12 Questions For Mark Englebretson

NOTE: I first became acquainted with Mark Englebretson a couple of years ago when I decided to create a website to show my small collection of Nevada casino matchcovers. Mark Englebretson contacted me and volunteered to let me use scans of some of his matchcovers. I was to discover it was sort of like the curator of the Smithsonian offering to lend me an antique or two. Although I've neglected the site lately, most of the better images featured on the matchcover site came from Mark Englebretson's collection. His love of small town Nevada casinos is contagious, as you'll find out from reading this interview.



How and when did you get started collecting ashtrays from Nevada casinos?

In the spring of 2001 my father passed away. We made the decision to sell his house as it was 500 miles from where we lived. It just didn't make sense to try and rent it and have it destroyed. Problem being was the multitude of stuff I had stored on his property. In addition, I had rented storage space and a two car garage stacked to the rafters with collectibles. It was obvious that something had to be done. I just kept putting it off. We hadn't discovered Ebay at this point. One night I was in the garage trying to find something and it was nearly dark. The light bulb that lit the garage was burnt out and I couldn't get to it to replace it because of all the boxes of junk. I ended up tripping over the first collectible I ever bought. A 1906 brass National Cash Register. I got all scraped up. I stood up and looked at it and said, "You and all your little collectible friends are going away."

Thus, began a 4 year vendetta against all this junk. It has taken over 12,000 Ebay auctions at this point and I am not finished. In the process, my wife Lynn found a box of casino stuff I had accumulated. There were a few ashtrays in there along with cards, dice, and etc. The ashtrays appealed to her. She looked on Ebay and found that they were a hot collectible. She said, "These are what I want to collect."

The point being was, I wanted to get rid of all the collectibles and lead a NORMAL life. That was not to be. The rest is history. A new bidder of "mark00753" showed up buying everything in sight. Four years later, I think our collection is one of the better in the United States. I was fortunate enough to have Paul J. Gregory (col.batguano) and LarryMiller (vin.diesel) as mentors. To this day they are two of my best friends and I thank them both for teaching me the hobby.

Do you have any idea how many different Nevada casino ashtrays you have owned at one time or another?

At one point I think it was around 2500. We decided to rationalize thecollection. We got rid of all the stackers and flared trays unless it was all a place had. I sold off most of our Las Vegas collection last year. We kept the rarest stuff. Now, I kind of regret doing that and have started reassembling aVegas collection but it will only be the very best trays.

I know you have quite a Nevada casino postcard and photograph collection too. How long have you been collecting postcards and how did you start?

Our Nevada postcard and photo collection is extensive. Originally, we started buying them because we thought they were great historical items. I have always been interested in the histories of the casinos and clubs. It just seemed that having pictures of them was a normal progression of casino memorabilia collecting. We now have around 4500 of them and still looking for more. It has been gratifying that the CCGTCC has used our pictures the last two years to illustrate the auction catalog.

So, you were using the postcards and photographs somewhat for the purpose of documenting the locations where the ashtrays came from?

At first, as I mentioned, they were just an adjunct to the other casino collectibles. Sure, it documented where the trays came from but I just liked looking at the old photos and going back in time. Since, I have such a heavy emphasis in our collections of small town Nevada they were of special appeal to us. To me, Small Town Nevada epitomizes the way it was in the early days of gaming in Nevada. I like the downtown Vegas stuff and early Highway 91 casinos. We really don't concentrate too much on the later Vegas items. On the strip I do have an interest in the El Rancho, Flamingo and Royal Nevada and avidly pursue items from those properties. We pursue collecting any photos of the small town, Reno, and Tahoe properties. As a collection matures it gets harder and harder to find items to add. Nonetheless, it is the thrill of the hunt!

Tell me about the Nevada Casino Ashtray Project and how that got started.

If common sense had prevailed it would have never happened. Originally, Paul J. Gregory and I had conversation about the need for a new Casino Ashtray book. Art Anderson's book was great but woefully inadequate. He even acknowledged the fact himself. However, it gave a great overview of the collecting field. Later, Roxy Held did a book but it was short of pictures and had other problems. A valiant effort but it just wasn't what was needed. I had no interest in doing a book. They are a financial drain and when new finds show up, which happens often in this hobby, what do you do to let people know?

