Rare 15th-century Ming Xuande porcelain sprinkler, est. 0,000-0,000. I.M. Chait image.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – When the doors are opened to I.M. Chait’s elegant Manhattan gallery space during Asia Week New York (March 16-24), the management and staff of the family-owned southern California firm expect to welcome many old friends to their preview and March 21 auction of Important Chinese Ceramics & Asian Works of Art.

The company’s venerable founder and auctioneer Isadore “I.M.” Chait, who is celebrating his 45th year as a specialist dealer of Asian art, takes pride in the fact that collectors who bought from him decades ago are still amongst his active clientele.

“What is particularly interesting about the Asian market is the cycle of buying, holding and selling,” Chait said. “We’ve noticed that pieces purchased five to fifteen years ago in Hong Kong or New York auctions are now resurfacing. It has been an ongoing practice for some Chinese art collectors to buy an object, put it in their collection, then 10 or 20 years later, put it up for sale at the same venue and buy something else they like.”

But what is changing, Chait said, is that nowadays there are so many private museums establishing or adding to their Asian collections, that many rare pieces are being removed from the cycle. “They’re going into institutional collections and staying there. This is one factor that is driving auction prices upward,” Chait said.

Mark on the Ming Xuande porcelain sprinkler. I.M. Chait image.

There are many rare and exotic artworks in the 300+ lot March 21 auction that Chait predicts will attract intense interest. Topping the list is a marked 15th century Ming Xuande Period porcelain sprinkler of Islamic shape. Chait explained that, at the height of its manufacture, Chinese porcelain often went to Middle Eastern potentates, hence the distinctive bulbous style with graduated cylindrical spout.

“Anything from the 15th century is exceedingly rare. This sprinkler comes from a major collection that was started 35 to 40 years ago. The only reason this piece is being sold is because the consignor is fortunate enough to have another one in their collection,” Chait said.

An estimate of 0,000-0,000 for the sprinkler is conservative when measured against recent comparables. “At a show one or two years ago we saw an example that sold for half a million dollars,” Chait said. “It showed up a few months later in a Chinese auction with a million-dollar estimate.”

Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain bowl, est. 0,000-0,000. I.M. Chait image.

Another highlight with a six-figure estimate is the Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain bowl with expectations of reaching 0,000-0,000. The bowl comes to auction with outstanding provenance, having once been part of the renowned T.T. Tsui Museum of Art Collection in Hong Kong.

An estate collection local to the auctioneer’s Beverly Hills gallery was the source for an important spinach jade brushpot that Chait describes as “one of the most exquisitely carved brushpots we’ve ever seen.” Under its base is a label – possibly from the 1960s/’70s – from the London auction house Spink & Son.

Important spinach jade brushpot, est. ,000-,000. I.M. Chait image.

Chait noted that the object is deeply and intricately carved from a single piece of jade, a method that requires great artistic skill. The carver’s technique masterfully rendered a three-dimensional, “layered” effect to the piece. The presale estimate has been set at ,000-,000.

The rich cobalt hue of lapis lazuli is the immediate focal point of a Qianlong table screen from an old Shanghai collection. According to Chait, it may have Imperial provenance.

Qianlong lapis lazuli table screen, est. ,000-,000. I.M. Chait image.

“Most table screens of this type are made of wood. Lapis is more rare,” he said. The lot is estimated at ,000-,000.

Additional objects of exceptional quality are still arriving for consignment to Chait’s Asia Week auction, including a collection of 70 extremely fine 20th-century netsukes, most being of ivory and all by important carvers. The collection was purchased at auctions and from top dealers in the 1990s, bearing out Isadore Chait’s theory about a 20-year buying-and-reselling cycle.

