FRONTIER GAS “RARIN’ TO GO” DOUBLE-SIDED PORCELAIN SIGN, ONE OF ONLY TWO KNOWN, HITS $26,400 AT SALE HELD MAY 15-16 BY MATTHEWS AUCTIONS

Contact: Dan Matthews
(217) 563-8880 or (217) 259-7056
danm@matthewsauctions.com

FRONTIER GAS “RARIN’ TO GO” DOUBLE-SIDED PORCELAIN SIGN, ONE OF ONLY TWO KNOWN, HITS $26,400 AT SALE HELD MAY 15-16 BY MATTHEWS AUCTIONS

(LOVELAND, Colo.) – A brilliant, round Frontier Gas “Rarin’ to Go” double-sided porcelain sign, one of only two known, soared to $26,400 – nearly triple its pre-sale estimate – at a weekend auction held May 15-16 by Matthews Auctions, LLC, based in Nokomis, Ill. It was the second major auction held in May by the firm, which conducted a sale in Wisconsin May 1.

The Frontier Gas sign – 60 inches in diameter and boasting a colorful yellow rider and great gloss – was easily the top lot of either sale. “We expected that sign to bring $10,000, so it was a nice surprise when several determined bidders drove the price up,” said Dan Matthews of Matthews Auctions, LLC. “But it was Clyde’s favorite sign of all, so we expected it to do well.”

Clyde would be Clyde Hodge, whose single-owner lifetime collection of gas signs, globes and collectibles was auctioned without reserve (everything sold, regardless of price). The sale took place at The Ranch, a popular and scenic venue in Loveland, at the base of the Rocky Mountains. About 200 people attended the event, at which nearly 750 lots crossed the block. “The sale went way beyond our expectations,” Mr. Matthews remarked, adding, “In addition to the on-site crowd, we had 240 people registered to bid online (through Proxibid.com), with a 38 percent sell-through. Absentee and phone bidding was also active. The overall gross was 25 percent more than I had predicted. That made travel and other expenses easier to take.”

The May 1 auction – held in the Central Motor Sales Building in Wisconsin Rapids – featured nearly 500 lots of classic cars, petroliana items, gas pumps and advertising memorabilia. Overall, it wasn’t the huge success that Loveland was, but it wasn’t a disappointment, either. “We did about what we expected,” Mr. Matthews said. “Gas pumps in particular did very well.”

Following are additional highlights from the May 1 auction. All prices quoted include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.

A Starkey coin-operated 10-gallon gas pump in fine original condition, featuring a good cylinder but missing the bonnet, was the top earner of the day, topping out at $14,300. In the runner-up slot was a Wayne model #491 “Roman column” 10-gallon visible gas pump, repainted and with a plastic cylinder. The gas pump, very desirable among collectors, climbed to $9,900.

A Wayne model #800 clockface gas pump, professionally restored in Shell colors and with the original Shell globe and new decals, coasted to $9,625. Also, a Tokheim model #36b computing gas pump with Arno air meter on the light pole and 30-gallon lubster, commanded $4,400. The pump was nicely restored in Phillips 66 colors and came with an island on wheels.

A hard-to-find Universal Batteries Sales and Service double-sided heart-shaped sign, 20 inches by 20 inches, with both sides graded 9.5 out of 10 for condition and only minor chips along the edges, realized $2,585. Also, a pair of Shell single-sided porcelain signs, mounted back-to-back, each measuring 59 inches by 58 inches, with great color and gloss, made $1,870.

Following are additional highlights from the May 15-16 auction. All prices quoted include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.

An original Ford Sales and Service Parts & Accessories octagonal neon clock, 18 inches by 18 inches by 7 inches, rated 9 out of 10 for condition and in good working order (down to the original cord) realized $6,490; and a Ford Jubilee embossed metal sign, 28 inches by 28 inches by 4 inches, rated 8.75 for condition and with just one scratch in the blue, hammered for $3,300.

A Conoco Floor Dressing square 5-gallon can, with the same Minuteman image on all four sides and even a Minuteman on the cap, changed hands for $2,860. The can had great color and was graded 8 out of 10 for condition. Also, a Powerlube Lubricant #10 grease pail, never opened and fully loaded, rated 7.75 with only light surface rust and scratches, rose to $2,860.

A Bay 13.25-inch single lens on a Red Ripple Globe body, with the display lens rated 9 and the reverse just a frosted lens with painted letters, breezed to $2,680. The body was in great shape, with uniform color and the original friction tape in place. Also, an original 1957 Chevy all-steel rear clip couch with cassette player and speakers, all lights working fine, made $2,420.

A Penn Fargo Motor Oil single-sided porcelain die-cut sign, 24 inches by 34 inches, rated 7.9 with great gloss and color but having four chips in the field, earned $2,200. (Fargo was based in Denver, Colo.). Also, a Coronado white 13.5-inch lens on a wide glass globe body, the display lens rated 8.75 but with minor pant flecks, a cracked back and damaged body, went for $1,320.

Matthews Auctions, LLC’s next big sale will be held Friday, Aug. 6, in the ballroom of the Holiday Inn in Des Moines, Ia., located at 6111 Fleur Drive. The event is timed to coincide with the 2010 Iowa Gas Show & Auction, in the same venue. Featured will be hundreds of lots of quality petroliana, automobilia and more. The auction will begin promptly at 9 a.m. (CST).

Matthews Auctions, LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or a collection, you may call them toll-free, at (877) 968-8880. Or, you can e-mail them at danm@matthewsauctions.com. To learn more about the firm and its calendar of events, to include the Aug. 6 Iowa Gas Show & Auction, log on to MatthewsAuctions.com.


Frontier Gas:
Frontier Gas “Rarin' to Go” double-sided porcelain sign, one of only two known ($26,400).

Starkey pump:
Starkey coin-operated 10-gallon gas pump with good cylinder but no bonnet ($14,300).

Wayne pump:
Wayne model #491 “Roman column” 10-gallon visible gas pump, repainted ($9,900).

Universal Batteries:
Rare Universal Batteries Sales and Service double-sided heart-shaped sign, rated 9.5 ($2,585).






Ford clock:
Ford Sales and Service octagonal neon clock, rated 9 out of 10, with original cord ($6,490).

Conoco can:
Conoco Floor Dressing square 5-gallon can with Minuteman image on all four sides ($2,860).

Sonny Henry Auction, & Mail Bid Coin Sale to take pace on June 19th

The June 19, 2010 Coin and Currency Auction, & Mail Bid and on line, of the continued 50 year Illinois Collection & others conducted by SONNY HENRY’S AUCTION SERVICE of Mendota, IL will be conducted at the Midwest Center for Christian Living Lasalle, IL.

