eBay, again~

I watched with interest, as many others did, a listing on eBay that closed yesterday.

It was eBay item number: 312036609201. 

Described as "a bit over 12" tall by about 3" wide, embossed on the front is the name Hilbert Bros' Wine & Liquor Merchants 101 Powell St, San Francisco Cal , it has some clay/mud residue inside & also some maker bubbles, the condition is great for the age without any chips or cracks, it does have a 2 1/2" what appears to be a tool scratch on the side, a slight one on the front that is not deep & is had to feel with a finger & one on the inverted bottom as seen in last pic."

The photos though, seemed to  suggest that there was more than meets the eye in terms of "issues".

 
When the dust settled, with one second left on the meter, I think more than one persons jaw dropped. 
 

Winning bid: US $1,525.00

I, like many other devout collectors of western whiskies, have always been a fan of this variant of the Hilbert Bros. fifths. With nearly 30 bids, it's obvious that a lot of collectors were chasing this example despite the obvious shortcomings. And one person wanted it, A Lot!

photos courtesy of "1234wyman" and eBay.