The Original Miami Beach Antique Show, sponsored by WorthPoint this year, is the largest indoor antique show in the world, with many treasures from all over the globe. Visitors are sure to discover some of the finest things they’ve ever seen on exhibition here.

Take peek at this great show, attended by celebrities, royalty, museum representatives and collectors from all walks of life, and make plans to attend next year’s show, scheduled for Jan. 31-Feb. 4.

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Martin Willis is Worthologist and auctioneer who owns Seaboard Appraisal Service. You can hear his podcasts at the at Antique and Auction Forum, featuring interviews with key players in the antiques and collectibles trade.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

This large acrylic painting on canvas of a reclining woman on a settee with flowers by Pop Art icon Peter Max is expected to realized between $80,000 and $100,000 in a auction to be hosted on Saturday, Feb. 25, by Elite Decorative Arts.

This original oil on canvas painting of an abstract design with four black stripes, by American artist Franz Kline is also estimated to sell for $80,000-$100,000.

The auction will be held in the firm’s gallery facility in the Quantum Town Center at 1034 Gateway Boulevard (Suite 106-108) in Boynton Beach. The action will begin at 1 p.m. (EST).

The Max (b. 1937) painting—a large acrylic on canvas rendering of a reclining woman on a settee with flowers—is 60 inches by 73 inches and is signed upper right. The reverse (verso) side states, “Copyright Peter Max 1992 #1127).”

The Kline (1910-1962) piece is an abstract design with four black stripes was executed circa 1958-1960 and was signed lower right. It measures 12 inches by 20 inches and is matted and framed. Best known for his large-scale black and white works, Kline was a prominent artist in abstract and non-objective styles.

The Max and Kline pieces are expected to fetch between $80,000 and $100,000.

Two lots of decorative art are expected to attract keen bidder interest. One is a stunning antique Chinese Qianlong hand-carved ivory mammoth tusk depicting an epic warrior battle scene (est. $50,000-$60,000). The piece boasts 70 figures clashing in a relief-carved scene, with 13 cavalry warriors, spear men, swordsmen and men carrying mask shields. It is 45 inches tall.

The other lot consists of a pair of 18th century French dore bronze-mounted red marble urns (est. $25,000-$35,000). Each urn is finely crafted, with red marble bodies and base clad with gilded bronze decorations depicting two lion busts with hanging lion fur. Each one is about 20 inches high by 11 ½ inches wide and the combined weight of the two urns is about 75 pounds.

Collectors of fine Russian works will not be disappointed. One outstanding lot is an Imperial Russian enameled silver and agate boar’s head cup with cabochon ruby jewels set to eyes and the Faberge Cyrillic mark with double-headed eagle (est. $40,000-$50,000). The 7 ½-inch-tall cup has 88 silver purity marks and comes in a handsome fitted wood presentation box.

Another piece sure to get paddles wagging is an Imperial Russian enameled silver plique a jour Judaica spice tower centerpiece, with 84 silver purity marks and Pavel Akimov Ovchinnikov workmaster marks to the side of the base (est. $35,000-$45,000). The 17 ½-inch-tall by 6 ½-inch-wide centerpiece has red cabochon stones set to eyes and weighs 33.2 troy ounces.

Two Russian lots have identical pre-sale estimates: $30,000-$40,000. One is an Imperial Russian enameled silver and agate kovsh bowl, magnificently designed throughout, with scrolled designs and holding the Faberge mark to the bottom of the handle. The bowl has three cabochon cut ruby jewels set to the handle and front, is 4 ½ inches in height and weighs 38.9 troy ounces.

The other is an antique Russian silver and enamel kovsh bowl made around 1900, having the Moscow town mark and holding the Orest Fedorovich Kurliukov maker marks (plus 84 Russian silver and town marks on the bottom). The 7 ¼-inch-tall bowl features beautiful enamel miniature depictions of a man and a woman presenting items with a building in the background.

This Imperial Russian enameled silver and agate figural boar's head cup with cabachon ruby jewels set to eyes is estimated to sell for $40,000-$50,000.

One other Russian object of note is an Imperial Russian silver and enamel desk clock with the back signed Faberge in Cyrillic and with the mark of workmaster Michaell Perchin (1860-1903). The clock features a white enamel dial and black Arabic numerals and notches. It also has gold scrolled hour and minute hands. The eight-day movement clock stands 4 ½ inches tall.