Chait’s Asia Week auction is the firm’s most important sale of the year. Each object selected for inclusion in this year’s premier event was personally selected and vetted by Isadore Chait and comes with the company’s guarantee of authenticity. Mr. Chait is an internationally acknowledged expert in both Oriental sculpture and gemology. He is a recommended appraiser to many museums and educational institutions, including the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Norton Simon Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

All auction items will be available to preview daily from March 16-20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (10 a.m. till noon on auction day) at I.M. Chait’s gallery on the 6th floor of the historic Fuller Building, 595 Madison Ave. at 57th St., New York, NY 10022. A West Coast preview will take place from Feb. 27-March 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment, at I.M. Chait’s flagship gallery located at 9330 Civic Center Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

The March 21 Asia Week New York auction will commence at 2 p.m. Eastern Time at the Fuller Building gallery, with all forms of bidding available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Four of I.M. Chait’s staff are fluent in Mandarin and will be on hand to greet Asian visitors to the New York gallery space and to assist Chinese-speaking bidders over the phone during the auction.

For additional information on any lot in the sale or to obtain a fully illustrated color catalog ( + shipping), call 1-800-775-5020 or 310-285-0182; or e-mail joey@chait.com. Visit the company online at www.chait.com.

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Proving once again that global demand for the best and most unique property is as strong as ever, the sale of property from O’Hara’s Gallery realized ,539,060 at Leslie Hindman.

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Amanda Addams Auctions —- 6th February 2012—-Auction starts 6.30 pm.

Welcome to the first important auction for 2012

 Featuring Estate of Thomas Cowan- Ferntree Gully, Estate of Enid Janet Webb – Yackandandah, estate of a distinguished collector – Dandenong North, estate of Ronald and Lurleen Slaney -Vermont, estate of Allan Smallman -Metung, and estate of Margery Brown -Tatura.

Viewing Saturday 4th 11- 4 pm. Monday 12 noon to 6 pm.

Art works on offer by, Yosl Bergner, Lawrence Daws, Ivars Jansons, Charles Blackman, Kathleen Letitia O’Connor, Frances Vida Lahey, Marguerite Mahood, Harold Septimus Power, John Alexander Gilfillan, John Henry Mole, Phil May, Brian Dunlop, John Roy Eldershaw, Arthur W Burgess, Godfrey Miller, E. P. Fox, Thomas Gainsborough, John Leo Borrack, Emil Bednes, Norman Roberts, Lawrence Kermond, Reshid Bey, Victor Rubin, Frank De Silva, Leon Hanson, Reg Cox, John Stanesco, Peter Smales, Greg Allen, Vera Morrison, European includes Rolf Dietz Meyer Wiegand, Edouard Niczky, Angel Marcos Gonzales, Margrethe Tora Drejer, Theodore Anton Bahr, etc.  

Ceramics and pottery- from all over the world covering over a centuries includes antique vintage and retro by quality makers Moorcroft, Royal Crown Derby, William Ricketts, Royal Worcester, Royal Doulton, Chinese ceramics, Royal Winton, Belleek, Hummel, Wedgwood, Rosenthal, Gmundner Austria, Limoges, Goldscheider, Gouda, Keramia, Royal Dux, Dresden, Carlton ware, Masons, Shelley, Brownie Downing, etc.

Silver- Sterling silver includes many English items, Continental silver, huge selection of Mexico sterling silver.

Glass and crystal- Lalique, Moser, Webb, Daum Nancy and other French glass, perfume bottles, etc.

Decorative wares - Wiener Werkstatte, candelabrums, sculptures, clocks, bronzes, inlaid boxes, Cloisonné, lamps and kerosene lamps bowls, scale model canons, telescopes, gramophone, phonograph, barometers, miniatures, signed 1993 South African test team cricket bat, taxidermist items, rare convict handcuffs, early dolls, etc.

Jewellery - High quality and huge selection of estate jewellery, includes, Mexican silver, Georg Jensen, jade in varied colours and other vintage jewellery, wrist watches includes gold Rolex Girard-Perregau, Savillon, Accurist, Cortebert, Locust, Pierce and other rare watches, rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches etc.

Furniture- Victorian, Edwardian, Retro includes, side tables, chairs, side tables, sofas, armchairs, display cabinets, sideboards, mirrors, etc.

You must come along and have a look there is so much to see, have a look on the web site www.aaauctions.com.au but do yourself a favour and come to the rooms and have a look and a punt. All estate items are priced to sell at low estimates and low starting bids.                                         

Visit www.aaauctions.com.au 194 Bulleen Road, Bulleen 3105 – Phone 03 9850 1553 / 0419 578184 / 0419 361753 

Everyone’s Blog Posts – I Antique Online

Swann has actively participated in the international prints and drawings market since the 1980s. Over the past decade, the Works of Art on Paper department has become a world leader in museum-quality old master through modern prints, drawings and watercolors.

