The Marklin 2651 Station from the early 1900s features English language signs, glass windows and includes figures and luggage. It has a $10,000-$15,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Lloyd Ralston Gallery.
SHELTON, Conn. – Lloyd Ralston Gallery’s next auction, the sale of the Robert Willey train collection on Jan. 16, is taking on the buzz of a Broadway premiere. Willey, who died last year at age 88, was a director, actor and theatrical producer. He was married 54 years to actress Helen Wagner, who has played the role of matriarch Nancy Hughes on the daytime TV drama As the World Turns since it debuted in 1956.
LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
Over 40 years Willey assembled an outstanding collection of mostly European trains with an emphasis on Marklin and Bing in HO, O and 1 gauges. The collection also features terrific Bassett-Lowke, Hornby, Elettren and Lionel in O gauge along with Aster and Fine Arts Models.
Three rare Marklin Gauge 1 Rheingold passenger cars are among the most anticipated lots.
“These cars are rare. There are probably less than 10 in the world. They were special order, not listed in the catalog,” said Glenn Ralston, noting that when the cars were made in the late 1930s Germany was shifting production to war materials.
In C8-9 condition, the three cars will sell as one lot with a $25,000-$35,000 estimate.
Another top lot in the auction is a Marklin 2651 Station that is expected to sell for $10,000-$15,000.
“I just learned today that I sold (Willey) this same station in 1998. It came from Ohio where it was on a layout for 30 years,” said Ralston.
The hand-painted tin station was made about 1905 and designed to be lit by candles. It measures 17 inches long by 12 inches deep and 12 1/2 inches high.
Slightly smaller, a Marklin Central Station Model 1941, features a cupola and English signage. This early 1900s station has a $4,000-$5,000 estimate.
Moving to the locomotives, a 2 gauge Bassett-Lowke Highland locomotive and tender is as close to the real deal a collector can get.
“It’s a live steam engine. Just fill it with water and light the alcohol burner at the bottom. Mom’s loved that toy,” said Ralston.
The auction catalog notes some paint flaking on this engine, which has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate.
An O gauge Marklin ME12920 locomotive and tender in hand-painted tin, C7-8, with its original box, has a $5,000-$6,000 estimate. The same model Marklin locomotive and tender is also available in a distinctive gray paint scheme.
An rakish Marklin SK800 locomotive and tender in HO, 16the version, has a $300-$400 estimate, but already has generated a dozen preliminary bids. The original box is included.
Preliminary bidding has been active for a 1 gauge Bing 11/8105/1 locomotive and tender, which is 28 inches long. With distinctive red trim and wheels, this set has a $1,500-$2,000 estimate.
A Marklin 2442 Double Lamp Post of painted cast iron with its original glass shades has an estimate of $2,000-$2,000. The 15-inch-tall lamp dates to 1910 and is designed to be lit with candles.
For details phone 203-924-5804.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Thee of these 1 gauge Rheingold passenger cars by Marklin sold separately in the late 1930s, however, they will be offered as a single lot at auction. They carry a $25,000-$30,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Lloyd Ralston Gallery. Elettren’s 428FS Italian Locomotive is painted brown, the official state color of Italy’s railroad. This 1950s O gauge engine is in C9 condition and has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Lloyd Ralston Gallery. This Bassett-Lowke Highland locomotive and tender is a live steam engine. The early 1900s toy train has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Lloyd Ralston Gallery. Marklin’s 2029 Station was made in the mid-1920s through the early 1930s. The hand-painted tin toy is 18 inches long, by 11 inches deep by 10 /21 inches high. The estimate is $4,000-$5,000.
Fantastic bronze grouping after John Rogers, titled “The Picket Guards” (est. $10,000-$15,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – An important cataloged auction comprising over 700 lots of rare and vintage firearms, Civil War items and other militaria will be held Saturday, Jan, 16, at 11 a.m., by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Internet live bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.
“This auction will feature a fine and diverse collection of items from the Civil War through World War II, as well as many pre-Civil War pieces,” said John Fontaine. “Included will be 300 vintage firearms, a collection of over 300 swords, daggers, bayonets and other edged weapons, plus uniforms, accessories, flags, paintings and prints, letters, ephemera, daguerreotypes, tintypes, books and more.”
