MT. CRAWFORD, Va. – Since 1995 Jeffrey S. Evans and his staff have been presenting thousands of pieces of Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG) in a fall extravaganza. As can be expected, the firm has cultivated 100s of clients who have filled their collections with pieces from these Evans sales. Two of the collections featured in this year’s auction featured pieces purchased from Jeff and Beverley Evans beginning with those first auctions: Douglas Reed of New Jersey, who had assembled an extensive collection of Bellflower pattern glass, and William Bladon of Wisconsin, who was able to put together a nearly complete set of Three Face pattern glass. These and other collections accounted for the more than 6,000 pieces sold in cataloged and uncataloged sessions on Sept. 22 and 24. Absentee and Internet live bidding on catalog lots was available through LiveAuctioneers.com.
The auction was sandwiched around a meeting of the Early American Pattern Glass Society, which drew over 70 members from across the United States to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
The Bellflower pattern was one of the most popular of the 1850-1870 period in America and was made in Single Vine, Double Vine and other variations. It saw extensive production at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. in Sandwich, Mass., and the McKee Glass Co. in Pittsburgh, Pa. The top lot of the auction was a Bellflower Single Vine spoon holder in a brilliant deep cobalt blue (above). One of fewer than 10 examples known in this color, it is considered among the great rarities of EAPG. This example sold for $4,095 (all prices include the 17 percent buyer’s premium), a record price for the form. Other Bellflower rarities from the Reed collection included a Double Vine milk pitcher in a slightly shouldered form that reached $2,457 and a Single Vine octagonal sugar bowl at $1,755.
The Three Face pattern was an exclusive product of George Duncan & Sons of Pittsburgh. It was also a popular pattern and was produced in over 40 different shapes from 1878 to 1886. One of the most elusive forms is the elliptical compote complete with cover; the 8 1/2-inch diameter example from the Bladon collection sold for $2,457 (below). Additional rare Three Face lots included a cracker jar that reached $1,989 and a celery vase with rare etched decoration depicting birds building and protecting a nest that soared to $1,755.
Another top EAPG lot in the auction was a Waffle & Thumbprint (original name Palace) massive two-quart jug made by the New England Glass Co. around 1868, which that brought $3,393 (below).
A Dragon cake stand/salver by McKee & Brothers, circa 1870, sold for $1,755 (below); and a Monkey (original name Darwin) celery vase in deep fiery opalescent, circa 1890 fetched $1,521.
In addition to pattern glass, the auction contained a good selection of other 19th century glass, including a pair of free-blown 13-inch-high trumpet vases in an unusual deep swirling smoky amethyst color, probably by the Boston & Sandwich Glass Co., circa 1850 that sold for $2,340 (below). The vases had been published in Barlow and Kaiser, The Glass Industry in Sandwich, volume 3, page 49, fig. 3002, where the authors noted that they were “two of the best examples of free-blown vases from Sandwich we have ever seen.”
“We were very pleased with the overall results of our 22nd annual fall EAPG auction. The collections contained many great rarities that brought solid, in some cases record, prices. The overall attendance and interest was very strong which bodes well for the future of the glass market. However, it is still a buyer’s market with many bargains to be found,” said Jeffrey S. Evans, company president and head auctioneer.
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