North American Auction Company
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The West Rides Again: Tombstone Museum Part II, Western Art & Navajo Treasures

Sat, Nov 15, 2025 11:00AM EST
  2025-11-15 11:00:00 2025-11-15 11:00:00 America/New_York North American Auction Company North American Auction Company : The West Rides Again: Tombstone Museum Part II, Western Art & Navajo Treasures https://live.naabid.com/auctions/north-american-auction/the-west-rides-again-tombstone-museum-part-ii-western-art-navajo-treasures-21122
Join North American Auction Company on November 15th for Part II of the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum Collection with other rare items. This extraordinary sale features the largest private collection of Tombstone history, including rare and historic pieces tied to Wyatt Earp, the Earp Brothers, and the infamous Cochise Cowboys. From original artifacts, outlaw relics, and C.S. Fly photographs, this is a can’t-miss event for collectors of the Old West’s most legendary chapter.
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Lot 157

Tombstone Can Can Cafe Photos & Photo Postcards

Estimate: $750 - $1,000
Starting Bid
$200

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
Included in this lot are Original Tombstone Can Can Cafe Photographs and Photo Postcards, circa 1879-1893. Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. The Can Can Restaurant was established in 1879 by Quong Lee (also known as Quong Gu Kee, Quong Gee Kee . It was one of Tombstone's best known restaurants. During Tombstone's boom years in the late 19th century, fine dining options existed alongside the more common saloons and restaurants. He took over Ah Sing's Can Can restaurant after arriving in Tombstone and proved to possess excellent management skills. An old photo in O. Faulk's book, "Tombstone Myth and Reality" shows a very spacious modern American restaurant with oil paintings, fine white table cloths, and oak chairs. Only a Buddha statue on the back wall reveals Asian ownership. The Can Can served steaks and ham as well as Chinese food. The cowboys, and gunmen would come for a good time - getting drunk, fighting, and breaking furniture. Quong's famous customers included Billy Clanton, Wyatt Earp, and Curly Bill. Quong would later recall that Billy Clanton "always eat here and pays, too bad he was gunned down. Earp, nice fella, sometimes he shoots them up and hard on others at times. Curly Brocius eats lots never bad to me." Quong's partner was Ah Lum, husband of legendary China Mary ((nee Sing, aka Ah Chum), perhaps the most famous Chinese person in Tombstone. Tombstone's Chinatown was self-contained but well connected to other Chinese communities throughout the west. Two mounted photographs display the dining room and food prep areas along with staff. Bottom of both is handwritten, "Can Can Cafe" on matting. Tombstone Western Heritage Museum code on reverse respectively, "TTP3" and "TTP166." One photo postcard displays elderly Quong, labeled along the bottom border, "Quong Lee, owner of Can Can Cafe - opened 1881, closed 1904. He died at the age of about 100 years. 6-Y-533". Tombstone Western Heritage Museum code on reverse "P183". Second photo postcard streetview is of a much younger Lee standing in front of the Can Can. Note the two men to the left in period clothing. Mounted photographs and photo postcards are in good overall condition, age tanning noted, dining room photograph top right corner missing. Mounted photos each measure 5"W x 7"L, matting 8"W x 10"L. Photo postcards are 3.5"W x 5.5"L. Combined weight is U6.

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