$30,250, Matthews Auctions
A Mohawk Gasoline neon single-sided porcelain sign, graded 10 on a scale of 1-10 for condition and with exceptional gloss, sold for $30,250 at a Petroliana & Gas Station Collectibles Auction held Aug. 7 by Matthews Auctions of Nokomis, Ill. The sale was held in Des Moines, Iowa, on the final day of the popular Iowa Gas Show. Also, an Ace High Motor Oil single-side tin sign realized $23,100; and a Sunset Gasoline hat badge soared to $3,520. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
$30,240, American Bottle Auctions
An antique California Clubhouse Whiskey bottle in medium chocolate amber sold for $30,240 in an online auction that ended Aug. 21 by American Bottle Auctions (americanbottle.com), based in Sacramento, Calif. Also, a light amber Bourbon Whiskey Bitters barrel soared to $10,640; a rare green Concentric Circle flask with embossed eagles brought $10,080; an H.P. Herb Wild Cherry Bitters bottle in brilliant green went for $7,840; and a Southern Aromatic Cock Tail Bitters from New Orleans made $6,160. Prices include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.
$27,000, Woody Auction
An American Brilliant Cut Glass oval tray in the Coronet pattern by Hawkes sold for $27,000 at a multiestate sale held Sept. 5 by Woody Auction of Douglass, Kan. Woody conducted the auction in St. Charles, Mo. Also, an ABCG round ice-cream tray and 12 plates, a complete Hawkes Fruit set, realized $23,000; a pair of 20-inch ABCG five-arm candelabras brought $13,000; and a signed Sinclaire ABCG punch bowl in the Intaglio & Brilliant pattern went for $12,000. Prices are hammer; there was no buyer’s premium.
$64,400, Dan Morphy Auctions
A cast-iron Turtle mechanical bank, manufactured by Kilgore, sold for $64,400 at an auction held Aug. 13-15 by Dan Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a J.P. Beck (northern Lancaster County, Pa.) rifle, made around 1785-1790, rang out at $20,700; a coin-operated music box with dancing dolls, six bells and an automated picture of a barber shop climbed to $18,400; and an all-original 1918 Maggie Bessie cloth doll with hand-painted face, made by Maggie and Bessie Pohl, hit $15,500. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
$132,250, James D. Julia Inc.
An original painting by George Inness, titled The Villa Borghese, Rome, 1871 sold for $132,250 at an End of Summer Auction held Aug. 25-28 by James D. Julia Inc., in Fairfield, Maine. Also, Martin Johnson Heade’s Apple Blossoms changed hands for $126,500; Anthony Thieme’s Entering Port made $32,200; Marguerite Pearson’s The Blue Kimono achieved $37,950; British artist Edward Seago’s Morning Mist, Pin Mill climbed to $59,800; and two works by Russian artist Ivan Choulste made $57,500 and $46,000. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
$49,450, Hal Hunt Auctions.