Returning to fine art, a bronze sculpture by Francisco Zuniga (Mex., 1912-1998), titled “Silvia Agachado” and depicting a seated nude female with her head lowered, is expected to bring $24,000-$28,000. The 15-inch-wide by 10-inch-tall work is from a limited edition and is marked “V/VI” (5/6). It is also signed and dated (1967) on the figure’s left thigh and weighs 27 pounds.

An abstract acrylic on canvas by Jules Olitski (Am., 1922-2007), titled “No Objects 4,” signed and dated 1982 to the back of the canvas, carries a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-$30,000. The work is substantial, at 117 inches wide by 40 ½ inches tall. Olitski experimented with spray painting onto canvases and sculptures, but his later work was marked by thick impasto surfaces.

This pair of 18th century French bronze dore mounted red marble urns, 20 inches in height and weighing a combined 75 lbs., could sell for between $25,000 and $35,000.

Rounding out a short list of the day’s expected top lots is an abstract acrylic on canvas work by Larry Poons (Am., b. 1937), signed and dedicated on the reverse, “To Val, Love L. Poons 1984” (est. $15,000-$20,000). The 33-inch-wide by 16-inch-tall painting is guaranteed original. Poons was a prominent figure in Optical Art and the Color Field school of painting.

Previews will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, Feb. 25, the date of sale, from 11 a.m. until the first gavel comes down at 1 p.m. Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

http://www.LiveAuctioneers.com

For more information about this auction, call 561.200.0893 or 800.991.3340, e-mail to info [at] eliteauction [dot] com or visit the Elite Decorative Arts website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Some of the militaria collected by Stephen L. Flood that will be auctioned off in an estate sale hosted by Alderfer Auction Center on Feb. 15-16 in Hatfield, Pa.

HATFIELD, Pa. – Stephen L. Flood could never be referred to as a “low key” person. He was a man that lived life large, knowing what he wanted out of life. In doing so, he surrounded himself with items that accented his personal and professional life. On Feb. 15-16, many fabulous items from Flood’s estate will be auctioned off by at the Alderfer Auction Center here in Hatfield.

Flood was born in 1943 in Wayne, Pa., and, after attending Devon Prep School, Villanova University and Wilkes College before beginning a varied and colorful career as a soldier, banker, financial officer and business owner. His businesses were as varied as his antique military auction house (in Pennsylvania) and as a lobster wholesaler (in Maine).

In his personal life, Floods love of history compelled him to surround himself with items, relics and artifacts that represented periods in American and world history. These items included guns, flags, uniforms, fine antique furniture, high-quality china and porcelain, as well as fine art. The ability to obtain these high-quality items was aided by his position as CEO of the antique military auction house.

The military collectibles will include head gear, awards and silver, needlework, firearms, edged weapons and historical documents. Decorative arts will feature bronzes and other artwork, a collection of Staffordshire transfer ware, a collection of Russian icons, stoneware, silver, mounted animals and furniture.

This Alderfer event will offer the public a chance to purchase these items and continue the historical legacy of appreciation and preservation that Flood came to know throughout his life. The auction will begin promptly at 10 a.m. (EST). Previews will be held Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Feb. 15-16 from 8-10 a.m.

Bidding may be done in-person, at Alderfer’s gallery facility in Hatfield, online (through Artfact), as well as by phone and absentee bid. For more information, call 267.638.1054, e-mail to josh [at] alderferauction [dot] com or visit the Alderfer Auction Center website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

This 1950s-era Tonka “Suburban Pumper” fire truck, #950-6, near-mint in the original box, hammered for $1,932 in an Internet and catalog auction hosted by Serious Toyz.

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – A rare, 1950s-era Tonka “Suburban Pumper” toy fire truck, in near-mint condition and still in the box, hammered for $1,932 in an Internet and catalog auction hosted by Serious Toyz.The auction went online last December and ended Jan. 6-7, 2012. It was the 54th auction for Serious Toyz, a firm that has become synonymous with vintage toy auctions.

