Antique Trader Blog - Auction

What do Pere Noel and a creepy foot have in common?

Karen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:40:25 GMT

They'll both be crossing Dan Morphy's auction block come Sept. 11 ...

DENVER, Pa. – Ask any collector of Halloween, Christmas or other seasonal antiques and they’ll tell you that every day has the potential of being a holiday, whether the calendar says so or not. On Sept. 11, Morphy Auctions will offer collectors 890 reasons to celebrate in a fantastic Holiday Auction featuring rarities from several renowned specialty collections.

The first 42 lots in the sale are from a wonderful collection of Halloween candy containers and lanterns assembled over the last 20 years by Connie and Jay Lowe of Lancaster County, Pa. The rare, early German-made items in this collection are of superior quality and are completely fresh to the market.

“Having the opportunity to acquire pieces from a collection as fine as Jay and Connie’s does not come along very often,” said Morphy’s CEO, Dan Morphy. “There are so many highlights, it’s hard to predict which ones will do best on auction day.”

Surely the list of top lots would include: a whimsical foot-shape lantern (shown at right, courtesy Dan Morphy Auctions) with a great face and painted faces on five toes, a veggie man posing on a cucumber candy container, veggie and fruit male/female candy containers, and veggie Halloween man with movable glass eyes and radish arms – possibly the only known example. Other stellar lots from the Lowe collection include a veggie man with a removable candle candy container on top of his head; and an apple head with bobbing-tongue candy container.

Other outstanding Halloween collections were the sources for a rare set of celluloid Halloween nodders, mint with original box; and a delightful black man riding a pig candy container. The entire Halloween section for the sale is filled with hundreds of other lanterns, candy containers and die-cuts.

A beautiful selection of Christmas antiques includes many special pieces, such as a Santa candy container and clockwork nodder, a clockwork Santa and bear family set in a winter scene, Santa on an elephant nodder, and a polar bear.

The acclaimed Bob Lenz collection is represented by hundreds of glass ornaments (including kugels and free-blown glass examples), Japanese and German Santas, celluloid Santas, chocolate molds, and German and Russian Dresdens. Among the rarest of the Dresden designs are a Russian troika (sleigh pulled by three horses) and a battleship with four smokestacks.

The auction inventory also includes a marvelous array of Easter, Thanksgiving and patriotic holiday items from fresh to the market collections.

View more color photos of festive vintage holiday collectibles offered in Morphy's Sept. 11 sale.

— Karen Knapstein

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Heritage Auctions NYC Gallery opens Sept. 1

Karen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:36:57 GMT

NEW YORK – The eagerly-awaited new Manhattan gallery and offices of Heritage Auction Galleries will open at 445 Park Avenue (at 57th Street) Sept. 1, 2010.

The expansion of Heritage, the world’s third largest auction house, into the New York City market comes at a time when many major auction firms are contracting. The Dallas-based firm also opened a Beverly Hills, Calif., gallery and salesroom earlier this year.

“The New York City area is home to many of the top collectors and collections, and the center of the art and antique market,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage. “It’s a perfect fit with our increasingly expanding services, and the best possible place for us to serve the art and high-end collectible needs of our clients. I can think of nowhere else we'd rather be opening a new gallery right now than right in the heart of Manhattan's auction district.”

"Heritage is distinguished by its superb sales catalogs, unequalled online resources for buyers and sellers and transparency in how we do business. We have a non-stop auction rotation that features the very best across 30 categories including rare coins, collectibles, fine art, jewelry, comics, movie posters, rare wine, sports memorabilia and much more," explained Rohan.

The first auction to take place under the auspices of Heritage Auctions New York City will be the company’s Oct. 16 Signature® Illustration Art Auction at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion (The Ukrainian Institute), 2 East 79th Street. It will feature some of the very best illustration pieces Heritage has ever offered, including works by Maxfield Parrish, Norman Rockwell, Gil Elvgren, J.C. Leyendecker and one of the most iconic pieces of illustration art pieces to come on the market anywhere in years, Garth Williams’ original graphite and ink on paper drawing for the cover of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, 1952.

One of the most talked about features of Heritage’s new Manhattan venue will be the Heritage Window on Park Avenue, which will feature a continually rotating selection from upcoming Heritage auctions, across all of the firm’s categories.

“We expect the Window to become a regular attraction for both collectors and everyday New Yorkers alike,” said Rohan.

The offices on Park Avenue at 57th will be open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more auction news and coverage, visit the Antique Trader magazine website at www.AntiqueTrader.com.

— Karen Knapstein

Several pieces from antebellum potter Dave the Slave in Ga. auction

Karen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:53:23 GMT

If you read Antique Trader magazine, you've occasionally seen Dave the Slave pottery cross the auction block. These pieces often achieve amazing prices of tens of thousands of dollars.

Who was Dave the Slave? According to www.davetheslave.org (a website by Mud Sweat and Tears Southern Antique and Folk Pottery):

Dave the Slave was an enslaved African-American potter who turned wares in the plantation potteries of Edgefield South Carolina before the Civil War. He made pottery from as early as the 1820s to the mid-to-late 1860s.

Dave is famous mainly for two reasons. First, he had the ability to turn large pieces of pottery, forty gallons or more in size. This was an incredible feat.

Secondly, he would sometimes write on the sides of his ware. It was against the law for slaves to learn to read and write in the antebellum South but Dave could and did. Dave sometimes wrote his name and date on his pottery and on very rare occasions he would write short two line couplets or short poems.

In 2004, an Edgefield District poem jar in ovoid form with ear-shaped handles, inscribed with the poem: 'Whats better than kissing (or) wishing while we both are at fishing'; and on other side signed & dated: "Febry 10, 1840, Mr. L. Miles, Dave," sold for $140,000 at a Charlton Hall auction in Columbia, S.C. (The photo shown at right is courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com.)

More Dave the Slave pieces are crossing the block on Aug. 28 at Hawkins Auction Barn in Waynesboro, Ga. Among other important pottery pieces, Hawkins is offering: Recently Discovered Signed and Dated, Dave the Slave 4 Gal. Storage Jar, never offered for Sale to the public. Another signed and dated Dave Jar (Oct, 16th 1854). (Photo at left courtesy Hawkins Auction)

Visit http://www.hawkinsauction.us/ to learn more.

— Karen Knapstein

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Precious metal coins in Friday auction are on investors’ radar

Karen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:41:17 GMT

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. – When Wall Street heads south, investors head straight to precious metals – especially silver and gold coins like the ones to be auctioned by Stephenson’s Auctioneers & Appraisers at 4 p.m. (EST) Friday, Aug. 20th.

More than 500 lots will be offered in the sale, with the great majority being the types of coveted American gold and silver coins that are so highly sought after by today’s collectors. Highlights among the gold issues are an 1899 $10 coin, as well as 1880-S, 1886-S, 1897 and 1881 $5 coins. Other important gold coins to be auctioned are 1905 and 1911 $2-1/2 coins, and 1883 $1 coin and U.S. Constitution coins.

Literally hundreds of Morgan and Peace silver dollars have been entered in the sale, including 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1890 CC (Carson City). Within the selection of half dollars are 30 Liberty head coins plus several large lots of rolled Walking Liberty and Ben Franklin halves.

The coin offering continues with Barber halves and quarters, 1875 and 1875-S 20-cent pieces, large cents, 2-cent pieces, 3-cent pieces and a lot consisting of 11 half-cents. Additionally, there are large quantities of Barber, Mercury and Roosevelt dimes; Buffalo nickels, and many mint and proof sets, including early proof sets from 1953, ’54 and ’55.

Pennywise buyers won’t want to miss the selection of flying eagle and Indian-head cents or the Lincoln cent book spanning the years from 1909 through 1940 inclusive. The book is complete and includes an example of the scarce 1909-S VDB (the initials of designer Victor David Brenner).

"This is an auction that will present excellent buying opportunities both for the advanced collector and the newcomer," said Stephenson’s owner and auctioneer, Cindy Stephenson. "Gold and silver coins stand apart from other types of popular collectibles in that they also have intrinsic value. They have a built-in hedge against inflation, since they’re both a commodity and a monetary instrument."

All items in Stephenson’s Aug. 20 Coin Auction will be available to inspect from 1-4 p.m. on auction day. The complimentary auction catalog may be viewed or downloaded online through Stephenson’s website.

For questions regarding any lot in the sale, call 215-322-6182 or info@StephensonsAuction.com. The auction will take place in metro Philadelphia at 1005 Industrial Blvd., Southampton, Pa. The venue is accessible to major interstate freeways. Those who cannot attend in person may bid absentee, by fax or e-mail prior to the auction, or by phone either before or during the sale. Please arrange for phone line in advance of sale.

About Stephenson’s Auctioneers & Appraisers:

Family-owned Stephenson’s Auctioneers & Appraisers is located near Philadelphia in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is a full-service auction company that has been in business for nearly 50 years. Stephenson’s knowledgeable, experienced staff members are known for their willingness to assist and their honesty in all dealings. The company conducts weekly and specialty auctions in a 5,000-square-foot, climate-controlled gallery, and holds on-site events if selling real estate or business/residential contents. Each auction season, Stephenson’s produces an Antiques & Decorative Arts Auction that draws worldwide interest and heavy Internet bidding. Stephenson’s is licensed, bonded and insured, and is a member of the SeniorChecked network.

Doll made for Victor Hugo brings $116K, doll from Anne Rice collection brings $40K

Karen — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:06:02 GMT

Big news in the doll world this week as word emerges that auction firm Theriault's sold a doll especially commissioned by author Victor Hugo for $116,000, doubling its pre-auction estimate.

The sale also held dolls from the collection of Anne Rice, the noted American author of Interview with the Vampire and other novels. Of special note was a 31-inch Bru bébé from the classic era that was written about by the author in her novel, Taltos, described as “a bisque doll of impeccable standards”. That she was, collectors agreed, bidding her to $40,000. The entire sale was held live on Proxibid.com.

