(OCEANSIDE, N.Y.) – A Tiffany Studios leaded glass bronze floor lamp lit up the room for $135,600 at a three-day multi-estate sale held Sept. 24-26 by Philip Weiss Auctions. It was the top item of the estimated 1,800 fresh-to-the-market lots offered from prominent local estates and collections. The sale was held in the Philip Weiss showroom, at #1 Neil Court in Oceanside.

The Tiffany lamp came from the Jacqueline Lowe estate. Its provenance could be traced back to an appraisal the family had done in the early 1930s. It boasted a bamboo-style lamp base and a dragonfly type shade, but altered into a unique pattern. The shade was marked “Tiffany Studios New York 150″ and a foot of the base was marked “Tiffany Studios New York 472.”

The auction grossed over $750,000 and attracted approximately 1,000 bidders, both in-house and online (through Proxibid.com). “As expected, fresh merchandise sold for big money,” said Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions. “We had everything from transportation and ocean liner material to stamps and coins to original paintings and sculptures to Peanuts comic strips.”

Following are additional highlights from the sale. All prices quoted include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.

The Tiffany name was front and center among top achievers. A fantastic Tiffany & Co. humidor made for the Corsair – a yacht owned by renowned American industrialist J. P, Morgan – changed hands for $7,628. The case was rosewood, with two flags centered, and most of the covers were marked “Tiffany & Co.” The humidor measured 23.5 inches long by 11 inches wide.

Three original Peanuts comic strips, drawn by the legendary illustrator Charles Schulz, went for a combined $41,245. A 1969 daily with a football theme and Peppermint Patty as the coach brought $14,125; a daily dated Dec. 15, 1956, in which Lucy loses her tooth, hit $18,080; and a strip from January 1984 showing Snoopy on top of his dog house gaveled for $9,040.

An archive of material pertaining to the short-lived Tucker automobile fetched $19,200. The material, all circa 1940s and from a dealer called Prusack Motor Sales, included a company checkbook, booklets, advertising posters, newspaper clippings, silk advertising banners, four original seat covers with boxes, and two suitcases, which came with the purchase of a Tucker.

Turning to artwork, a figural statue of a boy and a girl, executed in Carrara marble by the Italian artist Romanelli Fratelli (circa 1888) climbed to $20,340. The work depicted a little boy getting ready to blow his horn into the ear of a beautiful little girl laying down on a period sofa. The marble pedestal was spectacular, showing a group of dolphins and heavily carved leaves.

Two oil on canvas paintings by Eugene G. Berman (1899-1972) got paddles wagging. One, signed and dated June 1949, was titled The Obelisks and measured 24.5 inches by 30.5 inches ($10,170); the other was initialed and dated 1948 and measured 29.5 inches by 36 inches (16,950). Both were from the estate of Theresa Helburn, with 40+ years in the Theater Guild.

An important oil on canvas painting by Jacques Zucker, titled The Subway Station and executed during the Great Depression for the WPA, topped out at $9,605. The work boasted a fabulous image of a man at a newsstand, buying a newspaper and accompanied by his dog. It measured 21 inches by 26 inches, had been signed and came from the estate of a family member.

A turn of the century fireman’s archive from Henry Wolleben, former Brooklyn fireman, rose to $4,200. Included were a Limoges occupational shaving mug, a cabinet card of Wolleben in full uniform, a retirement certificate, an 18kt gold pocket watch from the FDNY, a souvenir paperweight, Wolleben’s fire helmet with original front leather and an 1893 exempt certificate.

Rounding out the auction’s top lots: a pair of U.S. silver dollars dated 1870 – a proof dollar and a standard dollar, both in high grade condition – sold as one lot for $12,995; and a rare Ben Shahn Progressive Party poster, titled “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” hammered for $4,520. The poster, 45.5 inches by 30 inches, had some light creases but was overall very nice.

Philip Weiss Auctions has a massive three-day weekend sale slated for Oct. 22-24, also in Oceanside. Featured will be hundreds of fresh-to-the-market lots of toys and toy trains, railroad memorabilia, Hollywood memorabilia, vintage dolls, antique advertising, coin-ops and more. Online bidding will be facilitated by Proxibid. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

Then, sometime before the turn of the year, Philip Weiss Auctions will present a Comic Books and Comic Art Sale. Featured will be rare and vintage comic books from the 1930s to the present time, wonderful examples of comic art, Part 2 of the Copley comic art collection (featuring original cartoon panels and assorted daily comic strips and Sunday pages) and more.
Previews will be held on the days leading up to, and including, the auction dates, for both upcoming sales.

Philip Weiss Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (516) 594-0731, or e-mail them at phil@prwauctions.com. To learn more about Philip Weiss Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions, to include the Oct. 22-24 weekend event, click on www.prwauctions.com.