The auction will also be the first one to feature a new policy at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery: zero percent consignors’ commission on high-end consignments. “This is our way of thanking our many consignors who have helped make our past auctions so successful, and of insuring that these same folks and others like them with wonderful collections will consign with us in the future,” Fontaine said.
Vintage rifles, pistols, carbines and revolvers will dominate the day’s offerings, but the top lot just may end up being a fantastic bronze grouping after John Rogers, titled “The Picket Guards.” The group shows two Union soldiers dressed in Zouave jackets and armed with muskets. They are centered by a Second Lieutenant armed with a sword. The fine polished gold finish group should hit $10,000-$15,000.
Rifles will be offered up in abundance. Expected top earners include a Colt model 1855 military rifle, .56 caliber and a nice example of a rare Colt (est. $12,000-$15,000); a full-stock Kentucky rifle, 48 caliber, with a beautiful tiger maple stock and 43¾-inch octagonal barrel (est. $3,000-$5,000); and a Remington Zouave rifle with “1863” marked on the barrel and a bright shiny bore (est. $3,000-$4,500).
Other rifles of note include a flintlock full-stock Kentucky rifle with 41¼-inch octagonal barrel, .48 caliber and nice stock (est. $2,000-$4,000); a Remington Zouave percussion rifle, .58 caliber, with 33-inch barrel with 7 grooves (est. $3,000-$4,000); a full-stock flintlock plain Kentucky rifle, .60 caliber (est. $2,500-$3,500); and a 1939 German Mauser model 98 SS Nazi rifle (est. $2,000-$3,000).
Revolvers are also expected to do well. A Colt first model Dragoon revolver with .44 caliber barrel, good bore and matching serial number (#5658) should command $12,000-$16,000. Other stars of the category include a cased Colt model 1851 Navy revolver, .36 caliber, with a great bore (est. $8,000-$10,000); and a Colt single-action Army revolver, .44 caliber, in superior condition (est. $6,000-$7,000).
Additional revolvers will include a Remington new model Navy revolver, conversion to .38 rimfire, marked patented in 1858 and 1863, with a very good bore (est. $3,000-$4,000); a C.R. Alsop Navy model revolver, Civil War-era, .36 caliber, made in Middletown, Conn. (est. $2,500-$3,000); and a Colt model 1860 Army revolver with matching serial numbers that date to 1867 (est. $2,000-$3,000).
Some pistols will be offered as multiple lots. Examples include a wonderful cased pair of D. Egg percussion dueling pistols, British-made 19th-century (est. $4,000-$6,000); a pair of English flintlock pistols by the premier London gun maker Henry Nock (est; $3,000-$5,000); and a unique cased set of Remington rolling block pistols and a genuine Bowie knife – all Civil War-era (est. $3,500-$4,500).
Additional multiple-lot pistols will include an elegant pair of flintlock pistols with 9-inch Damascus barrels that are about .56 caliber, in perfect working order (est. $2,500-$4,500); a cased pair of flintlock dueling pistols, the case engraved with “Jefferson Davis 1861” (est. $2,000-$3,000); and a cased set of percussion pistols with 7-inch round cannon style barrels, .52 caliber (est. $2,000-$3,000).
Single-lot pistols will feature a Colt third model Dragoon, .44 caliber, with the top of the barrel marked “Saml Colt New-York” and the cylinder stamped “W.L. Ormsby” (est. $8,000-$12,000); a unique double-sided leather case concealing a small pinfire gambler’s pistol that fuctions perfectly (est. $3,500-$4,500); and a Remington 1871 Army rolling block pistol, Civil War-era (est. $3,000-$3,500).
Carbines will include a highly unusual Austrian flintlock carbine made in 1842, possibly a factory prototype that never made it to production (est. $3,500-$4,500); and a Triplett & Scott 7-shot repeating carbine with 30-inch barrel and nice bore (est. $2,500-$3,500). Also sold will be a massive Hudson Bay flintlock punt gun, 8 feet long and weighing more than 50 pounds (est. $2,500-$4,000).
Following are additional anticipated top lots from a broad array of categories, all military:
* An exceedingly rare Confederate Bowie knife with black leather belt and cap box, the belt having a copper-colored brass buckle and the knife in a tin with a 9-inch blade (est. $4,000-$6,000).
* A 14th New York Utica Citizen’s Corp Civil War officer’s coat, dark blue, with a row of 9 buttons down the front and large UCC buttons on each side, in excellent condition (est. $2,000-$4,000).