Other dolls with known provenance were also featured in the Theriault’s auction, which took place in downtown Chicago, but none were able to break the doll made for Hugo. About 1860, when Hugo, arguably France’s greatest poet and author, wrote Toilers of the Sea, he commissioned the doll from the prestigious Parisian doll firm of Huret to serve as inspiration for his heroine.

Later the doll was gifted to the daughter of his friend and she always referred to it as, simply, “the great man’s doll”. The doll was eventually given to Hugo’s beloved granddaughter Jeanne along with a doll trunk bearing the “Jeanne” brass name plate and a vast trousseau of costumes and accessories. The doll will now reside in a place of honor in an important New England collection.

Theriault's is based in Annapolis, Md., and it conducts important doll auctions at major cities around the United States; last summer’s auction in Atlanta saw a doll auctioned for a new world auction record of $263,000.

Provenance-bearing dolls included “Juliette’s Poupée”, a rare molded leather body poupée by Victor Clement that had resided in the chateau of de la Hogue-Moreau nearby Paris for more than a century before coming to auction, as well as “Miss Minnie”, a smiling poupée by Bru who had arrived from Paris about 1870 for a young American girl.

Both dolls were featured along with aged photographs of their original child owners and Miss Minnie also owned a tintype of herself taken nearly a century and a half ago. They sold, respectively, for $14,000 and $6,000.

-posted by Eric Bradley

You may also enjoy:

200 Years of Dolls, Identification and Price Guide, 4th Edition, by Dawn Herlocher
Doll Makers' Marks CD by Dawn Herlocher
Collectible Dolls, A Warman's Companion by Dawn Herlocher

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• Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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• Get up-to-date pricing for tens of thousands of antiques & collectibles on Collect.com – FREE for 1 year – when you join the Collecting Insider Club!

Roy Rogers' Trigger finds a new home

Karen — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:43:10 GMT

Ok, so he’s not technically an antique, seeing as he passed away in 1965, however following the July 15 Christie’s auction of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans memorabilia, Rogers’ horse Trigger can be classified as one expensive collectible after selling for $266,500.

First purchased by Rogers on a payment plan for $2,500 back in 1938, Rogers needed to select a horse for the film Under Western Stars. The horse then known as “Golden Cloud,” handled so well it was reported Rogers never looked at another.

The horse starred in 188 movies and the Roy Rogers Show on NBC from 1951 to 1957. When he died in 1965 of old age, Rogers was reluctant to “put him in the ground” so he had Trigger mounted and put on display at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum.

The mount was purchased July 15 by Patrick Gottsch, founder and operator of RFD-TV, a nationally-broadcast rural-themed TV network. Gottsch plans to display Trigger at RFD-TV’s corporate headquarters in Omaha.

Launched in 2000, RFD-TV initially reached 4 million homes through DISH satellite. RFD-TV now reaches 40 million homes through major cable systems, DISH and DIRECTV.

It seems Trigger is a good match for the channel’s television lineup as well. The station will air Roy Rogers movies starting in November with Rogers’ son Dusty and grandson Dustin as hosts of a regular program. ■

Trigger photo courtesy Christie's.

— Eric Bradley

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Uncle Scrooge art collection expected to bring $700K at auction

Karen — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Carl Barks' original oil painting "Embarrassment of Riches," 1983, will be sold without reserve during Heritage Auction Galleries' Comic and Comic Art Signature® Auction Aug. 5-7. The entire auction listing can be seen online at Heritage's website. The bid for this vibrantly colored rendering is already at $20,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries.

DALLAS — Paintings by Carl Barks, longtime Disney artist and creator of Uncle Scrooge, have long been among the most sought-after comic art items, with few offered for public sale and those that were most always saddled with a six-figure reserve price. On Friday, Aug. 6, however, Heritage Auctions will be auctioning 10 original Barks paintings, without reserves, in a special session devoted to the collection of Maryland radio executive Kerby Confer.

Though his name never appeared in a Disney comic, Barks wrote and drew Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge in some of the bestselling comics of the 1950s and 1960s. His rollicking adventure tales have been cited as an inspiration by the likes of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and mystery writer Janet Evanovich.

The lavish oil paintings feature Scrooge McDuck, the wealthy miser who loves to swim in his enormous money bin. They began setting comic art auction records when the first were sold in the 1970s. Barks died in 2000.

Confer discovered Uncle Scrooge as an 8-year-old in Williamsport, Pa., at a time when he was lucky if he even had a quarter in his pocket.

"We weren't dirt poor," he said, "but Daddy was gone, Momma worked at the paper plate factory and I had two little sisters."

He recalls opening his first Uncle Scrooge comic: "The very first panel is Scrooge diving off the diving board into the money," he said, "and the next panel he's burrowing through it like a gopher ... I was totally captivated!"

Years later, Confer's successful career as an owner and operator of radio stations gave him the means to acquire elite pieces, and when he happened to see a print of the Carl Barks painting "An Embarrassment of Riches" — one of the oil paintings in this auction — his collecting quest began.

The Confer Collection is scheduled to be sold during Heritage Auctions' Comics and Comic Art Signature® Auction Aug. 5-7 in Dallas.

For more information www.ha.com/comics.

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The web is alive about eBays traffic woes

Karen — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:05:39 GMT

The web is alive with chatter this week about eBay’s traffic woes. PowerSellers are blaming the online auction giant of changing its search functions and causing a drop in sales.

More than 5,600 replies have been logged to a forum thread titled “5 DAYS STRAIGHT, NOT 1 SALE” that was posted back in April. On the Internet, April is a lifetime ago. Still, the topic has legs. The chorus has grown louder as the economy lumbers along. If nothing else, it gives sellers a source to cry foul and learn from others.

The four biggest complaints, according to Newark, N.J. based blogger Monique Stout:

* Lack of visibility.
* Defining what constitutes a ‘Best Match’
* Buyer favoritism, and
* A slanted feedback system.

Time will tell if the lack of sales is eBay’s work on its search functions or the slow economy. However, it's clear something even larger that the economy is involved here.

According to the July 10 "Chart of the Day" carried by the San Francisco Chronicle, eBay and CraigsList have finally hit on their collision course.

Both sites had equal amounts of unique visitors in the U.S. for the first time ever, according to comScore data. It shows both CraigsList and eBay registering 50 million unique monthly visitors in May.

However, Amazon.com exceeds both of them by 20 million unique visitors.

Crucial to understanding the chart is comparing how eBay's traffic has changed during the past four years. Back in Nov. 2006 eBay was recording between 75 and 80 million unique visitors a month.

When it comes to sellling antiques and collectibles sellers, it appears traffic matters more than search functions.

— posted by Eric Bradley

No buyer's premium for this company

Karen — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:41:49 GMT

The discussion of buyer’s premiums is always a controversial subject. For those of you who haven’t attended an auction that has one, a buyer’s premium is an additional charge levied on the purchase price of an item. The money goes straight to the auction house.

Buyer’s premiums have been around a long time but it’s just been the last few years that they have trickled their way down to the small country auction or those held regularly in larger cities. I’ve paid buyer’s premiums as low as 3 percent to as high as 25 percent.

If you notice, the prevalence of buyer’s premiums has increased in lock step with the development of the Internet and the downfall in the economy.

Auctioneers have been hit with a double whammy. Their customers have changed the way they shop for antiques (late at night in their pajamas on the Web) and the overall drop in demand for their bread and butter inventory (common antiques in average condition).

This week we highlight an auction business that doesn’t charge any fees because of their unique way of handling its inventory. “We never will have a buyer’s premium or set a reserve,” Canton Barn owner Richard Wacht said. “Why should I charge money to the people who help me make my living?”

Richard, and his business partner Susan (his ex-wife), buy each piece outright. Not every auction house can do this, but it is one way the two keep costs low enough to avoid charging an extra fee.

I’d love to hear your stories about your favorite auction house. What do they do to keep you coming back?

We have a winner!

Congratulations go to Stan Boulware of Harristown, Ill., for winning the Antique Trader/Red Wing Collectors Society Sweepstakes. Boulware receives a $150 gift package, which includes two Red Wing stoneware commemoratives and an annual membership in the Red Wing Collectors Society.

The sweepstakes for July is a two-volume library of author Kathy Flood’s jewelry reference books as well as a green and teal crystal Christmas tree brooch as shown on the cover of “Warman’s Costume Jewelry Figurals.” This prize valued at $150 can be yours if you register by July 31 at sweepstakes.AntiqueTrader.com. ■

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How much is a weekend with the Pawn Stars worth?

Karen — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:56:06 GMT

Of course, like anything, it's worth what someone is willing to pay.

Right now, apparently the price tag is $14,667.89, the final price hammered in a 10-day eBay auction that ended last night, as 29 bidders battled it out racking up a whopping 62 bids before the auction ended.

100 percent of the monies received will go to support the YMCA of Southern Nevada, a nonprofit organization founded in 1944.

The winner and their guest will be flown to Las Vegas and put up at the Palms Casino Resort for a three-night stay. While there, they'll join the Harrisons and Chumlee for dinner and a poker tournament (the prize package includes $1,000 in Palms Casino Resort chips).

Read the full Pawn Stars Weekend auction details here.

The next day will be spent as an intern at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop ... how exciting would that be — to be part of the pawn shop crew!

Congratulations to the winning bidder! Feel free to drop us a note and share your experience. And our hats off to the Harrisons, Chumlee, the Palms and all involved - including all the bidders - for teaming up to raise money for the YMCA.

We'll be curious to see if more events like these are forthcoming.

For breaking Pawn Stars news, follow Rick Harrison and Chumlee on Twitter.