(ATLANTA, Ga.) – Red Baron – the premier auction house in the Southeast – has saved the best for last in 2010 with a fall auction that will be packed with over 2,000 lots that would impress even the most discriminating and seasoned collector. The weekend event will be held Nov. 6-7 in the Red Baron gallery, located at 6450 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, near Atlanta.

“This will certainly be our greatest event of the year, and possibly ever,” said Bob Brown of Red Baron. “We have gone to great lengths to assemble an array of items that would suit the taste of any connoisseur: architectural antiques, fine furnishings, fine art, rare and vintage guns, guitars signed by rock ‘n’ roll legends, jaw-dropping gems, killer cars, vintage wine and more.”

The auction will feature several important presidential items, to include a bench handmade and signed by Jimmy Carter (with a photo of Mr. Carter building the bench), Ronald Reagan’s yearbook from his senior year at college (The Prism, 1932), with an autographed message from Mr. Reagan, and a wax figure of Ulysses S. Grant, in full uniform, from Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum in England.

Headlining the guitars category will be an acoustic guitar played and signed by the late musician Jimi Hendrix, a Galveston guitar signed by numerous rock legends, two Peavey Predator series electric guitars (signed by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia and others), a guitar signed in bold writing by blues legend BB King, and many vintage Gibsons and Martins.

Fans of royal couture will be amazed by a collection of clothing items from the collection of Princess Lucie Shirazi, a Belgian-born aristocrat who married Prince Ali Shirazi Parav of Iran. She died in 1994 at age 86. Pieces from the collection will include a Pauline Trigere’s tailored dress with bolero jacket, a circa 1930s black velvet opera coat and many other gorgeous items.

Rare, magnificent bars – a staple at most Red Baron sales and a wonderful addition to any fine home or office – will be led by “The Joker Bar,” an original back bar in Honduras mahogany, crafted for use on a Mississippi riverboat and so-named because of the four large joker masks integrated into the capitals. Also sold will be a nice towering antique Brunswick liquor cabinet.

Another jaw-dropping lot promises to be an original set of 15 stained and layered figural windows made in the late 19th century by the Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company and still in their original wood frames. The set, titled Parable of the Sower, was commissioned by Noah Pomfrey’s children and installed in St. Paul’s Universalist Church in Meriden, Conn., in 1893.

Speaking of Tiffany, vintage lamps made by the renowned manufacturer will include a 10-inch Damascene shade on a hand-blown glass base (circa 1900-1910), a blown glass linen fold shade on a dore adjustable counterbalance base (circa 1910-1920), and a harp floor lamp with gold Favrile shade and signed, numbered base. Very nice Pairpoint lamps will also be sold.

From the fine art category, just a few lots of note include an oil on canvas by Jules Ghobert (Belgian, 1881-1971), titled Bath Time; two original oil on board works by Wayne Morrell (Am., b. 1923); an oil on canvas by Giuseppe Puricelli Guerra (It., 1825-1894), titled Hawking; and a grand scale oil on canvas by W. H. Smith, on the subject of “Eve” (circa 1900).

Wild and wonderful vehicles are another Red Baron trademark, and this sale will be no exception. Where else can you bid on a veritable fleet of 1960s Good Humor ice cream trucks? Other offerings will include a 1958 custom-bodied one-of-a-kind MG MGA hot rod, a 1963 Land Rover, a 1965 British armored scout vehicle, and restored Willys Jeepsters (1924, 1948).

From the open road to outer space, Red Baron has got it all. Sold will be a massive 397-pound meteorite that landed in Chile and will now be auctioned. Other finds will feature a rare white quartz crystal from Brazil weighing over 1,000 pounds, a large fossil of amenorites, and an authentic baby dinosaur skeleton from the Cretaceous period, originally unearthed in China.

Guitars won’t be the only musical lots on the menu. Other items of “note” will include a completely restored Wurlitzer jukebox (Model 850), a very nice signed harp in mahogany with a gilt edge, a rare musical clock in European walnut with fine carvings, and a large Regina 25-disc polyphone music box in a mahogany cabinet with foliate carvings and 12 additional music discs.

Red Baron Antiques is one of the oldest, largest and widely-known fine antiques sources in the Southeast. The firm is celebrating over 35 years of providing its customers with world-class service and unique inventory, displayed at its gallery facility, which is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 9-6, and Saturday from 9-4. Red Baron is closed on Sundays.

Red Baron also has several affiliate operations, such as The Red Baron Collection, Gallery 63, King Galleries and Queen’s Garden. These are profiled in the ‘Affiliates’ tool bar of the firm’s website, at www.rbantiques.com. Red Baron also owns Southern Seasons Magazine, a high-society lifestyle publication dedicated to the arts, culture, entertainment, style and class.

