November 11, 2013 - Auction Central News

Diverse gift items at Tim’s Inc. online only auction Nov. 17

Auctioneer Tim Chapulis is dwarfed by a monumental marble-top hall tree standing 9 1/2 feet tall. Tim’s Inc. image.

BRISTOL, Conn. – An online-only auction totaling more than 500 lots in a wide array of categories will be held in the annual Fall Extravaganza Estates Auction on Sunday, Nov. 17, by Tim’s Inc. Auctions. The auction will start promptly at 12 noon Eastern. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

“This auction will appeal to a lot of people for a lot of reasons, that’s how diverse the merchandise mix is,” said Tim Chapulis of Tim’s Inc. Auctions, “and it couldn’t come at a better time. Holiday season is right around the corner, and so much of what’s being offered would be perfect for gift-giving. Homeowners, collectors and retailers alike will discover a trove of opportunities, a truly great selection.”

Offered will be marvelous pieces of Victorian carved and marble-top furniture, hundreds of silver and gold coins, a single-owner collection of sporting items dubbed “The Rustic Collection,” fine estate jewelry, fine art with ornate gold gilt frames, 25 antique estate carpets, great antique clocks and more.

Lots expected to draw special attention will include a one-owner 1990 IROC-Z Chevrolet Camaro with 9,315 original miles on the odometer; a Bulgari 18K gold and diamond bracelet with ancient coin; two Japanese World War II swords from the lifetime collection of Daniel Pagano, one long and one short; and a monumental Victorian breakfront attributed to John Jelliff.

The blue 1990 IROC-Z Chevrolet Camaro was pampered from the day the owner bought it new until his recent death. The many upgrades include alloy aluminum rims that cost $1,000 each, B.F. Goodrich 20-inch tires, an Alpine sound system and numerous improvements to the 5.7-litre V-8 engine, to include Edlebrock headers and an after-market power chip upgrade.

The Bulgari gold and diamond bracelet with ancient coin at the center (Sicily Syracuse, circa 310-304 B.C.) was appraised in 2005 at $11,500. The certificate from that appraisal will be included with the lot. This bracelet is no longer being made by Bulgari, a name synonymous with fine jewelry pieces worldwide.

The long and short Japanese swords from World War II are expected to draw interest from serious collectors of militaria. The long sword should generate more excitement because it has a signature on the handle, by the maker, in Japanese. Both swords come from Pagano’s “Rustic Collection” of mostly sporting items. Pagano, 67, is a sporting enthusiast from Katonah, N.Y. His collection also features vintage and antique watches, to include one by Bueche Girod.

The centerpiece of “The Rustic Collection” might very well be a fishing pole reported to have been made for baseball great Babe Ruth, with a brass tag that reads “B. Ruth.” So the story goes, the legendary Bambino took ill and couldn’t accept the pole and it eventually found its way into Pagano’s collection.

“The Rustic Collection” will also feature antique flintlock pistols, hunting knives, some fabulous mounts, duck decoys, prize trophies, a crossbow, a Western saddle, a bearskin rug, a bear-mounted head and carved bear-themed benches. “People need to understand the importance of Mr. Pagano’s collections being released to the public,” Tim Chapulis said. “These are very fine items.”

The furniture piece attributed to the master New York wood craftsman John Jelliff is a gorgeous triple three-door burl walnut Victorian breakfront with a bust of Jenny Lind at the top, in 10 pieces. The piece is impressive, measuring 107 inches tall to the crest. It’s all original, with original keys, adjustable shelves, finials, wood and glass.

The furniture selection will also feature an extraordinary marble-top parlor table attributed to Thomas Brooks in walnut, with 20-inch-tall carved griffins adorning a base ending in huge claw feet; many other marble-top tables; two Hitchcock dining room sets; and a huge marble-top hall tree, 9 1/2 feet tall by 56 inches wide, that came from a prominent railroad station.

Another exceptional piece of furniture is a heavily and beautifully carved oak marble-top sideboard attributed to R.J. Horner, purchased by the family some years ago for $7,000. The marble top is fully an inch thick and the piece has a crest flanked by two winged griffins and a large mirror in the middle, also with griffins on each side.

The hundreds of gold and silver coins set to cross the block will include a pair of U.S. gold $20 Liberty gold coins (one from 1898, one from 1899 and one from 1903); over 100 U.S. silver dollars; more than 300 U.S. silver dimes (to be sold as a single lot); and as many as 300 or more Mexican silver pesos from a single collection that will be sold as one huge numismatic lot.

The fine selection of antique clocks and timepieces will include a rare Silas Hoadley pillar and splat clock (similar to a pillar and scroll clock only with a wood splat top), all original, with original woodworks, made circa 1810-1830; and a stunning Willard weight-driven banjo clock with a horse on the lower glass and beautiful finial on the top, in excellent condition.

There is also an antique musical instrument in the auction: a viola da gamba, which is larger that a violin but smaller than a cello. The instrument, believed to be rare and valuable, is fully labeled on the inside by its German manufacturer and is made of wood, possibly maple. At the top is a fully carved lion’s head, adding an ornate touch to a fine piece.

“I encourage everyone to go online and bid on these fabulous items,” Chapulis said, adding with a chuckle, “Where else can a guy buy Babe Ruth’s fishing pole for himself, a Bulgari 18K gold bracelet for his wife and drive them both home in a like-new 1990 IROC-Z Chevrolet Camaro? Nowhere!”