— Posted by Karen

You might also enjoy:

• On Pawn Stars it's all business
• Antique Trader interviews Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison

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• Browse hundreds of collectibles reference books in our store.
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Record set for Lalanne sculptures

Karen — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:53:27 GMT

VAN NUYS, Calif. – Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) announces Francois-Xavier Lalanne Singes Attentifs SI & SII, sold for a record price of $199,062 (estimate $100,000-$125,000) and was the top lot in the May 23 Modern Art & Design Auction.

The artist’s daughter, Marie, was on hand to witness the sale and posed for a photograph with one of her father’s sculptures.

The May 23, 2010, Modern Art & Design Auction totaled $1.67 million (including buyer’s premium) selling 64 percent of the 451 lots available. More than 300 people attended the auction, making it the largest attendance at a LAMA auction to date.

The gallery was standing room only and was filled with buyers from all over the world. Buyers represented France, Portugal, Israel, Mexico, and a heavy percentage from California. ■

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•Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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•Browse hundreds of collectibles reference books in our store.
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Rare preliminary watercolor from Pinocchio on the auction block

Karen — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:10:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Bonhams & Butterfields' Entertainment Memorabilia auction on June 13, 2010 will include a wide range of collectible items related to our popular culture including a rare preliminary watercolor from the Oscar-winning® Walt Disney film "Pinocchio," 1940, by famed children's book and cartoon illustrator Gustaf Tenggren.

The painting, seen below, depicts a scene from the animated classic where Pinocchio runs into Gideon and J. Worthington Foulfellow on a cobbled narrow Bavarian street. In this watercolor, the puppet's two acquaintances are depicted as well as a quaint village with diminutive houses, which feature carved details.

After joining Disney Studios in 1936, Tenggren worked on preliminary paintings for several classic films such as Snow White and Pinocchio. His style was very reminiscent of illustrators Gustave Dore and Arthur Rackham. For Pinocchio, Tenggren painted street scenes of charming villages with narrow streets, petite houses, street lamps and townspeople going about their daily chores. Many of these paintings were inspired by a small Bavarian medieval town by the name of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany.

Rare to auction, the watercolor is expected to bring $30,000 to $40,000.

The illustrated auction catalog is online now at www.bonhams.com/us.

Preview: June 11-12, 2010, Los Angeles
Auction: June 13, 2010, 10 a.m.
Information: www.bonhams.com/us

A Gustaf Tenggren preliminary watercolor from "Pinocchio," 1940, watercolor on paper. Estimate $30,000 to $40,000.
Photo courtesy Bonhams & Butterfields; © Disney Enterprises, Inc. 1940

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Antique Trader is giving a free antique appraisal to attendees of the Chicago Antique Market

Karen — Wed, 19 May 2010 04:59:13 GMT

Own an antique or collectible?
Of course you do!

Want to know its value?
Absolutely!

Come meet Antique Trader at Chicago's largest antiques and collectibles festival May 29-30! Every attendee to the Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market Festival will giving free antique appraisals at the inaugural Antique Trader Appraisal Fair. After shopping from aisles and aisles of more than 300 vendors inside and outside Chicago’s historic Plumbers Hall, regional and nationally-known antiques experts will answer your questions on family heirlooms and rare items from your collection.

Situated under the big top tent, every attendee is eligible for a free appraisal of an antique or collectible with additional appraisals (as time allows) available at $10 each. Appraisal fair hours are limited to 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 29 and from 11 to 3 p.m., Sunday, May 30.

Among the experts scheduled to appear:

* Mark Moran, appraiser and senior editor of Warman's Antiques & Collectibles 2011 Price Guide, 44th Edition antiques and collectibles books for Krause Publications and an appraiser for PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow.”

* Brett Benson owner of Jewel Sphinx Extraordinary Objects and Jewels

* Daryle Lambert, founder of the 31 Corp., and author of the book 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles.

Among the unique “show within a show” features at the Chicago Antique Market include:

* The Indie Designer Market, the lower level of Plumber’s Hall, features the hottest young designers creating avant garde and one-of-a-kind fashion, art and jewelry.

* The Vinyl Swap Meet, where thousands of collectible records from 45’s to LP’s, jazz to rock and show tunes are availabel to buy, swap or sell.

* The Fancy Food Market, offering all types of chocolates, cakes, breads, spices, olive oils, salsa to bring home or enjoy during the event.

More Info:

Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market Festival Saturday & Sunday, May 29-30, 2010

1350 Block W. Randolph Street & inside Plumbers Hall, 1340 W. Washington Street, Chicago.

Free pickup and drop off from Water Tower Place, 835 N Michigan Ave.

Show hours

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, May 29
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 30

Antique Appraisal Fair Hours

1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 29
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, May 30

Tickets

$10, available at the gate or in advance online

Chicago Antique Market
312-666-1200
info@chicagoantiquemarket.com
www.chicagoantiquemarket.com

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Antique map at auction shows early Washington before District of Columbia

Karen — Wed, 19 May 2010 04:08:35 GMT

The extraordinary private collection of more than 100 maps documenting the topographical and development of Washington D.C. history is making big news in the Beltway.

The maps cross the block Thursday, May 20, 2010 at Quinn’s Auction Galleries & Waverly Rare Books in Falls Church, Va. As part of the map collection of Washingtonian John Richman, the collection of rare maps traces over 200 years of the District’s physical progress, including the dredging of the Potomac that enabled the creation of a unified new city.

“This collection is a virtual 200-year time capsule of how Washington was established, how it looked before the District was formed, and how the aspects of some of its most important landmarks changed the landscape,” said Matthew C. Quinn, co-owner of Quinn’s Auctions. “There are maps of the City of Alexandria, the City of Georgetown, and then the newly established City of Washington. Additionally, there are maps showing The Washington Monument as it was being built.”

The ongoing architectural improvements and transformation of the nation’s most famous monuments (including The Washington Monument), The White House and other structures are documented in several maps that show the evolution of our nation’s capital. “All this history in one location, how often do you see that?” Quinn said. “It’s fascinating to compare the city’s transformation over centuries.”

Most of the D.C. maps are over 100 years old, and some are on the pricier side, like Andrew Ellicott’s late-18^th-century “Plan of the City of Washington in the Territory of Columbia ceded by the States of Virginia and Maryland to the United States of America.” Its auction estimate is $500-$1,000. But Quinn stressed that most of the maps entered in the sale are very affordable, with individual estimates starting well under $100.

“This is a rare opportunity for Washingtonians to own fascinating views of their city from over a century ago. Each map is attractively framed and ready to hang as a historical artwork in the home or office,” Quinn said. The maps have been featured on Washington-area television stations, drawing interest from collectors and Washington history buffs alike.

The John Richman District of Columbia map collection is the centerpiece of a larger selection of rare books, maps and atlases to be auctioned Thursday May 20 at 6:30 p.m. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet.

Contact Matthew Quinn by calling 703-532-5632 or e-mailing matthew.quinn@quinnsauction.com. Visit Quinn’s online at www.quinnsauction.com.

This isn't the only antique map making headlines this month. Garth's is offering the 1826 Savery-Sumner map, titled “Map Of The Western Reserve Including the Fire Lands in Ohio,” May 29.

- Posted by Eric Bradley

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Blue & White Pottery Club to convene in June

Karen — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:49:03 GMT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Blue & White Pottery Club was founded in 1981 by a handful of Blue & White Stoneware pottery enthusiasts and collectors, principally in the Midwest. The Blue & White pottery interests include Blue & White, Uhl, Blue & Gray (Utica/Flemish), Sleepy Eye, Spongeware, Red Wing, and other stoneware. The Blue & White Pottery Club now has more than 300 members reaching from coast to coast and border to border.

The principal goals of the Blue & White Pottery Club are to share information, encourage learning, and foster an appreciation of the distinct history, wide variety, and increasing collectability of Blue & White Stoneware pottery. Equally important goals are the promotion and nurturing of friendships with fellow collectors and to further the equal opportunity for all to participate in new discoveries and exciting information about Blue & White pottery.

Attending the Club’s annual convention each June is a highlight of membership; this year it will be held June 10-12, 2010, at the Cedar Rapids Marriott in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. One of the highlights of the convention is the Club Consignment Auction consisting of approximately 120 pieces of premium stoneware including Blue & White, Sleepy Eye, Red Wing, Western, Whites Utica as well as others.

To join the Blue & White Pottery Club, a membership form can be found on their website at www.blueandwhitepottery.org and you will also find this years convention agenda along with more information about convention and the Blue & White Pottery Club.

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Picasso breaks all art records at $106.5M

Karen — Thu, 06 May 2010 03:13:56 GMT

NEW YORK – Art market history was made at Christie’s May 4 when the Pablo Picasso painting, titled “Nude Green Leaves, and Bust” sold for $106,482,500 to an unidentified telephone bidder, setting a new world record for any work of art sold at auction.

Silence fell over the packed saleroom as Christopher Burge conducted nine minutes of bidding that involved eight clients. Christie’s lead auctioneer took bids from a client in the saleroom as well as those on the phone before the competition settled down to two bidders at the $88 million mark and a one-on-one battle ensued. The final bid was hammered down at 7:32 p.m. at $95 million. Christie’s buyers premium takes the price of the painting to a record breaking $106.5 million.

“Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” is the star lot of the Collection of Mrs. Sidney Brody, a stellar assemblage of Modern Art purchased primarily in the 1940’s and 50’s and kept in the family home since. Known among experts as the “lost” 1932 masterpiece because it had never before been published in color, Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust is a sensuous depiction of Picasso’s muse and mistress Marie-Therese Walter. In previous years, Christie’s has successfully sold six paintings from Picasso’s celebrated 1932 series. As befitting its importance within the canon of Picasso’s work, the $70-90 million pre-sale estimate was the highest placed yet on an artwork offered at Christie’s New York.

The previous highest price for a work at auction was $104,327,006 paid for L’homme qui marche I, bronze, 1960, by Alberto Giacometti on February 3, 2010. The previous highest price for a work of art by Pablo Picasso was $104,168,000 paid for Garçon à la pipe, 1905 on 5 May 2004.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Fleming’s James Bond novels sell big

Karen — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:34:15 GMT

NEW YORK – Collectors purchased the top nine lots at Swann Auction Galleries’ April 8 auction of the Penzler Collection of Espionage. [CLICK HERE for the auction wrap-up.]