We also conduct regular sales devoted to American Art and Contemporary Art, as well as occasional auctions of single-owner collections.

We look forward to assisting you with your collections of prints, drawings and watercolors.

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Soda shop sign from Atlantic City’s glory days takes top-lot honors at K

Painted tin on wood sign advertising confections and beverages, 5ft. tall, top lot of the sale at ,000. Noel Barrett Auctions image.

NEW HOPE, Pa. – Antique toy expert and Antiques Roadshow senior appraiser Noel Barrett hosted a Nov. 18-19 auction featuring clockwork toys and automata from the Frank Mohr collection. The sale also included early advertising signs and toys from the personal collection of Bill Powell, a Tennessee-based dealer known for his well-cultivated taste in antiques of many types.

The auction realized ,187,000 (all prices quoted inclusive of 15% buyer’s premium), with Saturday’s sales exceeding the session’s total high estimate by a whopping 40%.

“It was like an old-fashioned sale in terms of turnout. It drew about the same size crowd we had in the very same hall 23 years ago, at our first auction in New Hope. You don’t see that sort of turnout nowadays, with so many people opting for the convenience of phone and Internet bidding. It was one heck of a crowd,” said Noel Barrett.

“The auction took us full circle in a number of ways. I was able to point to a poster in the sale and say, ‘I sold this 23 years ago, and now it’s come back to us,’” Barrett continued. “That’s what the Bill Powell collection represented – antique toys and signs that had been off the market for decades. It was very exciting to see such a full house. All of the major buyers turned out.”

The Automatic Foot Race, 1880s, William Britain & Sons (England), featuring two cloth-dressed figures that trot around a paper-litho metal cylinder, ,400. Noel Barrett Auctions image.

Friday’s 386-lot toy session was dominated by a British toy, an 1880s William Britain “Automatic Foot Race.” The clockwork toy featuring two quaint, cloth-dressed figures that trot around a paper-litho metal cylinder crossed the finish line at ,400, against an estimate of ,000-,000. The buyer was an American participating by phone.

Another early Britains production that finished near the top of the toy session was a Don Quixote and the Windmill Parlour Game. The scarce toy featuring a painted-wood windmill with tin blades and an armor-clad rider on horseback even retained its original box lid. The game outpaced its estimate of ,000-,000 to end its run at ,625. A Britain’s Drinking Highlander automaton garnered an identical winning bid.

An unusual 19th-century pull toy of painted tin with cast-iron wheels featured a uniformed cadet figure pulling a platform topped by a maypole with circling boy and girl figures. It finished just above its high estimate at ,650.

The Automatic Foot Race, 1880s, William Britain & Sons (England), featuring two cloth-dressed figures that trot around a paper-litho metal cylinder, ,400. Noel Barrett Auctions image.

Another toy that found favor with bidders was a French horse-drawn tin omnibus floor toy emblazoned with “Compagnie Generale Des Omnibus” and a point of departure and destination sign reading “Gare d l’Est – Montrouge.” Very nicely detailed and carrying 12 painted composition passenger figures, it breezed past its ,500-,500 estimate to settle at ,500.

The auction’s overall top lot was an appealing painted tin-on-wood sign believed to have come from a shop on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk. It advertised “ice cream, fancy cake and all kinds of soft drinks,” the types of treats so popular with beachgoers both a century ago and today. The gold lettering and image of a mound of ice cream being served up on a silver utensil were remarkably clean, suggesting the sign had avoided exposure to harsh elements. Against an estimate of ,000-,000, the sign was bid to ,000.

19th-century, full-color wood sign advertising Chas. F. Wagner Furs, ,450. Noel Barrett Auctions image.

A 19th-century, full-color wood sign advertising Chas. F. Wagner Furs featured a painted cartouche with the three-quarter image of a woman wearing an ermine-collared fur vest, her hands concealed in a fur muff. Against an estimate of ,000-,000, the 58-inch-tall by 29-inch-wide sign achieved ,450.

