pieces in there.

 

[midwestflower]

Walter was my great great grandfather on the maternal side. He and his wife had three daughters and a son. My grandma passed about a year ago and ever since I’ve been trying to find information about Walter’s life. I didn’t know much about him other than family talk of his artifact collection. Her gift to each one of my family members for her last Christmas was a number of relics spanning from arrowheads, axeheads, carved figurines, and larger tools.

Never heard about a daughter finding them under some bed, but I can say the remaining collection is fairly large. I will try to post photos of what I’ve received to see what y’all might have to say. I also have photos of Walter if those would be of interest to anyone.

 

[newnan man]

Welcome & yes please do post your pics.