The sale’s top lot was an archive of correspondence between Ian Fleming and dust jacket artist Richard Chopping. The correspondence concerned Fleming’s famous James Bond books and sold for $57,600. A first edition copy of the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, 1953, by Fleming, brought $33,600. A 1955 first edition of Fleming’s Moonraker, inscribed and signed by the author sold for $50,400.

“The Flemings took off as expected, but no one anticipated the runaway success of Moonraker and the archive of Fleming letters,” said Christine von der Linn, Swann’s 19th and 20th century literature specialist. “The fame and renown of Penzler and his collection brought in crowds from both sides of the globe, most of whom were keen collectors.”

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Anonymous donation of 13 Taper paintings will benefit NY AIDS organization

Karen — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:03:51 GMT

NEW YORK — Housing Works is New York City’s largest community-based nonprofit AIDS organization. Housing Works' thrift shops and auction sales proceeds benefit Housing Works’ lifesaving services for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS, providing necessities such as housing, meals and medical care.

The organization received an anonymous donation of 13 paintings from the estate of the New York City painter and environmental artist Geri Taper (1929-2004). Taper has been included in several shows at MOMA, which has her works in its permanent collection. She's been exhibited worldwide at the Palais des Congres in Paris, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Madden Galleries in London and the Masavi Gallery in Japan.

A few of the donated paintings are shown here. To see all 13 paintings, CLICK HERE. Learn more about Geri Taper at www.geritaper.com.

Housing Works will be auctioning off all of the donated Taper creations through their window auctions. The Tapers will be displayed in the windows of their 23rd Street Gramercy thrift shop — people can bid on the items through their online store, www.ShopHousingWorks.com beginning Thursday, April 15. The auction will run through April 28 and all of the proceeds will benefit homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDs.

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Check out Antique Auction Podcast

Karen — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:18:53 GMT

For the last year, auctioneer and appraiser Martin Willis and co-host Phyllis Kao have reported on nearly every facet of the antiques hobby through their independent Website AntiqueAuctionPodcast.com. Across 25 different segments, the two record and broadcast live interviews with notable personalities, dealers and artists on topics ranging from $1 million comic books to what it's like to be a real-life American picker.

Guests range from silver expert William Whetstone and company, authors of the book World Hallmarks, Vo. I to Reyne Haines, author of the book Vintage Wristwatches to artists Mark Stock and Mark McNair.

Willis has more than 35 years of experience in the auction business working in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Colorado and California, who's handled tens of thousands of antiques, collectibles and fine art pieces. Kao is a classical violinist and scholar who has recently returned to her antique roots by immersing herself in antique auctions, specializing in silver flatware and silver hollowware.

It's one of our new favorite sites and it's even available via a free subscription on iTunes so that new installments are downloaded automatically.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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EXCLUSIVE: 'Firecracker Flask' sets new world record at $100,620

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:27:25 GMT

ANTIQUE TRADER EXCLUSIVE

WOODSTOCK, Conn. – A new world record for the highest selling bottle at auction was set this morning after Heckler Auctions sold a light blue bottle, dubbed the “Firecracker Flask,” for $100,620.

The bottle is referred to as the “firecracker flask” because of the names of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson embossed on the medial ridge of the flask, along with the date of 1776. Adams and Jefferson both died on the 4th of July 1826. This flask is in commemoration of that event. This example is one of the few known in the color blue and in excellent condition. The sale price includes a 17 percent buyer’s premium.

The bottle is described as: “General Washington” and Bust – “T.W. D.” and Eagle Portrait Flask, Kensington Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1820-1840. Brilliant deep sapphire blue, inward rolled mouth - pontil scar, pint. GI-14 Exceptional color in this “firecracker” flask. Strong impression and extremely rare color. A great bottle in every way. Ex William Pollard collection, Warren C. Lane, Jr. collection.”

The auction catalog can be viewed at HecklerAuction.com.

The new record will beat the old record set by American Bottle Auctions of Sacramento, Calif., for the sale of a Bryant’s cone-shaped Bitters bottle.
That bottle sold for $68,750, a record in 1999.

A full report will be in Antique Trader's April 21 issue.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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LiveAuctioneers.com, Dreweatts announce marketing partnership

Karen — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:20:24 GMT

NEW YORK – Manhattan-based LiveAuctioneers.com, which provides Internet live-bidding services to more than 900 auction companies worldwide, has entered into a marketing agreement with the renowned British auction house Dreweatts.

It is anticipated that LiveAuctioneers will be working cooperatively with Dreweatts on 30 to 50 auctions in their first year of collaboration. Under the terms of the new agreement, LiveAuctioneers will present and promote Dreweatts’ auction catalogs online, and enable bidders to participate in Dreweatts’ sales either absentee or live via the Internet as those sales are taking place.

“It is a great honor for LiveAuctioneers to be working with a company as highly regarded as Dreweatts,” said LiveAuctioneers’ CEO Julian R. Ellison. “Dreweatts has operated at the top tier of fine art valuation and auctioneering in Britain for 250 years. They respect tradition, and their long-held reputation for appraising and auctioning quality estates is impeccable, yet they’ve also been open to adopting new methods of generating maximum returns for their consignors. They were right on the front lines in adding Internet technology to their marketing plan. Their Newbury-based Donnington Priory salerooms first embraced online bidding in 2006, which was a signal to other auction houses that they had better get on board with the Internet.”

It will be an especially busy year for Dreweatts, said Scott Miles, LiveAuctioneers’ Senior VP Sales. “Dreweatts has formed a marketing alliance with another of our clients, Bloomsbury Auctions – a world leader in antiquarian books and manuscripts. This has cemented Dreweatts as a major force in the UK market. They’ll be reciprocally sharing their resources with Bloomsbury’s galleries, not only in London but also New York and Rome. Dreweatts is poised to become much more of an international force.”

Miles said LiveAuctioneers views the new association with Dreweatts as “a wonderful opportunity to expand our presence in the UK and Continental Europe, and at just the right time, since bidders are now able to take advantage of our bidding platform’s foreign language translation and instant currency conversion features.

“We have always had a strong commitment to both the British and greater European market, but an association with Dreweatts lends further credibility to our company,” Miles continued. “We’re extremely pleased to be included in the overall marketing strategy that Dreweatt so effectively employs.”

Dreweatts’ first auction conducted with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers will be a 334-lot, April 14 sale featuring furniture, carpets and works of art. A star lot in the sale is a circa-1615, James I sculpted and painted alabaster bust believed to be a depiction of the eminent 17th-century botanist and physician Dr. Peter Turner. The bust reputedly was erected in the South Aisle of Saint Olave’s Church in the City of London, where Turner was buried. Saint Olave’s narrowly escaped the Great Fire of 1666, the flames coming to within 100 yards or so of the building. During the 1941 London Blitz, the church was gutted by German bombs. Presumably the bust of Dr. Turner was salvaged from the ruins, but its history since the Blitz is undocumented. A highly important architectural element, it is expected to make $75,000-$105,000 at auction.

The fully illustrated catalog for Dreweatts’ April 14 sale may be viewed online at http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/21240.

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Recent graduate pays her student loan with $6,000 antique shaving mug

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:24:57 GMT

Her three year career selling on eBay just hit a jackpot for emerging antiques dealer Cynthia Kelly of Seattle. She recently sold an antique occupational shaving mug on eBay for almost $6,000.

That's an astounding price for an independent dealer considering some of the recent auctions held for occupational shaving mugs. The mug (which you can see here for a limited time) was purchased by another antiques dealer/collector in Pennsylvania, who boasts a collection of more than 200 mugs.

The shaving mug is rare in that it features a stock broker or commodities trader, busily jotting down sale prices on grain, wheat, flour and corn. We touched on these fascinating collectibles in a previous post.

This is Kelly's biggest sale so far with the online auction site. She writes: "It was also a huge surprise for me! I invested $22.50 in the mug at an estate auction and had only expected it to bring $100-$200. When someone offered me $750 to "Buy it Now" during the course of the auction, I knew I had something good.

"I turned down the offer and kept the auction running. When I saw the final end price of $5,998, I was in shock for about 15 minutes straight. The money went to pay off the rest of my student loans (I'm a young antique dealer at only 23), so the money came at a great time. "

You can see all of Kelly's auctions through her eBay store here. This self proclaimed "thrift-store junkee" also promotes a blog about her adventures (and her dog Sammy) at The Cynch.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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$104M sculpture becomes most expensive work ever sold at auction

Karen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:43:11 GMT

Sotheby's today sold a life-size bronze sculpture by Alberto Giacometti for £65M, ($104M USD) setting the bar as the most expensive work ever sold at auction.

The piece is titled "L'Homme Qui Marche" and now ranks among Vincent van Gogh's esteemed "Portrait of Dr. Gachet," which sold for $83.5 million in 1990, and Pablo Picasso's "Garçon a la pipe," which sold for $104.1 million by Sotheby's New York in May 2004.

Press reports say bidders spent all of 8 minutes driving the price far beyond the sculpture's pre-auction estimate of £12m to £18m. The final bidder was anonymous and placed his bid through the telephone.

The £65m price tag includes the buyer's premium.

Giacometti (1901-1966) created a diverse body of work. The Swiss artist was considered primarily a contributor to the Surrealist Movement and worked as a sculptor, painter, draughtsman and printmaker. His L'Homme Qui Marche is considered by critics to be one of the most important works Giacometti ever accomplished.

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Cloisonné vases abandoned in storage unit sell for $52,900 at auction

Karen — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:16:26 GMT

MERIDEN, Conn. – A pair of rare cloisonné vases, abandoned due to unpaid storage fees in Oxford, Conn., set a new auction house record Jan. 30 when they sold for $52,900 at Next Egg Auctions.

