Buckeye syrup dispenser, $114,000, Morphy Auctions
A Buckeye 5-Cent Root Beer soda fountain syrup dispenser with dancing satyrs sold for $114,000 at an Antique Advertising & Coin-Op Auction held Dec. 6-7 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a circa-1930s tri-fold cardboard cutout featuring two boys wooing a girl realized $38,400; a 1941 Coca-Cola aviation festoon, 69 inches by 29 inches, hit $21,600; a 1932 Coca-Cola illuminating counter sign made by Brunhoff rose to $20,400; and a Mills Novelty Electricity is Life arcade game made $19,200. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Michael Jordan sneakers, $104,765, Grey Flannel
The distinctive red and black Air Jordan basketball sneakers Michael Jordan wore during the 1997 NBA Finals “Flu Game” sold for $104,765 in an online and absentee Holiday Auction that closed Dec. 12 by Grey Flannel Auctions, based in Westhampton, N.Y. It was the most ever paid at auction for a pair of game-worn shoes from any sport. The size 13 shoes were also signed by Jordan. Also, a 1932 New York Yankees World Series ring that had belonged to Yankees’ outfielder Sam Byrd went for $65,048. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Tipp & Co. Mickey & Minnie, $56,050, Bertoia Auctions
A Tipp & Co. Mickey and Minnie Mouse on a clockwork motorcycle sold for $56,040 at an auction held Nov. 8-10 by Bertoia Auctions in Vineland, N.J. Also, a CK prewar Japanese Santa in a roadster decorated with Christmas images, 7 inches long, sped off for $37,760; a Boucher #2500 locomotive passenger set realized $25,960; a Vindex cast-iron motorcycle and sidecar went for $25,960; and a circa-1912 Carette tinplate limousine, German, 16 inches long, arrived at $21,240. Prices include a 20.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Myochin School snake, $195,750, Rago Arts
A Myochin School iron articulated snake sold for $195,750 at an estate, jewelry, silver and coin auction held Dec. 6-8 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, a Tiffany & Co. Japanesque mixed metal centerpiece gaveled for $117,750; a 4.16-carat marquise cut diamond engagement ring went for $40,625; and a folk art figural walking stick realized $38,750. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Natural fancy pink diamond, $81,000, Cowan’s Auctions
A GIA certified natural radiant cut fancy pink diamond weighing .66 carats sold for $81,000 at a fine jewelry and timepieces auction held Dec. 8 by Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati, Ohio. Also, a 7.5-carat platinum engagement ring with European cut diamond fetched $60,000; a platinum and diamond 18-carat brooch made for and once owned by Marge Schott, the late owner of the Cincinnati Reds, commanded $30,000; and a Buccellati 18K “Dew Drops on Leaves” brooch rose to $10,200. Prices include a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Auguste Rodin bronze, $485,000, Heritage Auctions
A rare and important bronze sculpture by the French artist Auguste Rodin, 15 3/4 inches tall and titled Le Baiser (The Kiss), sold for $485,000 at a sale of impressionist and postimpressionist paintings, sculpture, drawings and prints held Nov. 8 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas. Also, Small Pond Near the South Arbor Marquayrol (Garden of the Artist), a postimpressionist masterpiece by Henri Martin, brought $149,000; and Edouard-Leon Cortes’ Place de la Republique, Paris (1918) hammered for $62,500. All prices include the buyer’s premium.
18th century walnut armchair, $34,500, Jeffrey S. Evans
A fine Virginia 18th century Chippendale black walnut armchair sold for $34,500 at an auction held Nov. 16 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mt. Crawford, Va. Also, a Fabio Fabbi Orientalist painting of a woman dancing in a Middle Eastern street scene achieved $25,300; a set of five Meissen porcelain cabinet plates painted after Old Masters fetched $16,100; a Winchester, Va., Federal walnut child’s chest of drawers realized $24,150; and a walnut and punched-tin food safe by Edward Fry Bell hit $14,950. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Jesse Owens Olympic medal, $1.47 million, SCP Auctions
Olympic track champion Jesse Owens’s 1936 gold medal sold for $1.47 million at an auction that ended Dec. 8 by SCP Auctions of Laguna Niguel, Calif. It was the highest price ever paid for a piece of Olympic memorabilia. Also, Jackie Robinson’s game-used baseball bats from his historic 1949 National League Most Valuable Player season and the 1955 World Series realized $183,500 and $128,617, respectively; and Yankee pitching great Rich “Goose” Gossage’s 1978 World Series championship ring hammered for $41,372. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Armin C. Hansen etching, $4,425, Michaan’s Auctions
An Armin Carl Hansen etching sold for $4,425 at a fine art, decorative arts and jewelry auction held Dec. 1 by Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda, Calif. Also, a Julio di Dio watercolor titled Turkish Harem went for $3,835; three Japanese tsubas sold to an internet bidder for $3,540; a Waltham yellow gold pocket watch slipped on a new wrist for $1,298; and an intricately carved Asian jade mirror changed hands for $1,534. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Wizard of Oz lion doll, $6,380, Alderfer Auction
A 13-inch tagged plush doll titled “The Lion,” made by M. Hardy, New York, based on the character from the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, sold for $6,380 at a doll auction titled “Traveling Abroad – Part II” held Nov. 6 by Alderfer Auction & Appraisal in Hatfield, Pa. Also, a 17-inch unmarked 1939 cloth mask-face “Scarecrow” doll, also modeled after the character in The Wizard of Oz and attributed to the Ideal Toy Co., made $1,074. The sale also featured books by The Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese wooden cabinet, $41,650, Clars Auction
A Chinese wooden cabinet featuring a pair of openwork lattice double doors sold for $41,650 at a fine art and antiques auction held Dec. 7-8 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a Chinese four-panel cinnabar lacquer screen from the Honolulu Museum of Art rose to $32,725; an oil on canvas by Edouard Cortes (French, 1882-1969), titled Place de la Madeleine, brought $35,700; and an oil on board by Mary Jane Peale (American, 1827-1902), titled Still Life With Flowers and Fruit, went for $16,600. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.