The Tonka fire truck—Model #950-6, bright fire engine red, with a “No. 5” emblazoned on the doors and complete with a toy red fire hydrant—was the top achiever of the more than 800 lots that crossed the block. Many of the toys were near-mint or mint-in-the-box-examples, and all lots were sold without reserve (although each carried a modest minimum opening bid).

“We saw a lot of interest overall in this auction, with strong bidding in many categories,” said Tom Miano, owner of Serious Toyz. “In some cases, bids exceeded three-to-four times the existing book values on items, with solid prices for most other lots. I’m excited because this is the first auction in about two years that has shown signs of things finally starting to turn around.

“Many of our bidders are regular people who were greatly impacted by the recession,” Miano added. “But this auction saw strong bidding from a number of long-time customers who told us they were unable to participate in other previous sales. That had a lot to do with it, but we also had a great line-up of merchandise. This wasn’t our biggest sale, but it was one of our best.”

Nearly 80 percent of all lots were sold (they met or exceeded the minimum opening bid). There were 243 active bidders, who placed about 2,800 bids.

“Another thing that made me smile,” Miano said, “was the number of bidders who took the time to thank us for hanging in and continuing to offer one of the best toy auctions in the market. Their spirit was contagious.”

This 1954 Marx “Fire House” play set in the original box was the sale’s second top lot, selling for $1,634.

Following are additional highlights from the auction (all prices quoted include a 12-percent buyer’s premium):

• Three other lots topped the $1,000 mark. A rare 1954 Marx “Fire House” play set, still in the box, hit $1,634; an equally rare 1955 “Big League Stars American League, Team B” nine-piece figure set, mint on the card and featuring Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and others, brought $1,125; and a 1950s Dopeke “Aerial Ladder (Fire) Truck” #2014, near mint in the box, garnered $1,090.

This 1955 “Big League Stars American League, Team B” figure set, mint on the card, ralized $1,126.

• A 1950s “Superior Space Port” play set, with factory-sealed contents and original brown paper packaging, climbed to $955; a 1954 Marx “Military Academy” (West Point) play set (“Complete with 6 Generals”) went to a determined bidder for $836; and rare 1960s Volkswagen bus lunch box and Thermos, showing the iconic VW microbus in red and white, rose to $808.

• A 1950s Gilbert “All-Electric Erector” set #8 ½ (a giant Ferris wheel), mint store stock, complete with instruction booklet, commanded $633; a scale model 1960 Chevrolet station wagon promotional toy car (“With Flywheel Motor!”), in the original box, fetched $538; and a 1930s Marx tin wind-up “Turnover Tank,” near mint in the box, with vivid colors, made $523.

• A scarce and large circa-1870s German-made “Bing Steinbaukasten” stone building block set in a box with an artistic rendering on the outside, breezed to $522; a 1950s Japanese-made “SSS Super Fire King Ladder Trailer” friction fire truck in the box demanded $470; and a 1960s Japanese-made battery-operated tin “Patrol Auto Tricycle,” still in the box, realized $451.

A 1950s-era Dopeke “Aerial Ladder (Fire) Truck,” Model #2014, near-mint in the box rounded out the big firefighting toys trio, finding a new home with a $1,090 price.

• A 1967 Matchbox “Mini Gift Set With Catalog” #GG-2, consisting of five Matchbox cars “and a free catalog,” topped out at $459; a 1950s Tootsietoy “Interchangeable Truck Set” #4900 machinery hauler, mint in the box and boasting colorful toy pieces, breezed to $414; and a 1950s set of eight Marx “Prehistoric Monsters and Mammals” figures, mint on the card, brought $370.

• A sharp-looking 1957 Matchbox Ford Zodiac #33 orange and silver toy car, with the original box and in great condition, sped off for $339; an actual 1960s coin-operated bathroom condom dispenser (Health Gards, “For Your Protection”), changed hands for $459; and a 1920s German Guntherman tin wind-up figure of a wild, bespectacled cat in formal wear brought $451.

• A 1957 Kenner’s “Girder & Panel Building Set” #2, store stock (“Build the Way Real Modern Buildings Are Built”), hammered for $249; a 1965 “The Munsters” coloring book, unused, with a colorful cover showing photos of all the actors from the TV show, hit $306; and a 1960 Matchbox Triumph motorcycle and sidecar #4, in the original box, zoomed away for $302.