Winning bidders will be asked to make a suggested $10 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in memory of Peter W. Chapulis, Tim’s late father, although anyone can donate. “The outpour of support for this effort has been tremendous,” Tim said. “Many people have given more than we asked. To date we’ve raised $56,885 for this very worthwhile charity.”

To consign an item, an estate or collection call Tim Chapulis at 860-459-0964, or send him an e-mail at tims.inc@snet.net.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Bulgari 18K gold and diamond bracelet with an ancient coin at the center, appraised for $11,500 in 2005. Tim’s Inc. image.

One-owner 1990 IROC-Z Chevrolet Camaro in like-new condition, with 9,315 original miles on the odometer. Tim’s Inc. image.

Beautifully and heavily carved oak marble-top sideboard attributed to R.J. Horner. Tim’s Inc. image.

Auctioneer Tim Chapulis (left) and collector Daniel Pagano hold a fishing rod believed made for Babe Ruth. Tim’s Inc. image.

Gorgeous triple three-door burl walnut Victorian breakfront, or bookcase, attributed to John Jelliff. Tim’s Inc. image.

Auctioneer Tim Chapulis holds an antique viola de gamba, a musical instrument larger than a violin but smaller than a cello. Tim’s Inc. image.

Big, bold graphics dominated Palm Beach Modern’s Nov. 2 sale

George Snyder (b. 1951-) abstract optical painting measuring 67.5 inches square, titled ‘Lush Life,’ $5,100. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The nearly 900 bidders participating in Palm Beach Modern Auctions’ lively November 2nd sale — including 404 through LiveAuctioneers — sent an emphatic message about both the present and the future, said company auctioneer Rico Baca.

“Not only did our auction results confirm which categories are currently on the move in the marketplace, they also revealed the type of format we should follow with our first sale of the winter season going forward. The combination of art, sculptures and sculptural design was a definite winner. It had a nice flow, and bidders liked the mix,” Baca said.

The Palm Beach area – and south Florida in general – is a perennial haven for those seeking shelter from frigid northern winters. “But only a percentage of our regular bidders who spend the winter months here arrive before Thanksgiving,” Baca explained, “so determining the types of art to include in our November opener has always been a bit challenging. Our first sale of the season typically attracts bidders who are full-time residents of the area but whose tastes we may not yet know. And, of course, we always have to consider the preferences of collectors around the world – whether established or new customers – who bid in our sales online, by phone or absentee. We watch the buying patterns in our first winter auction very closely.”

Prices realized in the 303-lot Nov. 2 auction – which was 85% sold by lot – confirmed that bidders want “large, bold graphics that fill up a wall,” Baca said. The top lot of the sale was a prime case in point: a monumental work by one of the street-art movement’s recognized pioneers, San Francisco’s Barry McGee (b. 1966-). Measuring 85.5 by 105 inches and painted on US Army surplus canvas, the 1990s artwork had been described by Baca prior to the sale as “a quintessential example of a new movement – a sort of neo folk art that looks a lot like the hobo art seen on trains that run between San Francisco and Canada.”

The McGee sold within its estimate range for $52,800 (all prices inclusive of 20% buyer’s premium) and is now bound for Australia. “This was yet another confirmation that street art is viewed as a legitimate art category worldwide; it’s not just an American phenomenon,” Baca said. The new owner of the McGee was a first-time buyer for the auction house. As for the consignor, Baca said they were “ecstatic…They never would have given it up if they had had a wall large enough to accommodate it.”

Original abstract artworks put in a strong performance at the auction. A wall-filling George Snyder (b. 1951-) abstract optical painting measuring 67.5 inches square, titled “Lush Life,” more than doubled its high estimate at $5,100. A compelling abstract expressionist work by Johannes Lacher (German, b. 1940-) with a 1972 exhibition label on verso from The Society of the Four Arts, also doubled expectations, selling to a Canadian buyer for $2,700.

During the auction, Donald Roller Wilson’s (American, b. 1938-) signed and dated 1966 portrait of Cookie the orangutan in a rose-colored party dress was displayed at the main entrance, above one of the desks where auction-day inquiries and phone line requests are handled. “It made people smile, and we had a lot of fun with it. I think there was a lot of curiosity about the painting and how much it might sell for,” Baca said.

Donald Wilson’s style is unmistakable, and although classified as “lowbrow,” it has a sophistication all its own. “The New York Times has called it ‘goofy, hallucinogenic, high-quality kitsch,’” Baca said. “There are many collectors for this type of art, and this artist, in particular.”

Estimated at $10,000-$15,000, Wilson’s simian portrait titled “She Had Seen It” knocked down $22,800, going to a California bidder. The robust selling price prompted Baca to joke with the consignor afterwards, “Bring us more monkeys!”

Major galleries were among the bidders pursuing five abstract sculptures that came to Palm Beach Modern Auctions directly from the estate of sculptor Larry Mohr (American, 1921-2013). His 32-inch stainless steel sculpture “Orbits VI,” 2/8, artist signed, had been part of an important Mohr exhibition at the Georgia Museum of Art. It sold for $3,480.

There was consistent interest in editions, Baca said. Five phone lines were in use for Lot 49, a 72.25 by 136.5in Gene Davis (American, 1920-1985) lithograph, 128/150, dated 1974. It had generated more presale inquiries than any other lot in the auction and easily reached $9,000. Lot 81, Robert Silvers’ (American, b. 1968-) photomosaic of Marilyn Monroe composed entirely of Life Magazine covers, was numbered 9 of an edition of 10, and came with a COA from Fabien Fryns Gallery. It commanded $6,000 at auction. Silvers’ original of the artwork, appropriately titled “Life,” had been the actual cover art for the October 1996 issue of Life Magazine.

