STEVENS AUCTION COMPANY TO HOLD AN INAUGURAL SALE AT ITS NEW BRANCH LOCATION IN FLOMATON, ALA., ON SAT., NOV. 12, AT 10 A.M. (CST)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dwight Stevens
(662) 369-2200
stevensauction@bellsouth.net

STEVENS AUCTION COMPANY TO HOLD AN INAUGURAL SALE AT ITS NEW BRANCH LOCATION IN FLOMATON, ALA., ON SAT., NOV. 12, AT 10 A.M. (CST)

Dwight Stevens acquired the building that formerly housed the Flomaton Auction Company.

(FLOMATON, Ala.) – Stevens Auction Company – already an auction powerhouse in the Southeast – is about to expand its presence in the region, having recently acquired the building in Flomaton that previously housed Flomaton Antique Auction, Inc. Stevens will conduct an inaugural sale at the facility on Saturday, Nov. 12, beginning at 10 a.m. (CST).

Flomaton (which locals pronounce “Flowmington”) is located near the Gulf Coast in Alabama, just north of the Florida panhandle. It is 64 miles northeast of Mobile and 42 miles north of Pensacola, Fla. For more than four decades, Flomaton Antique Auction, Inc., held regular auctions there, in a historic theater built in 1926. Before shutting down its operation last year, Flomaton Antique Auction, Inc., was the area’s premier facility for upscale estate sales.

“When I heard the building was for sale, I had to buy it,” said Dwight Stevens, the owner of Stevens Auction Company, which has been based in Aberdeen, Miss., since its founding in 1984. He added, “I’ve always loved the Gulf Coast and I own a second home in Mobile. I’ll be pretty much shuttling back and forth between Mobile and Aberdeen from this point forward.”

Mr. Stevens said he feels fortunate that Flomaton Antique Auction, Inc., earned a solid reputation as the area’s premier auction house. “We plan to pick up where they left off,” he said. “Their niche was upscale retirees and culturally refined residents of Mobile and the surrounding area. That will be our strategy as well. It’s a target audience that is right now underrepresented.”

The Flomaton auction house will go by the name Stevens at Flomaton. The Aberdeen business will continue to operate as Stevens Auction Company. The Nov. 12 inaugural auction in Flomaton will be packed with hundreds of quality antiques and collectibles, consigned by several prominent estates in the Southeast. Internet bidding will be available.

Period American furniture will feature pieces by the finest names in furniture making. Examples include a rosewood rococo sofa by J.H. Belter in the Henry Clay pattern (circa 1850); a rosewood half tester plantation bed with custom mattress, signed C. Lee (circa 1860); and an R.J. Horner mahogany sofa with inlay across the back and arms and carved feet (circa 1895).

Also offered will be a stunning mahogany acanthus carved bedroom suite (circa 1880), consisting of a bed (88 inches tall), dressing table and chest of drawers; a rosewood Victorian secretary with pierced carved crown, 99 inches tall by 49 inches wide (circa 1850); and a rosewood Victorian breakfront with carved crown, 100 inches tall, 50 inches wide (circa 1860).

Empire pieces will feature a mahogany server with white marble top, rosewood banding, acanthus carved columns and feet, 60 inches tall (circa 1830); and a period mahogany vanity with three-drawer deck top and mirror and scroll feet, 76 inches tall (circa 1840). Also sold will be a lovely mahogany Victorian pedestal with marble top and carving on all sides (circa 1860).

Need to sit down in style? The auction will include a mahogany Empire love seat with claw feet and dolphin heads carved on the arms, and striped upholstery; and a straight-back mahogany settee with dolphins carved on the arms, attributed to Karpen (circa 1880). Also sold will be a gold Victorian over-the-mantel mirror with great carvings, 99 inches tall (circa 1860).

Decorative accessories will feature two pairs of Old Paris vases, one pair 15 inches tall with flowers painted on the side and gold trim, the other pair 18 inches tall (both circa 1880); a 9-piece porcelain fish set with 24-inch-long tray, signed “T.&V. France Limoges”; a pair of exra large Sheridan-style knife boxes; and an antique astral lamp with double-step base with marble.

Returning to furniture, other expected star lots will include a mahogany Empire banquet dining table, 10 feet 5 inches long with six leaves (circa 1880); a Federal mahogany acanthus carved game table with claw feet and solid carving on the base from top to bottom, 42 inches long; a large mahogany curved glass Empire china cabinet that matches to an 8-piece dining room suite (circa 1880); and a mahogany Empire marble-top dressing table with mirror in base.

Stevens' next big sale after this one in Flomaton will be held on New Year's Day (Jan. 1, 2012). Headlining the event will be a wonderful estate out of Baton Rouge, La., with impeccable provenance, plus other prominent estates from north Mississippi and north Georgia.

Stevens Auction Company was founded in 1984 by Dwight Stevens, who has had a lifelong interest in antiques and architecture. He turned these hobbies into a full-time profession, attending the Missouri Auction School, from which he graduated as a certified auctioneer. He joined the National Auctioneers Association and helped to establish a chapter in Mississippi.

In the early days, Stevens Auction Company sold anything and everything, from grocery stores to farm equipment. But over time, the firm specialized in the marketing and selling of antiques. It also organized and managed large estate auctions. Today, the company holds estate sales at some of the most prominent old homes throughout the South, not just in its galleries.

In June 2002, Stevens Auction Company purchased the historic Adams-French Mansion in Aberdeen, Miss., to be its premier auction facility. A fire gutted the mansion in June 2006, and since them Mr. Stevens has spent time and money restoring and refurbishing the home to its original splendor. Now with the work complete, Mr. Stevens lives there as his primary residence.

For more information about Stevens Auction Company and the firm's calendar of upcoming events, to include the inaugural estate sale planned for Sat., Nov. 12, in Flomaton, Ala., at 10 a.m. (CST), please log on to www.stevensauction.com. Updates are posted frequently. Or, you may call the firm at (662) 369-2200, or e-mail them at stevensauction@bellsouth.net.





Gold Victorian over-the-mantel mirror with beautiful carving, 87 inches tall (circa 1860).




Gorgeous mahogany acanthus carved bedroom suite, with bed, dressing table and chest.




Rosewood half tester plantation bed with custom mattress, signed C. Lee, 10 ft. 6 in. tall.





Beautiful rosewood rococo sofa by J.H. Belter in the Henry Clay pattern (circa 1850).




Federal mahogany acanthus carved game table with solid carving to the base top to bottom.





Pair of extra-large Sheridan knife boxes measuring 29 inches tall by 12 inches wide.





Mahogany Empire dining table, 10 feet 5 inches long, with six leaves (circa 1880).

HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT ARCHIVE PERTAINING TO THE TITANIC TOPS $100,000 AT ESTATE AUCTION HELD OCT. 21-23 BY PHILIP WEISS AUCTIONS

Contact: Philip Weiss
(516) 594-0731
Phil@Weissauctions.com

HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT ARCHIVE PERTAINING TO THE TITANIC TOPS $100,000 AT ESTATE AUCTION HELD OCT. 21-23 BY PHILIP WEISS AUCTIONS

The museum-quality archive was the top earner of the nearly 1,350 lots that changed hands.

(OCEANSIDE, N.Y.) – A historically significant and museum-quality archive of material pertaining to the doomed ocean liner the HMS Titanic -- consigned by direct descendants of a couple that were rescued when the ship went down the morning of April 15, 1912 -- sold for a staggering $100,570 at a weekend estate sale conducted Oct. 21-23 by Philip Weiss Auctions.

“We were extremely fortunate that this incredible archive came to us from a descendant of John and Nelle Pillsbury Snyder, survivors of the tragedy,” said Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions. “We weren’t surprised when we began getting calls from potential buyers from around the world, as well as major news outlets. This was one of the most exciting finds we ever sold.”

The archive had several key components: a letter handwritten on Titanic stationery three days before the disaster; another letter written days after the sinking and providing a tremendous first-hand account of the sinking and its aftermath; and family photos, to include shots taken from the rescue ship the Carpathia and shots of the steamship Californian, which was nearby.

The letter handwritten on Titanic stationery was from Mr. Snyder to the proprietor of a London tobacco shop, where he bought cigars before boarding the ship. “While I sit here at the writing desk peacefully and complacently smoking ‘one of your best,’ I just want to say thank you,” Mr. Snyder wrote. Little did he know he’d be fighting for his very survival soon afterward.

