PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Fontaine’s Auction Gallery will break the mold on its customary sales when it conducts a 400-plus-lot auction dedicated to antique medical devices, quack and electroshock instruments, vintage World Wars I/II posters, Native American artifacts, coins, trains and comic books on Saturday, Dec. 12.
The Collectors Auction, to begin at 11 a.m. Eastern time, will be held in Fontaine’s galley and online at LiveAuctioneers.com.
“This promises to be a fun sale, not just because the merchandise is so interesting and unusual – which it is – but because virtually everything being sold is within the reach of every level of collector, from the novice beginner to the seasoned veteran,” said John Fontaine of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Indeed, there is only one item in the catalog expected to hammer for $10,000 or more: a large American Indian turquoise concho belt (below) with 694 turquoise cabochons, 6 inches wide by 43 3/4 inches long. It’s estimated to bring $8,000-$12,000.
Right on its heels is a vintage World War I U.S. Army recruiting poster (below), the famous Uncle Sam “I Want You” by James Montgomery Flagg (est. $7,000-$9,000).
Antique medical devices, quack and electroshock instruments are niche collectibles with a loyal following. Offered will be a quack medical shock machine with standing dial and paddles that’s expected to hit $1,500-$2,000 and an X-Ray illusion from European Novelty Co. in New York. It is estimated at $1,200-$1,500.
For more information contact Fontaine’s Auction Gallery at 413-448-8922.