* A pre-World War II (model 1934) light cavalry sword (Poland), with nickel-plated scabbard, brass pommel cap, brass stirrup guard, black wood groove handle and rear finial (est. $2,000-$3,000).
* A muzzle-loading brass signal cannon, small but heavy, with a 22-inch brass barrel, 1.4-inch bore and a breech end of tube marked “Wm. Read & Sons” over “Boston” over “6” (est. $2,000-$3,000).
* A rare Andersonville lithographic print titled “Let us forgive, but not forget” and detailing some of the atrocities committed at Andersonville Prison in the Civil War, framed (est. $2,000-$3,000).
* A Florida state Confederate stars and bars flag, said to have been designed by Nicola Marschall, with seven original stars and an eighth later added, for Virginia in 1861 (est. $2,000-$3,000).
For additional information on any item in the sale, call 413-448-8922 or e-mail info@fontainesauction.com.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet through www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Colt first model Dragoon revolver, .44 caliber, with 7 ½-inch barrel (est. $12,000-$16,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Muzzle loading brass signal cannon with 22-inch barrel and 1.4-inch bore (est. $2,000-$3,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Dark blue 14th New York Utica Citizens Corp officer’s coat from the Civil War (est. $2,000-$4,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Colt model 1855 military rifle, .56 caliber, with 24-inch barrel and good bore (est. $12,000-$15,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Florida state Confederate stars and bars flag, with 8th star added, for Virginia (est. $2,000-$3,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Very rare Confederate Bowie knife with black leather belt and leather cap box (est. $4,000-$6,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Andersonville Prison lithographic print, titled “Let us forgive but not forget” (est. $2,000-$3,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Wonderful pair of D. Egg percussion dueling pistols, .62 caliber, 5 ½-inch barrels (est. $4,000-$6,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Light Cavalry sword from pre-World War II Poland (1934), with scabbard (est. $2,000-$3,000). Image courtesy Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A West Hollywood antique dealer has been charged with selling a phony Picasso for $2 million.
Federal prosecutors said Friday that 69-year-old Tatiana Khan was charged with wire fraud and other crimes. She’s free pending arraignment but could face 45 years in prison if convicted.
A call to her lawyer wasn’t immediately returned.
Prosecutors contend Khan paid an artist $1,000 in 2006 to duplicate a Pablo Picasso pastel called The Woman in the Blue Hat and sold the forgery for $2 million.
The FBI stepped in last year after the buyer had the work examined and learned it was a fake.
On Friday, FBI agents seized a genuine Willem de Kooning painting from Khan. Authorities claim she bought it for $720,000 using proceeds from the Picasso sale.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
KAMUELA, Hawaii (AP) – The Big Island’s fabled Parker Ranch is reducing public access to its historic properties and rare art because of the slow economy, a ranch spokeswoman said.
The Mana Hale and Puuopelu historic homes are no longer open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays. Puuopelu, the former home of the ranch’s last owner, Richard Smart, houses a rare collection of art from around the world.
The move is part of an ongoing effort by the foundation that owns Parker Ranch to cut costs after $18 million in operational losses in 2008.
“Parker Ranch is still exploring opportunities to be able to open the home on a more regular basis. We are all very passionate about the history of Parker Ranch,” Diane Quitiquit said. “It’s just a great honor to share that with visitors and our community.”
The houses will be available to tour during the Feb. 6 Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival, and there will be 10 dates before then during which the homes will be opened for private groups.
But beyond that, what will be done with the properties hasn’t been undetermined, Quitiquit said. And the fate of the artwork, antiques and memorabilia housed in the buildings is also up in the air, she said.
“There are no plans to move any of the Hawaiian artifacts in the Mana Hale house,” Quitiquit said. “Although there have been some changes, there hasn’t been a long-term decision made.”
While the home tours are no longer available, the ranch will continue to offer horseback riding tours, ATV tours and hunting excursions, she said.
Founded on the Big Island more than 160 years ago, Parker Ranch is one of the largest ranches in the nation.
Last year, Parker Ranch offered to sell 3,509 acres of North Kohala property for a reported $50 million. That sale to an undisclosed buyer is expected to close later this year.
The ranch also sold its realty division in November.