Red Baron is always in the hunt for quality merchandise for future sales. If you have an item, estate or collection to be considered, you may call them directly, at (404) 252-3770. Or, you can e-mail them at info@rbantiques.com. To learn more about Red Baron Antiques and the Nov. 6-7 auction, log on to www.rbantiques.com. A free color catalog is available on request.

It is just the 5th sale for the firm, located in the heart of the antiques district in Stamford, Conn.

(STAMFORD, Conn.) – Items from the estate of Tommy Hilfiger – the international fashion designer and founder of the brand that bears his name – will be sold without reserve (everything sells, regardless of price) at an auction slated for Sunday, Sept. 26, by Vintage Galleries, located in the heart of Stamford’s burgeoning antiques district, at 528 Canal Street.

It will be just the fifth auction for Vintage Galleries, which held its inaugural sale last September. It was able to secure this consignment because Mr. Hilfiger frequents the shop across the street – Greenwich Living Antique & Design Center – and the owner of that business, Sam Pizzichillo, introduced Mr. Hilfiger to Philip Amaradio, one of the owners of Vintage Galleries.

“Tommy Hilfiger, aside from being a truly genuine human being and a kind, humble man, is a dedicated collector in a wide range of categories,” Mr. Pizzichillo said. “He has a very discerning eye and only buys the best. That’s what will make this auction so special. It is not only quality, fresh-to-the market merchandise; it is a chance to own a part of a fashion icon.”

The auction, which begins at 1 p.m., will feature around 500 items from the Hilfiger estate. Traditional pieces will include dining tables and chairs, Italian leather, bookcases, wing chairs, chests, coffee and end tables and armoires. Unusual pieces will include custom wooden Balinise furniture designed by Mr. Hilfiger himself, antler hunting lodge chairs and other items.

Mr. Hilfiger decided to consign some of the items in his vast collections after selling his estate home in Greenwich (for about $22 million), as well as his estate homes in East Hampton, N.Y., and Vermont. He recently bought another home in Greenwich, and maintains an apartment in New York City. The need to redecorate both residences led to his decision to sell some items.

Continental furniture will dominate the day’s offerings. Certain to pique bidder interest will be a pair of green painted and upholstered chairs in the style of Louis XVI, stamped Jansen (est. $4,000-$6,000). a pair of Louis XIV-style cream painted and parcel-gilt armchairs, also stamped Jansen (est. $1,000-$2,000); and a pair of plush red velvet upholstered French settees (est. $1,000-$2,000).

Also from France: a fabulous provincial hutch with wired doors, supported by a two-door cabinet base (est. $2,000-$4,000); a gorgeous antique armoire (est. $1,000-$2,000); and a French glass display case from Best & Co., with beautiful carving and gilt details (est. $1,500-$2,000). Also offered will be a lot set of three monumental decorative floor mirrors (est. $1,000-$2,000).

English pieces will include a fine 19th century mahogany partner’s desk, the top with green embossed leather inset over a frieze fitted with four drawers each(est. $2,000-$3,000); a breakfront of four glass doors over three drawers, standing on a two-door cabinet (est. $1,500-$2,000); and an antique Victorian desk with Chinoiserie paint decorations (est. $1,000-$2,000).

For the walls, offerings will include a set of two hand-colored prints by the Hungarian print-maker and illustrator Marcel Vertes (1895-1961, est. $1,000-$2,000); a set of five framed prints of English crowns (est. $1,000-$2,000); and a set of five framed prints of English flags (est. $1,000-$2,000). Also sold will be a signed Picasso drawing and many original paintings.

Georgian furniture will include a charming highboy lacquered in red (est. $1,000-$2,000) and a pair of painted and carved Georgian-style demi-lune consoles (est. $1,500-$2,000). Rounding out the list of expected top lots are a beautiful pair of antique Austrian hand-painted hutches (est. $4,000-$6,000) and an interesting vintage carriage that was used in New York’s Rockefeller Center, in one of their Christmas displays (est. $1,000-$2,000).

Previews will be ongoing leading up to the day of sale, from Sept. 12-25 (10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day). The auction will also feature the contents of an upscale Park Avenue estate, an estimated 100 lots from a lighting warehouse containing mostly antique French lighting and decorative lighting, and other estates and collections. All these, too, will be sold without reserve.

Online bidding (for about 200 of the lots from the Hilfiger estate only) will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Additional items from the Hilfiger estate will be sold at a second auction, with a date still to be determined (probably the last weekend in October). Watch the website for details: www.vintagegalleriesauction.com.

Vintage Galleries offers a large selection of fine antiques, art and accessories. The firm caters to upscale collectors, decorators and dealers and specializes in American, English and Continental furniture, fine art, glassware, porcelain pieces, 20th century design and more. The company also has a large showing of Maison Jansen furniture and accessories for sale across the street at Greenwich Living Antique & Design Center. Their phone number is 203-274-5130.