For more information about this auction, call 866.653.8699 or 914.271.4272, e-mail to auctions [at] SeriousToyz [dot] com or visit the Serious Toyz website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

This double-seated figure garden sculpture by William Edmonson, 26 inches tall, could be the top lot at the Exceptional Antique Auction scheduled for Feb. 11 at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. It is expected to realize between $40,000-$60,000.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Fontaine’s Auction Gallery’s second event of the New Year will be an aptly named Exceptional Antique Auction, with 400 quality cataloged lots slated to cross the block on Saturday, Feb. 11, in the firm’s gallery located at 1485 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield. Previews will be held Friday, Feb. 10, from 10-5, and on auction day from 8-11 a.m.

“We had a good, solid year in 2011, but signs point to an even better year in 2012,” said John Fontaine, CEO of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “For this sale we were fortunate to have secured quality, fresh-to-the-market consignments not just from Massachusetts, but from across the country—Illinois, Michigan, Texas, California and Washington. I’m expecting a great sale.”

The first gavel will come down at 11 a.m. (EST). Offered will be period furniture pieces by such renowned makers as John H. Belter, J.& J.W. Meeks, Alexander Roux, R.J. Horner, Thomas Brooks, Herter Brothers, Wooten Desk Company and others. Also sold will be a clock collection, fine lighting, artwork, art glass, cameo glass, Lalique, porcelain plaques and cut glass.

In addition, there will be music boxes, pottery, bronzes, firearms, a collection of fine sterling, antique slot machines, jewelry and hundreds of related and decorative accessories. Online bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com, and phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Details and a full catalog may be viewed on the Fontaine’s website.

The day’s top-selling lot could very well be a folk-carved stone sculpture of two people seated side-by-side, by Tennessee artist William Edmonson. The 26-inch tall garden sculpture is expected to bring $40,000-$60,000. Also sold will be a relief molded Art Nouveau bronze urn with female figures in the forest, signed by French artist Alexander Vibert (est. $8,000-$12,000).

The lamps and lighting category will feature an 18-inch Handel reverse painted floral poppy table lamp boasting a conical shade and reverse painted with vibrant clusters of red and orange poppy flowers (est. $30,000-$50,000); and a 26-inch Duffner & Kimberly Renaissance hanging dome with bell-shaped shade decorated with lovely striated glass (est. $7,000-$9,000).

Fine art will include an original oil on ledger paper Impressionist landscape painting by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (Fr., 1796-1875), rendered from a hilltop near Lannion, France and showing two women enjoying the view (est. $20,000-$40,000); and a splendid autumn landscape with cows by Massachusetts artist William Lester Stevens (1888-1969), (est. $5,000-$7,000).

Furniture lots by R.J. Horner are certain to get bidders buzzing. They include a nine-piece figural oak dining room set featuring a large sideboard with deep figural carved panels (est. $15,000-$25,000); a mahogany winged griffin desk with rectangular top (est. $5,000-$7,000); and a massive oak griffin sideboard with beveled mirrors on the back (est. $5,000-$7,000).

Other furniture pieces of note will include a walnut extra-grade carved Renaissance Wooton desk having a fancy carved gallery with ebony trim and stylish corner pieces, 76 inches tall (est. $15,000-$25,000); and a pair of left and right rosewood meridiennes (sofas in which one arm is higher than the other), by John H. Belter in the “Henry Clay” pattern (est. $5,000-$7,000).

This 18-inch Handel reverse-painted floral poppy table lamp with conical shade is estimated to bring between $30,000-$50,000.

From the slot machines and firearms categories come a Caile Eclipse upright 25-cent oak slot machine made by Caile Brothers of Detroit, refinished and in very good working condition (est. $15,000-$25,000); and a cased Colt Model 1849 revolver (circa 1853) presented to John L. Miller, a Confederate colonel who died from battle wounds May 6, 1864 (est. $10,000-$15,000).

Music, anyone? Set to cross the block are a Regina Style 35 mahogany 12-tune disc changer that plays 15 ½ inch discs on a double comb (circa 1900) in fine working order and with 25 extra play discs (est. $15,000-$17,000); and a mahogany Steinway music room grand piano, Model B, 6-feet, 10-inches long, featuring classic style and heavy graining (est. $8,000-$12,000).