Another popular entry was a Larry Rivers’ (American, 1923-2002) artist-signed 1968 mixed-media cigar-box sculpture titled “Dutch Masters.” It exceeded presale expectations at $6,600.

Palm Beach Modern Auctions is known for its sales of modern furniture. The November 2nd auction catered to those who prefer pieces by “name” designers, Baca said. Top lots in the category included a 1960s Philip Laverne (American, 1908-1988) and Kelvin Laverne (American, b. 1936-) “Chan” metal coffee table with Asian-palace motif, $6,600; and a fine Paul Evans (American, 1931-1987) occasional table of mixed metals and slate, $7,800. Four phone lines were buzzing over Lot 188, a pair of 1987 Piero Fornasetti (Italian, 1930-1988) wood and metal trompe l’oeil chairs, which made $6,600.

Palm Beach Modern Auctions will conduct an Art, Decorative Arts & Modern Design sale on Sat., Nov. 30, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers. Inquiries: tel. 561-586-5500, email info@modernauctions.com.

View the catalog from PBMA’s Nov. 2 auction, complete with prices realized, at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/46267_modern-art-decorative-artssculptural-design/page1.

View the fully illustrated catalog for PBMA’s Nov. 30 auction and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/47498_fine-art-decorative-arts-and-modern-design/page1.

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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Giampaolo Seguso (Italian, b. 1942-) ‘Elisse’ Murano vase, 63/99, 13.75in, dated 1993, La Galleria dei 99 collection. Book example, Seguso COA. $1,800. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

(Estate of) Larry Mohr (American, 1921-2013), 32-inch stainless steel sculpture ‘Orbits VI,’ 2/8, artist signed, $3,480. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image

Gene Davis (American, 1920-1985), lithograph triptych, 72¼in x 136½ in, signed, dated 1974, $9,000. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

Donald Roller Wilson (American, b. 1938-), ‘She Had Seen It,’ painting on canvas, 10½ in x 8½ in, dated 1996, AW Massey Fine Art label on verso, $22,800. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

Robert Silvers (American, b. 1968) photomosaic of Marilyn Monroe composed of Life Magazine covers, numbered 9/10, with COA from Fabien Fryns Gallery, $6,000. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

Larry Rivers (American, 1923-2002), ‘Dutch Masters,’ cigar box mixed-media sculpture, dated 1968, $6,600. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

Barry McGee (American, b. 1966-), monumental artwork on dropcloth canvas, 85½in high by 105in wide, $52,800. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-2011), ‘Spoleto,’ screen-print on Arches paper, artist’s proof 8/10 of an edition of 100, signed, $3,000. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image.

Remington bronze may top $800,000 at Heritage sale Nov. 14

Frederic Remington (American, 1861-1909), ‘The Outlaw #5,’ bronze with dark brown patina, 23-1/4 x 14 x 8 inches, numbered no. 5 beneath the base, inscribed on base: ‘Copyrighted / Frederic Remington,’ foundry mark on base: ‘Roman Bronze Works,’ copyrighted May 3, 1906. Estimate: $800,000-$1.2 million. Heritage Auctions image.

DALLAS – Frederick Remington’s The Outlaw No. 5, an important lifetime casting and cornerstone of frontier art and sculpture, is estimated to bring $800,000 in Heritage Auctions’ Nov. 14 Western and California Art Signature® Auction. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Considered one of Remington’s most dynamic sculptures, the bronze highlights more than 130 lots of fine art by Thomas Hill, Carl Rungius, Edgar Payne, Leon Gaspard, Guy Rose, Birger Sandzén, William Robinson Leigh, and G. Harvey.

With just 15 original casts produced during Remington’s lifetime, The Outlaw No. 5 reflects the artist’s obsessive attention to detail and fervent passion for the American cowboy. The cast appearing at Heritage is numbered “No. 5” beneath the base with foundry marks identifying the work as being made by Roman Bronze Works, New York. A sizeable portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Outlaw No. 5 will support an Arizona scholarship fund.

“The foundry’s ledger entry, which documented payment received, has overshadowed the history of this important lifetime casting of one of Remington’s rarest subject matters,” said Kirsty Buchanan, associate director of Western art at Heritage. “We are indebted to Mr. Michael Greenbaum and Mr. Thomas Smith (of the Denver Art Museum) for their assistance in identifying this casting as a lifetime work of Frederic Remington.”

The sculpture highlights a far-reaching treasury of art celebrating the last American frontier starting with Out to Sea, Point Lobos by Rose, which could sell for more than $200,000 and Elk by Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius, which is expected to bring $60,000-plus.

Siberian Girl (No. 14) was discovered during a Heritage Appraisal Days event after it had spent much of the 20th century in a gloomy Chicago basement. The owner declared no one in the family liked the painting and it nearly ended up in the trash before Heritage’s experts identified it as a work by Leon Gaspard, a Russian-born artist and one of the greatest portraitists of the modern era. The painting is expected to sell for more than $20,000.

A watercolor by William Robinson Leigh titled The Mesa Trail, are both conservatively estimated to bring $10,000-plus and Henry Herman Cross’s portrait of Rain in the Face, Sioux Chief, the Native American credited with killing Gen. George Custer, is expected to sell for more than $8,000.

