WATERLOO, IOWA — The Rich Penn fall 2023 auction on November 3-5 took collectors on a journey through approximately 1,700 lots that celebrated American ingenuity, whimsical artistry and craftsmanship. Among a diverse selection with appeal to a wide range of collectors, the auction devoted 600 lots to a vast collection of gun powder tins, kegs and hunting-related material. A gunpowder can with three plump quail depicted and advertising “Quail Shooting” was rare, manufactured by the California Powder Works of Santa Cruz, Calif., circa 1870-80, and sold for $9,760, including buyer’s premium. The 4-inch-high, half-pound tin featured paper labels front and back. California Powder Works was a pioneering American explosive powder manufacturing company located west of the Rocky Mountains. During the Civil War supplies of gunpowder to California’s mining and road-building industries were disrupted, necessitating a local manufacturer. The company was incorporated in 1861 and began manufacturing gunpowder in May 1864. Watch for more highlights from this sale to come.