The post-sinking letter, dated April 24, 1912, was from Mr. Snyder to his father. He wrote: “We were both asleep when the boat hit. When we reached the top deck only a few people were about and we were all told to go down and put on our life belts. We were almost the very first people placed in the lifeboat. Finally the bow went under – that the finest boat in the world was doomed. We hit between 11:40 and 11:50 p.m. and the Titanic sank at 2:22 in the morning.”

The photos included nine photos taken from the deck of the rescue ship Carpathia; four photos of the ocean, several showing ice chunks and a large iceberg; two photos of passengers in lifeboats heading toward the rescue ship Carpathia; and three photos of what looks like the S.S. Californian, headed toward the Carpathia. An investigation would reveal the Californian was actually closer to the Titanic than the Carpathia but for a myriad of reasons was slow to respond.

Two other Titanic-related lots were also in the auction. One was a 1906 Barber half-dollar coin recovered from the body of Titanic victim John Gill. The coin, which was previously sold in a 2002 auction held at the convention of Britain’s Titanic Society in England, was found in a pouch that contained his recovered personal effects. The coin sold for a reasonable $3,820.

The other lot was an exquisite Victorian metal widow’s locket that contained an early photo of Capt. Smith, who commandeered (and went down with) the Titanic, as a young officer. The locket had been worn by Capt. Smith’s wife, who then passed it down to her daughter, the late Mrs. Melville Russell Cooke. The 2-inch by 1 ½ inch locket changed hands for $3,422.

Following are additional highlights from the auction, which saw nearly 1,350 lots change hands and grossed about $550,000. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium (13 percent for in-house buyers, 18 percent for Internet bidders).

A pair of original, circa-1930s travel posters by the renowned artist Edward M. Eggleston (1883-1941) went for a combined $10,950. Both promoted Atlantic City, N.J., and measured 23 inches by 33 inches. One was titled Atlantic City - America's Great Seashore Resort; the other was titled Atlantic City - America's All-Year Resort. The artist's name appeared at lower corner.

An extensive U.S. stamp collection from a New Jersey estate soared to $24,850. Housed in three boxes, the group included a huge amount of face-value U.S. postage and plate blocks. Highlights included Kansas-Nebraska mint sets, mint and complete Duck Stamps, a mint White Plains sheet, Trans-Miss and Columbians (both mint) and used and mint 19th century examples.

An original family archive of Civil War material pertaining to three brothers who all fought in the war on the Union side realized $5,650. The archive included around 30 letters, some with great battle content, a great Tryon rifle with original (albeit broken) leather strap, three Grand Army of the Republic medals and the manual of the 7th Regiment National Guard.

An aluminum 1948 Olympic Games bearer's torch, 16 inches tall and with a bowl and hollowed Olympic rings, inscribed “XIVth Olympiad 1948, Olympia to London, With Thanks to the Bearer,” rose to $9,315; and a first-edition copy of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island, with original watercolor drawing of a pirate and ship by N.C. Wyeth, coasted to $3,500.

Two lots posted identical prices realized of $5,605. The first was a group of over 225 Goudey baseball cards, most of them graded good/very good and with many Hall of Famers (and multiples) included. The other was an original French line (C.G.T.) travel poster by an unknown artist, titled Southampton to New York, 25 inches by 40 inches, with a nice image of Normandy.

Philip Weiss Auctions has a full state of events planned through the end of the year, beginning with an estate sale on Thursday, Nov. 3, that will feature fine paintings, Royal Doulton, art glass and more, followed by an estate sale on Friday, Nov. 18 (violins, cameras and more), and Thursday, Nov. 29, featuring Ira Weinstein's Toy Collection (“Red's Toys, Part 2”).

Then, Philip Weiss Auctions will conduct another three-day blockbuster, on Dec. 16-18, just in time for the holidays. Featured will be dolls, doll houses, toy soldiers, Disney items and animation, posters, toys, books, trains (including Lionel, American Flyer, HO Brass and more), mechanical banks and more. A stamps, coins and postcards auction is planned for early 2102.

Philip Weiss Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (516) 594-0731, or e-mail them at phil@weissauctions.com. To learn more about Philip Weiss Auctions and the firm’s calendar of events, to include all the remaining sales for 2011, please log on to www.WeissAuctions.com.





Historically significant, museum-quality archive pertaining to the HMS Titanic ($100,570).





1906 Barber half-dollar coin recovered from the body of Titanic victim John Gill ($3,820).





Victorian metal widow's locket with photo of Capt. Smith, the Titanic commander ($3,422).





A pair of circa-1930s posters for Atlantic City by Edward M. Eggleston went for $10,950.




First-edition copy of Treasure Island, with original watercolor drawing by N.C. Wyeth ($3,500).




This aluminum 1948 Olympic Games bearer's torch, 16 inches tall, inscribed, brought $9,315.

OVER 400 LOTS OF QUALITY ITEMS IN MANY CATEGORIES WILL BE SOLD IN AN INTERNET-ONLY AUCTION NOV. 18 AT 9:30 A.M. BY GORDON S. CONVERSE & CO.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Gordon Converse
(484) 431-5543 or (610) 722-9004
Gordon@ConverseClocks.com

OVER 400 LOTS OF QUALITY ITEMS IN MANY CATEGORIES WILL BE SOLD IN AN INTERNET-ONLY AUCTION NOV. 18 AT 9:30 A.M. BY GORDON S. CONVERSE & CO.

The catalog may be viewed online, at www.ConverseClocks.com.

(STRAFFORD, Pa.) – More than 400 quality lots of merchandise, drawn from prominent estates and collections and in a wide array of categories, will be sold in an Internet-only auction that has already gone online and will conclude with live bidding on Friday, Nov. 18, beginning at 9:30 a.m. (EST). The sale is being conducted by Gordon S. Converse & Co., based in Strafford.

The entire catalog may be viewed online, at the Gordon S. Converse & Co. website (at www.ConverseClocks.com). Folks hyperlinking to the catalog will quickly realize there is something for practically everybody in this sale, with many items carrying low pre-sale estimates (a plus as holiday season approaches).

A few of the lots expected to generate strong bidder interest include a large Chelsea ship's timepiece mounted onto a molded frame, with dial signed “Harrison & Co., Montreal”; a solid brass cast bronzed and polished brass Chelsea clock set with ship's wheel, signed “Negus, New York”; a 3-inch-high cloisonné tea pot with handle; a 16-inch verdigris green and metal patinated ovoid form vase attributed to Charles Clewell of Canton, Oh. (circa early 20th century); a signed Herend porcelain elephant and a set of four Herend animal figurines. All would make great gifts.

Also offered will be Oriental objects (to include Chinese porcelains, scrolls and carvings), other clocks additional to the Chelseas, silver plate and other silver items, Herend porcelain, ceramics and art glass, prints and fine art, estate jewelry and costume jewelry and collectibles. Bidder registration is already underway, at the Gordon S. Converse & Co. website.

Asian decorative arts are expected to generate strong bidder interest. Some expected top lots include a 19th century carved bamboo brush pot showing the eight gods, 7 inches in height; a Japanese Imari porcelain dish, 8 ½ inches in diameter and decorated in dark blues and reds (19th century, Meiji); and a 9-inch ceramic Buddha with a greenish celadon glaze and added gold.

Also offered will be a pair of 19th century 10-inch plates decorated in the Chinoiserie style and marked “Clew’s Dresden Opaque China”; three snuff boxes, two in porcelain (both signed on bottom) and one in engraved bone or ivory; and a bronze incense burner with dragons.

Ceramics and art glass will be served up in abundance. Anticipated star lots will include a wonderful group of 17 different and high-quality porcelain tea cups and saucers; a 10-inch-tall ovoid form art glass with swirl design, signed indistinctly on the bottom and dated ’82; and a cat and snail by Steuben (the cat is 2 ¾ inches and the snail is almost 3 inches).

From the same category: an 8-inch-tall cameo art glass vase with greens, reds and opaque white, and a matching 12-piece ceramic ware set, including ten fruit bowls, a large bowl and a serving plate.

Also sold will be a 5-color 19th century French Faience ceramic ware mug depicting a man and his snuff; and a pair of 19th century Staffordshire spaniels in luster gold and white glaze.

Prints and fine art will feature a pair of framed antique prints of British Naval ships of line, hand-colored and matted, with burl wood frames (each 24 ½ inches by 29 inches); and a 27-page book of Japanese hand-colored engravings, mostly signed, each print 14 inches 9 ½ inches.