The auction offers a seamless transition between Western Art and California Art in works such as Yosemite, 1889 by Thomas Hill. “The work is one of Hill’s iconic representations of Yosemite as an untouchable and majestic force that no human being could ever rival,” said Alissa Ford, director of California art at Heritage. The 24-by-16-inch oil on canvas is expected to bring more than $30,000.

“Plein Air collectors want images that capture the untouched beauty of the Western landscape and the intensity of the atmosphere,” she said, singling out Cathedral Point, Utah by Franz A Bischoff crossing the block with a $40,000-plus estimate. “At 30 by 40 inches, this work offers all of the premier qualities of a well-done landscape. Cathedral Point stands bold while cumulous clouds drift above a meandering river that flows through the rugged cliffs of Utah. It is among the most vibrant and stunning of Bischoff’s plein air work and truly displays his talents as a California and Western impressionist.”

In addition, Millard Sheets’ West Coast of Japan near Izumi is expected to bring $6,000-plus and Edwin Deakin’s historically significant work Fort Point, San Francisco, 1876 may fetch $4,000-plus.

Additional highlights include but are not limited by:

Sunset on the Foothills (Pasadena) by Edgar Alwin Payne. Estimate: $30,000-plus;
Indian on Horseback by Charles Marion Russell. Estimate: $30,000-plus;
In the Mountains, Colorado (Rocky Mountain National Park) by Birger Sandzén. Estimate: $30,000-plus;
The Gift by G. Harvey. Estimate: $30,000-plus.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Guy Rose (American, 1867-1925), ‘Out to Sea, Point Lobos,’ oil on canvas. Estimate: $200,000-$300,000. Heritage Auctions image.

Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius (American, 1869-1959), ‘Elk,’ 1906, oil on canvas. Estimate: $60,000-$80,000. Heritage Auctions image.

LEON GASPARD (Russian/American, 1882-1964), ‘Siberian Girl (No. 14),’ 1922, oil on silk laid on board. Estimate: $20,000-$40,000. Heritage Auctions image.

William Robinson Leigh (American, 1866-1955), ‘The Mesa Trail,’ 1950, watercolor with gum arabic on paper laid on canvas. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. Heritage Auctions image.

Henry Herman Cross (American, 1837-1918), ‘Rain in the Face, Sioux Chief,’ 1892, oil on canvas accompanied by a letter and a personal note from the artist to the original owner. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000. Heritage Auctions image.

Pepsin Gum dispenser finds good fortune at Showtime auction

One-cent Pepsin Gum dispenser— ‘And Your Fortune'— coin-op machine, which sold for $57,000. Showtime Auction Services image.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A rare antique Pepsin Gum embossed tin dispenser, coin-operated to accept 1 cent for both gum and a fortune, sold for $57,000 at an auction held Oct. 4-6 by Showtime Auction Services at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor. The dispenser was the top lot in a sale that grossed $1 million.

“This was by far the best collection of antique advertising we’ve ever had the privilege of selling,” said Mike Eckles of Showtime Auction Services, Woodhaven, Mich. “The headliner was the lifetime collection of Don and Diane Sayrizi, collectors in many categories, especially antique advertising, plus items from over 100 other advanced collectors.”

Around 1,800 lots crossed the auction block over the course of the three days, with about 275 people attending the event in person and more than 2,000 bidders participating online, including those bidding via LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids totaled more than 500 combined. “It was a successful sale by any measure,” Eckles said.

The Pepsin Gum tin dispenser was in good condition, with a key, and was desirable for its rare tin litho fortune teller—a surefire conversation starter. The auction’s second top lot was a salesman’s sample tobacco humidor store showcase, made by Whitcomb Cabinet Co., Kansas City, Mo. Detailed with beveled mirrors and glass, galvanized steel-lined drawers, a copper base with vents, richly detailed wood carved base and carrying case, the lot fetched $36,000.

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

A mid-19th century E.R. Durkee & Co. Salad Dressing etched glass window, attributed to the Dorflinger Glass Co., White Mills, Pa., 20 inches by 24 inches, in excellent shape, garnered $27,000; and a Coca-Cola salesman’s sample glass cock cooler with original opener, cap catcher and sample cases of bottles, with just some minor rubs and scratches, made $18,000.

A rare Red Crown Gasoline and Polarine self-framed beveled edge tin-over-cardboard sign, copyright 1913, Standard Oil Co., depicting lazy drivers and measuring 19 1/4 inches by 27 1/2 inches, in overall very good condition, garnered $15,960; and a gorgeous Regina coin-operated disc changer, serial #45766, 33 1/2 inches by 69 inches, rose to $10,800.

A Winchester Repeating Arms advertising clock (“Big Game Rifles and Ammunition”) made by the Baird Clock Co., with pendulum and key, with some age stains to the face but in otherwise good condition, commanded $9,300; and a rare Musgo gas globe (“Michigan’s Mile Maker”), with an American Indian image painted on milk glass, 15 inches in diameter, hit $9,000.

A professionally restored, 72-inch-long 1926 Gendron Packard pedal car with running board step plate, cowl lights, running board mounted spotlight, dual fender well spares and dramatic opening rumble seat, sped away for $8,265, and a scarce Gendron Stutz Roadster pressed steel pull toy with a Packard hood ornament, 18 inches long, earned $7,410.