Vintage Galleries is located two blocks off I-95. The firm’s newly renovated and air-conditioned gallery is less than an hour from midtown Manhattan. Vintage Galleries is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To inquire about consigning an item, an estate or a collection, please call (203) 504-8485, or send an e-mail to info@vintagegalleriesauction.com.

For more information about Vintage Galleries and the upcoming Sept. 26 auction, please log on to www.vintagegalleriesauction.com

Forbes.com
Nina P. West, Artfact.com
10.10.07

“A rare Arts & Crafts chair made by Charles Rolhfs and rescued from the trash made auction history last week. Expected to fetch around $30,000, it sold for the record price of $198,000.

Pulled from the neighbor’s trash, the chair was given an insurance value of $25,000 by Sam Cottone, president of Cottone Auctions, outside of Rochester, N.Y., 10 or 15 years ago. The auctioneer’s advice to the owner was to take good care of it, since its value would appreciate significantly over time. The owner, living in a trailer home, decided earlier this year that it was time to sell the chair.”

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Some of the items include:

An original Signed 1819 Land Grant by President James Monroe.

ANTIQUE FURNITURE: Several pieces of high quality display cabinets including unique two door corner display with curved glass doors, leaded glass center pane, hand carved griffin and beveled glass mirrors on top; drop leaf desk with inlaid mother of pearl floral decoration; two drawer mahogany table; Victorian marble top table; large display cabinet with applied carvings, rope twist columns and paw feet; drop leaf secretary; smoking stand; Victorian sewing rocker; old trunks; storage chest; Jenny Lind bed; Hinners electrified pump organ; large selection of wooden chairs of various types; tables; shelves; bookcases and more.

CLOCKS: Ansonia Royal Bonn “La Rambla” porcelain mantle clock; Ansonia “Aden” mantle clock; Seth Thomas and Sessions wall clock; Howard Miller grandfather clock.

LAMPS: Moe-Bridges reverse painted lamp; slag glass; Coleman CQ Quick-Lite kerosene lamp; hand painted GWTW lamp; original gas Arts and Crafts lamp; buggy lanterns.

BREWANIA: Miller High Life, Pfeiffers beer and GB lighted displays; neon Leisy’s lite beer sign; original 7-Up display signs; Old Taylor Whiskey large display bottle; large selection of Jim Beam bottles and many other vintage items.

GLASSWARE AND POTTERY: Weller Louwelsa vases and tankard; Hull including early Hull Art vase; cranberry opalescent coin spot water set with 3 tumblers; white opalescent coin spot pitcher; handpainted Nippon; Westmoreland Corinth blue opalescent jack-in-the-pulpit vase; Cambridge #620 Line sugar and creamer set; carnival glass; vintage salt and peppers; many old bottles including milk bottles; Geisha Girl and other porcelain; ruby flash glass; Lladro Aranjuez Little Lady and Lladro Nao figurine; porcelain figurines; Wedgwood umbrella stand, c:1885; Roseville Donatello vase; cranberry opalescent hobnail rose bowl and more.

BOOKS: The Democratic Book, 1936; Norwalk Register Herald news copy book, 1919; Florida: It’s Scenery, Climate and History, 1876; comic books – Tarzan and various others.

ALSO: 1000′s of vintage postcards, 1905-1970′s; tin types; old photos; coins; American Indian arrowheads and hand tools; Ohio Registered Chauffeur pin badges; old license plates; Tuco puzzles; tin toys; Eagle cast iron miniature stove; lanterns; old quilts; vintage purses; vintage watches; costume jewelry; vintage electric fans; old framed prints including Maxfield Parrish; many old picture frames; stereoviewers and cards; Cheny Talking Machine; Victor Talking Machine; many Edison phonograph records; M. Hohner accordian; large souvenir spoon collection; many souvenir plates; other souvenir items including Put-In-Bay, 1899; primitives; Rittgers baseball figurines; donkey vintage tin cigarette dispenser; Camels cigarette advertising thermometer; vintage kitchen collectibles; and many more collectible items too numerous to mention.

Many factors determine which antique fashions will hatch next.

Kansas City Star | 10/08/2006 |
By CINDY HOEDEL

“Trends in antique furniture circle in and out of favor like painted ponies on a vintage carousel.

Biedermeier and mid-century modern are riding high, while Mission and French Empire are fading.”

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Antiques and the Arts Online

“PITTSFIELD, MASS. – It took no time at all for a world record to be set at the July 30 (2006) Willis Henry Shaker sale. Early in the sale, a Mount Lebanon Shaker workstand sold for a whopping $491,400. Bidding opened at $50,000 and danced around between the phone and the room. The successful and most tenacious bidder was Woodbury, Conn., dealer David A. Schorsch, who outlasted all comers while speaking into a cell phone throughout the proceedings.”

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