One lot of costume jewelry will feature a round jade medallion, two sets of pierced earrings, a hat pin ending with a large paste diamond and an oval-shaped black opal and onyx tie tack or pin. Another jewelry lot will feature 14 rings, most for the ladies and most gold, with some precious stones. Also offered will be a pair of Hummel figures, both with the Goebel mark.

Collectibles will feature a lacquer paint-decorated lidded and hinged box, and original comic book art from Little Archie #10 titled Escape From Shark Island (1976).

Rounding out a short list of the sale's expected top earners is one lot comprising an assortment of silver plate items (a trumpet vase, a pair of rectangular lidded servers, a veggie server, an oval tray and more); and an interesting silver ostrich on a stand, about 1 ¾ inches tall.

Gordon S. Converse & Co. is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly, at (610) 722-9004; or, e-mail them at Gordon@ConverseClocks.com. Gordon Converse replies promptly to all e-mails.

Anyone interested in finding out what an antique item might be worth may do so 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.




Solid cast bronzed and polished brass Chelsea clock set with ship's wheel and 3 ½ inch dials.





Gorgeous porcelain Herend elephant, 15 inches by 10 inches, signed Herend.





Framed antique prints of British Naval ships of line, colored and matted, with burl wood frames.







16-inch verdigris green and metal patinated ovoid form vase attributed to Charles Clewell.






Five-color French Faïence ceramic ware mug of a man and his snuff, circa 19th century.





Beautiful, diminutive cloisonné teapot with handle, striking at just 3 inches in height.

Artemis Gallery to launch Antiquities-Saleroom.com with online absentee auction closing week of Nov. 14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date of Release: Oct. 25, 2011

Artemis Gallery to launch Antiquities-Saleroom.com with online absentee auction closing week of Nov. 14

275+ lots include classical antiquities, pre-Columbian artifacts, ethnographic art

BOULDER COUNTY, CO – In a collecting category as highly specialized as antiquities, the most valuable asset an auction house can possess is not a 2,500-year-old Egyptian statue or a rare Pre-Columbian artifact – it’s integrity and reputation. For the past 20 years, Bob and Teresa Dodge, along with their business partner Elaine Jamieson, have built an internationally respected name for themselves as Artemis Gallery and Artemis Gallery Live. Now the Artemis name – whose reputation is synonymous with authentic, legally acquired and vetted antiquities – has been joined by ‘Antiquities-Saleroom.com,’ to reflect the company’s newly enhanced method of conducting their online-only absentee auctions.

“We’re not the new kid on the block,” stressed Managing Director Teresa Dodge. “Bob and I discovered and fell in love with antiquities while on our honeymoon in Greece and Turkey, in 1989. That trip led to what has become both our passion and our profession. We’ve been in the antiquities business for 20 years, now, and have been actively selling online since 1993. We may have re-branded and improved our online-auction business, but we’re still the folks from Artemis Gallery.”

Starting Nov. 14, 2011, Antiquities-Saleroom.com will make its debut with an auction of 275+ lots of exceptional antiquities, pre-Columbian artifacts, and tribal and ethnographic art. The fully illustrated online auction catalog can be viewed and confidential absentee bids may be placed on any of the lots at Antiquities-Saleroom.com. Absentee bids are executed competitively against the existing highest bid.

“The way the bidding platform works, even Bob and I do not know what the high bid is on an item at any given time. We only know the status of the bids after each lot closes and the winning bid is revealed,” said Dodge.

The auction lots will close for bidding in a consecutive, staggered fashion over several days, beginning on Nov. 14. In the period leading up to the sale, bidders will be automatically notified via e-mail if they have been outbid on an item.

Many of the lots will be offered without reserve. “Everything in the auction is an authenticated, quality item that has been consigned by one of approximately eight to 10 invited dealers of excellent reputation who are both our friends and colleagues. We believe an antiquity will find its correct price in the market almost every time if it is offered with the assurance that it is authentic, legal to purchase and meets the timeline qualifications for UNESCO and various national treaties,” said Dodge.

The first half of Antiquities-Saleroom.com’s November auction is devoted to classical antiquities and includes an extensive collection of Greek and Roman objects from a consignor in Florida. Among the highlights are a fine Etruscan amphora, a handful of small but exquisite Roman bronzes, a “very special” Roman marble bust, large and elaborate painted Daunian pottery (southern Italy, 300 B.C.), Roman glass, and ancient jewelry. Additionally, there are offerings of Greek Attic pottery from Athens’ Classic Era (525-450 B.C.), as well as a couple of desirable Greek covered pottery dishes known as lekanis.

Egyptian bronzes, including one of Hippocrates, will be auctioned, and excellent examples of Egyptian faience will be available. At least five coveted ushabtis will be offered, with the possibility of two or three more to be added later on.

“Ushabtis are servant figures that were placed in Egyptian tombs to handle daily chores for the deceased in the afterlife. Typically, there would have been 365 of them in a tomb, one for each day of the year,” Dodge explained.

The interest in pre-Columbian art is growing, Dodge said, thanks to an unexpected new group of buyers emerging from China. For that reason, Antiquities-Saleroom.com made an extra effort to secure consignments of fine pre-Columbian pieces for their November sale. The selection includes pottery from West Mexico, the Mayan territories and most of the major cultures of Peru, Costa Rica and Panama; plus objects created from wood and precious metals, such as effigies made of gold.

There are silver vessels known as “keros, which were used by Latin-American cultures for drinking “chicha,” and cylinders that Mayans used for their cocoa.

The variety continues with Olmec (Atlantic coastal Mexico, 1000 B.C.) stone objects used in hallucinogenic ceremonial rites, 5,000-year-old Valdivian (Ecuador) stonework and ceramic figurines; and objects from the Chavin culture of northern coastal Peru. Also, many other Mayan and Incan artifacts from the Spanish Conquest era have been cataloged.

The auction will conclude with a Discovery section featuring reasonably estimated artifacts that dealers may be able to secure at wholesale prices for resale. “There will be ancient trinkets estimated at $50-$100, and at the other end of the spectrum, some truly exceptional objects. All present excellent buying opportunities, and like everything else in the sale, the Discovery pieces are fully authenticated, quality items,” Dodge said.

The catalog for Antiquities-Saleroom.com’s auction closing over the week of Nov. 14 can be viewed online at the company’s website: www.Antiquities-Saleroom.com. For questions on any item in the sale, call Teresa Dodge at 720-890-7700 or e-mail antiquitiessaleroom@gmail.com.





Egyptian New Kingdom wood shabti, wood, late 18th dynasty (circa 1300 B.C.), relatively early and rare, especially in this quality. Estimate $12,000- $15,000




Greek Attic pelike (used for storing wine and oil) with very fine red-figure decoration by the Washing Painter, a well-known artist who worked in Athens, circa 430-420 BC. Estimate
$12,000-$14,000.




Mayan cylinder from Peten region of Guatemala, circa 600 to 800 A.D., with depiction of guards, glyph band. Estimate $10,000-$15,000.

FLORIDA AUCTION RETURNS AFTER SUMMER BREAK WITH STOCKPILE OF ANTIQUES, FINE ART & COLLECTIBLES

PROFESSIONAL APPRAISERS & LIQUIDATORS LLC

FLORIDA AUCTION RETURNS AFTER SUMMER BREAK WITH STOCKPILE OF ANTIQUES, FINE ART & COLLECTIBLES

Over 750 Lots will be Auctioned on October 29 Two-Session Sale Starting at 10am and 5pm

Contact: Diane Fudge
Phone: 352-795-2061 or 800-542-3877
Email: webuyit@tampabay.rr.com
Website: http://www.charliefudge.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Crystal River, FL
October 20, 2011

Much a squirrel, who stores its' nuts for the winter, Auctioneer Charles Fudge has been setting back Antiques, Estate Jewelry and Fine Art all Summer Long for his Spectacular October 29, 2011 Auction, which will have over 750 Lots, and will be divided into two sessions. One starting at 10am and one beginning at 5pm.

Fall is finally here, and thus begins the Florida auctioneer's “Season”. For Auctioneer Charles Fudge, the Season will start with a fantastic two-session Auction of over 750 Lots of Antiques, Fine Art & Collectibles on Saturday October 29,with sessions beginning at 10am and 5pm. His Auction Gallery, Professional Appraisers and Liquidators, is in Crystal River, Florida but his auctions are attended by enthusiasts from all over the world due to the option of on-line bidding as well as Absentee and Telephone Bidding.