A nice mix of Rare & High Quality Coins. An excellent opportunity for the Discriminating Collector. Many with Eye Appeal and Beauty. We have been auctioning off this collection for around 10 years. Lots of fresh material, and more to come.
Highlights:

1878 $3 Gold PCGS Secure Plus MS 66+ According to Coin Facts Pop Report this is the only one that is Graded MS 66+. “65” in MS 66, “5” in MS67, “1”in MS 67+ A Beautiful Gem with Amazing Eye Appeal, Dripping with Luster sure to please the Gold collecting connoisseur.
Other important Highlights including:

1837 Bust Quarter MS 63
1807 Draped Bust Half Dollar Anacs EF 45, it looks AU
1873-CC $20 Double Eagle NGC AU 55
1886-S Morgan Dollar NGC MS 65
1935 Spanish Trail Commemorative Half Dollar NGC MS 66
1793 Large Cent Anacs VG 8 Details “S-10 corroded”
1796 Bust Quarter Anacs AG-3 Details “cleaned”
1922 Grant “no star” PCGS MS 64


For more information or to be placed on the mailing list for future auctions, write to SONNY HENRY’S AUCTION SERVICE, 1510 Illinois Ave, Mendota, IL. 61342 Phone 815-539-6300, or http://www.sonnyhenryauctions.com/

PAIR OF OIL ON CANVAS PAINTINGS BY KOREAN ARTIST KIM HEUNG SOU SELL FOR A COMBINED $52,500 AT A SALE HELD BY LITCHFIELD COUNTY AUCTIONS

Contact: Nicholas Thorn, info@lcainc.us
(860) 567-4661 or (646) 765-3599

PAIR OF OIL ON CANVAS PAINTINGS BY KOREAN ARTIST KIM HEUNG SOU SELL FOR A COMBINED $52,500 AT A SALE HELD BY LITCHFIELD COUNTY AUCTIONS

Internet and catalog auction was conducted April 14-28; nearly 750 quality lots changed hands.

(LITCHFIELD, Conn.) – A pair of oil on canvas paintings by the prolific and gifted Korean artist Kim Heung Sou (b. 1919) sold for a combined $52,500 in an Internet and catalog auction held Apr. 14-28 by Litchfield County Auctions (www.LitchfieldCountyAuctions.com). One work was the top lot of the sale: Head of a Young Girl Amid Triangular Shapes ($43,200).

The other was titled Abstract Head. Both paintings were executed with heavy impasto and, as their titles imply, each was a depiction of a head. Both were signed by the artist. The paintings were two of the 744 lots that changed hands out of 944 offered. The successful lots carried a pre-sale estimate of about $350,000-$550,000 and ended up bringing around $600,000.

A $50,000 tag sale lifted the sale’s total gross to $650,000. There were about 350 winning bidders from 33 states plus Austria, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan and the U.K. The sell-through rate was 80 percent (744 of 944 lots sold). Internet bidding was facilitated by iGavelauctions.com.

The merchandise came from a variety of prominent estates and collections in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Categories included modern paintings and prints, modern design (furniture and decorations), antiquities and Asian art and antiques. The sale was preceded by a 5-day gallery exhibition and accompanying tag sale, a preview party and two-week online preview.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.

The sale’s second top achiever was a pair of 18th- or 19th-century carved stone outdoor planters that rose to $16,800. The smaller planter depicted a sarcophagus on the front with raised serpents and featured Latin text, claw feet and a mysterious date of 1559. The other was rectangular with a Medusa form head in the center flanked by centaur figures on the front.

Otherwise, fine art dominated the list of top earners. A group of four oil on canvas board or Masonite portraits of children by Raymond Kanelba (Pol., 1897-1960) topped out at $14,647. Most were signed by the artist. Another work by Kanelba, Portrait of Lisa Hoffman, an oil on canvas, made $7,800. Also, Spring Blossoms by Eric Sloane (Am., 1905-1988) realized $7,800.

An oil on board work by John Geoffrey Caruthers Little (Can., b. 1928), titled Hotel De Ville St. Montreal, signed and dated (1959), went for $7,200; a watercolor, pastel and gouache and collage painting by John Piper (Eng., 1903-1992), titled Foliate Head, garnered $5,653; and an ink, watercolor and pastel on paper by Reginald Marsh (Am., 1898-1954) breezed to $5,460.

An Egyptian mummy shroud from Dynasty 26 (circa 600 B.C.), made of cartonnage and linen, with the winged sky goddess Nut and the Four Sons of Horus, with inscriptions from the Book of the Dead, framed, fetched $6,420. Also, a large group of 60 Roman Intaglio gemstones from the 2nd century A.D., mainly carnelian, plus four from later periods, commanded $6,120.

An amorphous figural sliding coffee table in the form of two lovers by Philip and Kevin Lavern (circa mid-20th century), wood with bronze metal facing and signed on the top (1962), demanded $6,300; and a Modernist rosewood marble-top credenza from the mid-20th century by Florence Knoll, with a white marble top that lifts off and four stacks of drawers, rose to $4,980.

A Spratling Mexican sterling silver water pitcher, probably made in the 20th century and of a bulbous form, with applied 10-lobed floral decoration and ribbon handle with ruffled accents, realized $4,357.

A lot of two large cameo glass vases, both signed Galle (French, circa early 20th century), one with grapevine decoration in purple and amber and the other with leafy vine in purple over yellow ground, both signed “Galle” near the bottom, sold for $4,920; and a Tiffany Studios patinated bronze table lamp base (New York, circa early 20th century), stamped, made $4,794.

Returning to artwork, a set of 12 signed posters and lithographs by the noted African-American artist Romare Beardon (1911-1988), each showing four figures in profile, went to a determined bidder for $5,160. The set comprised two color lithographs (numbered 11/150 and 63/150), two metallic posters for the International Play Group and 8 unsigned color lithographs.

Rounding out the auction’s top lots, a mid-20th century walnut double dresser by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, featuring four large drawers plus four smaller ones and brass and rosewood pulls, brought $4,320; and two Art Deco-style carved wood figural wall ornaments of two women wearing pleated robes (circa 20th century), made from light-toned wood, hit $3,854.

Litchfield County Auctions is now collecting property for their summer sale (which goes online from June 30-July 14). In particular, the firm is actively seeking American and European furnishings and decorations; Old Master and Impressionist works of art; paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures; books, maps, ephemera and historical documents; and folk art works.

Litchfield County Auctions is Connecticut’s premier estate auction house, featuring paintings, prints, sculpture, antique furniture, silver, rugs, jewelry, pottery, porcelain, glass and more. The firm’s 10,000-square-foot gallery is located a mile south of The Green in Litchfield. Major sales are held six times a year and feature fresh-to-the-market property from local estates.

Litchfield County Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (860) 567-4661; or, you can e-mail them at info@lcainc.us. Their address is 425 Bantam Rd. (Rte. 202), Litchfield, CT 06759. For more info about Litchfield County Auctions, log on to www.LitchfieldCountyAuctions.com.



Kim Heung Sou:
Oil on canvas painting by Korean artist Kim Heung Sou (b. 1919), the sale's top lot at $43,200.

Stone planters:
Pair of 18th- or 19th-century carved stone outdoor planters ($16,800).

Mummy shroud:
Egyptian mummy shroud from Dynasty 26 (circa 600 B.C.), cartonnage and linen ($6,420).

Lavern table:
Amorphous figural sliding coffee table by Philip and Kevin Lavern, mid 20th century ($6,300).

Roman gemstones:
Large group of 60 Roman Intaglio gemstones from 2nd century A.D., mainly carnelian ($6,120).

Spratling pitcher:
Spratling Mexican sterling silver water pitcher, bulbous form, circa mid-20th century ($4,357).

BEAUTIFUL CIRCA 1830 GREEK REVIVAL HOME IN LITCHFIELD, CONN., PLUS THE CONTENTS COMPRISING ABOUT 1,000 ANTIQUES, WILL BE SOLD ON-SITE JUNE 5th

Contact: Tim Chapulis, Tim’s Inc., (860) 459-0964, or
Mary Helen Levine, Litchfield Real Estate Auctions, LLC, (203) 574-2111

BEAUTIFUL CIRCA 1830 GREEK REVIVAL HOME IN LITCHFIELD, CONN., PLUS THE CONTENTS COMPRISING ABOUT 1,000 ANTIQUES, WILL BE SOLD ON-SITE JUNE 5th

(LITCHFIELD, Conn.) – The beautiful circa 1830 Greek Revival-style home known locally as the Historic Trowbridge-Thoms House belonging to longtime antiques dealer Thomas McBride, plus the adjacent barn that has served as an antiques shop for over 45 years, will be sold in an on-site auction slated for Saturday, June 5. The property will cross the block at noon.