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Information from: Hawaii Tribune-Herald,
http://www.hilohawaiitribune.com
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Herbie, acclaimed as New England’s oldest and tallest elm tree, stands at the corner of East Main Street and Yankee Drive in Yarmouth, Maine. This photo was taken before its spread was reduced in 2008. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.YARMOUTH, Maine (AP) – The massive elm tree that shaded the corner of East Main Street and Yankee Drive was sick. Like so many others in so many of America’s towns in the 1950s, it was stricken with Dutch elm disease.
Tree warden Frank Knight was so smitten with the tree that he couldn’t bear to cut it down. After all, it had been standing sentinel in this New England village since before the American Revolution.
Over the next half-century, Knight carefully nursed the tree, spraying for pests and pruning away the dreaded fungus, even as the town’s other elms died by the dozens. As he succeeded, the stately tree’s branches reached 110 feet skyward, its leaves rustling in summer breezes off the Royal River and its heavy limbs shouldering winter snowfalls.
The tree, nicknamed Herbie and acclaimed as the tallest and oldest elm in New England, survived 14 bouts of Dutch elm disease in all, thanks to Knight’s devotion.
Now the disease ravages again and Herbie is too weak to fight back. Knight, now 101, said there’s nothing else he can do to save the tree he’s watched over for five decades.
“He’s an old friend,” Knight said, speaking with passion while gazing up at the tree just before Christmas. “I love that tree. There’s no question. And I feel so proud that we kept him for so long.”
Herbie, estimated to be about 240 years old, will be cut down Jan. 18. Knight, consulted by tree experts who made the decision, is resigned that the end has come.
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American elms are as old as the nation itself.
In colonial Boston, the Sons of Liberty met under an American elm tree dubbed the Liberty Tree until it was cut down in 1775 by British loyalists. Eventually, American elms became the nation’s most popular shade tree, their seeds carried westward by settlers.
The trees lined streets in towns from coast to coast.
But all that changed with startling speed because of the Dutch elm fungus, spread by bark beetles, beginning in Ohio in the 1930s. Once afflicted, elms faced a swift and an all-but-certain death. Diseased trees were quickly eliminated to save surrounding trees.
As Dutch elm arrived in Yarmouth in 1956, Knight was already middle-aged – married and with a son, running a logging business – when he was named tree warden.
Saving Yarmouth’s elms was an impossible task.
Because elms had been planted in rows along streets, and because their roots became intertwined, one diseased tree could quickly infect its neighbors through their roots, taking out a block of trees in a matter of weeks, said Bill Livingston, a professor at the University of Maine.
Urban trees were hit the hardest. In Yarmouth, for example, there were more than 700 elms before the disease swept through. Now a dozen of those original trees remain.
The disease forever changed the looks of Main Street USA, claiming an estimated 100 million trees, all told.
“These trees grew so fast and so tall that their branches would reach across the street where basically it became a tunnel,” Livingston said. “When the disease came in, it eliminated all of the trees and created a completely different setting – from a shaded urban landscape into a clear-cut landscape.”
In the early days, the pesticide DDT was used to kill the bark beetles. Later, fungicides injected directly into the trees’ roots had some success. Still, trees continued to die.
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Knight quickly learned he couldn’t save all the elms, so he focused his efforts on one special tree.
Its trunk was straight, and its limbs reached so far toward the heavens that its proud canopy, 120 feet wide, could be seen from miles away.
“He was such a beautiful tree. That’s why I wouldn’t cut it,” said Knight, resting at home in his favorite chair, family photos on the wall and two clocks ticking away the time.
He instructed a crew to selectively prune away the damaged limbs. Over time, as the other elms succumbed, this tree somehow survived. And Knight’s devotion grew.
Knight checked on it weekly, sometimes daily. His wife, Fran, didn’t mind sharing his affection.
“My wife said, ‘If that tree’s name was Suzy, I’d be real jealous.’ But she loved Herbie as much as I did,” said Knight.
Donna Felker, who grew up in the house that shares Herbie’s shade, is credited with naming him. One girlhood summer, woodcutters preparing to trim away more diseased limbs encountered Felker and her friends.
“‘What are you going to do to Herbie? You can’t cut Herbie,'” she recalled her friends’ protesting.
Felker, now 68, remembers that the tree was a giant, even back then – so big that her parents feared that if might take out their house if it fell. But it would have cost too much to cut him down, so Herbie prevailed.
Over time, Herbie became a celebrity, nearly as famous for his ability to survive Dutch elm disease as for his massive height and canopy. Local schoolchildren learned about Herbie. Tree lovers from the world over came to see him or have their picture taken with him, Felker said.