Fudge, a veteran auctioneer of over forty years, always associates Autumn with one thing – its time for him to bring out the treasures he set aside throughout the summer and prepare for his first auction of what Florida auctioneers refer to as “The Season”. His finds from the summer's hunt come out of storage and are displayed in a manner in which any interior decorator would be proud. Says Fudge, “I always love preparing for our October auctions, because I'm able to sell the cream of the crop from estates I've been purchasing for the past six months. No other auction offers me such lead time, so for October's Auction, I'm actually able to hand select the best of the best from thousands of antiques I've obtained during the Summer months.” His October 29th auction will showcase the fruits of his labor with items such as Estate Fine Jewelry that represents eras ranging from Victorian and Edwardian to the Art Deco and Retro Periods.

What was this auctioneer stocking up on last summer? Antique Furniture will include, among many others, a 19th Century Southern Pine Two-piece Corner Cupboard (Lot 97) and a 19th Century Louis XV Style Lighted Curio Cabinet (Lot 483), as well as an Early 19th Century David Cullen Tall Case Clock (Lot 734); and examples of Mid Century Modern Furniture include Baker (Two-Door Armoire – Lot 708), L and J.G. Stickley (Mission Oak Slant Front Desk Lot #617), Henredon, and two Teak Wall Units (Lots 367 and 368) by Danish maker Domino Mobler, as well as some solid Cherry pieces. Antique and Contemporary Art includes a large collection of Miniature Portraits and Paintings on Ivory, Oil Paintings by Listed Artists, and Carved Ivory Sculptures to name a few.

This auctioneer holds only a few auctions a year, so expect to find the best of the best. If you haven't been to an auction before, fear not. The auctioneer will be open on Thursday evening, October 27, for those who would like a class on “How to Bid at an Auction”. The class lasts about an hour and begins at 7pm. Says Fudge, “There is nothing to fear. We like to have fun at our auctions.”. Will you accidently bid by waving to a friend? “No” replies Fudge, “That's only on television”.

The October event will also include a fine array of Crystal and Glassware in the auction includes Steuben, Waterford, Loetz, Moser, Pairpoint, American Brillaint Period Cut Glass, Victorian Art Glass including a Plated Amberina Jack in the Pulpit Vase, Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles, Lalique, Heisey, Carnival and Depression Glass as well as a stunning 38.75 inch tall Gladiola Vase (Lot 99). The Pottery category includes American Art Pottery such as Weller, Rookwood, Roseville and Hull, and even a piece from North Carolina by Pisgah Forest Potters. A stunning lamp (Lot 667) and several lovely vases display the talent of the English potters at Moorcroft, while the Dutch are represented with Gouda Rondo (Lot 565) by Faroga Royal, from Germany a fine Mettlach stein, a lovely soup tureen by Henriot Quimper (Lot 93) hails from France.

Porcelain makers that will cross the block at the two-session sale include Meissen, Shelley, Dresden, German Bisque, Lladro, Royal Doulton, Royal Dux, Minton, Nippon, Limoges, Rosenthal, Nineteenth Century Chinese Export, and many others. A nice assortment of Sterling Silver including Tiffany, Lunt, C.J. Begeer, Gorham, Steiff, Sampson Mordan and other famous makers will be auctioned at the upcoming sale as well.

Additional lots of note are a Velvet-Lined Slag Glass and Bronze Jewelry box with lift out tray signed Tiffany Studios (Lot 536), and a rare Walking Stick or Cane with a Sterling Silver top inscribed with information regarding the 1892 commission of United States cruiser, the U.S.S. Columbia (Lot 174).

Offerings include several unique Sterling Silver items, such as the ladies purse or handbag made solely of Sterling Silver, by William B Kerr (Lot 333), a Continental Silver Table Ornament that depicts a Reindeer Pulling its Sleigh with a Cherub at the Reins (Lot 338). And, the Auctioneer's pick in this category is an .800 Dutch Silver Ladle by C.J. Begeer (Utrecht, 1868-1920) in its original fitted presentation box (Lot 340). Begeer's silver has been exhibited in museums, and auctioned at world famous auction houses including Christie's, and Sotheby's. The C.J. Begeer silver in Sotheby's Auction came from the Estate of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and was donated to benefit charity.

A complete catalog with detailed descriptions and photographs depicting several views for each item can be found on the company's website: http://www.charliefudge.com. Preview is Friday, October 28 from 10am to 6pm and prior to each session on Saturday, beginning at 8am. If you have further questions, please contact: Antique Auctions by Professional Appraisers and Liquidators LLC, 811 US Hwy 19, Crystal River, FL, 34446. Their telephone numbers are 352-795-2061 or 800-542-3877. They can be reached at email at webuyit@tampabay.rr.com

Velvet-Lined Slag Glass and Bronze Jewelry box with lift out tray signed Tiffany Studios

Soup tureen by Henriot Quimper from France

38.75 Inch Tall Gladiola Vase

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Auctioneer, Charles Fudge of Professional Appraisers and Liquidators LLC, has been auctioning Fine Art, Antiques and Collectibles for over 40 years in West Central Florida. Over the past 5 years, their audience has broadened significantly due to their offering real-time, live bidding. The auctioneer is always looking for quality consignments, and he also buys antiques, gold, fine art, and jewelry outright, whether one item or an entire collection. Sellers can decide whether they would like their Estate Sales or Auctions – to be held at your location or in the firm's 7,500 square foot gallery. Fudge is willing to travel in order to evaluate quality estates and collections. There is no charge for verbal consultations or appraisals, when items in question are carried in. To reach Mr. Fudge directly for questions regarding buying, consigning items to auction, or buying or appraising estates, please call his cell phone at 727-385-6109. Questions regarding auction items should be directed to the auction gallery at 352-795-2061.

Don Presley To Auction Beverly Hills Collection Of Superb Antique Clocks, Porcelain, Silver, Nov 5-6

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date of Release: Oct. 23, 2011

Don Presley To Auction Beverly Hills Collection Of Superb Antique Clocks,
Porcelain, Silver, Nov 5-6

Featured additional highlight: John Wayne’s silver-trimmed leather saddle along with other fine and decorative art.

ORANGE, Calif. – The 90210 zip code has become a familiar destination for Southern California auctioneer Don Presley, and on Nov. 5-6, Presley will again present a premier private collection sourced directly from a Beverly Hills estate. This time the contents consist of superb clocks, silver, porcelains and other fine and decorative art from a collector whom Presley describes as having “an eye for the exquisite.” A fine jewelry wholesaler by profession, the consignor has always selected pieces of the highest quality for their collection, never settling for anything less.

The Beverly Hills collection comprises 400 of the 1,000 lots to be auctioned, and features 200 absolutely fresh to the market antique European and American clocks.

“This is such a great clock collection that visitors to our gallery have been asking if a high-end antique store went out of business – but that’s not the case. This is a collection built over many years by an individual who happens to love beautiful clocks and porcelains, and knows how to pick the very best,” Presley said.

“When I first went to visit the collection, my jaw dropped,” Presley continued. “I could not believe what I saw on the walls and shelves – gorgeous champleve clocks, Tiffany, Sevres, old silver. These are the kinds of things that make an auctioneer love his business.”

The spectacular array of fancy French clocks features 18th- and 19th-century designs, including gilt bronze figural, tortoiseshell, dore bronze, inlaid marquetry, bronze and porcelain; and elegant champleve designs, as well as many 3-piece clock and garniture sets. There are no fewer than 10 jewel-face miniature French clocks and a fine collection of carriage clocks, including Tiffany & Co.

Among the innumerable highlights are six French boulle clocks – one of them dating to around 1710 and signed “JB Baillon Paris.” At least two of the clocks are among the earliest of their type to have been manufactured. A magnificent gilt bronze horse-drawn chariot clock, with figures of two riders and a lion, also dates to the 18th century.

Taking pride of place in the collection are no fewer than six clocks from Tiffany & Co., including a rare bronze bell-shape clock supported by two pillars and a crossbar. Japy Freres produced the mechanism for at least one of the Tiffany clocks to be auctioned.

A sumptuous 200-piece selection of fine porcelain features many designs by Sevres, including lavishly gilded pairs of lidded urns, clock sets and an ornately decorated tray. An Old Paris hand-painted vase exhibits the unmistakable aesthetic favored by many porcelain artists in the City of Paris during the mid to latter 18th century. Other manufactories represented in the collection include: Meissen, Limoges, Dresden, and Villeroy & Boch. These exalted names of golden-era porcelain are also seen in the vast array of cups and saucers to be sold.