Two lots posted identical selling prices of $7,200. One was a 19-inch-by-25-inch Prince Albert tin sign depicting Chief Joseph, Nez Perce, compliments of R.J. Reynolds Co. and made by American Art Works, Coshocton, Ohio. The other was a Peerless Shoe Repair outdoor trade sign, two-sided, “Satisfaction Guaranteed—Work Done While You Wait,” 56 inches by 32 inches by 1 inch.

A Watling 5-cent Rol-A-Top cherry front slot machine, professionally restored and in good working condition, complete with keys, went for $6,600; and a professionally restored 1937 Steelcraft Auburn Super Charger Deluxe pedal car, colored Honolulu blue and silver, with chrome exhaust pipes, windshield and upholstered seat charged off for $4,680.

A hard-to-find Sykes After Shaving Powder tin with barber shop image and a scene titled Next, made by The Comfort Powder Co., Boston, 4 1/2 inches tall, breezed to $3,420; and a St. George fishing reel made by Hardy Brothers, Ltd. (England) topped out at $1,260.

Showtime Auction Services’ next big auction is scheduled for the weekend of April 4-6, also at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor. Featured will be the Robert and Janet Staub lifetime collection and Neil J. Frick antique store collection. Quality consignments for this and all future auctions are actively being sought. To consign a single item or a collection call Mike Eckles at 951-453-2415 or e-mail him at MikEckles@aol.com.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Beautiful salesman's sample tobacco humidor store showcase, with carrying case. Price Realized: $36,000. Showtime Auction Services image. — Beautiful salesman’s sample tobacco humidor store showcase, with carrying case. Price Realized: $36,000. Showtime Auction Services image.

E.R. Durkee & Co. salad dressing etched glass window attributed to Dorflinger Glass. Price Realized: $27,000. Showtime Auction Services image.

Gorgeous Regina coin-operated music disc changer, #45766, complete with discs. Price realized: $10,800. Showtime Auction Services image.

Red Crown Gasoline, and Polarine, self-framed beveled edge tin-over-cardboard sign. Price realized: $15,960. Showtime Auction Services image.

Coca-Cola salesman's sample cooler with original opener and cap catcher. Price realized: $18,000. Showtime Auction Services image. — Coca-Cola salesman’s sample cooler with original opener and cap catcher. Price realized: $18,000. Showtime Auction Services image.

Ceramics Collector: Historical Staffordshire tableware

Rare views bring top prices. This Clews plate with the Mount Pleasant Classical Institute in Massachusetts, one of three known examples, brought $21,330 (est. $4,000-$6,000). Courtesy Pook & Pook.

With holiday entertaining just around the corner, everyone is asking, where are those dishes? The very concept of a matching set of dishes goes back to Roman times, and by the 18th century wealthy consumers were ordering extensive porcelain services with unifying patterns from Chinese, English and European sources.

Middle- class households had the same desire for attractive services—at more affordable prices. Spurred on by the popularity of blue and white Chinese porcelain, British potteries developed a method of transfer-printing complex designs on ceramics. During the early decades of the 19th century, a repertoire of Oriental designs was quickly expanded with patterns based on scenic contemporary prints.

For American collectors, the most important patterns are those defined as Historical Staffordshire, transfer-printed pottery with views of American patriotic figures, national buildings, and scenery created to appeal to buyers in the newly formed United States. The early October sale of the Goldberg & Brown Collection of Historical Blue Staffordshire at Pook & Pook featured an illustrated catalog of almost 600 lots, which celebrated the intricate patterns and complex forms of this desirable ceramic specialty.

Henry Francis du Pont was an enthusiastic and influential collector of transferware with American views, buying examples during the 1950s to furnish the Blue Staffordshire Room at Winterthur. Leslie Grigsby, senior curator of ceramics and glass at the museum, says, “I think he was interested in it all through his collecting career. He often was collecting to furnish a particular room, and there are over 180 pieces of underglaze blue in that one room.”

Perhaps England had been on the losing side—not only during the War of Independence but more recently in the War of 1812—but savvy British businessmen quickly geared up to produce patriotic designs that could be sold through American merchants. For example, the Staffordshire firm of Enoch Wood & Sons created a pattern call “Commodore Macdonough’s Victory,” celebrating his defeat of the British on Lake Champlain. Commercial advantage obviously trumped any lingering hard feelings.

As can be seen in the Pook catalog, most designs for the American market feature views of important buildings or attractive landscapes and seascapes based on prints made by artists who had visited the United States. Fortunately for collectors, many bear the printed or impressed name of the maker on the back as well as a scene title. In the Wood & Sons series of Erie Canal views, the maker specifies the scene, such as “Aqueduct Bridge at Rochester,” providing valuable historical information.

Unlike our modern “service for 12” in a single pattern, Staffordshire transferware sometimes features different central views, united by a common decorative border. American designs are printed a strong saturated cobalt blue which ranges from bold to almost inky dark, so we can assume that was what sold best in this country. Following these rules of supply and demand, the rare views that bring top prices today were surely the least popular sellers when new. Collectors will also pay a premium for rare forms that seldom appear. The same dignified designs that were applied to coffee pots also covered chamber pots and pitcher and bowl sets for the bedroom.

Hayden Goldberg and his partner Curtis Brown were especially fond of the Boston State House pattern by John Rogers & Son. While a useful 17-inch platter brought $830, a decorative reticulated serving basket and tray with the scene sold for $4,740 (est. $1,000-&2,000). An even rarer form—a 4-inch-high ladies spittoon—brought $7,110.

