Vintage coin-ops, slots ready to roll at Morphy’s Nov. 20-21

Caille Bros. ‘Puck’ 5-cent musical slot machine, circa 1901, beautifully restored and in working condition, plays and pays. Keys included. Estimate $30,000-$50,000. Morphy Auctions image

DENVER, Pa. – They clang, they whirr, some play music, and some were designed to pay jackpots, challenge early “gamers,” or dispense snacks. These are just some of the actions and sounds associated with antique coin-op machines, which have entertained America since the 19th century. This month Morphy Auctions’ Pennsylvania gallery has transformed into a virtual amusement arcade, showcasing a first-class lineup of gaming, vending and music machines, as well as a fine array of antique advertising. Comprising 1,475 lots in all, this exciting selection will cross the auction block at Morphy’s Coin-Op & Advertising sale, Nov. 20 and 21. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Freeman’s Modern, Contemporary Art auction tops $2.8M

Ellsworth Kelly (American, 1923-2015), ‘Lemon Branch [4],’ 1964, pencil on paper. Sold for $181,250. Freeman’s image
PHILADELPHIA – Freeman’s Modern and Contemporary Art sale held on Oct. 29 and the Collection of Robert J. Morrison sale held on Oct. 30, were resounding successes. Sale totals combined reached over $2.8 million. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Anthony Bourdain auction rings up $1.8M

Custom Bob Kramer steel and meteorite chef’s knife, with certificate to Anthony Bourdain, auctioned for $231,250. Lark Mason Associates

NEW YORK – Bidding for The Collection of Anthony Bourdain closed on October 30th with outstanding results. Results matched the enthusiastic interest in the sale, which attracted 3,000 registered bidders, according to Lark Mason Jr, who produced the auction.

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Alex Katz: prolific and tireless painter

On view in the Dallas exhibition is Alex Katz’s ‘Emma 3,’ 2017, oil on linen, The Rachofsky Collection. Courtesy the artist and Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York/Rome. Photo by Paul Takeuchi. © Alex Katz, 2019 / Artists Rights Society, New York

NEW YORK – A line in the Broadway show, Hamilton, asks why Alexander Hamilton writes like a man running out of time. This description might be equally apt for artist Alex Katz. Now 92, the artist who turned the art world on its heels in the 1950s has been painting furiously the last few years in his SoHo loft. Located in an artists co-op, this New York City building has been home since the late 1960s.

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