Paul advanced the idea to do a website. I said great. You have the best collection of anyone. His response was, "I do not have the time to do it." Okay, so "E Pluribus Pinhead" steps up and says, "I'll give it a go." I am a Norweigian and prone to making unwise decisions which I blame on my heritage. This had to have been one of the worst of the worst I had made. For starters, I had no idea how to do a web site. I am a computer idiot. I called on my good friend, Floyd Smith, and told him of what I wanted to do. He agreed to do the site. I really do not think he knew what he was getting involved with. Recently he asked if we were seeing light at the end of the tunnel. My response..."Not Really."

The site is pretty extensive but there is so much more to post. Floyd's time is limited and he has been doing it pretty much gratis. The end goal is to have "The Nevada Casino Ashtray Project" be the definitive reference site for Nevada Gaming History. It's not just the trays but the history of these places we will post as best we can. I encourage anyone that has personal remembrances of these early places to please help. This history is getting buried and cremated on a daily basis. Reno and Vegas are pretty well documented but small town and Tahoe is going begging.

I have to mention our contributors list. If you look at it, it represents many of the "Best and the Brightest" in the collecting field. I am eternally grateful for all the help they have provided for this site. It would not have been possible without their contributions. At times, I was ready to tell Floyd to hit the "delete" button and can the project. Thanks to the emotional support I got from many I persisted. I am 52 years old and hope to maintain the site for a few more years. I am looking for someone to take over the "Project" and make sure it perpetuates. It is an incredible project that I am very proud of and I do not want to see it die. I realize that most casino collectors are into chips but I want them to know some of the history of the places they have chips from. It is a rich and colorful history that needs to be preserved.

What other areas have you been involved in collecting? Don't I remember you mentioning glassware or pottery?

As I mentioned before, I collected anything that appealed to me. You name it, glassware, pottery, old bottles, Beam bottles, Mettlach Steins, railroad junk. Nothing was off limits. My railroad collection specific to Chicago and Northwestern, Great Northern, Northern Pacific and The Milwaukee Road was awesome. When I sold it off a number of collectors were in awe of the items I had. It was nice to get them into permanent collections. One thing I have found about the railroad collectors is that their children are learning the collecting field. Many of the super rare items I sold will probably not see the open market for many years. I am happy about that. In a way it is sad that it is gone but I just couldn't see the point of having all this world class stuff in boxes.

Is your wife, Lynn as active in collecting as you are?

Lynn is my guiding light in collecting as we now know it. She respects my knowledge and allows me to squander thousands of dollars on this junk. We are not extremely rich people. We are comfortable but nowhere in the league of many casino collectors. In a way, that makes the items more special to us. If I had the resources to make money "no object" I do not think the collecting experience would be nearly as satisfying. Spending the "grocery money" really isn't a problem but I have drained my "Hobby Fund" down to nothing many times. It is just the thrill of the hunt. As I mentioned before, when a collection matures the items you do find are so special. I blame Lynn for sending us down this road!!! If it weren't for her I would be finishing up selling off all my junk and back to a normal life as a noncollector. I am happy that she got us into this collecting field. I have met some of the best people I have ever known. It is one special bunch of folks. I am honored to have made the acquaintances that I have.

And, I understand you've moved into collecting casino chips too. Does this mean you're leaving ashtrays behind?

"Leaving ashtrays behind", surely you jest. They are still our passion, always will be. As before, we love the postcards, drink glasses, and other miscellaneous casino stuff. Chips, sadly to say they are not my passion. I love them but have a reason for not getting too deep into them. Of course, Lynn looked at my database the other day and noted how much we have invested in them, which was more than I realized. So, I guess we must have some love for them. I just feel in any collecting field, if I can't collect the best stuff, I am collecting junk. I certainly cannot afford multi-thousand dollar chips but I am happy with my collection. I think the most I have paid for a chip was $222.00.

In the course of doing the Nevada Casino Ashtray Project I was referred to one individual that has been a guiding light. That person being James Campiglia. Mitch Heller told me one day, "Just call him, he ain't God." So, I did. From that a beautiful friendship evolved. He has helped so much with this project he is a "God" in my estimation. Earlier this summer Lynn and I got to spend three days with him in Deadwood along with Steve Wells. Two of the very best and I am honored to have made their acquaintance.

How can new collectors get started in collecting casino ashtrays?