Real estate broker for the home property is Mary Helen Levine of Litchfield Real Estate Auctions, LLC, of Litchfield. The contents of the barn/antique shop and home will be auctioned by Tim Chapulis of Tim’s, Inc., based in nearby Bristol. The house is located at 62-64 West Street (Rte. 202) in the center of Litchfield, directly across from the historic Litchfield Green.

“At age 81, Mr. McBride has made the decision to retire, creating a rare opportunity for collectors looking to add quality merchandise to their collections and anyone looking to buy a beautiful and historic home,” said Mary Helen Levine. “This is undoubtedly one of the largest on-site auctions of its type in the last 35 years. Bidders should plan to stay for the duration.”

The 1,000 or so antique items will be sold starting at 12:30 p.m. Mr. McBride has devoted his life to acquiring and selling the finest antique items for his personal use and shop, called Thomas McBride Antiques.“Some pieces will have dust and cobwebs on them, attesting to the fact that they’ve been waiting for a new owner to enjoy and display them,” Mr. Chapulis said.

He added, “Anyone attending this auction will be stepping back in time. This is what you would have come upon if you had been on the antique trail in the 1950s or ‘60s.” Mr. McBride primarily collected period furniture (mostly American, but with some French and English pieces), artwork by Ronald Lee Anderson, vintage lamps, antique clocks, glass, china and more.

The house and barn, situated on about 1/3 of an acre, were built around 1830 by Henry Trowbridge, a tanner. He used to take his hides down the street to Tannery Brook, to wash them. His son inherited the property and later sold it to a Mr. & Mrs. Thoms in 1927. They operated the barn as an antiques shop. Mr. McBride continued to do same when he bought the home in 1960.

In the early 1930s, the barn was used by the Thoms family as a small bar and restaurant called The Canteen that served the patrons of a nearby community playhouse that has since been torn down and replaced with a town hall building. In its heyday, the playhouse was performed in by some of the biggest stage acts of the day like John and Ethel Barrymore and Lunt & Fontaine.

The main house – which over time came to be known as the Historic Trowbridge-Thoms House – features four bedrooms, two full baths, a double living room, library, pantry and two-car garage with a summer bedroom above the garage. The two-story barn totals around 2,300 square feet. Bay windows have been added in the front. The grounds have been impeccably maintained.

Period furnishings will dominate the day, as around 200 pieces (between the shop and home) will cross the block. At least 15 drop-leaf tables will be sold, to include a circa 1780-1790 maple example with Marlboro stop fluted legs, attributed to Goddard Townsends of Newport, R.I.; as well as Chippendale, Queen Anne and Hepplewhite acanthus carved Federal tables.

Other tables will include an American mahogany D-end dining table that seats 12-14 people fully extended, with two extra leaves; an American mahogany drop-leaf table with reeded legs, shaped leaved and one drawer, crafted in the manner of Duncan Phyfe; and a spectacular circa-1770 mahogany Baltimore Federal inlaid hunt table with actual shell and bell flower inlay.

Also offered will be a circa 1780 Queen Anne highboy, rare small size, cherry with fan carved drawers, made in Connecticut; three period Connecticut cherrywood and pine four-post beds with tapering headboards and headposts and reeded footposts, with full canopies and original to the house (acquired from the Thoms family); and a Connecticut Valley two-piece corner cupboard, circa 1780, cherry and tulip woods, with the original glass and hardware.

Three circa-1780 Chippendale Queen Anne cherry slant-front desks with ball and claw feet, some with secret drawers, will also come under the gavel, as will an Edwardian Adams-style sideboard, satinwood with inlaid and painted decorations, circa 1890-1910, 70 inches tall; and a mahogany chest of drawers from the school of New York cabinet maker Michael Allison.

Bidders will also be treated to candle stands, side chairs, card tables, lift-top blanket chests, Windsor chairs, Queen Anne chairs and other furniture items. Some of the pieces were made in Connecticut, mostly of cherry or tiger maple, like the fine armchair made in Litchfield, carved at each arm's end scroll with a sunflower. Other pieces were crafted in Baltimore and Massachusetts, as well as some from Southern states.

The glass and china is a blend of American, English, French and Hungarian, to include pieces by Herend, which rivals Sevres, Meissen and Wedgewood in terms of quality. Herend was renowned for crafting pieces for the Rothschilds in Europe, and Mr. McBride’s collection features some bird pieces made for the Rothschilds. The bird pieces are coveted by collectors.

Also offered will be a Sevres piece that reportedly belonged to Marie Antoinette; English china; a pitcher from the Tucker porcelain factory in Philadelphia featuring the trilinear rose and showing a vignette of young girls picking roses; American cut glass pieces and American pattern glass. Lighting will include brass chandeliers and reverse painted cut glass table lamps.

Mr. McBride was a collector, fan and friend of Ronald Lee Anderson (1929-2002), who at one point had a studio not far from McBride’s antique shop in Litchfield. Mr. Anderson was a prolific, gifted artist who trained in Baltimore but also lived in England and France, as well as Litchfield. His realistic oil paintings are in many collections. Over 100 of his works will be sold.

The auction will also feature vintage clocks, to include early Connecticut Wooden Works shelf clocks (some made by Eli Terry and other renowned makers); rugs and carpets, some of them room sized; Chinese pieces, porcelains and furniture; some Japanese pieces; brass bird cages; brass andirons; and other decorative accessories.

Previews will be held prior to the sale, on Saturday, May 22, from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 23, from 1-6 p.m., as well as on the days leading up to the auction: on Wednesday, June 2, from noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, June 3 from noon to 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, June 4, from noon to 6 p.m. Previews are also available by appointment (call Tim Chapulis at 860-459-0964).

For the real estate property portion of the auction, bidders must bring a $50,000 certified check, bank cashier's check or cash to bid on the property. The winning price will be hammer (highest accepted bid) plus a 10 percent buyer’s premium, paid by the buyer. Buyer will have up to 60 days to close, subject to prior sale. There is no mortgage contingency. This is not a foreclosure.

Terms for the antiques portion of the auction are a 15 percent buyer’s premium for cash and known checks (18 percent for major credit cards). There will be a $50 charge for any returned check. Admittance to the auction and previews will be a donation (suggested, $5 per person) for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, in memory of Mr. Peter W. Chaplulis, Tim’s late father. To date, Tim's, Inc. has succeeded in raising $29,500 for St. Jude Children's Hospital.

For more information about the house, barn and property, you may call Mary Helen Levine of Litchfield Real Estate Auctions, LLC, at (203) 574-2111 or (203) 525-4753. For more information, visit the website, at www.LitchfieldRealEstateAuctionsllc.com. To learn more about the antiques to be sold, please visit the Tim’s, Inc. website, at www.timsauction.com. The Tim's, Inc. website shows over 500 color photos of the lots to be offered in the June 5 auction.

Tim’s, Inc. is celebrating over 30 years in business (1979-2010). The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call Tim Chapulis at (860) 459-0964, or e-mail him at tims.inc@snet.net. Bidders thinking of staying in Litchfield the night before the June 5 auction may enjoy a special rate from the Litchfield Inn, located not far from the auction site. For reservations, call (860) 567-4503.



House and barn:
The Historic Trowbridge-Thoms House in Litchfield, Conn., plus hundreds of antiques, will be sold June 5.