Rounding out just some of the day’s expected top lots are an impressive mahogany figural carved grandfather clock, 103 inches tall, with gilt dial and a silvered chapter ring with applied Arabic numerals (est. $8,000-$12,000); and a museum-quality model American steam yacht, titled “Corsair” (based on the original, owned by J.P. Morgan), in a mahogany display case.

With more than 40 years in the auction business, Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has earned the trust of collectors, investors and gallery owners worldwide. Cataloged lots receive nationwide exposure to the firm’s expansive database of several thousand qualified buyers. Seven times Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has been voted “Best Antique Auction Gallery” by the public.

For more information about this auction, call 413.448.8922, e-mail to info [at] fontaineauction [dot] com or visit the Fontaine’s Auction Gallery website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

This 1927 diorama with squirrels, 48 inches wide, by the taxidermy artist Herman Grieb (1869-1928) is sure to have some paddles wagging at a three-estate sale hosted by Tom’s Auctions & Appraisals on Feb. 4.

IVOR, Va. – Hundreds of select, handpicked items from three prominent Virginia estates in Franklin, Virginia Beach and Norfolk—including a woodlands diorama by renowned American taxidermy artist Herman Grieb—will be sold at auction Saturday, Feb. 4, by Tom’s Auctions & Appraisals, at the former Ivor High School building in Ivor. The action will begin promptly at 10 a.m. (EST). Doors will open at 8:30 a.m.

At press time, more than 600 lots of merchandise had been counted, but items were still being inventoried and the final tally could easily top the 700 mark. Offered will be items in a wide range of categories, including period furniture, stoneware and pottery, duck decoys, stamps and coins, glassware, hand-made baskets, fountain pens, ephemera, decorative accessories and collectibles.

“We’ve pulled choice items out of these outstanding estates and will offer them for sale to the highest bidder,” said Tom Perry of Tom’s Auctions & Appraisals, based in Suffolk, Va. “We are expecting a healthy crowd of up to 200 people. Bring your cash, folks—these items are high quality and will get snapped up quickly.” There will be no Internet bidding for this auction.

One lot certain to pique bidder interest is a 1927 diorama with squirrels, executed by the renowned American taxidermy artist Herman Grieb (Buffalo, N.Y., 1869-1928), about 48 inches wide and signed by the artist. Grieb’s production was both prodigious and endearing. His natural creations are still actively sought out by collectors, more than 80 years after his death.

Another lot sure to draw attention is this 19th-century Carlsbad fish set, comprising an oval platter and 12 plates, all hand-painted.

Headlining the period furniture category will be an early blue-painted dovetailed blanket chest, probably made in Pennsylvania in the early-to-mid 1800s; a burled mahogany, eight-drawer highboy (circa 1780-1800) with ball-and-claw feet and arched shell carved into the center of the base; and a mid-1700s mahogany bachelor’s chest with bracket feet and four graduated drawers.

Other furniture pieces will include a diminutive and unusual eastern North Carolina cupboard, not much larger that a child’s piece and made circa mid-1800s; a period drop-leaf Pembroke dining table (possibly European); a huge Victorian-era wardrobe; and Empire pieces.

Another lot sure to get paddles wagging is a 19th century Carlsbad fish set, comprising a scalloped oval platter and 12 plates, all hand-painted and in perfect condition. All pieces carry the Carlsbad mark, ensuring their authenticity. Carlsbad is the Austrian-based china firm renowned for its hand-painted fish platter and plate sets. They are highly coveted by collectors.

Decorative accessories will feature a gorgeous green Northwood Carnival glass epergne (marked Northwood), around 20 pieces of stoneware (some of it beautifully decorated and highly sought after pieces from South Carolina, plus examples from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey), Roseville pottery, oil lamps, doorstops, sterling silver and a nice group of picture frames.

Also sold will be a circa 1880-1900 six-tune music box, probably Swiss, with damper and brass cylinder that plays six songs, a hand-illustrated cloth book of the classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (circa 1880-1920), original paperwork from a washing machine made in 1900 (that cost just $10 new!) and a Virginia document transferring a slave from father to son.

