Pook & Pook's first Period Furniture, Fine Art & Accessories Auction of the fall will include 985 lots featuring several estates and museum collections. Friday night starts with the collection of Robert Merritt Jr. Bob Merritt passed away in December of 2011. A second generation antiques dealer for over 50 years, Bob was the co-owner of Merritt's Antiques in Amity Township, PA. Many will remember the sprawling emporium with up to 44 employees that Bob and his son Rick operated. Until 2006 this ?antique mall? was one of the largest antique businesses in America. Over the years, Bob acquired his own personal collection of paintings, furniture and accessories which we are now offering. Some highlights of the Merritt collection include paintings by local artists Ben Austrian, Charles Hofmann, Frederick Spang, J. Randolph Rowe, Francis Devlan, Christopher Shearer, and Edward Redfield, as well as several Pennsylvania tall case clocks, a multitude of stoneware, painted furniture, etc. Friday's sale continues with a group of fine art to include over 90 paintings. Saturday will start off with a bang with a collection of 134 firearms from a Chester County, PA resident including guns by Purdey, Martin, Holland & Holland, Grant, Rigby, Turner, Dickson, and Atkin. A selection of objects sold with the approval of the trustees of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to benefit the acquisition funds will be offered on Saturday followed by items from the Heritage Center of Lancaster County. Little ?surprises? are interspersed throughout the sale including a walnut slab table by George Nakashima, Chincoteague, VA decoys, a Chester County Chandlee tall case clock, giltwood mirrors, Chinese export, porcelains, a Dutch illuminated manuscript, a gold baby rattle, a Tiffany lamp, etc. The sale ends with estate of Joan B. Lehner, a legendary New Jersey collector and dealer for over 40 years, whose eclectic variety of items includes weathervanes, toys, painted furniture, etc.