Queen Anne highboy:
Small circa-1780 Queen Anne highboy, cherry with fan carved drawers, made in Connecticut.

McBride living room:
The living room of the main house, belonging to Thomas McBride, is filled with fine antiques.

Tim with sideboard:
Auctioneer Tim Chapulis with an Edwardian Adams-style satinwood sideboard, ca. 1890-1910.








Conn. Valley cupboard:
Connecticut Valley two-piece corner cupboard, cherry and tulip woods, made around 1790.

Canopy bed:
One of three period Connecticut cherrywood and pine four-post beds, from the Thoms family.

Chippendale armchair:
Fine Chippendale armchair made in Litchfield, Conn., carved at each arm's end with a sunflower.

Armchair sunflower:
The sunflower carved into the arm of the Chippendale chair indicates a Litchfield provenance.

OVER 100 CLOCKS AND OTHER RELATED ANTIQUES WILL BE SOLD BY GORDON S. CONVERSE & CO. FRIDAY, JUNE 18, AT 4 P.M. IN THE EXPO CENTER, YORK, PA.

Contact: Gordon Converse
(484) 431-5543 or (610) 722-9004

OVER 100 CLOCKS AND OTHER RELATED ANTIQUES WILL BE SOLD BY GORDON S. CONVERSE & CO. FRIDAY, JUNE 18, AT 4 P.M. IN THE EXPO CENTER, YORK, PA.

(YORK, Pa.) – Over 100 antique clocks and related items will be sold at auction Friday, June 18, by Gordon S. Converse & Co., in the Pennsylvania Banquet Room of The Expo Center in York, Pa. The event is timed to coincide with the opening of the annual convention of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, also to be held at The Expo Center in York.

“Variety is the key that will make this auction a success,” predicted Gordon Converse. “Our last sale was a surprise success because we had a great collection come in at the last minute. But this time we’ve been gathering dozens of quality consignments from numerous sources, over a period of many months. Serious clock collectors need to mark their calendars.”

Rare examples by such renowned clockmakers as Simon and Aaron Willard, George Hoff, Griffith Owen, Walter Durfee, James Marwick, Thomas Green, Gubelin and Twaites & Reed will be offered. Also sold will be horological books and clockmakers’ tools. Online bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com. Telephone and write-in bids will also be accepted.

Following are some anticipated top lots of the sale, which is scheduled to begin promptly at 4 p.m. To view an online catalog with full lot descriptions, go to www.auctionsatconverse.com.

Advanced collectors will get into a fierce bidding war over the Simon Willard tall case clock, but also featured will be a 42-inch presentation gilt wood and reverse painted glass banjo clock by Simon’s brother, Aaron. Two reeded front panels house a pair of fine reverse painted glass tablets, one showing “The Boston State House.” The restored dial is signed “A. Willard.”

A very early Pennsylvania American tall case clock, pre-dating the American Revolution and attributed to George Hoff, should also get paddles wagging. The steel-framed, 30-hour chain-wind clockworks support an engraved brass dial with pewter cast spandrels. Another Pennsylvania tall case clock, crafted by Griffith Owen, is also expected to attract keen interest.

Also offered will be a rare and fine set of twin clocks telling the world time and perpetual calendar by the Swiss firm Gubelin. The set, with its fine enameling and bold presentation, was one of only three made in the 1950s and this is the only set in the Western hemisphere. They are in excellent shape and ready for a prestigious new home (such as a hotel lobby or mall entrance).

An assortment of English table (or bracket) clocks will also cross the block on June 18. Of particular interest is a Queen Anne-style “basket top” clock by James Marwick of London. The example has an interesting provenance, in that it was purchased in the 1920s and sat in the office of industrialist Roy D. Chapin, who was Secretary of Commerce under President Hoover.

Other examples of English table clocks are signed Thomas Green, Barraud and Twaites & Reed. There will also be a chime hall clock with a solid oak case from the Edwardian era by Walter Durfee, and numerous decorative high-quality French-made mantel clocks, Chelsea ship’s clocks (made in Boston and loved by collectors), and 30-40 19th-century American clocks.

Two clocks are certainly worth noting. One is a Swiss singing mechanical feathered bird within a 19 inch by 10 inch square cage, on a gilt wood base. In the base is the label “Chevob & Co.” (the late Baker & Troll Co. of Geneva). The other is a beautiful late Georgian ebonized paneled arch-topped table clock with brass, cast brass and applied white enamel chapter rings.

Previews will be held on Thursday, June 17, from noon to 6 p.m. (EDT) and on Friday, the day of sale, from 11-4. Consignments are still being accepted for this and all future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call the firm directly, at (610) 722-9004; or, e-mail them at Gordon@ConverseClocks.com. Mr. Converse replies promptly to all e-mailed inquiries.

Anyone interested in finding out what an antique item might be worth can find out by sending a photo of the item, along with a check for $40, to Gordon S. Converse & Co., Attn: Gordon S. Converse, 758 Mancill Rd., Strafford, PA 19087. For more information, please log on to www.AuctionsatConverse.com or www.ConverseClocks.com. Updates are posted frequently.



Simon Willard:
This tall case clock by Simon Willard will be offered, as will a banjo clock by Aaron Willard.

Gubelin:
Rare and fine set of twin world time and perpetual calendar clocks by the Swiss maker Gubelin.






Chelsea clocks:
Chelsea ship's clocks – a favorite among collectors – will cross the block at the June 18 auction.

Bracket clocks:
An assortment of English table (or bracket) clocks will come under the gavel Friday, June 18.

French and European:
Group of decorative 19th century French and European clocks, certain to get paddles wagging.






Black Forest:
Handsome carved Black Forest wall clock.

Rare 1782 American Bible has the last word at William Bunch Auctions, earning $78,975

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date of Release: May 12, 2010

‘Old guard’ of antiques trade buys from late dealer Fred Peech’s cream of the crop

CHADDS FORD, Pa. – On a day when a trio of high-profile consignments brought outstanding prices at William Bunch Auctions’ April 13, 2010 sale, friends and former customers of the late Fred Peech showed their respect for the longtime antique dealer from Marmora, N.J., with strong bidding for the best pieces from his home.

“It was just a nice sale where a lot of I’ll say ‘the old guard’ of the antique business came together to pay homage to Fred,” said auction house owner William Bunch. He was a nice guy, very humble fellow, very well liked, who had a lot of product knowledge.”

The top piece of furniture was an early 18th-century walnut William & Mary stretcher-base tavern table with one full drawer. This Pennsylvania piece sold for $21,060. (All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of 20% buyer’s premium.)

Exhibiting a crusty finish, a small walnut stretcher-base joint stool measuring 16 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches by 20 1/2 inches high rose to $9,945.

“A good Philadelphia dish-top tea table with a single-board top had a little repair to it, but brought a respectable $9,300,” said Bunch.

“It was the typical sale one has today where the brown furniture that has a few apologies doesn’t do as well as you’d like it do,” said Bunch, “but the things that are sweet, that are still charming, still attract a lot of attention and command a lot of competition … and good prices as well.”

Three separate consignments performed particularly well at the sale, starting with a Bible printed in Philadelphia by Robert Aitken during the American Revolution. With its cover detached, the well-worn volume looked much like any other old family Bible that might have been found in an attic.

“It was literally contained in a one-gallon baggie. It was a humble-looking book, just octavo size, which is 6 or 7 inches,” said Bunch, who quickly learned the Bible was rare and valuable.