This rare, circa 1880-1920 six-tune music box, probably Swiss, with damper and brass cylinder, will find a new home on Feb. 4.

The duck decoys are mostly unsigned, except for one signed “A. Wood,” and the group of hand-made baskets includes a desirable miniature example. Stamps and coins will also cross the block (although none of the coins are gold). Other lots will include a Gem Roller organ that plays 16-inch cylinder rolls (cylinders included) and a rare sportsman’s yearbook from 1940.

Previews will be held on Friday, Feb. 3, from 3-6 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 4, the date of sale, from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m., when the first gavel comes down. Phone and absentee bids will be accepted. A 10-percent buyer’s premium will be applied to all purchases. Terms will be cash and good checks only. No credit card purchases will be allowed. Refreshments will be served.

For more information about this auction, call 757.539.2498 or 757.617.9647, e-mail to tombuys [at] tomsauction [dot] com or visit the Tom’s Auctions & Appraisals.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

An original oil on canvas of a Napoleonic officer by Jan Van Chelminski (N.Y./Pol., 1851-1925) is expected to be one of the top lots in an upcoming two-day, multi-estate sale scheduled for Jan. 21 by Philip Weiss Auctions.

OCEANSIDE, N.Y. – A pair of paintings—one by Jefferson David Chalfan; the other by Jan Van Chelminski—are expected to lead a huge two-day, three-session multi-estate sale featuring hundreds of quality, fresh-to-the-market lots of original artwork, fine porcelain, Hollywood memorabilia, movie posters, pop culture and rock ‘n’ roll items scheduled for Jan. 19-20 by Philip Weiss Auctions.

The event will kick off on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m. (EST), with a large number of original paintings and artwork. Certain to attract bidder interest will be a pair of charcoal works by Willem de Kooning (1904-97), an oil painting by the Western genre artist and illustrator William de la Montagne Cary (1840-1922), and three bronze statues by Charles Bragg (b. 1931).

But two pieces in particular are expected to really excite the crowd. One is an original oil on canvas by Chalfant (Pa./Del., 1856-1931), titled “Doux Souvenir.” The painting comes with an impeccable provenance from the Brandywine Museum. Chalfant was a multi-talented artist, known for his genre work, brightly illuminated interiors, still lifes and portraits.

The other is an original oil on canvas by Van Chelminski (N.Y./Poland, 1851-1925), depicting a Napoleonic officer. Van Chelminski became quite famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was widely collected by legions of wealthy fans on both sides of the Atlantic. Also sold will be an original pen-and-ink illustration by John F. Peto (N.Y./Penn., 1854-1907).

Original oil on canvas by Jefferson David Chalfant (Pa./Del., 1856-1931), titled “Doux Souvenir,” is the other painting to highlight the sale.

Decorative accessories will also change hands on Jan. 19. Examples include a rare Argy Rousseau pate de verre lamp, a pair of hand-blown Murano glass vases by Master Bruno Bruber (each one hand-engraved and painted using precious metals, including 24-karat gold), Part 3 of a single-owner Royal Doulton figurine collection, Hummels, carnival glass, Stangl birds and more.

A nice selection of period furniture will be highlighted by two fantastic dressing tables. Also sold will be sterling silver pieces (to include three fantastic sterling flatware sets by Tiffany & Co., Wallace Grand Baroque and a large Gorham set), a large collection of gold jewelry and watches (including an 18-karat gold Jules Jurgensen ladies’ watch), a fine silk prayer rug and more.

From the estate of Lily and Louis Calderon will come three large stained glass windows in the style of Tiffany, a great collection of clocks, furniture pieces, bronzes, ivory, slag glass lamps, paintings, Orientalia and more. A preview will be held the day of the sale, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the first gavel comes down, and all week leading up to the sale, or by appointment.

The first Friday session, starting at 2 p.m., will feature Hollywood and rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia, movie posters and pop culture items. Included will be photos and other material from the Lester Glassner estate, vintage movie posters, box lots of photos, negatives, original Broadway window cards, playbills and original artwork for 1920s and ‘30s theater magazines.

A rare circa-1950s Andy's Gang Buster Brown shoe store displays, each one about 30 inches tall.