Both a J. F. Wiessner Lager painted-tin sign with the image of a foaming pint, and a “Glasses Fitted” optician trade with a suspended pair of oversize spectacles commanded individual prices of ,650.

An elaborately detailed watchmaker’s trade sign shaped like a pocket watch with Roman numerals brought a surprising ,500 – more than seven times its high estimate. But even Noel Barrett didn’t expect the intense interest in a painted-wood fishing lure trade sign replicating a speckled fish, estimated at ,500-,500. “There were a lot of people on the phones for that sign, and one of them ended up being the buyer at ,550,” Barrett said.

Painted-wood fishing lure trade sign replicating a speckled fish, ,550. Noel Barrett Auctions image.

Sometimes the type of product being advertised on a sign can be just as important as the graphics. A case in point was the lithographed cardboard sign touting Hansen’s Auto Gauntlets and illustrated with the image of a liveried driver wearing a pair of the sturdy gloves. “Sometimes automotive items can be totally surprising, because the field is so strong. I had never seen this sign before, and it had a great image,” said Barrett, commenting on the winning bid of ,775 (est. 0-0).

Provenance played a role in the success of an “Allegiance to No Crown” oil painting from the Greg and Molly Caron patriotic Americana

Before the Pierce-Arrow automobile, there were Pierce Cycles, as seen in this 1898 poster, 86in. tall, ,500. Noel Barrett Auctions image.

collection. The artwork with provenance from the legendary Bernard Barenholtz collection ignited a bidding battle amongst six phone competitors. The painting of a sailor holding an American Flag and Victory holding a laurel wreath above his head flew past its ,500-,500 estimate to sell for ,625.

While the packed room and bank of busy phones were the source of furious bidding on many lots, the Internet was a huge presence, as well, with 1,000 registered bidders taking part through LiveAuctioneers.com. In the end, online bidders accounted for 17% of the gross and 32% of the lots sold.

Noel Barrett will conduct his next sale on Nov. 16-17, 2012, the weekend before Thanksgiving. For additional information call 1-215-297-5109 or e-mail toys@noelbarrett.com. Visit Barrett’s website at www.noelbarrett.com.

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Fri., Jan. 13 @ 11am:
Discovery Day One / Early 20th C. &
Estates Goods
Sat., Jan. 14 @ 11am:
Discovery Day Two /
20th C. Modern

Previews

Jan. 7-11, noon-5pm
Jan. 12, noon-7pm
Open Jan. 13/14 @ 9am

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Brandeis professor emeritus was noted African-American history scholar

Giant in Tower mechanical bank, 1902, John Harper Ltd., from a collection of cast-iron banks to be auctioned in the opening session. Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers image.

SAUGUS, Mass. – Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers will present selections from the estate of theater critic, university professor and African-American history scholar Dr. Caldwell Titcomb in a Thursday, Jan. 12 evening auction at the company’s suburban Boston gallery. Internet live bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

The 350-lot sale, which will be divided into two consecutive sessions, includes important archival documents and other ephemera from Dr. Titcomb’s historical research, as well as Asian art and bronzes; furniture and several paintings. Additional private consignments from New England residences include collections of antique mechanical banks and toys; 19th-century rifles, fine diamond jewelry and American sterling silver.

“There’s more than enough in this sale to keep people interested and on their seats, but we also enjoy playing host to our guests, so there will be a complimentary hors d’oeuvres smorgasbord and beverages available for all who attend,” said Tonya Cameron.

Session I, starting at 5 p.m., features a single-owner collection of approximately 20 cast-iron mechanical banks of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among them are an Eagle and Eaglets, Humpty Dumpty, Trick Dog, Teddy (Roosevelt) and the Bear, full-figure Uncle Sam, Artillery, and Uncle Remus. A coveted English production known as the Giant in Tower bank was made in 1902 by John Harper Ltd.

The bank collector also amassed a number of amusing battery-operated toys from the 1950s and ’60s. The grouping includes Shoeshine Bear, Mambo Elephant, Drinking Monkey, Clown Playing Xylophone, and Sneezing Bear. A Bubble Blowing Monkey is similar in design to the battery ops but functions via an electrical plug. The opening session also contains a few boxed space-theme and wind-up toys.