The Presley gallery is laden with heavy sterling silver, including a complete International Silver La Paglia-designed tea service with tray, an S. Kirk & Son double-handle repousse urn with lid, and a pair of 18th-century Jean Baptiste Francois candelabra having a total weight of 250 ozt. One of the candelabra has a Francois mark designated for Paris, while the other bears a 1784 stamp for Semur. Additional candelabra lots are Sevres style and of gilt bronze and marble.

A 31-piece Moser cranberry stemware set is among the top lots in the glassware and art glass section, which also includes designs by Galle, Lalique, Tiffany, Loetz and Steuben. Extravagantly gilded, a set of green glass goblets might be of Russian origin.

Antique Asian ivory continues to draw the bidders to Presley’s sales. The Nov. 5-6 event includes a pair of 3-ft.-tall elephant tusks, figures of Immortals and elephants, a “jeweled” Guan Yin figure on pedestal, and a lady’s fan with gilded frame, among many other ivory objects.

Paintings and bronzes – many by listed artists – will be auctioned. Russian icons and a pair of signed and framed Napoleon and Josephine portraits, hand-painted on ivory, are among the select offerings.

A featured lot that combines Hollywood legend with the lore of California’s Old West is a leather saddle made by the Visalia Stock Saddle Co. of San Francisco for American screen icon John Wayne. Heavily tooled overall and trimmed with sterling silver conchos, stirrups and other adornments, the saddle also bears a silver diamond-shape cartouche engraved with the initials “JW.” The saddle comes with a matching bridle and breast collar, and is accompanied by extensive provenance and a letter of authenticity. “This saddle dates to the early days of John Wayne’s career, and with the interest currently so strong in items having a personal connection to John Wayne, this saddle should prove very appealing to collectors,” Presley said.

An additional 600 items from several California estates, collectors and other consignors add variety to the Nov. 5-6 auction inventory. The sale summary reveals many pieces of Chinese jade, hand-painted scrolls, musical instruments, a 40-piece majolica collection, a 1933 Rock-ola 5¢ Horse Race Sweepstakes trade stimulator, and novelty furniture designed as a 1956 Chevy sofa and Harley-Davidson chairs with saddlebags.

For the adventurous, Don Presley suggests the remote control twin-engine F-15 Navy jet. “It’s 7 feet long and can reach a top speed of 200 miles per hours. But before anyone decides to fire it up, they should be aware that it requires a special license. It’s a big plane,” Presley said.

Both the Saturday and Sunday sessions will commence at 12 noon Pacific Time. Preview daily 9-5. The gallery is located at 1319 W. Katella Ave., Orange, CA 92867. All forms of bidding will be available, including at the gallery, by phone, absentee or live via the Internet. For additional information, call Don Presley at 714-633-2437 or e-mail info@donpresleyauction.com. Visit the company’s website at www.donpresleyauction.com.




Bronze and Sevres porcelain clock and garniture set, one of many from a Beverly Hills private collection. Don Presley Auction image.

John Coker’s Oct. 29-30 No-Reserve Auction Features Two Fresh, Long-Held Collections of Toys, Lunchboxes and Folk Art

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date of Release: Oct. 23, 2011

John Coker’s Oct. 29-30 No-Reserve Auction Features Two Fresh, Long-Held Collections of Toys, Lunchboxes and Folk Art

The Saturday auction contains more than 450 lots of toys and folk art. The Sunday auction features approximately 360 lunchboxes.

NEW MARKET, Tenn. – John W. Coker is a Tennessee auctioneer better known for his sales of fine and decorative art, but when the opportunity arose to handle two outstanding toy and lunchbox collections – each from a collector of 40+ years – he jumped at the chance. More than 100 cardboard boxes later, Coker knew he had the makings of a terrific auction, and one that toy collectors “would go crazy over.”

Coker’s 1,000-lot Oct. 29-30 event, which will be held at the company’s gallery near Knoxville, is 100% unreserved. “Whatever the high bid is, that’s what the toy, lunchbox or folk art item will sell for,” Coker said.

The Saturday, Oct. 29 session, which commences at 10 a.m. Eastern time, contains more than 450 lots of toys and folk art from the collection of a prominent Eastern Tennessee businessman who began collecting in the 1950s. Many of the toys were displayed at the consignor’s place of business; he always bought and never sold.

A featured highlight is the vast collection of Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola advertising toys, many of them rare, early examples pictured in Petretti’s Coca-Cola Collectibles Price Guide. “There are more than 100 Coca-Cola toys, and all are different,” said Coker. “They’re across the board in terms of manufacturers – Metalcraft, Smith-Miller, Buddy ‘L’ – and there are many from foreign countries, including Spain (Paya), Germany, Mexico and Italy. There are also special-edition Christmas productions and wooden ones made during World War II. There are many that I have never seen before.”

The consignor recalled that the first toy he ever owned was a Metalcraft Shell Oil truck complete with wood barrels. “My daddy paid only one dollar – maybe less – for that toy. It made me appreciate the unusual, and that followed through in my collecting,” he said. The truck is included in the auction inventory.

The owner of the toys commented that the advertising trucks in the collection have never been polished, waxed or restored. “I kept them as original as possible, in ‘as-found’ condition,” he said. “Most of them have 85% or more of their original paint.”

The consignor’s brother-in-law once worked for Lionel, and through that connection, the collector was able to acquire several coveted train sets, including a rare Coca-Cola set and another branded for Ford Motor Co. that was available only to employees.

Additionally, there are die-cast advertising toys, two matchstick ships and a carved Noah’s Ark with figures. A rustic log farmhouse that took 10 years to make is so highly detailed, it even includes a gun over the mantel and a dog on the porch. It opens up and is accompanied by many additional accessories and outbuildings.

The consignor explained that many of his best pieces purchased over some 40 years came from Northern or Eastern dealers who traveled to the Mt. Dora show in Florida to escape winter weather. “They would come to sell, then they’d go fishing. They knew what I wanted and would bring along their best for me,” he said.

The consignor also built a sizable collection of folk art and unusual advertising items. The auction will include a Meaders family stoneware vase adorned with a snake, leaves and grapes; and 20-25 face jugs, including around five from the fabled Medders family of potters. Other noteworthy items include two Nipper ‘His Master’s Voice’ chalk figures, and a 6-ft.-high Leland McNamee’s Minstrels poster.

The Sunday, Oct. 30 session features approximately 360 lunchboxes, 30+ loose Thermoses – some quite scarce and desirable – and box lots of Thermoses and lids.

The lunchbox collection came from the estate of a man who collected from the time he was 15 until the day of his passing last fall. “His collection reflected pleasant memories of the lunches his mother packed for him when he was a boy,” Coker said. “His family owned a grocery store that made local deliveries, and his mother, who worked at the store, was an excellent cook. She would fix unbelievable sandwiches for the children, and opening their lunchboxes at school each day was an eagerly anticipated event.”

In his adult life, the collector traveled to shows far and wide, searching for lunchboxes. He bought metal, vinyl and plastic lunchboxes; and brunch bags, and he favored those that depicted robots/space, Western scenes and TV series of the 1950s and ’60s.

“There are many very rare lunchboxes in this collection, and they’re in absolutely beautiful condition,” said Coker. Among the highlights: Captain Kangaroo, Beany and Cecil, three or four Tom Corbett Space Cadet boxes in baby blue and red; five different Roy Rogers lunchboxes and many coveted dome-tops, including a Porky Pig model. An especially nice brunch bag promotes Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. It is finished in bright yellow and black, and emblazoned with the show’s best-known catch phrases.

The rarest of all lunchboxes in the sale is the 1954 ADCO metal Superman box depicting the Man of Steel fighting an evil robot with eyes that can ignite anything in their path. With its colorful graphics and superhero theme, it is considered the ultimate prize to lunchbox collectors.

“There is so much to see in this sale. If I were a collector of toys or lunchboxes, I would make it my mission to view the contents of these collections, either in person or online,” said Coker. “Everyone loves fresh collections, and these are two of the freshest.”

John W. Coker’s Oct. 29-30 auction will take place at the Coker gallery at 1511 W. Hwy. 11 East in New Market, TN 37820. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet. Tel. 865-475-5163, e-mail john@antiquesonline.com. Visit Coker’s online at www.antiquesonline.com.



Smith-Miller pressed-steel and wood Coca-Cola delivery truck, complete with wood Coke crates. John W. Coker Auctions image.