As with any other collecting field...Get out there and learn. Avoid the pitfalls of paying way too much for the stuff. Currently on Ebay there are three bidders bashing heads and paying way too much for trays. It makes me wish I had a ton to sell. I have offered to mentor but only one has responded.

As with anything, education is all important. With casino ashtrays there isn't much available. However, I AM!!! I encourage any new collectors to e-mail and ask questions. I am more than happy to help all I can. It is a fascinating collecting field. The history is rich and colorful. My Email is:mark@communicomm.com

Your Nevada Casino Ashtray Project is a great source for new collectors. What about the published guides?

The website allows us to post new finds as they show up. It really makes any books redundant. I still tell new collectors to get a copy of Art Anderson's book, "Casinos and Their Ashtrays." It has a lot of history and pics of some pretty rare stuff from Paul Gregory's collection.

You're known for your love of small-town Nevada. How did that develop?

Small town Nevada appeals to me because of being a bunch of hard scrabble joints that didn't survive. So many of them had such a small bankroll that they went bust when one player got hot. Even in Vegas the Birdcage went down over a couple $25,000 Keno tickets and never reopened. Eddie Sahati broke the Twin States Club...they were only open from May 15th to June 30th, 1947.

I guess thinking of the people that frequented them, the smells of stale whiskey, smoke, and I suppose sweat makes them special to me. There are a few of them still open and that is great. The average age of a casino in Nevada is about 3 1/2 years. The Lucky Club in Yerington just celebrated their 70th. Go figure, they did something right.

I know you've visited a lot of these small towns yourself. Are there any places that are favorites?

Bar none, Wells. Then Ely and Lovelock. Well, all of them are special if you like the small town stuff. Most places are gone. Burnt to the ground and God knows what else happened. Some very special places. All history but we have the chips, trays, and pictures to remind us of an era that has gone away.

Wells has Front Street and it still looks pretty much as it did years ago except it is all quiet now. The buildings stand as remembrances of a long ago time. The stories they could tell. The Bulls Head Bar in the Wells Hotel and the ghost of "Giovanna" the fabled Dance Hall Girl, plus all the rest. They are still there.

In 2002, enroute to our first CCGTCC convention, we stayed in Wells. It had been a hell of a day. Early June and 6 inches of snow between Evanston, WY and Park City, UT. Then, tornadoes and hail and torrential rain across the salt flat to Wendover. We had supper at the 4 Way in Wells. Lynn wasn't feeling well so I went out driving around by myself. I found Front Street just as it was coming dark. It was lightly raining and cold. I just parked and sat there looking. I was kitty corner from the Wells Hotel. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a face in the upstairs window and then gone...Giovanna???... Who knows, but it was very real. Gene Kaplan has said that is not unusual... Check out his history of Wells Gaming on the ashtray site. It is long but a definite read.

Ely... Not much left but still one of my favorites. The Hotel Nevada is going strong. I highly recommend it. Mini Theme Suites for $39.00 a night... So nice and quiet. Two years ago Lynn and I were taking pictures of what was left of Ely. I met this old guy there... He just was wandering around and asked what we were doing... so I told him... His response was, "Hell, I can tell you all I know." I said do you drink cold beer? His response was, "Yeah, and lots of it."

We went to the Hotel Nevada and he told me Ely stories until he got so gassed he wasn't making sense. I told him we would be having breakfast in the AM and that he was invited. The next morning he was there and made apologies for drinking too much and said that he had laid awake most of the night thinking of other stuff to tell us. He told us more and then as we were walking out to get in our vehicle to leave, he gave us both a big hug, and said come back and see him. When we were there this summer we found out that the old gentleman had died.

Lovelock... Ya gotta love the "Big Meadow", just a parking lot today... I have the pictures. Delta Club... I have the Pictures... All gone. Pretty much of all the rest all gone....As I said before, the small towns will always be my favorites... Everybody knows about Bugsy and Wilbur Clark and all the rest of the Vegas stuff... I still persist in trying to find out the stuff about the small town guys. I have been fortunate enough to have contact with the granddaughter of the owner of the Golden Bubble in Gardnerville... Then the new owner of the Christmas Tree on the Mt Rose Highway. Then, the granddaughter of Rod Knight at the Hotel Pequop and the Wagon Wheel in Wells. Just fun stuff... Hopefully these will become articles for the club magazine.