File copy of Dr. Caldwell Titcomb’s 1966 letter to Amherst College inquiring about the dates during which “famous Negro abolitionist Robert Purvis” may have been a student there. Archive of Dr. Caldwell Titcomb. Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers image.

At approximately 6:15 p.m., the 300-lot session featuring Dr. Titcomb’s estate items will commence. Tonya Cameron said she is honored that her company was chosen to auction the late professor’s collections.

“Dr. Titcomb was an intellectual fixture in Boston’s theater scene. He had been a professor at Brandeis University, was a longtime theater critic and a passionate musician and composer. On top of that, he was deeply interested in African-American history and left an extraordinary archive of letters – some historical and some his own – and other ephemera documenting decades of study in that field,” Cameron said.

A file copy of an Aug. 6, 1966 letter from the Titcomb archive attests to the late professor’s fastidious attention to detail. In that letter to Amherst College’s Alumni Records Department, Titcomb informs that he is researching “early Negro college students” and wishes to clarify a possible historical discrepancy. He asks if Amherst’s records can confirm whether or not “the famous Negro abolitionist Robert Purvis” attended, but did not graduate from, Amherst College prior to 1826. In his letter, Titcomb explains that he wishes to confirm a published statement he had seen regarding Purvis’ matriculation at Amherst, noting that the timeframe stated seemed “odd, since Purvis was not born until 1810.”

The ephemera highlights also include a typed manuscript for a play Titcomb wrote, and five personally assembled scrap albums of obituaries, biographies and other materials pertaining to theatrical luminaries from around the world. “It’s a remarkable time capsule,” Cameron observed.

Pair of large, bronze foo dogs, Estate of Dr. Caldwell Titcomb. Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers image.

Dr. Titcomb embraced many cultures and traveled extensively across Asia, acquiring 18th, 19th and 20th century antiques. The auction selection includes many bronzes in the 0-,000 range and several in the 0-0 range. The top lot of this category is a pair of large bronze foo dogs estimated at ,000-,000.

Ceramics include Imari and Moriagi productions and a beautiful Kutani porcelain vase in an orange and blue colorway. Carved hardstone figurals will be offered in group lots.

Louise Davies Webber abstract watercolor painting. Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers image.

Also coming from the Titcomb estate are abstract paintings by Maine landscape and still life artist Louise Davies Webber, a Chinese sword with decorated handle and scabbard; and an Indian sword with figural hilt.

Private consignments yielded an extensive Reed & Barton 24-place-setting sterling silver flatware set in the Burgundy pattern. While a few of the settings lack their salad forks, the silver suite includes desirable butter pats and knives; and many unusual serving pieces such as a stuffing spoon and large meat fork. The set is housed in a mahogany chest and carries a presale estimate of ,000-,000.

Gorham 6-piece coffee, tea and water kettle set with tray, 1950s. Est. ,000-,500. Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers image.

Another silver highlight is a Gorham 6-piece coffee, tea and water kettle set. The midcentury service, complete with tray, is expected to make ,000-,500.

Firearms are led by a G. Hyslop antique flintlock Kentucky long gun and Thompson/Center 50 caliber flintlock. Other collectible weapons include an 1880s-era Turkish flintlock pistol and an Allen Thurber & Co. pocket pistol with an 1845 patent. Civil War books and etchings complete the section.

(Top) 1880s-era Turkish flintlock pistol and (bottom) Allen Thurber & Co. pocket pistol with an 1845 patent. Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers image.

The auction’s broad variety of goods also includes 18th century Spanish Colonial paintings, Abe Blashko drawings, bronzes by listed artists, a fine campaign chest on pedestal, five vintage Brunswick ivory-tipped pool cues with pearl and ivory inlay; and gold and diamond estate jewelry.

Tonya A. Cameron’s auction featuring selections from the estate of Dr. Caldwell Titcomb will take place on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, at the company’s gallery at 113 Bennett Highway, Saugus, MA 01906, commencing at 5 p.m. Eastern time. Preview: Jan. 11 from 12-5 and Jan. 12 from 12-4:45.