According to auctioneer Ryan Brechlin, the gavel price for the lotus blossom vases turned out to be a bit of a pleasant surprise. “They were in with more than 25 storage vaults from a Greenwich home.” Brechlin said. “Our early estimates for the pair were that they might sell for a couple thousand.”

Nest Egg Auctions had been contracted by Joyce Van Lines of Oxford to sell the contents of the vaults to satisfy storage liens on nearly $50,000 in unpaid fees. "It’s one of those contracts where we just sell what comes out of the vaults," Brechlin added. "You never know what might be in there."

When the vases came up for sale, the auction took on an international flair as a phone bidder telephoned in from London, some five time zones away where it was midnight. In the crowded auction hall a southern Connecticut buyer, who had closely examined the vases during the preview period, signaled his intention to make the vases his.

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for detailing metal objects. Shapes are outlined on the metal base with gold or silver wires. Colored enamel powder paste is carefully worked into the spaces and the object fired in a kiln.

Brechlin opened the bidding at $300 and the price soared, moving quickly as he shifted to $50, then $100, and then $500 bid points. Both the Connecticut buyer and the man in London showed no sign of dropping out. Bid points went to $1,000 and finally to $2,000 until the vases were sold to the live bidder at $46,000 plus a $6.900 buyer’s premium.

The crowd, many who had been holding their breath as the bidding soared higher, gave a standing ovation and cheered as the gavel slammed down on the sale.

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Painting sells for $156,875, blows away estimate

Karen — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:07:05 GMT

DELAWARE, Ohio – An oil on canvas titled “The Robe of Winter” sold for a surprising $156,875 to Boyertown, Pa. dealers, Valerie and Kurt Malmberg of Greshville Antiques and Fine Art during a Jan. 30 sale at Garth’s Auctions.

Bidding opened up at $20,000 – just a bit higher than the conservative estimate listed in the catalog – and did not stop until it was knocked down for a record breaking $156,875, including buyer’s premium.

The painting was the second lot in Garth’s Fine & Contemporary Art and Asian, Continental & American Furniture & Decorative Arts auction.

The monumental 42-inch by 46-inch oil on canvas landscape was painted by Pennsylvania artist Arthur Meltzer and was deaccessioned from the Columbus Museum of Art.

In addition to its original frame it retained labels from six major, early 20th century exhibits and the evidence of three other missing labels
All these features prompted the Malmbergs to cancel their previously arranged phone bids and make the trip to Ohio to bid and eventually win the lot in person.

“It is an honor to have purchased such a beautiful painting and it is exciting that it is one that represents the rare ‘total package’ - excellent condition, original frame, award winning history and a strong provenance,” Valerie Malmberg said. “It is a gem!”

The Malmbergs plan to unveil the painting at an upcoming show or gallery event after very light restoration.

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Don't miss the antique auction news

Karen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:21:17 GMT

Here are some quick hits for upcoming estate and antique auctions and highlights of recent auctions:

February multi-estate sale will offer desirable stoneware, antiques, jewelry

Unique writing instruments to be offered during event dedicated to Montblanc - I know it's not an antique or estate auction, but as far as collectibles go, there are no finer writing instruments than these. They are absolutely stunning. I consider them art, in an unusual medium.

Affordable, entry-level collectibles spotlighted in latest Collect.com auction - Roughly one-third of the auction’s lots have budget-friendly minimum bids of $25 or less, including a collection of Ford Dealership sales brochures from the 1960s and 1970s.

Recently discovered Col. John S. Mosby Civil War speech in Los Angeles auction

Diverse offerings and buyer’s market will entice participants at Hatch auction - It's so exciting to have antiques from so many different categories offered in one auction ...

Thomaston Place sale offers diverse collections - another auction with so very much to offer!

Unusual, seldom-offered figural redware in Jan. sale - Crocker Farm auctions are always interesting.

Fascinating highlight of technological auction: Final sale of Remington Typewriter Museum draws worldwide interest

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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Woody Auction to hold 'cabin fever' sale Feb. 13 in Wichita and on Proxibid

Eric Bradley, editor — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:43:15 GMT

Woody Auction is selling the lifetime personal collection from Elizabeth and Clarence Lee Dubois, featuring a stunning collection of KPM porcelain plaques.

Principal Jason Woody said the sale will be exception because Dubois has decided to hold the sale with no reserves. “This will be a great opportunity for folks to kick off the snow, shed that cabin fever and bid on some truly wonderful items for their collections,” he said. “The Dubois' were dedicated collectors for over fifty years.”

Tiffany & Co. will be represented in the sale. Anticipated top lots include a 17 ½ inch marked pedestal urn-shaped clock (at left) with yellow satin porcelain body, lavender cherub highlights and cobalt blue top; and a fantastic signed sterling silver reticulated basket with elaborate embossed blackberry and leaf décor. Also sold will be a nice, signed Nakara square-shaped hinged jewel box.

Plaques and plaque sets, many by KPM, will be abundant at the auction. Some KPM examples include an outstanding 20 inch by 16 inch marked oval porcelain plaque with a finely detailed portrait titled Rembrandt’s Mother, framed (at right); and a 10 inch by 7 ½ inch porcelain plaque set in the original ebony shadow box frame, signed R. Dietrich and with beautiful detailing of young women gathering flowers.

Additional KPM pieces will feature a 9-inch by 6-inch porcelain plaque in a gilt wooden frame, with a scene of a young girl holding a cat that’s watching a butterfly, unsigned; a 9 inch by 6-¼ inch marked porcelain plaque with a detailed scene of a servant girl with tea tray, artist signed; and a 9 ½ inch by 6 ½ inch unsigned marked porcelain plaque of Renaissance women carrying a sacred relic.

The sale starts at 9:30 a.m., Feb. 13 at the 4-H Hall of the Sedgwick County Extension Center in Wichita. Live bidding is available the morning of at Proxibid.com.

When is a nickel worth $3.7 million?

Karen — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:23:45 GMT

As cameo appearances go, this has to be the best.

A rare 1913-dated U.S. Liberty Head nickel that was featured in a 1973 episode of the TV series, "Hawaii Five-O," was purchased for $3,737,500 in a public auction conducted in Orlando, Florida by Dallas' Heritage Auctions last night (Jan. 7, 2010).

Only five such coins are known and the winning bidder "is a very advanced, East Coast coin collector who was filling a hole in his collection with the addition of the 1913 Liberty nickel," said Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions.

The nickel's star studded past doesn't stop at television.

This one was owned over the years by an infamous Egyptian King and a Los Angeles sports team owner. Although the name of the seller also was not disclosed, previous owners of this 1913 Liberty nickel included King Farouk of Egypt who was deposed in 1952.

In December 1973 it was prominently featured in an episode of the TV series, ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ entitled ‘The $100,000 Nickel.’ Los Angeles Lakers owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, paid $200,000 for the coin in 1978, and it changed hands several times since then, crossing the million-dollar mark in 2003.

So beside its famous owners and cameo on the small screen, why is this coin so valuable?

“The U.S. Mint struck tens of millions of Liberty Head nickels from 1883 through 1912, but switched designs in 1913 to depict a Native American on the “head’s” side and a bison on the “tail’s” side. However, five nickels with the new date, 1913, but the old design of the symbolic Miss Liberty secretly were made at the Philadelphia Mint and eventually sold to collectors,” Rohan said in a release.

One of the five fabled 1913 Liberty nickels is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC; another belongs to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the three others, including the coin in the January auction, are privately owned by collections.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Jackson's International knows the key to success

Karen — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:27:48 GMT

and they share it in this week's issue of Antique Trader.

CLICK HERE to read this uplifting article.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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Rago's 20th Century auction antique tortoise lamp is a unique find

Karen — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:26:42 GMT

Maybe it was the tortoise that won the race? Unlucky for him but lucky for us.

The rare copper and tortoise shell desk lamp being offered as Lot 49 in David Rago's Jan. 16 auction of early 20th Century design is beautiful for a 100 reasons. It's curved neck and leaf-patterned base share a beautiful amount of patination that is hard to come by in some lamps, not to mention the attractive mounting of a diminuative tortoise shell shade. The shell gives off a mica-hued glow that would look at home on a worn desk in dark, woodwork-lined den. The lamp is just 9-1/2 inches tall by 5-1/2 inches wide. It carries a pre-auction estimate of $2,000 to $3,000.

For such stunning craftsmanship, there is precious little information on the Internet about its maker, Henry W. Cleaveland.

Cleaveland, of Boston, wrote a book, it seems, titled "Village and Farm Cottages" in 1856. Technically, the full name of the volume is "Village and Farm Cottages: The Requirements of American Village Homes Considered and Suggested; With Designs for Such Houses of Moderate Cost." He also lent some critique to various forms of design of the day.

Lucky for us he knew quality when he saw it ... leaving us this gorgeous lamp as a reminder that good design is never resigned to a single era.

If anyone has more information about Cleaveland, feel free to share.

Antiques news you won't want to miss

Karen — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:44:00 GMT

Click on the links below to read the articles:

Red Baron’s three-day fall auction a success

Dealers from 12 states to attend Antiques in Charlottesville

Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’ folio brings $272,000

Art Deco and Modernism light up San Francisco

Worthpoint, Heritage Auctions announce mobile phone applications

Original Frederick Remington plaster model will be sold in January auction

Archive of cigar label proofs among top lots in Dec. 3 map, ephemera sale

Carved box that consignor used for storage realizes $26,450 in Thanksgiving sale

Jumeau doll found in the Midwest brings $37,375

Visit www.antiquetrader.com for more news and features.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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It really is in the mail today ...

Karen — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:34:35 GMT

... the newest edition of Antique Trader, that is.

Here's a look at the cover:

It looks great, doesn't it? And it's packed with antique news and features, too!

Visit www.antiquetrader.com for your antiques news fix.