Man’s 5-carat diamond ring, $19,550, Carlsen Gallery
A man’s 5-carat diamond ring sold for $19,550 at an auction held Nov. 17 by Carlsen Gallery in Freehold, N.Y. Also, an oil on canvas by Maorsolo, titled Philippine Harvesters, garnered $16,100; an oil on canvas attributed to Thomas Chambers realized $15,525; Julian Onderdonk’s Heart of the Woods fetched $9,775; an oil on canvas American School portrait made $6,038; and an oil on canvas signed by Fred de Haas and dated “’95” rose to $5,463. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
E. Howard No. 68 clock, $277,300, Fontaine’s
An E. Howard & Co. No. 68 floor standing astronomical regulator clock, 105 inches tall, with excellent color and patina, sold for $277,300 – a new world auction record for an E. Howard clock – at an antique clock auction held Nov. 23 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass. Also, an E. Howard No. 25 drumhead astronomical regulator hit $94,400; a nine-tube grandfather clock with carved case attributed to R.J. Horner went for $44,250; and an inlaid rosewood Vienna regulator clock breezed to $25,370. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Pair of Finnish floor lamps, $58,800, Woodbury Auction
An unusual pair of Finnish modernist brass floor lamps, designed by Paavo Tynell (Finnish, 1890-1973) around 1950 and produced by Taito, sold for $58,800 at a Holiday Fine Estates Auction held Dec. 8 by Woodbury Auction LLC, in Woodbury, Conn. Also, a Ming dynasty blue and white footed bowl on stand earned $38,750; a 19th century Tibetan gilt bronze seated figure of Tara garnered $31,250; and a Tiffany & Co. sterling silver service for 12 in the Wave Edge pattern, circa 1891, hit $11,700. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Cast-iron Coasting Bank, $266,500, Freeman’s
A rare cast-iron and lead mechanical “Coasting Bank” with a design attributed to Charles A. Bailey (1848-1926), made for the J. & E. Stevens Co., Cromwell, Conn., circa 1884, sold for $266,500 at an American furniture, folk and decorative arts auction conducted Nov. 13 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia, Pa. Also, two portfolios with 85 photogravure plates after Edward Curtis (1868-1952) coasted to $74,500; and a Lakota Winter Count calendar, circa 1880, depicting dates from 1822-1881, made $31,500. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Mozart musical manuscript, $161,000, Swann Auction
An autograph musical manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, bars 57-70 of the sixth movement of his Serenade in D Major, composed in Vienna in July-August 1773, sold for $161,000 at an autographs auction held Nov. 26 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York City. Also, a group of five autograph letters signed from Albert Einstein to mathematician and theoretical physicist Paul Hertz, in German, also chalked up $161,000; and an autograph letter signed by musical composer Gustav Mahler topped out at $21,250. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Rare Bru Jne 4 bebe doll, $21,870, James D. Julia
A rare 16-inch Bru Jne 4 bebe doll with stunning blue threaded paperweight eyes, protruding upper lip and prominent tongue tip sold for $21,870 at a toy, doll and advertising auction held Nov. 22 by James D. Julia Inc., in Fairfield, Maine. Also, an early Izannah Walker cloth doll, saved from a trash heap 20 years ago by a Rhode Island woman, hammered for $14,420; and a hand-painted tin sign by Ithaca Sign Works, advertising the now-defunct Fogg’s Drug Store in Skowhegan, Maine., breezed to $14,220. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