All forms of bidding will be available, including telephone, absentee and online through LiveAuctioneers.com. For additional information, call 781-233-0006 or e-mail tac602@gmail.com. Visit Tonya A. Cameron Auctioneers online at www.tacauctioneers.com.

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Tiffany & Co. grandfather clock, Guy Wiggins painting among sale’s highlights

Late-19th-century Tiffany & Co. carved mahogany grandfather clock, 100 in. tall, with Winterhalder & Hofmeier German movement, sun/moon dial, eight bells, Westminster chimes. Est. ,000-,000. Nest Egg Auctions photo

MERIDEN, Conn. – The Brechlins are home for the holidays and will celebrate as the Connecticut family’s Nest Egg Auctions presents its annual Gala Holiday New Year’s Auction on Saturday, Jan. 7. The sale will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Those attending the 209-lot auction will be offered festive hospitality, with complimentary food and drink; and live music.

“Everyone comes to our New Year’s auction,” said auctioneer Ryan Brechlin. “Hey, free shrimp!”

Along with the food and entertainment, guests will be able to enjoy previewing an outstanding lineup of antiques and collectibles on display prior to the auction.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for those who cannot attend the sale, which will be held at Nest Egg Auctions’ gallery at 30 Research Parkway in Meriden.

Ryan Brechlin will oversee the event together with his sister Jennifer Brechlin and their mother Mary Ellen Brechlin. All three family members work full time for the second-generation auction house. Present in spirit will be the family patriarch, Carl Brechlin, who died in 2008.

The Jan. 7 auction will be Nest Egg’s first sale of 2012. What better way to ring in the New Year than with a late-19th-century Tiffany & Co. grandfather clock that stands an impressive 100 inches tall and has all the bells and whistles expected of a fine Tiffany timepiece.

“It has a good German movement [Winterhalder & Hofmeier] and a beautifully carved mahogany case,” said Ryan Brechlin. “It’s enormous. People who want a Tiffany clock like them big.”

With a sun and moon dial, eight bells and Westminster chimes – all in running condition – the clock is estimated at ,000-,000.

Circa-1902 National cash register Model 92, custom designed for Barton & Hoysradt department store in Columbia County, N.Y. Est. ,000-,000. Nest Egg Auctions photo.

Another large mechanical marvel in the sale is a Model 92 National cash register, which was custom made for a New York department store, Barton & Hoysradt, around 1902. The register is fully functional and includes all keys and its original instruction book. The entire piece – register and attached cabinet – measures approximately 19 1/2 inches by 26 inches by 36 inches and has a ,000-,000 estimate.

“It’s a cool piece, one of the biggest registers National made. The drawers all integrated to the different departments in the store,” said Brechlin.

Another choice mechanical device in the auction is a Mills Novelty Co. American War Eagle nickel slot machine from the mid-1930s. From an Old Saybrook, Conn., estate, the classic one-arm bandit in working order is expected to make ,000-,000.

Guy Carleton Wiggins (American, 1883-1962), ‘New York Library in Storm,’ signed lower left, 12 x 16 in. sight, 20 x 16 in. in signed Fredrix NY frame. Est. ,000-,000. Nest Egg Auctions photo.

The auction’s high point may come with the introduction of a Guy Carleton Wiggins (American, 1883-1962) oil-on-board painting of the New York Library in a winter storm. The artwork executed in quintessential Wiggins style carries a ,000-,000 estimate.

“It has everything you want in a Guy Wiggins painting – New York in winter, snow and American Flags,” said Brechlin. “This one has two flags.”

Brechlin noted that the 12-inch by 16-inch Wiggins painting is from the Alfred Cheney Johnston Collection. Johnston was a famed New York City-based photographer known for his portraits of Ziegfeld Follies showgirls as well as of 1920s/1930s actresses. The final 65 lots of the auction consist exclusively of Johnston photos of this type.

“This will be the last of the Alfred Cheney Johnston estate photographs, which we’ve spread over three auctions during the past year. Because they’re the last offering, I’m hoping people will go a little crazy for them,” said Bechlin.

High-gloss print, approx. 10 x 13 in., identified on verso as “Marie Stevens” with ACJ stamp. Est. 0-,000. Nest Egg Auctions photo.