Of the 10,000 printed in 1782, significantly fewer than 100 remain, with only a handful in private hands. It is significant in that it is the first Bible containing both the Old and New Testaments ever printed in English in America. It was sanctioned and supported by the U.S.
government. George Washington said of the Bible, “It would have pleased me well, if Congress had been pleased to make such an important present (a copy of the Aitken Bible) to the brave fellows, who have done so much for the security of their Country's rights and establishment.”

Only one of Aitken’s Bibles has surfaced in recent years at auction, bringing $57,000 in 2008. Bunch assigned an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000 on this copy.

“It has some potential to bring into five figures,” he had told the consignor, who is a descendant of the original owner.

Bunch, who was hoping to attract several interested parties to make the bidding competitive, was surprised by the broad response. “I landed eight phone lines, three active bidders on LiveAuctioneers … and I had three people in the room who that had looked at the Bible and were seriously interested. And I had an absentee bid in the neighborhood of $50,000,” said Bunch.

It finally came to a battle between two phone bidders, with a rare book dealer winning the Bible for $78,975.

“It’s hard to say if he was bidding for a client. I didn’t ask and they don’t like to say,” said Bunch.

The top painting at Bunch’s auction was an impressive work by Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson (1889-1946), an English-born artist who studied at the Academie Julien in Paris. He was interested in Cubism and Futurism, styles that are evoked in the painting titled Canal at Ghent, a 30-inch by 22-inch oil on canvas.

The painting was consigned by a grandson of Charles Hovey Pepper, 1864-1950, who was an American artist trained in New York and Paris and was a member of “The Four Boston Painters,” founded in 1913 by Carl Gordon Cutler and including Maurice Prendergast and E. Ambrose Webster, all Academie Julian graduates. Pepper was also an avid collector, and his grandson has consigned works to Bunch in recent years that were collected by Pepper.

After discussing the painting with a British art scholar who had written books on Nevinson, Bunch estimated the painting at $60,000 to $90,000.

“I had a lot of interest from London, but they were scared off a little by my estimate,” said Bunch. “I didn’t think I was too high; maybe I was a little optimistic.”

After a collector from the West Coast and a London gallery chased the painting to $55,000, one of Bunch’s regular customers in the gallery jumped into the fray and trumped them with a bid of $70,200.

“She buys expensive things but surprised me by buying that particular painting, but I’m glad she did,” said Bunch.

The third major consignment of the sale was what Bunch described as a “rare survivor” – an all-original 1958 Ford Custom 300 two-door sedan in like-new condition.

The original owner purchased the car from Keyser & Miller Ford in Pottstown, Pa., on July 30, 1958.

“The story goes he and his wife took a trip to Florida. She didn’t like the car, so the fellow parked it and didn’t drive it much after that,” said Bunch.

The consignor’s father purchased the car from the original owner in 1973, but drove it little and kept it garaged.

“It wasn’t the most desirable model as ’50s and ’60s cars go – you’d rather see a convertible or a hardtop – but to find a car with barely 5,000 miles on it of any model is rare and unusual,” said Bunch. “Other than a little peeling paint on the engine block it was in beautiful showroom condition.”

A man from Georgia bought the classic Ford for $25,740.
For additional information contact William Bunch by calling 610-558-1800 or e-mailing info@williambunchauctions.com.

Captions:

Lot 276
The cover of “The Holy Bible” printed by Robert Aitken was detached, but its condition did not deter a rare book dealer from buying the 1782 volume for $78,975.









Lot 276 (alternate view)
The title page of Robert Aitken’s Bible, which was printed in Philadelphia.






Lot 270
Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson (English, 1889-1946) painted this oil on canvas titled Canal at Ghent about 1912. The 30-inch by 22-inch work sold for $70,200.






Lot 300
All original, this 1958 Ford Custom 300 Custom had only 5,333 actual miles on the odometer. The two-door sedan was equipped with a straight-six engine and standard transmission. A Georgia bidder paid $25,740.







Lot 148
The Patented Parlor Putter was combination cast-iron ashtray stand and parlor game made by Wellington-Stone in Chicago, circa 1925. With the three original putters, the device parred the low estimate, selling for $1,404.

Lot 152
A sweet piece from the Fred Peech estate was this walnut William & Mary stretcher-base tavern table with one full drawer. Made in Pennsylvania in the early 18th century, the table sold for $21,060.

Lot 155
A crusty finish covered this walnut stretcher-base joint stool, which rose to $9,945. It stood 16 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches by 20 1/2 inches high.

Lot 219
A 15-star American Flag flutters from the stern of the ocean-going Sea Lark, depicted in a mid-19th-century watercolor attributed to English marine painter Duncan MacFarlane. The 16-inch by 34-inch work in a gold painted frame dropped anchor at $6,435.

BIG MULTI-ESTATE AUCTION ON MONDAY, MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 31, BY FLOWERY BRANCH AUCTION & ANTIQUES IN FLOWERY BRANCH, GEORGIA

Contact: Tom Schulte
(770) 313-1902

BIG MULTI-ESTATE AUCTION ON MONDAY, MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 31, BY FLOWERY BRANCH AUCTION & ANTIQUES IN FLOWERY BRANCH, GEORGIA

(FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.) – Over 400 lots of quality merchandise, consigned by local estates and prominent collections, will be sold at auction on Monday, May 31, by Flowery Branch Auction & Antiques, located at 5540 Atlanta Highway. Flowery Branch is situated northeast of Atlanta, just off Interstate 985, about halfway between Buford and Gainesville. The auction will be followed by an antiques and collectibles show on June 4, 5 and 6.

The event will be held inside a 20,000-square-foot facility that the auction business shares with the monthly antiques show that currently boasts around 60 dealers.

There will be an auction preview on Sunday, May 30, from 2-5 p.m. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served. The auction will start promptly at 10 a.m. (EDT) on May 31. Parking and admission are both free. The venue is a smoke-free facility. The on-site restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch.

“All of our auctions do well, but the Memorial Day auction is by far one of the best sales of the year,” said Tom Schulte of Flowery Branch Auction & Antiques. “We’ll have lots of gold and silver jewelry, artwork, crystal, bronze, pottery, china, porcelain, furniture, primitives, and whatever other surprises our consignors bring us to sell.” All items can be viewed online, at http://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/784966.html.

Decorative accessories will include a small Steuben crystal bird, a Baccarat ice bucket, a small Baccarat glass turtle, Old Paris porcelain (some of it figural), a set of Chantilly sterling flatware, a nice Royal Doulton Lambeth pottery vase (signed), a collection of 10-12 pieces of contemporary Korean pottery, and Indian and Mexican pottery.

Artwork will feature a wonderful piece of mid-century modern glass sculpture, large and heavy (open to interpretation, but probably a stylized animal), an Old Master painting dated 1889 or 1899 with metal stretchers, a pair of antique still life paintings of flowers, a Victorian hand-colored print in a criss-cross period frame, and a large oil on canvas of sheep (circa 1870-1880).

Other works of art will include an oil on canvas landscape rendering (circa 1920s), an Oriental reverse painting on glass, several period fashion prints (some from the late 19th century), several pieces of statuary (including one of a horse with a praying child and an adult), a mid-century Modern carved acrylic piece, and three paintings of Greek gods, all on identical frames.

Sterling silver jewelry crafted in Taxco, Mexico is sure to spark bidder interest and will include a 3-D snake necklace crafted by Margo de Taxco (circa 1940s-‘70s) and a matching earring-bracelet-necklace set. Other sterling will include a Continental hors d’oeuvres spoon and several flatware sets. A lovely necklace by American maker Miriam Haskell will also be offered.

