WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – An 1859 Berdan Sharps rifle, Sammy Davis Jr’s .357 Magnum, and a Walther pistol from Hitler’s mountaintop retreat were among the highlights in Milestone’s record-setting January 30 auction, but it was an artful and unusual shooting gallery target that unexpectedly rose to the top of prices realized. The 33-inch-high painted metal and wood target figure of a medieval drummer had attracted a flurry of enquiries in the run-up to the $1.5 million sale. Collectors of firearms, folk art, and carnival arcade memorabilia all stepped up to “take a shot” at the coveted antique, which had been estimated at $4,000-$6,000.
Julien’s to stage 3-day Janet Jackson auction in May
LOS ANGELES – Julien’s Auctions will auction treasures from the remarkable career of Janet Jackson in a three-day sale that will conclude on the pop diva’s birthday, May 16.
Omaha guitar exhibit blends science and sound
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Durham Museum opened its latest exhibit last Saturday, and with temperatures barely breaking into the double digits, it was the perfect day to spend indoors exploring the world of the guitar.Continue reading
Muralists find higher calling decorating church interiors
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) – No matter how intricate the art or meaningful the message, Andrew Hattermann says his studio’s work comes down to one simple thing: Beauty.
“We try to make a church more beautiful than it’s ever been,” the Peoria resident says. “That’s our goal.”
Textile auction Feb. 18 features many Grenfell mats
NEW YORK – Jasper52’s online auction of American quilts and textiles on Thursday, Feb. 18, features an amazing collection of nearly 90 quilts as well as 42 handmade Grenfell mats from eastern Canada. Bid absentee or live online exclusively through LiveAuctioneers.
Swann Galleries’ first WPA artists auction sets 4 records
NEW YORK—The Artists of the WPA were on display in Swann Galleries’ auction on Feb. 4. The multi-departmental sale featured paintings, prints, photographs, posters and related ephemera by artists whose careers were sustained by the Works Progress Administration and other agencies of the Depression-era’s New Deal. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
Political memorabilia collectors back Abraham Lincoln
NEW YORK – Abraham Lincoln stands tall in American history as he did in life, viewed as second only to George Washington in the pantheon of presidents. You can reasonably argue that Lincoln should rank first; Washington made the United States a reality, but Lincoln kept it together despite the dire threat of splintering.