Some of Johnston’s beautiful subjects were noted silent film stars. These particular images will be sold individually. Many other lots include multiple images. Estimates range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

While the subject matter was risqué for its time, Johnston’s work was technically and artistically superb, and is highly collectible today. The enlargements, many 10 inches by 13 inches, are in excellent condition.

An especially desirable collector’s item in the sale is an Art Deco porcelain figure of a woman made by Lenci of Torino, Italy. The sultry blonde, wearing a short dress and carrying a basket of flowers, stands 9½ inches high. With minor damage, it has a 0-,000 estimate.

Lenci (Torino, Italy) Art Deco figurine, 9½ inches tall. Est. 0-,000. Nest Egg Auctions photo.

“Lenci was a small Italian pottery and their best pieces are highly sought after,” said Brechlin. “We sold a Lenci piece earlier in the year for around ,000.”

A line from the popular 1934 hit Winter Wonderland – “Gone away is the bluebird” – comes to mind when considering a taxidermied passenger pigeon displayed in a period display case. The trophy, an example of a wild species that was hunted to extinction by 1914, is the size of a typical pigeon. The custom-crafted glass and wood case measures approximately 12 inches by 13 inches by 19 inches.

“We’ve done well with some taxidermy,” says Bechlin, who hopes to make ,000-,000 with this former museum piece.

Taxidermied now-extinct passenger pigeon in handcrafted glass and wood case. Est. ,000-,000. Nest Egg Auctions photo.

Three scarce Arts & Crafts Movement books on papermaking by Dard Hunter, a one-time associate of Elbert Hubbard, will be sold. One, published in 1927 and dealing with primitive papermaking, is number 83 of an edition limited to 200 copies. It has a ,000-,000 estimate.

The Literature of Papermaking 1390-1800 by Dard Hunter, published in 1925, is numbered 76 of 160 and signed by the author. The illustrated volume is hand printed in type of Hunter’s own design on handmade paper. It carries a 0-,000 estimate.

Hunter’s Papermaking in Indo-China, a limited edition published in 1947, exhibits similar handcraftsmanship and also has a 0-,000 estimate.

For additional information on Nest Egg Auctions’ Gala Holiday New Year’s Auction, call 203-630-1400 or toll-free 800-448-0692; or e-mail ryan@nesteggauctions.com. All forms of bidding will be available. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com. The catalog may also be viewed on Nest Egg’s website: www.nesteggauctions.com.

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Top lot of the sale: Ives cloth-dressed man on tin rocking horse, ex Tom Anderson collection, ,100. Bertoia Auctions image.

VINELAND, N.J. – Collectors in a quest to find rare antique toys in superior condition struck gold at Bertoia’s Nov. 11-12 Toys on World Tour auction, which realized ,550,000 (inclusive of 15% buyer’s premium). The 1,502-lot sale was very well attended, with phone bidders keeping Bertoia’s staff members constantly engaged. Internet bidding played a major role in the auction’s success, as well. The daily average of purchases attributable to online buyers was 27.4%.

Cast-iron toys proved to be a category with resiliency, as evidenced by the setting of several world auction records. “I would say that at this auction cast iron was not only back, but back to the future. That’s how strong it was,” said Bertoia Auctions associate Rich Bertoia. “The Donald Kaufman auction series, which grossed over twelve million dollars, seems to have reignited the fever of collecting cast iron. We even saw a few new players at the sale.”

Circa-1932 Arcade cast-iron Mack dump truck, ex Larry Seiber collection, finest of all known examples, ,250. Bertoia Auctions image.

A circa-1932 Arcade cast-iron rendition of a Mack dump truck in bright red and yellow, came with provenance from the respected Larry Sieber collection, Considered the finest known specimen of its type, the 9-inch, near-mint truck claimed the top spot in its category at ,250.

Having passed through Bertoia’s gallery before, during the Kaufman series, a 17-inch Kenton cast-iron “Speed” truck painted green with a stake-side open body toppled its previous auction price to sell for ,650 against an estimate of ,000-,500. “There were many other pieces from both the Don Kaufman and Dick Ford collections that followed that same pattern, selling for much more than they had in recent auctions. They still had their previous Bertoia tags on them,” Rich Bertoia noted.