Knight remembers the time police checked out a gathering of young women around Herbie. They were trying to see how many people it would take to give his more than 20-foot circumference a hug.
“We used to say it took a family of five to hug Herbie. If you held hands around that trunk, and I’ve done it, that’s what it took,” said John Hansel, founder of the Elm Research Institute in Keene, N.H.
A tree the size of Herbie doesn’t come down with a single cut and a shout of “Timber!”
Since Herbie’s trunk alone weighs about 10 tons, a crane will assist as he’s carefully dissected, one massive limb at a time, said Ted Armstrong, arborist with Whitney Tree Service, which is handling the job. After he’s cut down, Herbie’s true age will be revealed once the rings are counted at his base.
Herbie won’t be hauled to the woodpile.
Instead, his remains will be kiln-dried in a mill. He’ll eventually be transformed into salad bowls, Christmas ornaments and furniture. The total cost of his removal will be about $20,000.
A committee overseen by the new tree warden, Deb Hopkins, has been deciding how to divvy up Herbie’s remains. Some of the wood will go to local artisans. Some will be auctioned, with part of the proceeds going to the town tree trust. Eventually, Hopkins hopes to build the tree fund to $200,000, with some being used to plant disease-resistant elms.
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Now, during the dark days of winter, Knight and Herbie face their mortality together.
“His time has come,” Knight said. “And mine is about due, too.”
Knight, who uses a walker, jokes that his secret to a long life is raw spinach and beer, which he has each day for lunch. He rides a stationary bike for a mile each day, as well. He admits that he doesn’t understand his own longevity any more than he understands Herbie’s. Knight’s father died when he was 3, his mother when he was 4. His wife died 15 years ago from cancer.
As the years passed, Knight thought for sure he’d be outlived by Herbie.
But he’s made his peace with his old friend’s fate.
“Nothing is forever. I don’t want anybody to grieve when I go,” he said. “Just be glad I could do what I did while I was here.”
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On the Net:
The Herbie Project: http://tinyurl.com/yg9d3qm
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This vinyl Japanese toy was made by Bullmark in 1974. It is in rare
One of the newer collectibles to be found at auctions are Japanese monster toys made in the 1960s and 1970s. Morphy of Denver, Pa., included about 50 of the Japanese kaiju (“strange beast”) toys in a recent auction. These toys sell by the millions in Japan to boys, girls and adults. They are based on old monster movies and TV shows. Bullmark (1969-1977), a Japanese company, was the most famous manufacturer of these toys. The soft-vinyl toys were made in the early 1970s. The toys were made in sizes from 3 inches to more than 12 inches. Some were repainted to sell in Hawaii, and these brightly colored versions are rare and desirable. Later, in the 1970s, some monster toys came with metal parts, and still later some were die-cast. Watch some old “creature features” to learn about the monsters. The toys have been “invading” the United States, and their popularity and prices are rising
Q: My rolltop desk has a metal plaque on the inside that reads “Boston Derby Desk.” I bought it from a retired Cleveland banker after World War II. What can you tell me about its manufacturer, age and value?
A: George H. Derby opened a small furniture company in Boston in 1872. By 1879 he was producing rolltop desks. A partner joined him the following year, and his business became Derby and Kilmer Desk Co., then Derby, Kilmer and Pond Desk Co. In the mid-1890s, the firm was incorporated as the Derby Desk Co. Its headquarters were in Boston, but it had a large factory in Somerville, Mass., just outside of Boston. The company expanded across the country until it was bought by another firm in 1931. Derby rolltop desks sell for a few hundred dollars into the low thousands, depending on style and condition.
Q: While we were at the National Pike Festival in Maryland last May, my son found a blackened metal tray in a box of junk. Please help us identify it. It’s 10 by 14 inches, with a twisted edge. We cleaned it and found it has a mirrorlike silvery surface. The marks on the bottom include “Farmers Bldg. Rest.” and “GM Co., EP” surrounding an anchor within a shield.
A: Your tray is silver plate and was made by the Gorham Manufacturing Co. (GM Co.) of Providence, R.I. The “EP” mark indicates that the tray is electroplated. Gorham must have made it to order for a restaurant (Farmers Building Restaurant?). The anchor-in-shield mark was one of several that Gorham used on its silver-plated pieces. Gorham’s corporate name was Gorham Manufacturing Co. from 1865 to 1961, when it became Gorham Corp.