LARGE, RARE UNITED MOTORS SERVICE SINGLE-SIDED PORCELAIN OVAL NEON SIGN REALIZES $6,325 AT AUCTION HELD OCT. 14 BY MATTHEWS AUCTIONS, LLC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dan Matthews
(217) 563-8880 or (217) 259-7059
danm@matthewsauctions.com

LARGE, RARE UNITED MOTORS SERVICE SINGLE-SIDED PORCELAIN OVAL NEON SIGN REALIZES $6,325 AT AUCTION HELD OCT. 14 BY MATTHEWS AUCTIONS, LLC

The auction was held the day before the popular Chicagoland Petroliana & Advertising Show.

(PEOTONE, Ill.) – A large and hard to find United Motors Service oval neon sign, only rated 7.9 out of 10 for condition but still coveted by collectors for its rarity, sold for $6,325 at a Fall Petroliana & Advertising Auction held Oct. 14 by Matthews Auctions, LLC. The sale was held the day before the semiannual Chicagoland Petroliana & Advertising Show in Peotone, Ill.

The single-sided porcelain sign, measuring 42 inches by 72 inches, had its share of flaws. The blue was milky and it had chips around the mount holes and holes in the neon. But its scarcity, combined with the fact that the neon made it look like the wheels were spinning, was just too much for the bidders who competed for it. The sign was the top lot of the 475 items sold.

Around 150 people attended the auction in person, while another 250 bidders registered online (accounting for a 34 percent sell-through). Phone and absentee bids were also accepted. Matthews Auctions, LLC has been staging auctions prior to the spring and fall Peotone shows for years, and they have consistently been well-attended and spirited events.

“We had a good bidding crowd, and better merchandise was fetching 5 percent more than I was expecting,” said Dan Matthews of Matthews Auctions, LLC. “What made this auction such a success was the fact that we had an interesting mix of items. Usually we feature 85 percent gas station collectibles, but this sale had country store collectibles and other unique and rare items.”

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

A USL Batteries single-sided porcelain self-framed sign (“Economical, Dependable”), 17 inches by 60 inches, rated 9 and with excellent color and gloss but with some bubbles in the paint, brought $3,850; and a rare Marathon Gas single-sided porcelain die-cut embossed neon sign (“Best in the Long Run”), with the running man logo, went for a surprisingly low $3,740.

Two lots sold for identical prices of $3,025 each. The first was a Case Quality Machine single-sided tin reflective painted sign (“For Profitable Farming”), with Old Abe logo and rated 8.5 for condition. The other was a Favorite Stoves and Ranges double-sided porcelain sign (“Best in the World”), both sides rated 9.5, in excellent condition and with great gloss and color.

An original and fragile Lucky Strike Cigarettes wood and cardboard counter-top display with four old-style packs and six new-style green packs, rated 9, with minor wear around the edges, coasted to $2,860; and a Mobiloil Socony double-sided porcelain five-point shield, with the iconic Mobil Pegasus graphic and measuring 32 inches by 32 inches, rated 9, rose to $2,750.

An Atlantic Gasoline double-sided porcelain curb sign with Ethyl logo, in a stand and strap base, 30 inches in diameter and both sides rated 9 out of 10 for condition, changed hands for $2,200; and an AC Spark Plugs Cleaning Station tin flange sign with the familiar Sparky logo, 15 inches by 11 inches, both sides rated 8.75 with a little rust here and there, hit $1,265.

A Holley Carburetor Company Automotive Accessories light counter-top display, rated 9 and in great shape, breezed to $1,045; an Oakwood Taxi Company lighted counter-top display (“All 7-Passenger Packards – No Cheaper Rates in Town”), rated 9, garnered $880; and a “Buy on Universal Credit” (Ford cars and trucks, Lincoln, Zephyr and Mercury 8) lighted counter-top reverse painted display, fully illuminated and in great shape, 9 inches by 20 inches, made $880.

Rounding out the day’s top lots, a Motorola Auto Radio neon and lighted sign with reverse painted bottom panel, in working order and rated 8.9, 12 inches by 26 inches, demanded $880; and a rare die-cast aluminum Dino, marked “Colonial Hites, West Cola, S.C.”, rated 9 and once used as a decoration on the outside of a gas station, went to a determined bidder for $550.

Beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 2, and on the first Wednesday of each month through the winter, Matthews Auctions, LLC will conduct online and absentee petroliana and advertising auctions, at the firm’s gallery facility in Nokomis, Ill., starting at 4 p.m. (CST). Each auction will feature 300-400 lots of high quality merchandise. There will be no live audience at these sales.

On Saturday, Nov. 26, Matthews Auctions, LLC will hold an auction in Raymond, Ill., at the gallery of Gavin Pope Auction, with whom Matthews Auctions, LLC often partners. Offered will be hundreds of lots of petroliana, automobilia, country store collectibles and antiques. The sale will begin promptly at 10 a.m. (CST) and will be held at 823 North Bannon in Raymond, Ill.

Matthews Auctions, LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or an entire collection, you may call them toll-free at (877) 968-8880, or you can send an e-mail directly to Mr. Matthews, at danm@matthewsauctions.com.

Mr. Matthews recently completed writing a book about petroliana, titled The Fine Art of Collecting and Displaying Petroliana. For information on how to order a copy, please log on to the Matthews Auctions, LLC website, at www.matthewsauctions.com. For more information about Matthews Auctions, LLC and their upcoming sales, log on to www.matthewsauctions.com.



Rare United Motors Service single-sided porcelain oval neon sign, rated 7.9 out of 10 ($6,325).






Case Quality Machine 'For Profitable Farming' single-sided tin sign with Old Abe logo ($3,025).




Original Lucky Strike cigarette counter-top display, with wood and cardboard stand ($2,860).





Marathon Gas “Best in the Long Run” neon sign with running man logo, rated 8.5 ($3,740).





Favorite Stoves and Ranges “Best in the World” double-sided porcelain sign, rated 9.5 ($3,025).




USL Batteries “Economical, Dependable” single-sided porcelain self-framed sign ($3,850).

AuctionZip Auctioneer Tip: Writing Effective Auction Listings

Listing your auction online is a great way to attract more bidders at a minimal cost. This short guide is intended to help you make the most of your AuctionZip Listings.

What makes a good title?
Your title should be simple, clear and tell people what you’re selling. “Memorial Day Weekend Sale-Day 1” doesn’t draw anyone in or let them know that you have vintage posters, gold coins or a fleet of tractors. Also, there is no need to include the date or your auction house name in the title. Both of those pieces of information have their own sections within your AuctionZip Listing.

Have a good lead sentence.
The first sentence of your description should grab the reader’s attention. If there is a really exceptional lot, it is fine to lead with one lot and follow with a description of the rest of the catalogue. For example, “Join Baseball Card Auctions as we auction off a mint condition Babe Ruth autographed rookie card, along with an exceptional catalogue of over 300 lots of baseball memorabilia.”

What, who, where, when, how.
In the first one or two sentences, you should answer the question of what is being sold, who is selling it, where/when the auction is, and how someone can bid. If online or phone bidding is available, let people know. “If you can’t join us on Saturday, May 25th at 3 P.M. in Oxford, OH, bid online at auctionzip.com/live or by calling 111-222-3333.”

Pick a few lots to feature.
Pick three or four of your most important lots and describe them in detail. Then use one or two sentences to generally describe the rest of the catalogue.

How to make it Google-friendly.
Like your lot descriptions, you want to use plenty of vivid keywords, while still sounding natural. It should be relatively easy to fit a lot of keywords in your listing, and listing a few specific lots will help draw some highly-targeted traffic. If there is online bidding or the catalogue is online, link to it. Also link to the press release, your house’s website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed, if you have them. As always, check that your spelling and grammar are correct.

Hittin’ The Road with AuctionZip: Join Us at the 2011 IAA Convention

Calling all Indiana Auctioneers! Come join AuctionZip at the annual Indiana Auctioneers Association Convention on November 3-6 in Indianapolis, IN. AuctionZip will be donating two advertising packages valued at over $900 to the Annual Spotlight Advertising Auction which is part of the exciting Indiana Champion Auctioneer Contest. The advertising donations are sold to auctioneers throughout the state and proceeds sponsor programs for education and business development.

Our team will also be giving the keynote presentation at Thursday’s kick off dinner and will be conducting a 2 hour seminar titled ‘Auctioneering 2020: Direct to Consumer Marketing As A Competitive Edge’ on Friday. We look forward to seeing all of our wonderful Indiana AuctionZip’pers at the convention!

