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One of the more distinctive items up for auction at the Burley Auction Gallery is a letter about a cholera outbreak, pictured left. Photo courtesy of  Burley Auction Gallery

Burley Auction Gallery holding auction of items from 2008 Alamo excavation

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Burley Auction Gallery will be holding a live auction of Alamo battle relics and Republic of Texas documents at its gallery at 134 Debora Dr. in New Braunfels., beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 6.

 Robb Burley, owner of the well-known Texas-based auction house that specializes in Western Americana and Texana, emphasized that due to COVID-19 crowd size restrictions, seating will be spread out to promote social distancing for those attending the live event. Masks and hand sanitizer will also be available. 

Those unable to attend can utilize live internet bidding available through icollector.com, or through phone and absentee bidding. Details can be found at Burley Auction Gallery's website. In-person previews of items can be arranged by appointment only from June 1-4, and again on June 5 from noon to 6 p.m.

Bidders will be treated to Alamo battlefield relics such as cannon balls, lance tips, bullets and other items unearthed during the 2008 excavation project just outside the Alamo’s north wall, at which some of the most intense battles took place. 

The auction also features historic items from Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, Confederate General in the Civil War, including family photographs and portraits, documents, signatures and books. According to Burley, one of the more distinctive items is a letter about a cholera outbreak, something he finds particularly poignant during the current global pandemic. 

“It’s just a great symbol of how history reminds us of our human connections over time,” said Burley. “That’s one of the reasons I treat it as an honor to stand before heritage items like Texana and Americana memorabilia — you truly feel a kinship with the original owners and the history behind each item.”

Bidders can also vie for a collection of Confederate Civil War firearms, Bowie knives, antique Colt Single Actions and Winchester rifles, an estate collection of modern firearms and ammunition, gold and silver coins, Early American furniture and Pennsylvania pottery, a fine 18th century Chippendale chest, 1780s Philadelphia painted face grandfather clock, antique painted furniture, pewter cabinets and dry sinks, Texas furniture, Texas art and pottery, various signs, and even a fully-restored 1926 Ford Model T with push-button start. 

Burley started Burley Auction Gallery in 2004, growing it to become a nationally recognized auction house, specializing in Texana and historic Western Americana. Burley Auction Gallery has produced many well-known auctions, such as the final auction of the Roy Rogers museum collection, Texas Ranger Captain and U.S. Marshal Jack Dean’s gun collection, the auction of an entire Texas ghost town the was the subject of a PBS documentary “The Grove Texas,” Austin’s Threadgill’s restaurant and Eddie Wilson’s Armadillo World Headquarters memorabilia collection. For more information, go to Burley Auction Gallery's website.

San Marcos Record

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P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666