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Ford woody pedal car, est. $1,500-$2,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.

‘Scoop’ up the best of private collections at Kimball Sterling, Jan. 1

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Ford woody pedal car, est. $1,500-$2,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Ford woody pedal car, est. $1,500-$2,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Kimball M. Sterling’s New Year’s Day auctions have a well-earned reputation for being a fun and festive way to start off a new calendar year. The popular Tennessee auctioneer has been hosting his Jan. 1 sales for the past 20 years, and the 2010 edition looks like another barn-burner.

Expect to see a huge variety of antiques and collectibles in the upcoming sale, which will feature Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. Much of the inventory comes from quality estates and collections, with two of the featured highlight sections being the Barger collection of pedal cars and ice cream dippers, also known as “scoops.”

The Barger collections are well known throughout the United States. The ice cream dippers will be offered together with a selection of desirable peanut butter pails. In all, the grouping comprises 100 lots.

Alongside the collection of pedal cars – which exhibit great variety and are in top condition – are some highly sought-after bicycles. The centerpiece of the collection is a rare restored Gene Autry boy’s bicycle with its holster and gun. This particular model holds great appeal with both bicycle enthusiasts and collectors of Western film memorabilia. The auction estimate on the Autry bike is $2,000-$3,000. Another prized entry is a Schwinn Black Phantom that sure to stir nostalgic memories for many of the boomer generation.

The auction will also feature a group of watches, including a minute repeater and other interesting timepieces from a San Francisco estate.

Native-American items include Navajo rugs and some jewelry.

In the art category there are four original Native-American illustrations by Edwin Deming.

Approximately one-fourth of the sale is devoted to a collection of outsider and folk art, with major works by carver Linville Barker, including the largest of his known cat designs. Additionally, there will be Tennessee primitives and a potpourri of other fine items.

For information on any item in the auction, contact Kimball Sterling at 423-928-1471.

Visit the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Click here to view Kimball M. Sterling Inc.’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Gene Autry bicycle, est. $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Gene Autry bicycle, est. $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Largest known size cat carved by Linville Barker, est. $3,000-$5,000. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Largest known size cat carved by Linville Barker, est. $3,000-$5,000. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Edwin Dunning Native-American painting, est. $700-$1,200. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Edwin Dunning Native-American painting, est. $700-$1,200. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
J. B. Hudson 14K gold minute repeater watch, est. $1,500-$2,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
J. B. Hudson 14K gold minute repeater watch, est. $1,500-$2,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Navajo transitional rug, est. $1,000-$1,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Navajo transitional rug, est. $1,000-$1,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Brunswick billiard rack, est. $1,000-$1,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.
Brunswick billiard rack, est. $1,000-$1,500. Image courtesy Kimball M. Sterling.