Inaugural Baltimore Big Flea draws the crowds

Original York Antiques Show & Sale returns in January

Record number of bidders take part in poster sale

Japanese toys gross $700K in November auction

Rare diamond brings eight figures at Christie’s auction

Glass museum launches drive to clear mortgage

“American Pickers” coming to television

Art restoration company reveals $300K Duncanson painting

Greater Charlotte Show sells to Lydia Sullivan

Tiffany on Display: Colorado collector shares his passion with the world

... that's a lot of news, isn't it?! And that's not all of it, either!

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'Bling' in December

Karen — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:27:38 GMT

One of the finest Vivid Pink diamonds to ever appear for sale at auction will hit the block Dec. 1, 2009, at Christie’s annual fall jewelry sale.

The 5-carat, cushion-cut diamond, which is set in an 18-karat platinum rose-gold ring by Graff and flanked on each side by a shield-shaped diamond, is the largest fancy vivid pink potentially flawless diamond to ever be offered for sale at auction, according to a news release issued by Christie’s. The pre-auction estimate is $5 million to $7.05 million (U.S. dollars) at auction. PRICE REALIZED: $10,828,889. (All prices realized include buyer's premium.)

While the majority of natural pink diamonds exhibit a color modifier like purple, orange or gray, “The Vivid Pink” shows no trace of a secondary color, making it exceedingly rare both commercially and naturally, the news release said. The stone has been determined to be a type IIa pink diamond, which is very rare in nature and has few inclusions. The color in pink diamonds can be caused by impurities as well as the diamond’s exposure to heat and pressure, according to the Christie’s Web site.

The diamond is one of 255 lots valued in excess of $33 million from makers including Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany and Harry Winston. Jadeite jewels also will be featured. Click here to check out the full online auction catalog.

Other featured pieces in this auction include:

• An oval-shaped, 9.03 carat fancy vivid yellow diamond set in a ring by Graff. Although yellow diamonds are more common than other colored-diamonds, this high-clarity stone has a very intense color, which is due to aggregated nitrogen. The stone it is flanked on either side by a pear-shaped diamond. The pre-auction estimate is $900,000 to $1.2 million. PRICE REALIZED: $1,537,355.

• A 16.65-carat cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire ring by Van Cleef & Arpels. The pre-auction estimate is $700,000 to $1 million. The stone is the desirable and distinctive “cornflower” blue color. It is mounted in an 18-karat white-gold ring and features brilliant-cut diamond openwork gallery and half-hoop. The gem appears it has not had any thermal enhancement. PRICE REALIZED: $2,408,436.

• A pair of 8.52 and 8.39-carat pear-shaped fancy yellow internally flawless diamond ear pendants. Pre-auction estimate is $400,000 to $600,000. PRICE REALIZED: $562,573.

• A pendant necklace featuring a 25.04-carat, pear-shaped Burmese sapphire with a brilliant-cut diamond surround. The pendant is joined to the neckchain set with brilliant-cut diamonds alternating with circular-cut sapphires and mounted in platinum. The richly colored sapphire has been spared thermal treatment, a key factor for collectors today, according to the Christie’s Web site. Such a combination of characteristics is rare in natural Burmese sapphires of this size, making this stone among the top sale highlights. The pre-auction estimate is $600,000 to $800,000. PRICE REALIZED: $827,009.

• An emerald and diamond necklace from Bulgaris Perentisi collection. Circular-cut emeralds are set upon a geometric motif, pave-set diamond plaque. The pendant is joined to a similarly set spacer and length-adjustable neckchain mounted in 18-karat white gold. Only two of these necklaces were ever produced by Bulgari, according to the catalog. The pre-auction estimate is $80,000 to $120,000. PRICE REALIZED: $282,583.

• An Art Deco ruby and diamond bracelet by Cartier. The bracelet features a sleek and simple geometric design. It displays 24 untreated Burmese rubies (total carat weight of 38.06 carats), which are favored by collectors for their “pigeon’s blood” red hue, the auction catalog said. The bracelet was created in 1938. The stylized geometric style illustrated in this bracelet was mostly the work of the designer Frederick Pew who collaborated closely with Jacques Cartier. The pre-auction estimate is $625,000 to $1 million. PRICE REALIZED: $780,344.

• A pair of diamond and natural pearl ear pendants from Chaumet featuring a natural pear drop joined to a floral motif surmount set with a brilliant-cut diamond pistil within collet-set, pear-shaped diamond petals mounted in platinum. The pre-auction estimate is $230,000 to $350,000. PRICE REALIZED: $298,138.

• A multicolored graduated natural pearl necklace. The necklace is composed of 79 multicolored graduated natural pearls measuring from 4.0 to 9.9 mm each. The pearls are joined to the navette-shaped onyx clasp accented by a marquise-cut diamond and mounted in platinum. The pre-auction estimate $150,000 to $230,000. PRICE REALIZED: $173,698.

• A pair of natural pearl and diamond ear clips by Cartier. The pre-auction estimate is $160,000 to $230,000. PRICE REALIZED: $235,918.

Several jadeite forms also are part of the auction. However, items that contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma may not be imported into the U.S. They include:

• A carved jadeite Guanyin (pre-auction estimate $1 million to $1.5 million). Unsold.

• A carved jadeite Metteyva Buddha, also referred to as the Laughing Buddha or Buddha with a Big Belly (pre-auction estimate $750,000 to $1 million. Unsold.

• A rare jadeite bi and diamond pendant necklace (pre-auction estimate $565,000 to $800,000.) PRICE REALIZED: $702,569.

• A pair of jadeite and diamond ear pendants (pre-auction estimate $150,000 to $230,000.) PRICE REALIZED: $189,253.

• A pair of three-colored jadeite bangles (pre-auction estimate $230,000 to $350,000.) PRICE REALIZED: $282,583.

— Susan Sliwicki

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Tempting and intriguing lots with nary a bid

Karen — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:02:15 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I'm enjoying this special time with my family, and I hope you all are enjoying this special day as well.

I'm sneaking in some web surfing between cranberries and turkey and pumpkin pie, though.

I had to check out the current Collect.com auction (their Sports & Americana auction that ends Dec. 3), because I looked the other day and saw that there are quite a few lots that I could find a home for.

Mae West. The name evokes attitude. Lot 969 is a signed, canceled check with a photo from this beauty of the Silver Screen. I've always been a fan - I think because I always secretly wanted to get away with her sass! Opening bid $100 ... I'll have to watch that one. She won't take up much space ...

And there's all kinds of other music and entertainment memorabilia, from the Beatles to Frank Sinatra.

There are also many lots of vintage photographs, ephemera, Civil War items, paintings, and antique toys.

Drop on by the current Collect.com auction - you may just be able to pick something up for yourself or someone on your gift list without heading out to the mall at 5 a.m. tomorrow!

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Antique auctions galore: previews and highlights

Karen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:42:44 GMT

To get the antique auction news — and so much more! — delivered to your inbox each week, visit www.antiquetrader.com and sign up for our free e-newsletters.

Still life by Emil Filla sets new world auction record

Karloff's Black Cat costume, Revere's Oscar bring almost $90K each

December estates auction will feature fine jewelry, decorative arts

Hundreds of fresh-to-the-market fine estate offerings will be sold Dec. 5

Acclaimed steam toy collection to be sold Dec. 10-12

Unusual autograph items still bring strong results at auction

Estate auction featuring fine, decorative art offerings scheduled for Nov. 27

Are there any auctions in your future this holiday weekend?

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Bidding opens today for Collect.com's first antiques/collectibles auction

Karen — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:13:38 GMT

Bidding on the first Collect.com antiques and collectibles auction is scheduled to begin today.

This auction is live through December 16.

This first antiques auction happens to have on offer an amazing collection of Whiting & Davis and Mandalian mesh handbags, fine jewelry and costume jewelry.

Also on offer is a large selection of Department 56 collectibles. In fact, one of the lots (Lot 480) is a group of 50 (yes, 50!) hand-painted Dept. 56 Snowbabies pewter miniature figurines with a starting bid of just $65!

And (just in time for the holidays), Lot #484 (with an opening bid of just $50) is a group of Department 56 Snowbabies Ornaments:

Lot contains 34 porcelain bisque ornaments in their boxes, including 4 “Overnight Delivery” ornaments made exclusively for National Collectors Month, October 1995; 4 European glass ornaments in their boxes; 5 sculpted paper card ornaments in their boxes; and 2 ornament holders.

The catalog is online now. CLICK HERE (click on Antique Handbags and Jewelry auction in the upper left hand corner) to view all the offerings and place your bids.

Photos courtesy Collect.com Auctions.

• Mickey Mouse Mesh Purse is Lot no. 17.
• Dept. 56 Snowbabies pewter miniatures are Lot no. 480.
• Dept. 56 Snowbabies ornaments are Lot no. 484.
• Whiting & Davis cameo selection at the top of the page are Lot. no. 385.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Everyone likes shortcuts

Karen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:53:51 GMT

... especially if it's a legitimate shortcut.

So here are shortcuts to some of our latest antiques news articles and features:

Man turns childhood home into classy antiques shop

Talking Sports: A hobby is born during the Great Depression

Ask Antique Trader: Unusual adjustable slag glass lamp a real find

Don’t be a Duncan Pfool: Remember to use furniture's correct vocabulary

Postcard prices realized vary at auction

SOFA Chicago sees increase of ‘young collectors’

Vintage video game sells for $5,250

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Dec. 12 sale features the lifetime metal mesh, vintage celebrity couture collection of Dennis & Terri LaMothe

Karen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:41:00 GMT

IOLA, Wis. – Collect.com Auctions will present more than 400 lots of the Dennis & Terri LaMothe metal mesh collection in an Internet, absentee and phone auction closing Dec. 12. The LaMothe Collection is the largest assortment of metal mesh – mostly produced by Massachusetts’ famous Whiting & Davis Co. – ever to come to auction. It includes classic mesh handbags and iconic celebrity memorabilia from Cher and Lisa Hartman Black.