Furniture lots will include several pieces by Heritage, a large Kittredge sofa, a Baker bowfront and butler’s tray (or side server), an oak side-by-side period step-back cupboard (circa 1900), and an Empire marble-top petticoat table with bronze ormolu.

Additional furniture pieces will include a pair of chestnut side chairs, a set of six English chairs with molded pressed-on leather tops and seats, a mid-century (1850-1860) English buffet (sideboard) made for books (massive, at 7 feet tall and 7-8 feet long), a pair of dressing screens, a set of four Victorian chairs, and an American Eastlake Victorian piano stool with needlepoint.

Still more furniture will feature a set of 12 dining room chairs (two armchairs, two side chairs, all circa 1940s), several marble-top tables, a Louis XV period sofa, and a set of four French armchairs. Book aficionados will be impressed with the collection of leather-bound volumes, to include the set published from 1899-1904 titled Smull’s Legislative Handbooks.

Returning to smalls and decorative accessories, bidders will have much to peruse. Examples include a piece of unsigned Roseville pottery, a large Woods English turkey platter, a 5-light chandelier (electrified, with 10 candles at the bottom), a collection of antique pewter, several pieces of Royal Copenhagen, a Wedgwood cream pitcher and a pair of Cloisonne vases.

Rounding out the day’s expected top lots are a Fenton cranberry opalescent vase and an early turn-of-the century set of large ivory chess players, still in the box.

Flowery Branch Auction & Antiques is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions, and is now taking qualified vendor applications for dealer space. “The quality of our dealer offerings is right up there with other shows around town,” remarked Mr. Schulte. “That quality, added to the friendly helpful atmosphere, is what sets us apart from other similar events.”

To consign an item, estate or collection for a future auction, please call Flowery Branch Auction & Antiques at (770) 967-9080; or you can e-mail them at dfrey@fbauctionsandantiques.com or tschulte@fbauctionsandantiques.com. To learn more about the auctions and shows, log on to www.flowerybranchantiques.com or www.fbauctionsandantiques.com. Both are updated often.

MONUMENTAL ROSEWOOD ROCOCO ¾ TESTER PLANTATION BED BY P. MALLARD (CIRCA 1850) BRINGS $40,320 AT STEVENS AUCTION, MAY 1st

Contact: Dwight Stevens
(662) 369-2200

MONUMENTAL ROSEWOOD ROCOCO ¾ TESTER PLANTATION BED BY P. MALLARD (CIRCA 1850) BRINGS $40,320 AT STEVENS AUCTION, MAY 1st

Auction was held on-site, at the magnificent Bella Vida mansion in Aberdeen, Miss.

(ABERDEEN, Miss.) – A massive and beautiful rosewood rococo ¾ tester plantation bed, crafted around 1850 by P. Mallard, soared to $40,320 at the sale of the contents of the magnificent Bella Vida mansion in Aberdeen, plus the estate of the late J.T. Boudreaux of southern Louisiana. The sale was held May 1 by Stevens Auction Company of Aberdeen.

It was an on-site auction, conducted at Bella Vida, a gorgeous home built in 1879 and situated on 1.87 acres. The home is an architectural treasure and one of only three Second Empire homes remaining in Mississippi. The two-and-a-half-story, framed structure is for sale. Interested parties may call Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company, at (662) 369-2200.

The auction almost didn’t happen, the weather was so threatening. “The forecast called for storms all day, and it sure looked like we would get rained out,” Mr. Stevens said, “but the fates smiled down on us. It wasn’t ‘til the very end, when we were finishing up, that the heavens opened up and the rains came down. Still, we had 200 people in attendance. It was a great sale.”

Around 600 mostly fresh-to-the-market lots crossed the block that day. The Mallard bed, measuring 11 feet 8 inches tall by 79 inches wide by 80 inches long, was the top lot of the sale. Another bed wowed the crowd, too: a rosewood ½ tester plantation bed, signed C. Lee, made circa 1860, fully draped and standing an impressive 9 feet 10 inches tall. It coasted to $21,280.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.

A four-piece rosewood, laminated parlor suite by J. & J.W. Meeks in the Hawkins pattern (circa 1855) did well. The sofa and two side chairs each gaveled for $17,920 while an arm chair went for $8,960. Also, a mahogany two-seated Federal love seat with deep red upholstery (circa 1830) brought $1,680, while a pair of rosewood laminated Belter side parlor chairs made $1,792.

Period furniture with mirrors got paddles wagging. A rosewood etagere with an oval mirror door in the base (circa 1855), 8 feet tall, realized $12,320; a rosewood rococo marble-top wash stand with original dressing, by J. & J.W. Meeks (circa 1850) fetched $11,200; and a Mallard rosewood marble-top dressing table with mirror (circa 1850) changed hands for $4,704.

A pair of gorgeous but very different tables brought identical prices of $21,280. One was a superior grade mahogany Empire banquet table (12 feet long), with book matched top, gadrooned edge, six original skirted leaves and an 8-inch column base with claw feet (circa 1880). The other was a rare and fine Meeks rosewood museum-quality marble-top parlor table.

Rounding out the furniture category: a mahogany slant front desk by R.J. Horner, with winged griffin (circa 1890) made a respectable $8,960; a French burl walnut linen press (circa 1820) climbed to $7,840; a mahogany Chippendale corner cabinet with claw feet and eight pane doors (circa 1880) rose to $3,360; and a flame mahogany Jackson press (circa 1840) hit $2,688.

From the fine art category, a Victorian painting on porcelain in a black shadow box with ornate gold frame (circa 1860) commanded $4,480; a pair of paintings on canvas depicting children eating with a dog and children playing a game (Munich, 19th century) fetched $2,240 each; and two porcelain wall plaques, showing a Roman man and woman, went for $672 each.

Clocks got the crowd juiced, beginning with a signed Meissen example with figural adornment, 43 inches tall (circa 1860) that breezed to $14,560. Also, an Old Paris clock in blue, gold and white (circa 1840) sold for $2,352; another Old Paris clock, signed Jacob Petet, purple (circa 1860), made $1,792; and a redwood Victorian mantel clock (circa 1880) garnered $560.

Vintage lamps and lighting illuminated the room. A very large 19th century cut glass 16-arm chandelier crossed the block for $16,800; a pair of rare bronze New York argand lamps with dolphin supports and etched glass shades with prisms (circa 1820) brought $3,136; and a pair of cranberry with gold enamel painting mantel lusters, 14 ½ inches tall, changed hands for $1,344.

In decorative accessories, a beautiful pair of blue and gold Old Paris vases, 20 inches tall and made circa 1860, went for $1,344 each, while two pairs of cranberry tie backs for drapes in gold gilt bronze (circa 1850) brought a respectable $896 each. Also, in the silver category, a large set of sterling flatware, more than 140 pieces and made by Towle, had a high bid of $5,040.

Estate jewelry pieces brought strong prices. A fabulous 20-carat diamond necklace soared to $14,560; a great 1930s 2 ½ carat center stone diamond ring surrounded by rubies topped out at $8,960; a stunning strand of black South Sea pearls with global diamond clasp found a new neck for $4,258; and a large pear-shaped diamond and gold pin, signed Jose Hess, breezed to $4,704.

Mirrors reflected well on the bidders who vied for them. A 19th century Meissen porcelain mirror with applied flowers and cherub (45 inches tall, circa 1880) made $6,720, while a very grand gold Victorian over-the-mantel mirror, 66 inches tall (circa 1855), rose to $4,032. Also, a rococo rosewood flip-top game table (36 inches diameter, circa 1850) went for $1,344.