The rarest pattern in the entire sale was a plate with the Mount Pleasant Classical Institute in the Connecticut River Valley, one of only three known, which sold for a stunning $21,330 (est. $4,000-$6,000). The plate was impressed “Clews” for the James and Ralph Clews works in Cobridge, Staffordshire.

Lots which combined a spectacular form with a desirable view also did well. There were two reticulated baskets with a view of the West Point Military Academy as it appeared in the first quarter of the 19th century. One with a matching undertray sold for $4,977 (est. $2,000-$3,000) and another with an undertray with a scene of the Catskill Mountains sold for $5,688 (est. $2,500-$3,500).

Lafayette (1757-1834), the French nobleman who had fought by Washington’s side in the Revolutionary War, became America’s first pop culture hero when he returned to the United States for a visit in 1824. Staffordshire were quick to produce transfer patterns with portrait busts, scenes of his activities, and even views of his ancestral home in France. A large platter with the legend “Landing of Gen. Lafayette at Castle Garden New York 16th August 1824” made by Clews sold for $2,673 (est. $300-$500).

An even rarer feather edge platter with a transfer-printed image of Gen. Lafayette taken from a well-known portrait brought $6,518 (est. $3,000-$5,000).

Designs featuring founding father George Washington were equally popular. One of the highest prices in the sale was realized for a pearlware plate with bust of Washington and the Great Seal sold for $8,295 (est. $1,500-$2,500). Clews produced a pattern labeled on the front “America and Independence,” which featured a bust of Washington and the names of fifteen states in a surrounding border. A platter, 17 inches by 14 inches, with the design was a good buy at $1,778. The entire catalog can be viewed online at www.pookandpook.com and print copies are still available from the auction house.

After the auction, Jamie Shearer, Pook & Pook vice president and American decorative arts specialist, commented, “Anything that was special or in excellent condition, private buyers were adding those to their collection and were willing to pay extra for those lots. The color is so vivid and bright.”

He also emphasized the breadth of this collection: “Goldberg was not focused on any one series. If it was blue and he didn’t have that form or pattern, that was what he bought.” The catalog opens with a tribute and brief history of the collection. Hayden Goldberg purchased his first piece of historical blue Staffordshire in 1963, a good time to be buying in the field.

Asked what means most to collectors today, Shearer noted, “In today’s world, most advanced collectors are more condition-oriented because they have access to so much more through the Internet. In the past, you might see 50 pieces at shows and auctions in a year. Now you can see 50 pieces in any given hour. So now with that access, people feel they can wait for an example in excellent condition.”

At Winterthur, Grigsby is spreading the word about the online exhibition “Patriotic America,” which can be accessed through www.winterthur.org or at www.americanhistoricalstaffordshire.com. The introduction explains: “Patriotic America offers a comprehensive set of images of America in the 1820s, documenting a time of great celebration in the country. In 1815, when trade between America and England resumed following the War of 1812, Staffordshire potters were eager to regain access to one of their most lucrative markets. This virtual exhibition brings together the production of more than twelve British potters who created an aesthetic that would be desirable to Americans eager to purchase objects highlighting their growing nation. Many of the images were inspired by paintings and engravings depicting the new nation’s remarkable landscape and notable architecture. Succeeding generations have treasured these wares, and they survive as a testament to the skills of the Staffordshire potter and the patriotism of his American consumer.”

The exhibition was a joint project of Winterthur, the Transferware Collectors Club, and Historic New England. Collectors can mark their calendars—the Transferware Collectors Club will be coming to Winterthur on Oct. 17, 2014 as part of their annual conference, which will be held in Pennsylvania next year. For more information on the organization’s activities and history of transfer-printed Staffordshire wares, visit www.transcollectorsclub.org.

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Henry Francis du Pont was an enthusiastic collector of transfer-printed American views, which he used to create this impressive display in the Blue Staffordshire Room at Winterthur. Courtesy, Winterthur; photo by Lizzie Himmel.

Large tureens remain the show-stoppers of any set of dishes. This example stamped J. & W. Ridgway, which features views of the Alms House Boston and the Deaf and Dumb Asylum Hartford, sold in October at Pook & Pook for $5,214. Courtesy Pook & Pook.

Reticulated baskets with lacy cutout borders are another desirable form. Decorated with scenes of the Upper Ferry Bridge over River Schuylkill and Woodlands near Philadelphia, this example brought $9,480 (est. $1,500-$2,500). Courtesy Pook & Pook.

Part of the Beauties of America series by J. & W Ridgway, this strainer for a platter features a desirable early view of the Capitol in Washington, which brought $3.081 (est. $800-$1.200). Courtesy Pook & Pook.

The Staffordshire firm of Thomas Mayer produced a series featuring the arms of the American states. This attractive leaf-shaped serving dish with the Arms of South Carolina sold for $3,081 (est. $1,000-$1,500). Courtesy Pook & Pook.

A true souvenir plate, this feather edge platter with printed portrait at center celebrates the 1824 visit of Revolutionary War hero General Lafayette and brought a final price of $6,518 (est. $3,000-$5,000). Courtesy Pook & Pook.

The Boston State House pattern was a favorite in the Goldberg-Brown collection. The same dignified scenes were applied to tableware and personal items such as wash sets, and this diminutive ladies’ spittoon, which brought $7,110 (est. $1,200-1,800). Courtesy Pook & Pook.