Lifetime collectors, the LaMothes spared no expense in building their comprehensive collection of metal mesh. “We did all kinds of crazy things,” said Dennis. “We started buying collections here and there — amassing them. We like to joke that our kids grew up at the auctions because we were there three, four, five times a week.” Added Terri: “Our one rule: They had to be in the best condition we could afford. We didn’t buy just to buy. We bought the very best and traded up.”

Throughout the better part of their married lives the two were well known as powerful, committed buyers. At one time the two employed between 20 and 30 pickers to scour the nation’s auctions, antiques shows and private collections for the best examples of Whiting & Davis, Mandalian Co. and other dazzling antique and vintage mesh handbags.

“This collection is just stunning in so many ways,” said Steve Bloedow, director of Collect.com Auctions. “The quality, the quantity, the variety — you just don’t find collections like this. With so many lots available during the online bidding, there is something for every collector — from jewelry to fashion, even gloves owned by Cher. The entire collection will impress anyone who views the lots.”

It was the LaMothes who the Whiting & Davis Co. contacted to create a 110-year retrospective on the firm’s best examples for its anniversary celebration. The company gave the couple exclusive and unfettered access to archives. As such, the sale contains more than 250 lots of stunning mesh handbags. The LaMothes took special pride in collecting unique pieces such the Whiting & Davis handbag decorated with enameled metal mesh in a shimmering likeness of Clark Gable (estimate $2,500-$3,000). Other specialty handbags include Mickey Mouse ($500-$1,000), Charlie Chaplin ($2,500-$3,000) and a special commemorative produced for the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair ($1,000-$1,200).

The auction will feature a comprehensive selection of Whiting & Davis’ highly desirable “El Sah” mesh handbags, including a circa 1920s example still retaining its delicate compact built into its gold tone metal handle (estimate $250-$350). The auction also features classic plain, enameled and colored Whiting & Davis lines such as Poiret, Gloria and Baby Peggy handbags. In addition to being the most complete collection of Whiting & Davis handbags, the collection is a shimmering cross-section of American vintage couture, including celebrity memorabilia including a pair of mesh gloves worn by Cher during the height of her late 1980s comeback tour.

The auction contains more than 100 selections of vintage fashion and couture. For example, a pair of silver-mesh gloves by designer Michael Schmidt from the personal collection of Cher is expected to make $750 to $1,500. The gloves hail from Cher’s late 1980s revival as she produced hits such as “If I Could Turn Back Time” and used mesh in many of her outrageous costumes. The lot includes a certificate of authenticity by the Walt Disney World Co. A dazzling red mesh top once owned by Lisa Hartman Black, actress and wife of country music star Clint Black, is expected to bring $500 to $800.

Besides producing its iconic mesh handbags, Whiting & Davis was one of the first companies to produce a prolific line of costume jewelry. As one of the oldest costume jewelers in the United States, its lines are of the kind currently enjoying a rise in popularity. The auction features a large selection of mesh necklaces and neckties, belts, bracelets, earrings and rings. Pieces are heavily influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Victorian revivals with huge, raised relief bangles and high quality intaglio cameos. Many retain the original Whiting & Davis cards and tags.

A fully illustrated catalog for Collect.com Auction’s Dec. 12 sale of the Dennis & Terri LaMothe Collection, plus additions, will be printed in the Nov. 25 issue of Antique Trader magazine or available by calling 888-463-3063 after Nov. 11. An online catalog will be viewable through the Web site www.Collect.com/Auctions.

All absentee forms of bidding are available through www.Collect.com/Auctions or by calling 888-463-3063, fax 715-445-4087 or e-mail at auctions@collect.com. The Dec. 12 auction features a 17 percent buyer’s premium. Visit Collect.com Auctions online at www.Collect.com/Auctions.

Photos courtesy Collect.com Auctions.

— Posted by Eric Bradley

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

From the Editor: The collector’s quandary

Karen — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:21:56 GMT

There are several methods to liquidate a collection, ranging from an auction to an estate sale to selling to another collector. One method that’s come up recently in two high-profile cases involves the role of museums.

K*B Toys co-founder Donald Kaufman and his wife, Sally, who assembled what will forever be known as the largest collection of automotive toys, considered a museum but decided collectors would take care of the items as their cherished objects.

So, too, did Dennis and Terri LaMothe consider a few museums to house their landmark mesh handbag and vintage couture collection.

When the Orlando couple interviewed a few museums, nonewould guarantee the collection would not be sold in the future if the museum ran out of space.

Both instances are examples of the quandary collectors may find themselves as they try to liquidate their collections. For both the Kaufmans and the LaMothes, the natural obligation they felt to preserve the history and years of research they invested in their collection made a museum a logical choice.

Museums are indeed the backbone of a country’s heritage and play an active role in the current hobby and research. Imagine how shallow and poor America would be without the Smithsonian Institution. What would the scholarship of American folk art be without the work of Winterthur or New York’s American Folk Art Museum? But museums can also be subject to politically charged boards, poor collection-care standards and vulnerable to economic downturns that decimate endowments.

Personally, I have always viewed collectors as a type of historical militia, a force comprised of ordinary people who share knowledge and preserve precious objects. Collectors are constantly engaging in new research and sharing this information in new ways.

As collectors from all levels now take stock to downsize, they face a world of decisions. These decisions are deeply personal — there is not a single solution that fits everyone.

What do you think? What role should America’s museums play as a growing number of collectors dispense with their collections?

Post a reply here on the blog, HERE on the Antique Trader message boards, or send a reply to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.

Eric Bradley
Editor

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
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Antique article shortcuts

Karen — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:57:56 GMT

Here's an easy way to get your antique news: click on the links below to read the articles:

Antique Trader breaks new ground with new “Collecting Depression Glass” online seminar

Portraits and pistols earn top prices at Garth’s

Liberace’s cousin’s estate draws standing room only

This Emilio Pucci designer dress with matching panties was sold at Liberace's cousin's estate auction in Wittenberg, Wis. Photo by Eric Bradley.

Brimfield completes Fiftieth Year Celebration

Jenkins Shows draws 20,000 for Springfield Extravaganza

Toy world mourns passing of Donald Kaufman

Depression glass collecting continues to evolve

Art Markets: Gallery label prompts investigation of attic find

Ask Antique Trader: Cheers! Robj liquor decanters worth $900

Posted by Karen

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Stock market hits 10,000! Time to sell your collectibles?

Karen — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:19:43 GMT

The stock market hit 10,000 today, a milestone not seen since Oct. 2008. Over the course of the last year, collectors have invested lots of dollars in big-ticket items to protect their investments. Is it time to sell, buy or hold?

Question of the Week:

Have you seen items in your collection lose value during the last few years? If so, are you tempted to sell to recoup your investment?

Share your story at atnews@fwmedia.com or eric.bradley@fwmedia.com or in care of Antique Trader, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54945.

Toy world mourns passing of Don Kaufman, K*B Toys co-founder

Karen — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:47:20 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Donald Kaufman, co-founder of K•B Toys and the man who built the world’s greatest collection of automotive toys, died Monday, peacefully at his home. He had celebrated his 79th birthday just four days earlier.

Kaufman’s decision to sell his astounding 10,000-piece collection of automotive toys made headlines from The New York Times to cable news networks. He picked Bertoia Auctions of Vineland, N.J., to liquidate the 60-year collection, which was amassed in partnership with his beloved wife, Sally Kaufman.

Antique Trader is devoting more coverage of Kaufman's passing with a host of articles and a podcast posted here to:

Listen as Kaufman, the man who devoted his life to celebrating the joy of play, discusses amassing his 60-year collection with Sally and why he decided to sell every single item in his collection - including his very first toy.

Read a profile of Kaufman’s lifelong pursuit of a complete collection

Review important auction coverage from the first two sessions of the Donald Kaufman Collection auctions.

-posted by Eric Bradley

*Photo by Phil Dutton. Courtesy Bertoia Auctions

So much antique news ... so little time

Karen — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:56:14 GMT

so here are some quick shortcuts to some of our latest news stories and features.

Click on the headline to read the article:

Serious ToyzTM Fall ‘09 Online Vintage Toy & Collectible Auction ends Oct. 9-10

Lifetime collection of folk art to be sold Nov. 7 in Slotin Auction

Mr. Mint’s robots unleashed in Smith House Fall Auction

Rich Penn promises treats at Halloween auction

Red Baron’s Nov. 6-8 sale will feature one of the very first computers

Gatling gun hits the mark for $172K at Fontaine’s Civil War, Firearms and Militaria sale

Fine porcelains abound in Oct. 10 ‘Living’ Estates auction

$149,500 Marklin fire truck tops prices realized at Bertoia’s $3M sale of Kaufman toys, part II

Tucson Gem Show could see record turnout

Many of these businesses are paid advertisers in Antique Trader magazine.

Kathleen Guzman hosts charity prints auction

Karen — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:18:11 GMT

Here's your chance to expand your collection and do a good deed in the process:

Guzman to host VIP party with TV experts Daile Kaplan, Nicholas Lowry, Joyce Jonas and Eric Silver

EVENT: Housing Works Auctions Presents “Early American Prints,” a live charity auction with Kathleen Guzman

WEB SITE: www.housingworks.org/earlyamericanprints

DATE: Wednesday, October 7, 2009

TIME: VIP cocktail hour with celebrity appraisers, 6-7 pm. Live auction, 7-9 pm

LOCATION: Housing Works Gramercy Thrift Shop, 157 E.23rd St (between Lexington and 3rd)

COST: $50 for VIP cocktail hour. Live auction is FREE and open to the public.

BENEFITS: All proceeds benefit Housing Works, which provides lifesaving services such as housing, medical care, meals and job training to homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.