Q: My grandmother left me her triangular fabric handkerchief holder. I know it predates the 1950s, but I don’t know by how much. It’s decorated in the corners and across the top with complex flower shapes made out of ribbon. Does that help date it?
A: The flowers are “ribbonwork,” a women’s craft that was popular in the United States from about 1900 through the 1920s. That doesn’t mean some women weren’t doing it later. Ribbonwork also is called “ribbon craft” or “ribbonry.” It involves folding fabric ribbon into floral or other shapes and placing them on something else — a dress, coat, jacket, hat or even a handkerchief holder.
Q: I found an old political campaign button with the photos of two candidates identified as “McKinley” and “Clough.” I know Clough was the governor of Minnesota at the time McKinley first ran for president in 1896, but why is Clough on the button? Was he making a bid to be the vice-presidential nominee? The edge of the 7/8-inch button is marked “National Game and Novelty Co., St. Paul, Minn.” There are also two dates, 1894 and 1896. Any ideas about why this button was created and what it might be worth?
A: Political buttons that picture two candidates are called “jugates.” Your jugate is what collectors of political items call a “coattail” button — one that promotes a local candidate by linking him or her with a more famous national candidate. David Marston Clough (1846-1924) was running for re-election as governor of Minnesota in 1896, the same year William McKinley (1943-1901) was running for his first term as president. Coattail buttons are still common today. Your button sells for $15-$20.
Tip: A good way to remove rings and stains from a white marble top is to mix TSP (trisodium phosphate, available at paint and hardware stores), water and scouring powder. Rub on the spots. Too much rubbing may remove some of the polish, so be careful.
Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or e-mail addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, Auction Central News, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.
Need more information about collectibles? Find it at Kovels.com, our Web site for collectors. Check prices there, too. More than 700,000 are listed and viewing them is free. You can also sign up to read our weekly Kovels Komments. It includes the latest news, tips and questions and is delivered by e-mail, free, if you register. Kovels.com offers extra collector’s information and lists of publications, clubs, appraisers, auction houses, people who sell parts or repair antiques and much more. You can subscribe to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, our monthly newsletter filled with prices, facts and color photos. Kovels.com adds to the information in our newspaper column and helps you find useful sources needed by collectors.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
Baseball pen and pencil set, miniature wooden bat shape, facsimile signature of Bill Dickey, Atlantic Oil Co. premium, 1930s, 6 3/4 inches, $145.
Toy copper airplane, windup, Marx, U.S.A., 18-inch wingspan, $225.
Hooked rug, fireplace scene, spinning wheel, rifle over mantel, black kettle, beige ground, black border, 1930, 38 x 56 inches, $285.
Effanbee Anne Shirley doll, sleep eyes, real eyelashes, human-hair wig, red-and-white check dress, brass barrette, marked, 1935, 22 inches, $400.
Kay Finch mermaid fountain, balancing conch shell on her head, holding small fish, circa 1947, 30 7/8 inches, $945.
Victorian baby buggy, wooden frame, iron fittings, adjustable leather and silk sunshade, $950.
Georgian settee, mahogany, double back, shaped crest, pierced splats with iron bracing, slip seat, square legs, brocade upholstery, circa 1785, 65 inches, $1,530.
Lalique Niobe (queen of Thebes) perfume bottle, for Violet Perfume Co., clear and frosted, shoulder design of birds on branches with blue patina, mark, circa 1919, 4 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches, $3,120.
Martin Brothers stoneware vase, three animated dragons in cobalt, brown and ivory, incised mark, 1898, 6 x 4 1/2 inches, $3,240.
Kovels’ American Antiques, 1750-1900 by Ralph and Terry Kovel is the book that introduces you to the collected antiques from past centuries. Learn about American antiques, from art pottery and old advertising signs to rare silver. Written to help you recognize and evaluate the valuable items of Great-Grandma’s day. Hundreds of color photographs, marks, makers, dates, factory histories and more. Chapters on pottery, glass, furniture, silver, advertising collectibles, prints, jewelry, pewter, tools and ephemera. An easy-to-use book with current information. Available at your bookstore; online at Kovels.com; by phone at 800-571-1555; or send $24.95 plus $4.95 postage to Kovels, Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122.
Click here to view Lloyd Ralston Gallery’s complete catalog.