Silicon Valley tank collection heading to East Coast museum

An M1917 tank at the Canadian War Museum is similar to one in the Jacques Littlefield collection. Image by JustSomePics. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) – The family of a Silicon Valley engineer who amassed one of the nation’s most extensive historic military vehicle collections is giving the tanks, missile launchers and armored vehicles to a Massachusetts-based museum that will preserve and display some of them.

Until now, the $30 million fleet of tanks has been refurbished and housed in seven storage sheds on a family estate up a winding, forested road above Silicon Valley; they are visited only under privately arranged tours.

But in a deal inked on July 4 and announced Monday in honor of Veteran’s Day, the 240 pieces have been signed over to the Collings Foundation, which preserves historical military aircraft and now plans to add a new military vehicle museum at its Stow, Mass., headquarters.

Foundation director Rob Collings said the organization hopes to raise $10 million to build the museum by auctioning 160 of the military vehicles in August 2014. Eventually he hopes visitors can learn U.S. history through a chronological walk past the remaining 80 historic military vehicles.

“They’ll start in the World War I trenches and go forward through time,” he said.

The collection was assembled by Jacques Littlefield, a Stanford University graduate who left Hewlett Packard in the 1970s to focus on collecting and restoring military vehicles.

He acquired his first tanks in 1983, and by the mid-90s the collection included examples from almost all historically significant land battles of the last half-century, according to the nonprofit Military Vehicle Technology Foundation that currently is in charge of the collection.

Before his death in 2009, Littlefield acquired tanks and armored vehicles from the U.S., Russia, Germany, England, France, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Israel. There’s a Sherman tank and a Striker tank destroyer.

The oldest armored military vehicle in the collection is a World War I era M1917 light tank. While some are quite worn, many have been meticulously restored.

Although proposals have been made, there is currently no federal historic military vehicle museum in the U.S., and only a few significant private collections.

Bill Boller, president of the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation, said the Littlefield family opted to give the collection to the Collings Foundation so more people could visit it.

“Unfortunately this is not the best place in the world, location and accessibility, for the general public, authors, historians, the defense industry, all the people that want to take advantage of this wonderful collection,” he said.

A peek inside the tanks offers visitors a chance to appreciate what soldiers go through, he said.

“They are a pragmatic reality,” he said. “If you ultimately value the freedoms we have in the U.S., you understand and appreciate the necessity and you have tremendous admiration and respect for those who put themselves in a position to go ahead and do it.”

Many of the tanks and vehicles have been popularized in recent years through video games and may be widely appreciated by a younger audience.

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Associated Press video journalist Haven Daley contributed to this story.

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Follow Martha Mendoza at twitter.com/mendozamartha

AP-WF-11-10-13 1506GMT

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Pa. landmarks dot century-old Lincoln Highway

One landmark missing from the route through Bedford, County, Pa., is the Ship Hotel, which was destroyed in a 2001 fire. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

BEDFORD, Pa. (AP) – Generations of history are interwoven alongside the Lincoln Highway as it passes through Bedford County.

By making just a few stops, travelers can learn about Native American culture, Colonial times, 1940s-style lodging and 20th century marketing. There is an art deco landmark, a state park, a modern highway interchange in Breezewood to take drivers to the Washington D.C./Baltimore region, Fort Bedford Museum, the 1806 Old Log Church and a big ole coffee pot, too. Together, those elements have helped shape the county’s identity.

And they all have benefited from being located by the Lincoln Highway, which turns 100 years old on Thursday.

“The Lincoln Highway helped sustain the area,” said Dennis Tice, director of the Bedford County Visitors Bureau. “That was probably the biggest boom for traffic in the area.”

What might be the county’s most well-known Lincoln Highway attraction no longer exists.

In 1928, Herbert Paulson, a native of the Netherlands, built the castle-themed Grand View Point Hotel at a curve in the road, just east of Bald Knob Summit. The structure, which overlooked a natural expanse, was soon remodeled to look like an ocean liner and named the Ship Hotel. It was billed as a place where visitors could “See 3 States and 7 Counties,” as an old sign read. Calvin Coolidge, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan and Will Rogers were among its famous guests. Following years of decline, the Ship Hotel burned to the ground on Oct. 26, 2001. No cause was ever determined.

“People from all over the world would come to spend time there,” said Gillian Leach, the Bedford County Historical Society’s executive director.

The hotel, like many attractions, was designed to catch the attention of travelers as they sped along in their automobiles.

Other local novelty buildings include The Coffee Pot, a structure shaped like an oversized coffee pot, and the art deco-themed Dunkle’s Gulf Service.

“It was pragmatic architecture,” said Tice. “How do you get people’s attention at 35 miles per hour?”

There are newer attention-grabbers, too. In the 2000s, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor organized an effort to get murals painted on some roadside walls. One of the designs is located at The Bison Corral, a Schellsburg business that sells bison meat and handmade Native American items such as gourd ornaments, pottery, jewelry and knives.

Everett’s mural depicts several images, including a tribute to the Karns car, the first automobile built in the county by A.W. Karns and his son, W.C. Karns. Karen Brantner, an LHHC board member, feels the mural “adds to Everett’s small-town flavor.”

A few miles down the road, the Jean Bonnet Tavern, which opened circa 1760s, provides a glimpse into the earliest days of the United States. It was a gathering place for farmers involved in the Whiskey Rebellion and later for federal troops sent to quell the insurrection in western Pennsylvania.