Stevens Auction Company's next big sale will be a huge antique gun and toy auction slated for Saturday, June 12, in the firm's spacious gallery located at 609 North Meridian Street in Aberdeen, starting promptly at 9 a.m. (CST). Offered will be the unique lifetime collection of Mr. Carl Gillespie of Aberdeen, a dedicated collector of guns, knives and toys for over 25 years.

Mr. Gillespie's extensive collection is a snapshot of the greater Southeastern United States, from Natchez to Nashville (his preferred shopping area). Among his rare vintage guns are a Confederate rifle by Morse, several Winchester '73 lever action rifles, some .51-caliber carbine Civil War rifles, many Civil War and cowboy-era Colt revolvers, and swords and Bowie knives.

In addition, there will be hundreds of toys, to include antique steam engines, various trucks and cars, vintage lunch boxes, figurines, Disney figures, porcelain pieces, highly decorated spinning tops and Coca-Cola signage and merchandise. Some of the toys are wind-up, some run on batteries and some on friction, but all are in good shape. Some are still in the box.

The sale will also feature antique gas pumps, gas and oil signs and old farm equipment. Auction information and images of the items to be sold will be continually updated to the Stevens Auction Co. website, at www.stevensauction.com. Reserved seating and phone bids will be accepted. A preview will be held Fri., June 11, from 10-6, and Sat., June 12, from 7:30-9 a.m.

The auction after that is tentatively scheduled for late July (time and date TBD). It will be an on-site auction in Mobile, Ala., featuring pieces by Mallard, Belter, Meeks and Tiffany, plus a rare Steinway rosewood parlor grand piano. Check the website for details as July draws closer.

Stevens Auction Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call them directly, at (662) 369-2200, or you can e-mail them at stevensauction@bellsouth.net. To learn more about Stevens Auction Company and the upcoming auction slated for June 12, you may log on to www.stevensauction.com.


Mallard bed:
The top lot of the sale was this rosewood rococo ¾ plantation bed by P. Mallard ($40,320).

Old Paris vases:
Beautiful pair of blue and gold Old Paris vases (circa 1860), 20 inches tall ($1,344 each).






Victorian painting:
Victorian painting on porcelain in black shadow box with ornate gold frame ($4,480).

Meissen mirror:
19th-century Meissen porcelain mirror with applied flowers and cherub, 45 inches ($6,720).

Diamond necklace:
The superstar of the estate jewelry category was this 20-carat diamond necklace ($14,560).

Sterling flatware:
Large and beautiful set of sterling flatware by Towle, comprising 140 pieces ($5,040).

OVER 300 WORKS OF 20th CENTURY FINE ART AND CONTEMPORARY ART WILL BE SOLD SAT., MAY 29, BY BATERBYS ART AUCTION GALLERY IN ORLANDO, AND SAT., MAY 22,

Contact: www.Baterbys.com press@baterbys.com (866) 537-0265

OVER 300 WORKS OF 20th CENTURY FINE ART AND CONTEMPORARY ART WILL BE SOLD SAT., MAY 29, BY BATERBYS ART AUCTION GALLERY IN ORLANDO, AND SAT., MAY 22, AT THE NEW PALM BEACH COUNTY GALLERY IN DELRAY BEACH

(ORLANDO, Fla.) – More than 300 original and reprographic works of art by some of the most prominent names in fine art (like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Marc Chagall) and contemporary art (like Peter Max, LeRoy Neiman, Charles Fazzino and Nicola Simbari) will be sold at two live and Internet spring auctions by Baterbys Art Auction Gallery.

The Saturday, May 29 sale will be conducted at Baterbys’ spacious Pointe Orlando gallery, located at 9101 International Drive (Suite 1008) in Orlando. A week before, on May 22, an auction will be held at Baterbys’ new Palm Beach Gallery, located at 13900 South Jog Road in Delray Beach. Both auctions will begin promptly at 6 p.m., with previews scheduled for 5-6.

The entire auctioneers’ premium for both sales will be donated to Give Kids the World (www.gktw.org), based in Kissimmee, Fla. The charity organization operates a 70-acre resort-style village specifically designed for children with special needs. Entertainment attractions, whimsical venues and fun are provided for kids in need, in the over 100 villa accommodations.

Free cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be provided by a local Cuban restaurant, creating a festive atmosphere that bidders will enjoy as they peruse artwork in a range of themes, such as City Scenes, Biblical and Religious, Abstract and Realist. Online bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and iCollector.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. It is important to note, too, that unlike many other auctions, this one will have no buyer's premium.

The spring auction is only the second major sale of the year for Baterbys, named Best Gallery in Orlando by Orlando Style Magazine and the arts website SneakySunday.com. Bidders will have the chance to win free works of art and other giveaways during spontaneous raffles held throughout the auction. Everyone will receive a free print valued at $100 just for attending.

“Our spring auction is all about the prolific use of bold colors and the elaborate portrayal of places where people spend leisure time and images ease the mind,” said John Magpantay of Baterbys Auction Gallery. “It’s about that time of year when things bloom in full. It’s also the perfect time to change the art on your walls. A new season calls for fresh and spritely new art.”

Following are some anticipated highlights of the auction, with high and low estimates.

Not many auctions can boast a work by Rembrandt, but Baterbys has actually secured several signed reprints of original etchings by the Dutch master. One work, titled Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Among Ruins (circa 1634), measures 6 inches by 5 inches and should bring $3,000-$4,000. The piece was signed in the etching plate by Rembrandt, who lived 1606-1669.

An original oil on canvas by the German artist Alfred Gockel (b. 1952), titled Caribbean Blue, is estimated to hit $8,000-$9,000. The work is sizable, 59 inches by 39 inches, and signed by the artist. Gockel had his first artwork released by a German publisher at age 8. Today, he owns his own publishing firm and he publishes his own prints and limited-edition silk screens.

The iconic pop artist Peter Max (b. 1937) will be well-represented in this auction, with two signed serigraphs on paper expected to do particularly well. Both are from the artist’s Disney Suite. One depicts Donald Duck and the other Goofy. Both measure 15 ¾ inches by 13 ¾ inches and both are from limited editions of 500 prints. They each carry estimates of $3,000-$4,000.

Pino (born Giuseppe Dangelico) is an Italian artist noted for his exceptional ability to capture the movements and expressions of his subjects. He does this superbly in the hand embellished giclee on canvas work titled Precious Moments (est. $4,500-$5,000). The signed giclee is one of only 95 copies produced and will suit a wall nicely at 36 inches by 48 inches.

Fernando de Jesus Oliveira (b. 1946), the artist simply called “Ferjo,” was born in Brazil but has become one of the most compelling artists on the American scene today. His extensive studies culminated in surrealistic, lyric interpretations of famous artistic motifs. Ferjo’s 16 inch by 16 inch original oil on canvas titled Picasso's Unwritten Melody should bring $4,000-$4,500.

Mississippi-born artist Jackie Holland Berkley’s original acrylic on canvas, done circa 2006 and titled Portside #15, is expected to cross the block at $2,000-$2,500. The signed work measures 30 inches by 30 inches. Berkley’s work has been exhibited at many galleries and in the corporate offices of Disney, Exxon, Universal Studios, Federal Express and the Ritz-Carlton.

Baterbys offers its clients something unique in the industry: a lifetime money-back guarantee of authenticity for each work of art it sells. This is important to buyers looking to build a collection, since provenance is everything. Baterbys believes that gaining a buyer’s trust is key to ensuring they will become repeat customers. No other auction house offers such a guarantee.