Currier & Ives, publisher
The Yacht “Sappho” of New York, 1869 (Conningham #6815)
Hand Colored engraving
19 1/8 by 27 7/8 inches.
Kennedy Galleries label, on verso

Housing Works Auctions announced that on Oct. 7, it will host “Early American Prints,” a live charity auction of 60 fine prints from 19th century America, including dozens by legendary engravers Currier & Ives. Longtime Housing Works volunteer and celebrity appraiser Kathleen Guzman will serve as auctioneer. The prints, which can roughly be broken down into Pastoral Scenes, Marine Subjects, Historical Figures and Events and Maps, range in estimated value from $100 to $1,500.

While the live auction is free, for $50, the public can meet Guzman and a group of her celebrity colleagues, including Daile Kaplan, Nicholas Lowry of Swann Galleries, Eric Silver of Lillian Nassau, and Joyce Jonas, jewelry appraiser, at a VIP pre-auction cocktail party. (Housing Works members get in free. Join at www.housingworks.org). Guzman, Kaplan, Jonas, Lowry and Silver have appeared frequently on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow.

Charles Hart, lithographer/ L.M. Delevan, publisher
Washington Family, after William Savage, artist
Hand Colored lithograph
16 3/4 by 23 5/8 inches.
Kennedy Galleries label, on verso

The venerated auction house Swann Auction Galleries and the collectibles Web site Worthpoint.com are contributing support to the “Early American Prints,” event, which will feature champagne, light hors d’oeuvres and Martine’s fine chocolates of Bloomingdale’s.

If you can’t make the Oct. 7 live auction, a separate selection of prints will be auctioned online on Housing Works Thrift Shops’ auction site, Shophousingworks.com. Bidding online is underway and ends at 7 p.m. Oct. 8. Online auction items will be featured in the windows of Housing Works Thrift Shops’ 23rd St. and 77th St. stores starting on Sept. 25.

“Early American Prints” was prompted by an anonymous donation of nearly 300 engravings and prints. Many were originally sold by the famed Kennedy Gallery.

“This is a unique opportunity to bid on treasured artwork for your home or collection and generously help a worthy cause,” says appraiser Guzman. “Charming and significant prints by Currier & Ives, Endicott Brothers + Company, and William Sartain will be offered. Most notable are the many works depicting Hudson River subjects and the Catskill Mountains to be sold without reserve to the highest bidder.”

— Posted by Karen

Rembrandt portrait may bring up to $41M

Karen — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:44:39 GMT

*whistle*

Scott Reyburn of Bloomberg news writes:

A Rembrandt portrait of an unidentified man with his hand on his hip may be the most highly estimated Old Master painting ever offered at auction when it comes up for sale in London in December. ...

“Old Masters have been a resilient market over the past few years,” Richard Knight, Christie’s international co-head of Old Masters and 19th-century art, said in an interview. “The success of the Yves Saint Laurent sale in February has had a positive effect on our market. Neither of these paintings is a forced sale. People are taking advantage of what is perceived to be strong demand for rare things.”

CLICK HERE to read the full story

Intrinsic value, rarity, demand, market conditions: which will weigh the heaviest when it comes to the final price?

Photo courtesy Christie's.

Skinner Discovery Auction Sept. 16-17 in Marlborough

Karen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:54:20 GMT

What's more exciting than a discovery auction? Where you never know what you'll have the opportunity to buy?

Skinner's upcoming Sept. 16-17 sale will offer silver, jewelry, toys, dolls, American Indian arts and more. You can view an online auction preview at www.skinnerinc.com.

Here's a breakdown of the sessions:

Session I

Wednesday’s session offers over 200 lots of silver and silver plated flatware, hollowware and domestic accessories with work representing many of America’s leading silver manufacturers including Tiffany, Gorham, Dominick & Haff, Whiting, Arthur Stone as well as a selection of European 18th, 19th and 20th century articles. Immediately following the silver portion of the auction are over 300 lots of vintage and estate jewelry and accessories featuring gold, silver, and gem-stone jewelry as well as period eclectic, signed & designed costume jewelry, and examples of international wares from the British Isles to Thailand. Skinner’s silver and estate jewelry auctions provide a wonderful buying opportunity for quality and design at surprisingly affordable prices. Preview now at http://tinyurl.com/l3n6pd.

Session II

Thursday morning’s auction features Discovery's usual fare: a wide and varied offering of estate furnishings, decorative accessories, carpets & rugs, and artwork from the 18th - 20th century. A particularly strong group of furniture by the Boston area firm of A.H. Davenport/Irving & Cassons is included. Known for good design and impeccable workmanship, Kerry Shrives, VP, Director, Discovery Auctions, notes that “manufactured custom furniture by this firm continues to see strong demand, is affordable and is predicted to be desirable well into the future.” Rounding out the 800 lot session are interesting collections of vintage toys, dolls, bears and accessories. Closing the sale is more than 100 lots of American Indian and Ethnographic art featuring textiles, beadwork, Native American & Southwest jewelry, pre-Colombian artifacts and more.

You can participate at www.skinnerinc.com:

Skinner’s Web site now features real-time online bidding via the Skinner-Live! bid applet. Visit www.skinnerinc.com and click on the blue Skinner-Live! bidding button for full instructions prior to the auction. Once pre-registered on their Web site, you can join in the live bidding as soon as the auction begins and listen along with the real-time live audio feed of the auction from the comfort of your home or workplace.

Visit www.skinnerinc.com to sign up for their free eZine of upcoming arts & antiques auctions and events. ... free is good!

— Posted by Karen

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Archie Comic #1 sells for $38,837

Karen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:30:59 GMT

DALLAS – When comic book store owner Dave Luebke heard that after 67 years, the carrot-topped everyman of the comic world, Archie, was proposing to the racy rich girl Veronica instead of girl-next-door Betty, he decided to protest by selling his copy of the series’ rare first issue.

As featured on page 19 of the Aug. 19 issue of Antique Trader magazine, Luebke’s Archie Comics No. 1 sold for $38,837 when Dallas’ Heritage Auction Galleries offered it Aug.14. Heritage said the buyer was a longtime Archie reader and collector from Virginia who did not want to be identified.

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.

Antique headline shortcuts anyone?

Karen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:24:44 GMT

Antiques trade mourns icon’s passing

Springfield Antiques Show turns great finds

Dealers show rare and unusual items at Nashville glass show

Antique show fund raiser earns nearly $4,000 for animal shelter- (I thought this was a great idea!)

All Saints Show highly praised by dealers

Baltimore Summer Show: Designed to dazzle

Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. summer decoy auction grosses $1.3 million

Hal Hunt to auction the contents of famous Alabama antebellum home Sept. 5

Historic rifle from the Battle of Little Big Horn offered at Kaminski’s August auction

Seldom-seen antique maps, atlases offered in Old World Auctions’ online sale

Penn Auctions wins six NAA marketing awards this week

Karen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:31:49 GMT

The National Auctioneers Association has awarded Rich Penn Auctions six different first place marketing awards at its annual convention and conference in Overland Park, Kan. this week.

The annual competition is presented July 13-18 in partnership with USA TODAY and this year judges reviewed over a thousand entries.

Penn Auctions was named first place in the categories of color catalog for antique auctions, color catalog for liquidation auctions and color printed material for automotive auctions as well as for online catalogs for both antique auctions and liquidation auctions and for black and white newspaper advertising.

Penn’s company specializes in auctions of country store, drug store, petroliana and advertising antiques.

Antique Trader Blog - Auction

What do Pere Noel and a creepy foot have in common?

Heritage Auctions NYC Gallery opens Sept. 1

Several pieces from antebellum potter Dave the Slave in Ga. auction

Precious metal coins in Friday auction are on investors’ radar

Doll made for Victor Hugo brings $116K, doll from Anne Rice collection brings $40K

Roy Rogers' Trigger finds a new home

Uncle Scrooge art collection expected to bring $700K at auction

The web is alive about eBays traffic woes

No buyer's premium for this company

How much is a weekend with the Pawn Stars worth?

Record set for Lalanne sculptures

Rare preliminary watercolor from Pinocchio on the auction block

Antique Trader is giving a free antique appraisal to attendees of the Chicago Antique Market

Antique map at auction shows early Washington before District of Columbia

Blue & White Pottery Club to convene in June

Picasso breaks all art records at $106.5M

Fleming’s James Bond novels sell big

Anonymous donation of 13 Taper paintings will benefit NY AIDS organization

Check out Antique Auction Podcast

EXCLUSIVE: 'Firecracker Flask' sets new world record at $100,620

LiveAuctioneers.com, Dreweatts announce marketing partnership

Recent graduate pays her student loan with $6,000 antique shaving mug

$104M sculpture becomes most expensive work ever sold at auction

Cloisonné vases abandoned in storage unit sell for $52,900 at auction

Painting sells for $156,875, blows away estimate

Don't miss the antique auction news

Woody Auction to hold 'cabin fever' sale Feb. 13 in Wichita and on Proxibid

When is a nickel worth $3.7 million?

Jackson's International knows the key to success

Rago's 20th Century auction antique tortoise lamp is a unique find

Antiques news you won't want to miss

It really is in the mail today ...

'Bling' in December

Tempting and intriguing lots with nary a bid

Antique auctions galore: previews and highlights

Bidding opens today for Collect.com's first antiques/collectibles auction

More antiques article shortcuts

Everyone likes shortcuts

Dec. 12 sale features the lifetime metal mesh, vintage celebrity couture collection of Dennis & Terri LaMothe

From the Editor: The collector’s quandary

Antique article shortcuts

Stock market hits 10,000! Time to sell your collectibles?

Toy world mourns passing of Don Kaufman, K*B Toys co-founder

So much antique news ... so little time

Kathleen Guzman hosts charity prints auction

Rembrandt portrait may bring up to $41M

Skinner Discovery Auction Sept. 16-17 in Marlborough

Archie Comic #1 sells for $38,837

Antique headline shortcuts anyone?

Penn Auctions wins six NAA marketing awards this week