The Indiana Auctioneers Association is the professional organization for practicing auctioneers, their associates, affiliated businesses and other related professionals. Visit http://www.indianaauctioneers.org/2011convention for more information on the 2011 annual IAA convention.

KAPTAIN KIRK'S TO HOST FIRST TIME HISTORY CHANNEL AMERICAN PICKERS CELEBRITY

September 28th, 2011
Kaptain Kirk West, Auctioneer
Rockford, IL

KAPTAIN KIRK'S TO HOST FIRST TIME HISTORY CHANNEL AMERICAN PICKERS CELEBRITY

HIPPIE TOM AUCTIONS!!!

The well-known celebrity Hippie Tom, noted for his special appearances on the television show American Pickers, along with Mike and Frank, will be bringing truckloads of items from his personal collection to be offered at auction at the state-of-the-art indoor auction facility of Kaptain Kirk's Auction & Appraisals at the corner of 18th Ave & 9th St in Rockford, IL.

Tom is an avid collector of antiques, collectibles, primitives, advertising, architectural items, leaded stained glass windows, toys, structural items, signs, garden items, furniture, artwork, pottery, and many more such items.

The first in a series of auctions will be held on November 5th & 6th, Saturday and Sunday, at Kaptain Kirk's facility. Tom will be available both days starting at 10:00 am for photographs, autographs, and interaction with the auction crowd. This will be a rare opportunity to buy an item from Hippie Tom's personal collection, have it autographed, and have your picture taken with Tom.

Tom has a special relationship with Rockford, due to his relationship with Frank and Mike from American Pickers, and their visits to Rockford to "pick" Judy Gambrel's old national lock building, and their recent visit to Rockford to entertain crowds at Midway Village & Museum Center. Tom will be featured again in upcoming episodes that have already been filmed and will be showing in late October.

Kaptain Kirk's is excited to be part of the American Pickers craze and holds auctions on a regular basis at their facility. Consignment auctions are held the last Saturday and Sunday of every month, with many more auctions filled in during the month, both on-site and off-site as needed, and always feature antiques, collectibles, pottery, glassware, sports collectibles, guns, antique toys, marbles, coins,stamps, artwork, tools, and many other related items, including household items.

www.KaptainKirksAuction.com
CHECK THE WEBISTE FOR DETAILS OR CALL KAPTAIN KIRK AT 815-494-8045

AuctionZip Announces Mobile Website AuctionZip Mobile to Launch for Smartphones, Tablets and Major Mobile Devices

With the launch of AuctionZip Mobile, auction-goers now can search using their smartphones for their favorite items and collectibles upcoming at auction. AuctionZip Mobile offers AuctionZip’s signature ZIP Code Locator in a compact and streamlined design. The new mobile site functions with all major mobile devices, offering compatibility with iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry and others.

AuctionZip maintains the world's largest directory of live auction listings, with more than 200,000 auctions listed annually. The addition of AuctionZip Mobile makes locating antique, estate and storage auctions faster and easier than ever before. Visitors to AuctionZip Mobile will be able to search for auctions by ZIP Code, browse listings and view detailed photo galleries, all from their smartphone device. Smartphone users also will be able to phone or e-mail auctioneers, map auction locations and get directions to local auctions.

AuctionZip Mobile responds to a massive increase in mobile traffic to AuctionZip in recent months—since January 2011, mobile device traffic to the site has more than doubled, reflecting a clear demand for this improved functionality as well as the rapid growth of the global smartphone market. Indeed, industry research leader International Data Corporation (IDC)’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker indicates that, “vendors will ship a total of 472 million smartphones in 2011 compared to roughly 305 million units shipped in 2010. That figure will nearly double to 982 million by the end of 2015.”

“AuctionZip has long been one of the best resources for finding and bidding at local auctions,” comments Steve Oriola, AuctionZip Senior Vice President of Product Management. “We know our dedicated users are frequently on the go, and rely on AuctionZip’s powerful search tools such as our ZIP Code Locator to find local auctions around the country. AuctionZip Mobile incorporates the same features AuctionZip users love, but now in an easy-to-use interface optimized for use with all major mobile devices.”

Media Contact: Molly Hennessey
617-746-9844
molly@auctionzip.com

Editor’s Notes:
• Additional background on request.
• Interviews with the Vice President of Marketing, Michael Evers and President Adam Kirsch can be arranged.

WASHINGTON BUST CALABASH FLASK WITH STRIKING BLUE COBALT COLOR SOARS TO $28,080 AT AUCTION #93 HELD BY NORMAN C. HECKLER & COMPANY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Heckler
(860) 974-1634
jheckler@hecklerauction.com

WASHINGTON BUST CALABASH FLASK WITH STRIKING BLUE COBALT COLOR SOARS TO $28,080 AT AUCTION #93 HELD BY NORMAN C. HECKLER & COMPANY

The auction went online Sept. 1 and concluded Sept. 14. In all, 149 quality lots changed hands.

(WOODSTOCK VALLEY, Conn.) – A vintage American Calabash flask showing a tree-in-leaf bust portrait of George Washington (circa 1845-1860) soared to $28,080 to take top lot honors in an auction held Sept. 1-14 by Norman C. Heckler & Co. The sale featured 151 lots (149 sold) of early glass, bottles, flasks, pottery, game boards, antiques and select Americana.

“Color is king today, and this Calabash bottle had a striking cobalt blue coloration, together with a fantastic mold impression,” said Norman C. Heckler, Sr. “With fabulous color, great embossing and excellent condition, the flask had everything going for it.” The quart flask had an applied sloping collared mouth and tubular pontil scar. It was an exceptional example.

The auction’s second top lot – which also boasted rare color, exceptional condition and great embossing – was a peacock blue “Corn for the World” historical quart flask, made by the Baltimore Glass Works circa 1860-1870 ($19,890). The bottle had an applied flat collared mouth and smooth base. It was visually arresting, with a Baltimore monument and husked ear of corn.

The sale was conducted mostly online, with 320 bidders competing via the Internet (on the Norman C. Heckler & Co. website, at www.hecklerauction.com) and the telephone. Some absentee bids were also recorded. In all, there were 93 winning bidders. Norman C. Heckler & Co. is known mostly for its rare and vintage bottle auctions, but this sale featured more than that.

“The select Americana items represented in this auction (the 93rd for the firm) all did exceedingly well,” remarked Norman C. Heckler, Jr. “The folk art items, and specifically the game boards, far exceeded the pre-sale estimates. Redware and Stoneware pieces, too, were very strong, great decorative items from early manufacturers. Overall it was just a successful auction.”

Following are additional highlights from the sale. All prices quoted include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.

The aforementioned game boards included a fine pair of American paint-decorated examples, rendered in multiple colors. One that measured 16 ½ inches by 16 ½ inches went for $4,680, while the other, measuring 18 ½ inches by 18 inches, finished at $4,387 (it might have fetched more, but for a loss of wood trim border on one side). Both were made circa 19th century.

Period American furniture featured a diminutive wood-painted decorated blanket chest, made in New England in the 19th century and colored an old bright bayberry blue, 21 inches tall and with dovetail construction ($2,925); and a small wooden watchmaker’s (or seed) chest, also 19th century, with 55 dovetailed segmented drawers and diminutive turned pull knobs ($2,691).

Other Americana included a Sicilian glass (or “lava” glass) art glass vase, made circa 1878-1880 by the Washington Glass Company in New Bedford, Mass., black and with pink, green and blue highlights, 6 inches tall ($3,218); and a Redware handled jug marked “John Bell, Waynesboro” (Pa., circa 1860), 12 inches tall and having brown and tan mottled glazes ($2,223).

Returning to early glass, bottles and flasks, a rectangular, light yellow amber “Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Celebrated Health” bitters bottle, probably from the Stoddard glass house (Stoddard, N.H., circa 1840-1860) soared to $5,265; and a small Pitkin type flask, probably made by Pitkin Glass Works (Manchester, Conn., circa 1783-1830), in great condition, made $3,218.

Medicines featured a “Phelps / Arcanum” bottle (Worcester, Mass., circa 1840-1860), cylindrical, with indented panels and a brilliant bubbly yellowish olive color ($3,510); and a “Rushton & Aspinall” (‘No. 86 William St. & 110 Broadway, New York’) medicine bottle, probably made by Willington Glass Works in West Willington, Conn., circa 1830-1850 ($4,973).