Baterbys has over 25 years’ in the art world and auctioneering. The firm specializes in Internet and live auctions of authentic artwork, especially 20th-century masters, from Dali to Chagall, Picasso, Fini and numerous post-Impressionists. Baterbys’ main concentration is in rare graphic works. The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future fine art auctions.

Baterbys produces quarterly art review books that also serve as catalogs. They are a complete reference to all the artists Baterbys sells for dealers, collectors and new buyers. The catalogs feature artist biographies, discussions of the artwork, and full museum-style descriptions of all the items. The cost is $124 hard-cover, $94.99 soft-cover (less with a subscription).

For more information on Baterbys and the firm’s upcoming live and Internet auction, log on to www.baterbys.com. To consign a single piece of art, an estate or an entire collection, you may call them toll-free, at (866) 537-0265. Or, you can e-mail them, at press@baterbys.com.



Ferjo:
Original oil on canvas by the artist known simply as Ferjo, titled Picasso's Unwritten Melody.

Jackie Berkley:
Original acrylic on canvas painting by Jackie Holland Berkley, titled Portside #15 (circa 2005).

Alfred Gockel:
Original oil on canvas work by German artist Alfred Gockel (b. 1952), titled Caribbean Blue.

Rembrandt:
Reprint of an original etching by Rembrandt van Rijn (circa 1634), signed by the Dutch master.

Peter Max:
Stylized rendering of Goofy by pop art icon Peter Max, from the artist's Disney Suite (1994).

Pino:
Hand embellished giclee on canvas by Pino (Giuseppe Dangelico), titled Precious Moments.

MORE THAN 300 RARE, VINTAGE BOTTLES WILL BE OFFERED IN THE 50th AUCTION TO BE HELD BY AMERICAN BOTTLE AUCTIONS; SALE GOES ONLINE MAY 24, ENDS JUNE 1

Contact: Jeff Wichmann
(800) 806-7722

MORE THAN 300 RARE, VINTAGE BOTTLES WILL BE OFFERED IN THE 50th AUCTION TO BE HELD BY AMERICAN BOTTLE AUCTIONS; SALE GOES ONLINE MAY 24, ENDS JUNE 1

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - A little over 300 rare and vintage bottles, most of them dating to the mid-to-late 19th century, will be offered in an Internet and catalog auction that will go online May 24 and end June 1. It will be the 50th sale to date for American Bottle Auctions (AmericanBottle.com), a firm that has become a leader in the burgeoning field of antique bottle collecting in its 17-year history.

“We're proud to be able to present our 50th auction,” said Jeff Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions. “We had no idea how long we'd be doing this when we started out, but as long as we've come this far I say let's go for 100. I hope every collector bidding finds something that suits them. Like a fine wine, each auction seems to improve with age. And this 50th auction will be one of our best sales ever.”

Mr. Wichmann said his growth and success would not have been possible without the “terrific audience and consignors” he's maintained over the years, adding, “We will continue to provide the best service and friendly atmosphere people tell me we exhibit in our sales. My staff here has been stellar in their job duties and together I feel like we've created something special. Here's to the next 50 auctions.”

The auction beginning May 24 will feature bitters, fruit jars, medicines, historical and western flasks, western whiskeys, sodas and more – the very categories bidders and collectors have come to expect from an American Bottle auction. It's still not too late to call for a free catalog (1-800-806-7722) or send an e-mail request for one, at info@americanbottle.com. The website shows photos of all lots.

Following are some expected highlights from the auction, with minimum bids shown as MB.

The expected top lot of the sale is a Powell & Stutenroth “Favorite Bitters” bottle, the smaller variant made prior to the firm's adding the word “People's” to the name. Only a few of each variant are known to exist. This example, with a minimum bid of $10,000, is nearly perfect. The only flaw is the letter “s” in “bitters” -- it's a bit rough. Otherwise, it even has the original cork and is graded 9.7 (10).

Another superstar of the sale figures to be an F. & P.J. Cassin Agents O.K. Golden Plantation Whiskey fifth (San Francisco, Cal.). The bottle is considered one of the top western fifths anywhere, and it is quite possible a Cassin fifth has never been offered at auction before. This example is golden amber with a touch of orange, and has a great strike and tons of whittle. It's graded 9.5 (MB $8,000).

Close on the heels of that lot promises to be a Dr. Wosner's U.S.A. Indian Root Bitters bottle with applied top, W-146 (MB $7,000). The bottle boasts not only an irresistible name but a shape that is both handsome and unique in its category. The example has been graded a solid 9.5, with good overall light crudity and a great strike. The bottle came from a longtime collection and is fresh to the market.

Two bottles carry identical minimum bids of $5,000. The first is a Cassin,s (and that is meant to be a comma, not an apostrophe) Grape Brandy Bitters with applied mouth, C-78, arguably the most desirable of the western bitters. The other is a W&B Shasta/Union Glassworks Philada. (sic) Superior Mineral Water western soda bottle with original closure and graphite pontil. It's been graded at 9.

A Wm. H. Spears & Co. Old Pioneer Whiskey bottle (Fenkhausen & Braunschweiger Sole Agents, S.F.) was found by the consignor around 1965 while on a fishing trip in Nevada County. Discarded, no doubt, by a miner, and graded 9.8 (MB $3,000). Also, a very early Wister's Club House bottle with applied top and graphite pontil was made circa 1851-55 and is graded 9.5 (MB $2,000).

A London Jockey Clubhouse Gin bottle, with embossed horse and rider, applied top and smooth base, boasts a gorgeous almond yellow, wheat and straw color combination. It's also in spectacular condition, with a 9.6 grade (MB $2,000). An A.P. Almaden Vichy Water California quart bottle with monogram, applied top and smooth base, is rare but graded 8.9 due to some lip distraction (MB $500).

A Washington/Bridgeton (N.J.) flask with sheared lip and pontil (GI-24), rare because of its tobacco amber coloration, has been graded 9.7 and is a brilliant example with overall good crudity and character (MB $300). A Kelley's Old Cabin Bitters, Patented 1863 (K-21), with applied top, will stop collectors in their tracks for its rich tobacco or light olive amber color, not the usual brown (MB $200).

American Bottle Auctions was founded in 1990 by Jeff Wichmann, a native Californian who has been collecting antique bottles for nearly 40 years. Over time, the firm grew and underwent a name change, but the focus has remained the same: American Bottle Auctions specializes in appraising, brokering, consigning and auctioning antique bottles and glass. Bottle collecting is a burgeoning genre.

American Bottle Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single bottle or an entire collection, you may call them toll-free, at 1-800-806-7722; or, you can e-mail them, at info@americanbottle. The next auction is tentatively slated for late summer or early fall. To learn more about American Bottle Auctions, log on to their website, at www.AmericanBottle.com.


Favorite Bitters:
The expected top lot of the sale is this Favorite Bitters Powell & Stutenroth bottle, 9.7 (MB $10,000).








Cassin fifth:
F. &. P.J. Cassin Agents (S.F.) O.K. Golden Plantation Whiskey fifth, rare and desirable (MB $8,000).

Dr. Wosner's:
Dr. Wosner's U.S.A. Indian Root Bitters bottle, graded 9.5, with a great name and strike (MB $7,000).

W & B Shasta:
W & B Shasta/Union Glassworks Philada. (sic) Superior Mineral Water bottle, graded 9 (MB $5,000).






Grape brandy:
Cassin,s (sic) Grape Brandy Bitters bottle, a terrific example of the first variant, no grade (MB $5,000).

Wm H. Spears:
Wm. H. Spears & Co. Old Pioneer Whiskey, Fenkhausen & Braunschweiger Sole Agents (MB $3,000).