A rosewood cylinder desk made in the 1860s by Thomas Brooks and standing 9 feet 3 inches tall sold for $49,450 at an on-site sale of the Kirkwood Mansion in Eutaw, Ala., Sept. 5 by Hal Hunt Auctions of Northport, Ala. Also, a five-piece parlor grouping by John H. Belter in the Rosalie with Grapes pattern climbed to $33,925; a rosewood marble-top center table attributed to Alexander Roux, heavily carved, went for $34,500; and a half tester bed, signed C. Lee and oversized at 10 feet tall, hit $21,850. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
$48,875, Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates
A pictorial needlework sampler, done in 1834 by Sarah Ann Gibbons of Harrisonburg, Va., sold for $48,875 at a sale of Southern Decorative Arts, Americana & Fine Antiques held July 25 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mount Crawford, Va. Also, a signed “J. Graff” clock works in a Shenandoah Valley Federal inlaid cherry tall case brought $18,400; an 1822 needlework sampler by Rebecca Davis rose to $10,925; and a signed Federal banded walnut slant-front Virginia desk hit $9,775. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
T206 Honus Wagner card,
$399,500, Robert Edward Auctions
A T206 Honus Wagner baseball card, graded a lowly PSA1 but still coveted by collectors for its rarity and once owned by actor Charlie Sheen, sold for $399,500 at a Baseball Cards Auction held May 2 by Robert Edward Auctions in Watchung, N.J. Also, a T206 Doyle card soared to $329,000; a T206 Plank card in EX-MT condition climbed to $188,000; the entire 1886-1890 Old Judge Tobacco Card collection of 592 cards brought $211,500; and a 1915 Cracker Jack poster that was cover art for the sale made $152,500. Prices include a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Tait oil on canvas,
$381,000, Northeast Auctions
An original oil on canvas painting with a Western theme by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, titled A Check – Keep Your Distance, sold for $381,000 at the annual Summer Tent Sale held Aug. 15-16 by Northeast Auctions in Portsmouth, N.H. The work was reproduced as a print for Currier & Ives in 1853. Also, an A. Elmer Crowell black duck decoy soared to $105,300; a Chinese Export goose soup tureen sold for $93,600; and a Manigault service brown Fitzhugh armorial plate commanded $29,250. Prices include a sliding scale buyer’s premium.
Rookwood vase,
$14,375, Cincinnati Art Galleries
A rare Rookwood French Red vase by Sara Sax, with Art Deco stylized flowers and designs, sold for $14,375 at the 19th annual Keramics, Art Glass & Rookwood Sale held June 6-7 by Cincinnati Art Galleries. Also, a Sax iris glaze vase with parrot tulips fetched $6,900; a 10 ¾-inch Teco vase, with four integral handles and covered with a green matte glaze, coasted to $8,035; a Thomas Webb & Sons acid Burmese fairy lamp went for $5,520; and a Newcomb Pottery vase made by Sadie Irvine in 1922 hit $4,945. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Cow weathervane,
$9,480, Skinner’s
A molded copper and zinc cow weathervane sold for $9,480 at a sale of the collection of Sally Schell Whittemore held Aug. 9 by Skinner’s in Marlborough, Mass. The top lot of the sale was a Chippendale Dunlap-style tiger and bird’s-eye maple secretary desk, made by Donald Dunlap, that soared to $21,330. Also, a Joshua Wilder (Hingham, Mass.) tall-case clock with inlaid case and painted dial reached $17,775; and a redware grotesque face jug, 6 1/2 inches tall, commanded $10,665. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Rare stoneware flask,
$40,250, Crocker Farm
A rare stoneware incised flask (shown front and back), attributed to Webster, a Hartford, Conn., maker, sold for $40,250 at a sale of American stoneware held July 11 by Crocker Farm in York, Pa. Also, a Commeraws jug, recently found in a North Carolina barn, breezed to $28,750; a slipware bowl attributed to Peter Bell of Hagerstown, Md., topped out at $18,400; a 5-gallon Bennington churn went to a determined bidder for $16,100; and a rare Peter Cross jug with incised ship decoration gaveled for $14,950. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Kustodiev pastel,
$341,000, Merrill
A 31- by 41-inch pastel on paper work by Russian artist Boris Kustodiev (1878-1927), titled The Painter’s Daughter Irene, sold for $341,000, an auction record for the artist, at an auction June 27 by Duane Merrill & Co., in Williston, Vt. The painting was discovered in a Vermont home. Also, a French prisoner of war 120-gun bone ship model of Le Majestaeux, sold for $35,200; and a gorgeous shell carved cherry Connecticut Chippendale four-drawer chest went for $9,900. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Roy Nuse painting,
$115,000, Freeman’s Auction
An original painting by Roy Nuse (American, 1885-1975), titled The Children of James W. Hunsberger, sold for $115,000 at a sale of Fine American & European Paintings and Sculptures held June 21 by Freeman’s Auction in Philadelphia. Also, an oil on canvas rendering by Fern Isabel Coppedge (American, 1883-1951), titled January Sunshine, in the original Harer frame, soared to $109,000; and Thomas Hart Benton’s Study for American Historical Epic, Colonization: The Axes hit $73,000. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Eisenhower’s jacket,
$43,875, Alderfer Auction Co.
