Measuring Short Snorters

A Veteran’s Story, Wild West Gold & a Serial Killer’s Confession

This week, the Donley Auctions team takes us on a poignant journey into history, starting with a heartfelt tribute to our nation's heroes. In honor of Veterans Day, Randy and Mike Donley share the incredibly moving story of a local aviator, reminding us that every antique has a human story. From there, the episode pivots to an unbelievable music auction and a contest for all you Wild West fans. This is one you won’t want to miss.

Here are the chronological highlights from this packed episode:

• A Hero’s Tribute: The show opens in the Wild West town, in front of a permanent exhibit dedicated to Harold Kinreed, a B-29 bomber pilot from Marengo, Illinois [01:14]. Randy shares Harold's story, from an article he wrote in 1932 titled "When I Grow Up," dreaming of being an aviator [01:34], to his tragic death just weeks before the end of WWII, when he stayed at the controls of his plane so his crew could bail out [02:48].

• What is a “Short Snorter”?: The team explains the paper money seen in Harold’s exhibit. It’s a "short snorter" [05:07], a military tradition where pilots would tape together currency from every country they visited. When they met in a bar, they’d all pull out their short snorters, and whoever had the "shortest" one had to buy the next round of drinks [05:40]!

• The Wild West Town Contest: Get ready for the upcoming Cowboys and Indians auction! To celebrate, the team is running a contest [08:29]. Go to the auction catalog on donleyauctions.com, find an item you remember from Donley's Wild West town, and share it on social media. You’ll be entered to win a gold mining hard hat or a Donley's Wild West town cowboy hat [09:30]!

• A "One-of-a-Kind" Music Collection: Randy gives us a sneak peek at the upcoming Alan Koenigsberg phonograph collection. He’s joined by Dr. Mike Khanchalian (a.k.a. the Cylinder Doctor) [10:38], who is in from California to identify the rarest items.

• H.H. Holmes's Confession: Dr. Mike reveals an item of staggering, and dark, historical importance: a cylinder record labeled as the confession of H.H. Holmes [12:03], the notorious serial killer from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The record, recorded just before his execution, is a true "incredible, incredible, incredible rarity" [12:48].

• Pink Records?: We also get a look at another rare format: Pink Lambert cylinders [13:15]. These pink records were made of celluloid by a Chicago-based competitor who beat Thomas Edison to the patent [13:29].

• Wild West Facts: The episode wraps with some fun trivia. Did you know the Wild West town sold more sarsaparilla than anyone in the state, bought more "fool's gold" (pyrite) than anyone in the U.S., and was second only to Disney in toy gun sales in the country [16:12]?

• The Beanie Baby Connection: Randy shares a final fun fact: his mother, a major Beanie Baby distributor, knew creator Ty Warner back when he was a traveling salesman for a different toy company, long before his Beanie Baby fame. To watch the full episode and see these incredible pieces of history for yourself: https://youtu.be/G9lxYz46O_I

Donley Auctions - We bring buyers & sellers together.

Let us put our experience to work for you.

Donley Auction Services

https://DonleyAuctions.com

815-923-7000

Info@DonleyAuctions.com

8512 South Union Road (entrance on Marengo Road)

Union, IL 60180

Donley Auctions is a team of experienced auction professionals dedicated to creating a fun and exciting auction experience. With a rich history connected to the original Union Phonograph Show, the Seven Acres Museum, and Donley’s Wild West Town, Donley Auctions offers a diverse range of items for both seasoned collectors and newcomers. Specializing in firearms, militaria, coin-op, phonographs, cars, motorcycles, petroliana, antique advertising, architecture, coins, sports memorabilia, early inventions, and more, we are the place to get top dollar for your high-quality antiques and collectibles. We host live and in-person auctions monthly, complete with complimentary food and beverages, as well as online auctions at DonleyAuctions.com, where you can bid from anywhere in the world. Our friendly atmosphere, combined with our commitment to providing an engaging auction experience and expert shipping, makes us the go-to auction house for buyers and sellers alike. Whether you're looking to buy or sell, Donley Auctions is the place to be!