As noted in detail in Dan Owens' California Coiners and Assayers, the producer of this ingot was an experienced assayer who had first made a name in the California gold fields. H.W. Theall succeeded Justh & Hunter (who produced a number of the gold bars found in the treasure of the S.S. Central America) in Marysville, California in 1859 and moved to Virginia City, Nevada in 1863. The same year the central Nevada town of Austin on the Reese River experienced a silver boom, and the Theall & Co. assay office is noted as having opened in Austin by April 1864. Theall died in 1869 and was succeeded by Van Wyck & Co., producers of an unparted ingot that realized $11,000 in Stack's 2003 Americana sale. In our January 2004 sale of the Thomas H. Sebring Collection, Lot 125, we sold a small -- 1.05 ounces -- presentation ingot from Theall & Co.; at that time we noted: "we have records of no other ingots from H.W. Theall, an assayer mourned as "an estimable man" who left a wife and child when he died at the age of 42." That particular Theall ingot realized $5,980.

A Timeline of Theall & Co.'s Happenings, according to local records and documents:

1856

H.W. Theall, Forest City agent for Wells Fargo
Alta California, January 22, 1856

H.W. Theall Agent Wells Fargo D Street between 2d and 3d Streets
Amy’s Marysville Directory for the Year Commencing November 1, 1856

1858

H.W. Theall Agent for Wells Fai'go 32 D; NY.
Amy’s Marysville Directory for the Year Commencing June 1858

1859

Assay Office of Theall & Co., (Successors to Justh & Hunter.) No. 102 First Street, between D and High, Marysville.

Gold and Ores Of every Description, Melted and Assayed, At San Francisco Rates, and returns made in Bars or United States Coin Within six hours. Our Assays are Guaranteed; and Bars Discounted at the lowest rates.
Daily National Democrat, April 1, 1859

1863

H.W Theall, John A. Paxton, WB. Thornburgh Assay Office Of Theall & Co. Virginia City Nevada Territory...Theall & Co. Assayers and Metallurgists office South C corner Taylor H.W Theall Resides at South B near Savage Claim.
Kelly’s Second Nevada Directory, 1863

1864

H.W Theall, Virginia. ..Paxton, Thornburgh & Co. Austin Assay Office of Theall & Co.
Virginia Daily Union, April 1864

H.W Theall, John A. Paxton, W.B. Thornburgh, Assay Office Of Theall & Co. Virginia City
Virginia Daily Union, June 1864

1866

A. Soderling assayer at Theall & Co.
Harrington’s Directory of the City of Austin for the Year 1866

1867

John A. Paxton having withdrawn from the firm of Theall & Co., Assayers the business will be continued under the same firm name of Theall & Co., by H.W Theall and W.B. Thornburgh. Theall & Co. Virginia, January 25, 1867.
Territorial Enterprise, January 25, 1867

1868

Assay Office of W.C. Bousefield & Co. Successors to Theall & Co. Corner C and Taylor streets, Opposite Bank of California, Virginia, Nevada.
Territorial Enterprise, February 22, 1868

Theall & Co., Stock and Money Brokers, 62 South C, Mining Stocks, U.S. Bonds, Legal Tenders And Other Securities Bought and Sold.

H.W. Theall City Treasurer.
Territorial Enterprise, March 11, 1868

1869

Death Of A Marysvillian. We regret to announce the death of H.W Theall, a former citizen of Marysville, who died at White Pine on Tuesday last. The Virginia Enterprise, 26th instant, says: “A telegram received here last evening by ex-Mayor Currie, of this city, from White Pine, brings the sad news of the death of H.W Theall, an old and highly respected citizen of this State. The dispatch does not state of what disease he died. Deceased was long concerned in an assay office in this city and was widely known among business men. Socially he was a most estimable man, and his death will be deeply regretted by all who knew him. He leaves a wife and one child.”
Marysville Daily Appeal, May 28, 1869