A World War II uniform jacket that belonged to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower sold for $43,875 in an auction held Sept. 9 by Alderfer Auction Co. in Hatfield, Pa. The jacket, size 38 regular, displayed the five-star rank of General of the Army on each shoulder, as well as a Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) patch on the upper left sleeve. Three ribbons signified the Distinguished Service medal, the Navy Distinguished Service medal and the Legion of Merit medal. The price included a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Historic Indian rifle,
$21,850, Kaminski Auctions
A historic Indian rifle owned and decorated with thunderbird images by White Man Runs Him, the scout for Gen. George A. Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn, sold for $21,850 at an auction held Aug. 22-23 by Kaminski Auctions in Essex, Mass. Also, an 18th-century American Queen Anne walnut highboy brought $9,200; a 1929 oil on canvas painting by American artist Antonio Pietro Martino, titled Pennsylvania Country Road, rose to $9,200; and a gleaming brass and copper lightship beacon hit $5,750. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Marklin toy battleship,
$46,000, Noel Barrett
A Marklin toy Iowa battleship, made in 1903, 22 inches long, painted tin, in immaculate condition, sold for $46,000 at a Toys of Summer Auction held June 19-20 by Noel Barrett in New Hope, Pa. Also, a Marklin first series battleship Baltimore, 29 inches long and partially restored, went for $43,125; a French-made Fernand Martin tin windup Black Waiter toy figure served up $16,100; and a tinplate crank-operated Vielmetter Clown Artist toy with four changeable cams brought $10,350. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Book of 200 posters,
$21,600, Swann Gallery
A book containing 200 rich color plates of celebrated posters by various Art Nouveau artists, titled L’Estampe Moderne (2 volumes, Paris, 1897-1899), sold for $21,600 at a sale of Vintage Posters held Aug. 5 by Swann Galleries in New York. Also, Privat Livemont’s Absinthe Robette (Brussells, 1896) commanded $12,000; Alphonse Mucha’s Monaco-Monte-Carlo (Paris, 1897) rose to $14,400; and a group of about 23 posters by various artists advertising Ferry’s Seeds found a new owner for $10,800. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Jim Donahue card,
$82,950, Legendary Auctions
A rare 1887 baseball card for Jim Donahue of the New York Metropolitans, the only example known, graded SGC 30 GD 2, sold for $82,950 at an auction held Aug. 26-27 by Legendary Auctions in Lansing, Ill. Also, a circa 1895 Bill Hoffer Baltimore baseball uniform commanded $71,100; Bob Gibson’s 1970 Cy Young Award brought $56,287; Gibson’s 1964 World Series ring hit $35,500; and a circa 1963 Mickey Mantle signed game-used glove, with letter of authenticity from teammate Bobby Richardson, hit $41,475. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Spider-Man No. 1 comic,
$83,650, Heritage Auction Galleries
A superb copy of The Amazing Spider-Man No. 1 (Marvel, 1963), graded CGC NM 9.4, sold for $83,650 at a Vintage Comics & Comic Art Auction held Aug. 14-15 by Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. Also, a copy of Amazing Fantasy No. 15 (Marvel, 1962), graded CGC VF 7.5, the first comic to introduce Peter Parker and his alter-ego, Spider-Man, realized $52,280; and three original comic strips by legendary illustrator Charles Schulz brought final gavel prices of $50,787, $44,812 and $44,812 again. Prices include a 19.5 percent buyer’s premium.
