Helm Auction, Inc

Biography

Helm Auction, Inc. is an online auction service, owned and operated by Diane Harvey and Craig P. Helm, Sr., specializing in Native American and tribal artifacts. Diane Harvey, a native of Seattle, Washington, has made a life out of serving her country. Diane began her long career working for the United States Government, United States Attorney's Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, following up with the Department of Homeland Security, spending over 40 years in government service. While working full-time, Diane completed all of her advanced education, receiving a Masters of Business Administration. With her American northwest background, Diane has always been attracted to Native American art and jewelry, often sourcing large portions of Helm Auction's catalogs from her personal collection. Craig P. Helm, Sr., Helm Auction's resident artifact expert and auctioneer, has been collecting Native American artifacts all of his life. Growing up Minnesota, he was raised on tales told by his father of the Arapaho, Chippewa, and Dakota Indians of the region. Craig and his father spent many summers together hunting the back country for arrowheads and other relics; remembering finding his first arrowhead at age nine. When Craig & Diane are not working, you can often find them at estate sales, antique malls and flea markets, always scouring for the next big find. They enjoy dancing, going on road trips, and relaxing on the couch with Rusty, their toy poodle. Craig left his childhood home at age 17 for San Diego to join the Navy. After completing two tours of Vietnam during the 1960s, he received his honorable discharge. He went on to attend San Diego State University, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Archaeology. Following a successful career in the insurance industry all the while dabbling in the relics business, Craig decided to take his love of Native American art and artifacts full-time, dealing as a broker of Indian artifacts. Craig has been listed twice in the Who's Who in Indian Relics book series, in 1974 and 1994. With his decades of experience in the relics trade, Craig cautions individuals regarding the strict regulations regarding the removal of artifacts from public land. Only items that have been found on private property or the pre-Columbian art that has been in the county more than 50 years are legal for personal collections. Craig's knowledge in the business allowed him to develop a close relationship with the Heritage of the American Museum in El Cajon on the campus of Cuyamaca College. Originally, Craig held auctions at the HOTAM, and for many years at the Mission Valley Resort Hotel, in San Diego, California. For the past few years, Craig & Diane have made the jump to online auctions, and look forward to the development of new relationships in the relics trade. Craig provides free appraisal service for the Heritage of American Museum in El Cajon on request. Craig also continues to do authentications through Helm Auction, Inc's appraisal service, on pre-Historic stone relics and other stone tools, as well as other Native American and tribal artifacts.Helm Auction is always interested in consignments and the outright purchase of collections.