Rounding out the sale’s top lots was a cylindrical Pitkin type inkwell, ribbed and swirled to the left, with 36 ribs, and probably made by the Pitkin Glass Works (Manchester, Conn., circa 1773-1830), with a deep yellowish green coloration and small, standing 1 ½ inches tall ($1,989).

Norman C. Heckler & Co. has just concluded the first two sessions of a three-session sale dedicated to the lifetime single-owner bottle and flask collection of Tom McCandless. Over the course of 40 years, Mr. McCandless accumulated the very best of flasks, bitters, whiskeys, medicines, milks, sodas, fruit jars, pickles and more, which he kept at his New Jersey home.

Session III (122 lots) will go online Jan. 18, 2012 and conclude Feb. 1, 2012. After that, Norman C. Heckler & Co. will have another auction with a strong antiques and Americana component, slated for Mar. 1, 2012. Watch the website for details: www.hecklerauction.com.

Norman C. Heckler & Company was founded in 1987 as a full-service auction and appraisal firm. Today it is the foremost auction house for antique glass. In October 2010, the firm set a record for an antique glass bottle at auction when a General Jackson eagle portrait flask sold for $176,670. In addition to glass Heckler’s also offers early American antique objects.

Norman C. Heckler & Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To inquire about consigning a single piece or an entire collection, you may call them at (860) 974-1634; or, you can e-mail them at info@hecklerauction.com. To learn more about the company’s upcoming calendar of auction events, please log on to www.hecklerauction.com.




American Calabash flask showing a tree-in-leaf bust portrait of George Washington ($28,080).




Peacock blue “Corn for the World” historical quart flask, by Baltimore Glass Works ($19,890).



Diminutive American wooden watchmaker's (or seed) chest, made in the 19th century ($2,691).




Sicilian glass (or “lava” glass) art glass vase, made circa 1878-1880 in Mass. ($3,218).






Redware handled jug marked “John Bell, Waynesboro” (Pa.), made circa 1860 ($2,223).




American 19th century paint-decorated game board, rendered in multiple colors ($4,680).

HUNDREDS OF LOTS DISNEY ITEMS, CAST-IRON TOY STOVES, TRADE CARDS, VINTAGE DOLLS AND BEARS, HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS, OLD GAS PUMPS, VINTAGE STORE ADVE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sharon Finney
(518) 479-4371 or (518) 229-3233
finneysauction@nycap.rr.com

HUNDREDS OF LOTS DISNEY ITEMS, CAST-IRON TOY STOVES, TRADE CARDS, VINTAGE DOLLS AND BEARS, HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS, OLD GAS PUMPS, VINTAGE STORE ADVERTISING, MORE AT FINNEY’S AUCTION SERVICE OCT. 29th

The massive single-owner collection will be sold at Finney’s showroom, in Schodack, N.Y.

(SCHODACK, N.Y.) – A massive single-owner collection consisting of hundreds of rare, vintage and hard-to-find items in a variety of categories will be sold on Saturday, Oct. 29, by Finney’s Auction Service, beginning promptly at 11 a.m. (EST). The auction will be held in Finney’s showroom in Schodack, located about 15 minutes from Albany, in upstate New York.

Offered will be cast-iron toy stoves, trade cards, miniatures, photos, Disney collectibles, vintage Christmas and Halloween, vintage dolls and Steiff bears, antique gas pumps, advertising signs, old toys, vintage store advertising and more. Many of the items may be viewed online, at www.finneysauction.com.

One lot expected to generate much bidder interest is rare Walt Disney Duckster award, bearing the earliest known Duckster date of 1952. The 9-inch bronze statuette features a figure of Donald Duck on a Bakelite base with a metal face plate and the engraved words, “Max Westebbe Best Personal Wishes Walt Disney 1952.” The inside base has a tag from the United Bronze Co.

Walt Disney personally presented fewer than two dozen Duckster awards, all to people who made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Studios (including Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, and the famed illustrator Carl Banks). A few are in the Walt Disney archives. The one being sold by Finney’s is expected change hands for $3,000-$5,000. Cast-iron toy stoves will feature a Buck’s Junior #2 cast-iron salesman’s sample toy stove in very good condition and marked on the top “Buck’s Junior #2”, 23 inches tall by 19 inches wide (est. $800-$1,200); and an Acorn cast-iron stove, marked 819-19, in very good condition and with acorns impressed on the burner plate tops, 19 inches by 18 inches (est. $100-$250).

Also offered will be the pride of the owner’s collection: a rare and antique Reliable Parlor Stove clock and bank, 6 ½ inches tall and in remarkable condition (est. $350-$850). The clock is by Waterbury and the back is marked ‘Cleveland Ohio, The Schneider Trenkamp & Co.’

Toys to watch will include a Captain Marvel tin wind-up car made by the Automatic Toy Company (1947), 4 inches long, with rubber wheels (est. $75-$100); and a Drinking Captain battery-operated toy depicting a ship’s captain holding a bottle of Old Hooch, with a pack of Lucky Strikes laying buy his feet. The box says it emits smoke when he drinks (est. $75-$100),

Holiday offerings will feature a Santa Claus roly-poly toy made circa 1915 by Schoenhut Toys (Philadelphia), 9 ¼ inches tall and showing Santa holding a doll and a horse under each arm (est. $400-$500); a 21-inch tall vintage Christmas feather tree with assorted glass ornaments (est. $75-100); and a group of metal Halloween pumpkins and noise-makers (est. $75-$100).

Fans of petroliana will be treated to lots such as a Pure Oil Tokheim gas pump, model #39, 75 inches tall, partially restored with the top globe light replaced and marked ‘1987’ (est. $800-$1,200); and a Mobil gas pump with cut-out Mobil top, 63 inches tall, very nice and ready for a restoration (est. $450-$700). The top is original and has the word Mobil on front and back.

Dolls will include an unmarked bisque shoulder head doll with kid body and stationary eyes, a beautiful face with closed mouth, 14 inches tall and in good condition but with repair needed to the body (est. $175-$300); and a large, 22-inch Simon & Halbig bisque head doll with composition jointed body, sleep glass eyes and open mouth and original clothes (est. $150-$250).

Steiff bears will feature a Disney Convention “The Sea Bear” teddy bear (#651380), with grey curly mohair and an anchor on the foot, in very good condition (est. 175-$350). Speaking of Disney, one lot of note promises to be a colorful unsigned graphic painting of Mickey Mouse and Pluto, measuring 35 inches by 23 inches and in very good condition (est. $250-$350).

Rounding out a short list of the day’s expected top lots are a Buddy L Express large 24-inch truck with swing-open back doors, in super condition (est. $450-$650); a large 12-inch Parrot cast-iron door stop with “Nekoosa Foundry & Mich Works” impressed on it (est. $175-$225); and an old photo of a group of men holding pictures of the Advance Stove (est. $35-$45).

Previews will be held Thursday and Friday, Oct. 27-28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, the day of sale, from 9-11 a.m. A 15 percent buyer’s premium will be applied to all purchases. Terms will be cash, known checks, and Visa and Master Card. Phone and absentee bids will be accepted. Finney’s gallery is located at 1568 Columbia Turnpike in Schodack, N.Y.

Finney’s Auction Services’ next big sale after this one will be an antique and art auction slated for Saturday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. in the firm’s Schodack showroom. Sold will be several paintings and bronzes (to include a Raoul Larche bronze) from a single-owner collector, along with a super Oriental chinoiserie red lacquer cabinet, a lovely collection of early Flip glass, a Newcomb College rabbit tile, Zuniga bronzes, Oriental porcelains, ivory pieces and much more.
Finney’s Auction Service is a full-service, family-owned and operated business. The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection you may call them at (518) 479-4371 or e-mail them at finneysauction@nycap.rr.com.

To learn more about Finney’s Auction Service and the upcoming auctions, please log on to www.finneysauction.com. Updates are posted frequently.




Very rare Walt Disney Duckster award, dated 1952, bronze on a Bakelite base, 9 inches tall.





Bucks Junior cast-iron #2 salesman's sample toy stove, 19 inches wide by 23 inches tall.




Antique Coca-Cola stand-up store display, saying “Serve Yourself – Please Pay the Clerk.”



Large 22-inch Simon & Halbig bisque head doll with composition jointed body, glass eyes.





Vintage Pure Oil Tokheim model #39 gas pump, 75 inches tall, with replaced top globe light.



Santa Claus Roly Poly toys made by Schoenhut (Philadelphia, circa 1915), 9 ¼ inches tall.