Marklin ‘Avalanche’ tinplate clockwork gunboat, 16 inches long, ,400. Bertoia Auctions image.

Another surprise was the buoyant prices achieved by German clockwork tin boats. “Normally in a single auction we don’t get as many all-original or nearly all-original boats of such outstanding quality, but it happened this time,” said Bertoia.

An exceptionally well-scaled Marklin “Avalanche” painted in light blue and with all four lifeboats, two stacks, flags and other original accessories had no trouble sailing to ,400 against an estimate of ,000-,000. Other big winners by Marklin included a “Puritan” oceanliner, ,000; “Columbia” battleship (partially restored), ,400; and 1930s “Freya” battleship, ,250 against an estimate of ,000-,000.

Additional European tin toys that won favor with bidders included a Hans Eberl two-seat clockwork tourer with turbaned driver, clown passengers, and Punch & Judy and other clown images lithographed on its exterior panels. Estimated at 0-0, the vibrantly colorful open car made ,925. An earlier production dating to around 1900, a Guntherman 12-inch vis-à-vis with hand-painted driver figure surpassed its estimate to reach ,175.

Circa-1870s Fallows American hand-painted tin wagon advertising ‘Fancy Goods, Toys & Notions,’ ,350. Bertoia Auctions image

“What was interesting about the European toys is that there were many Europeans on the phones who were extremely competitive but could not win against bidders in the room. It seemed that the estimates didn’t matter,” said Bertoia.

Over the past decade, the market for early American tin toys has confirmed that demand continues to exceed supply for rare and fine examples. A nice selection of this specialty was included in Bertoia’s sale, with the leading piece being an extremely rare Ives Man on Rocking Horse, ex Tom Anderson collection, that raced past its ,000-,000 estimate to cross the finish line at ,100.

Of the collection of biscuit tins offered, “those in great condition brought great money,” Bertoia said. A circa-1920 W. Crawford & Sons “Fire Brigade” tin – one of the featured items on Bertoia’s auction catalog cover – benefited from crossover bidding from firefighting fans and commanded ,900 (est. ,000-,200). One of only two or three known examples of a tin pram with baby and golliwog lithographed on its lid was a runaway favorite and earned ,325 against an estimate of 0-0.

Hand-painted cast-iron doorstop depicting snow-capped cottage, book example, ,175. Bertoia Auctions image.

Almost every sale conducted by Bertoia’s features an array of excellent-quality cast-iron doorstops. The Nov. 11-12 offering included a charming rarity: a snow-capped yellow cottage with hand painting reminiscent of Grandma Moses’ primitive New England style. The doorstop was a book example and had been entered in the sale with a ,200-,600 estimate. “Apparently there were many bidders who wanted this doorstop for their collections. It sold for ,175,” said Bertoia Auctions’ owner Jeanne Bertoia, who is, herself, a renowned expert and author on the subject of antique doorstops.

Other sale highlights included an Asahi 1962 Chrysler Imperial tin car in rich cobalt blue, ,900; and a 30-inch-tall, signed Vichy automaton of a beautiful lady with hand mirror. Superbly modeled and painted, with a Jumeau bisque head accented by pearl “drop” earrings, the elegantly dressed automaton soared to ,400 against an estimate of ,000-,000.

Figural foot-shape Halloween lantern, ,025. Bertoia Auctions image.

The much-anticipated selection of Christmas antiques attracted bidders across the board, but most especially toward the rarely seen antiques. “Collectors are waiting for the great things to come out, and they’ll pay the price to get them,” said Rich Bertoia.

The Christmas section was led by a late-19th-century chalkware belsnickle, 22 inches tall, painted in brown and red with holly and berries on the hood of its knee-length coat. Estimated at ,000-,000, it was pushed competitively to ,400.

Bertoia’s Spring Auction will be held March 23-24, 2012 and will feature doorstops from the Chuck and Barbara Cook collection, comic character toys from the Ronnie Rosen collection, cast-iron rarities from a private collection, Lehmann and Martin windups, steam engines and many other choice pieces. For additional information call 856-692-8697, e-mail toys@bertoiaauctions.com, or visit www.bertoiaauctions.com.

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