Throughout numerous ownership changes, the building has been mostly used as an inn and tavern. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

“There are more dining options than ever for travelers these days, but a visit to the Jean Bonnet Tavern is like a step back in time,” said the tavern’s current owner, Melissa Jacobs. “With hand-hewn chestnut beams, stone walls and wood burning fireplaces, it is not hard to imagine early settlers passing through. When visitors stop at the Jean Bonnet Tavern, it is more than just a food stop.

“Guests will read about the history, hear a ghost story from their server, tour the building, visit the cabin shoppe, look at the herb garden and feed the goats.”

Travelers also often stay at the Lincoln Motor Court, which features 12 refurbished cabins that still retain 1940s ambiance. It is the last motor court still in use on the Lincoln Highway, according to its owner, Bob Altizer.

“We’re too small to compete with the big boys,” said Altizer. “All we’ve got is charm, so we’ve got to run with it.”

Not far from the motor court, visitors and local residents can enjoy a rustic experience at Shawnee State Park in Juniata and Napier townships. The park, which opened in 1951, includes a 451-acre lake.

“I think that having a park improves the quality of our lives,” said Dorothy Krupa, manager of Shawnee. “It gives the people a place to go.”

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Online:

http://bit.ly/1et9AVk

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Information from: The Tribune-Democrat, http://www.tribune-democrat.com

AP-WF-11-08-13 1615GMT

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Mich. State’s Broad Art Museum marks first anniversary

Michigan State University's Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, Mich. Image by Dj1997. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) – More than 114,000 people have visited the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing in its first year.

“If I ever get hoarse, it’s probably because I can’t stop thanking enough the incredible staff and my colleagues here,” museum director Michael Rush told an audience that gathered recently for an anniversary event to thank donors, leaders of Michigan State University, where the museum is located, and staff members.

MSU President Lou Anna Simon asked the crowd “to think about what might be in five or 10 years from now as this museum really matures into something that the world will recognize, not simply for its architecture, but for its programming.”

Among those in attendance was the museum architect Zaha Hadid, according to the Lansing State Journal. The museum design won second prize in the culture category at the World Architecture Festival.

Also there was Eli Broad, the billionaire philanthropist and MSU alumnus. He and his wife, Edythe, donated $28 million to the museum.

In its first year the museum had visitors from every state and 80 countries.

“When you start a new organization, you have hopes and you have expectations but our expectations have been so far exceeded by the visitorship, but also by just the vigor and ambition of our programming,” Rush said.

“In art circles, everybody knows about it,” said Tom Berding, who was chairman of the university’s Department of Art, Art History and Design until August. “The question is: Will that spread beyond the boundary of specialists to future students, to alums, to donors who aren’t in the art crowd?”

A report on the museum’s potential impact by Anderson Economic Group predicts it will attract about 150,000 visitors a year.

The museum’s deputy director, Alison Gass, said that heading the second year it’s time to think about ways to build more links to the community.

“I want the museum to feel like a place where everybody thinks they belong or thinks that there’s something interesting in it for them,” she said.

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Information from: Lansing State Journal, http://www.lansingstatejournal.com

AP-WF-11-09-13 0912GMT

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Historical documents thief released from prison after 1 year

Jason Savedoff, who was sentenced in 2012 to serve one year and a day for his role in the theft of dozens of historical documents, has been released from prison. Baltimore Police Dept. photo.

BALTIMORE (AP) – A man who stole documents from the Maryland Historical Society and other archives nationwide has been released from prison where he spent the last year.

A lawyer for Jason Savedoff confirmed he was released Thursday.

Savedoff pleaded guilty to helping New York presidential memorabilia collector Barry Landau steal thousands of rare and valuable documents and other memorabilia. Landau also pleaded guilty and is serving a seven-year prison sentence.

The pair would visit the collections and secretly put documents in hidden pockets of their jackets and overcoats. They were caught while attempting to take documents from the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore in July 2011.

Savedoff’s lawyers said their client was used by Landau, his mentor. Savedoff ultimately cooperated with authorities and helped investigators recover additional stolen items.

AP-WF-11-07-13 2007GMT

Art + Design New York slated for May 8-11 in SoHo

Edmond Byrne, 'Small Cylinder Group.' From Flow Gallery, London, exhibitors at art + design new york.

NEW YORK – The inaugural art + design new york, which will showcase the best in three-dimensional art and design, from ceramics, wood, textiles, glass, sculpture, as well as contemporary jewelry, painting, and photography, will open at 82Mercer Street, in Soho, on May 8-11, 2014.

“We are very excited to debut art + design new york with a strong roster of leading international galleries,” says Donna Davies, the fair’s director.

While art + design new york will present similar materials and galleries as seen at SOFA Chicago, Davis emphasizes that this new show will expand the range of disciplines in an exciting juxtaposition of multiple media and genres. Says Davies, “With Frieze New York as the anchor for the art world in the month of May, we think it’s a great time for galleries to be in New York and we look forward to being part of the exciting week.”

With her proven track record of helming the Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design Fair in Chicago (SOFA Chicago) as well as her stint with SOFA New York, Davies is confident that art + design new york will become an important destination for art collectors and contemporary design enthusiasts.

About the Promoter, Urban Expositions:

In January 1996, Urban Expositions, led by trade show and mart management partners Doug Miller and Tim von Gal, launched the semi-annual Philadelphia Gift Show, which has become one of the largest and most successful regional gift events in the United States. Since then, the company has continued to grow through acquisitions and new show development. Urban Expositions currently owns, manages and produces twenty-one successful gift, decorative accessory, souvenir and resort merchandise trade shows throughout the United States.

For more information visit www.artdesignnewyork.com

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