Also sold will be a large collection of original movie costumes, to include a Jane Russell costume from “The Outlaw,” Laurel and Hardy costumes from “The Bullfighters,” a suit worn by James Cagney in “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” a gown worn by Bette Davis in “The Virgin Queen,” a vest worn by Rudolph Valentino in “The Son of the Sheik” and a Charlton Heston costume from “Planet of the Apes.” Also sold will be nearly 1,000 Vogue magazines, ranging from 1913-1991 (with the majority coming from the 1930s-60s).

Friday’s first session will also feature three rare Andy’s Gang Buster Brown shoe displays (each approximately 30 inches tall and depicting Froggy the Gremlin, Midnight the Cat and Squeaky the Mouse), an extremely scarce Captain January Shirley Temple die-cut, a great selection of original 1920s linen-backed one-sheet movie posters and window cards, and more.

Rounding out the list of expected top lots on Friday will be original pastel cover art for 1930s-era movie magazines (of Janet Gaynor, Constance Bennett, Lillian Gish and two of Rudolph Valentino); an original oil on board movie poster design painting of the film “Swing Time,” starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; a Judy Garland signed ticket for the American Cruise Line; and an original Fozzie Bear Muppet doll used by the late puppeteer Jim Henson.

Paul McCartney RIAA white matte gold record award, one of many Beatles items to be sold.

After the gavel comes down on the last lot in session one, a brief intermission will be held, then session two will begin at around 6 p.m. Offered will be an astounding array of music and rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia, to include dozens of original concert posters, many Beatles items, a collection of vintage guitars and rare collectibles like a scarce 1947 Keaton musical typewriter.

The posters will include boxing-style globe posters for Gladys Knight and the Pips (1972), David Ruffin (1969), and the James Brown Revue (1970); a scarce Cavern Flying Burritos poster; a Jimi Hendrix Insel Fehmarn poster (1970); a 1967 Fugs theater poster; a rare 1971 Led Zeppelin at the Boston Garden poster; and posters for Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones (plus Rolling Stones autographs, including Brian Jones).

Beatles material will satisfy the most rabid collector and fan. Items will include a John Lennon handkerchief, a Paul McCartney gold record award, a “Yellow Submarine” Thermos, concert tickets, a scarce 1962 UK handbill, many 45 RPM records, a rare 1965 contract rider signed by the Beatles’ late manager Brian Epstein (a similar piece sold at auction for $23,000), a hard-to-find first Beatles’ North American Capitol single, lobby cards, posters and other items.

The vintage guitars will feature a 1962 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst, a 1965 Fender Jaguar Sunburst, a circa 1961-63 Gibson Firebird, a 1957 Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster Sunburst, a circa 1935-36 Gibson EH-100 Sunburst, a 1960s Danelectro bass guitar, a 1960 Fender Bandmaster Brownface guitar amp, a 1960 Voc AC30 guitar amp, and other guitar-related lots.

Online bidding will be facilitated by Proxibid and LiveAuctoneers, and phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Images for some of the items to be sold may be seen on the Philip Weiss Auctions website.

For more information about this auction, call 516.594.0731 or e-mail to phil [at] weissauctions [dot] com.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

The top lot of an auction hosted by Gordon Converse & Co. on Dec. 28 was this Waltham girandole (ornate banjo) clock, serial #1, that gaveled for $17,255.

MALVERN, Pa. – An exceedingly rare and important Waltham girandole (ornate banjo) clock, made around 1900 and with a serial number of 1—making it possibly the first of fewer than 50 made—sold for $17,255 at an auction held Dec. 28 by Gordon S. Converse & Co. The auction was held at the People’s Light & Theater Company in Malvern, west of Pa.

The Waltham timepiece was the top lot of the 400 or so items that changed hands in a sale that featured antique clocks, Asian objects, fine art, porcelain and antiques in an array of categories. The 48-inch by 15-inch clock was made even more desirable to bidders by an unusual added thermometer in the throat. The condition of the clock and case was excellent throughout.

“Historically, collectors have paid premium prices for early 20th-century Waltham clocks because of their high quality and extreme rarity,” said Gordon Converse. “This Waltham clock came to us with an impeccable provenance, but it was the serial #1 that sparked a bidding frenzy. That only made collectors want it more.”

Converse said the size of the crowd attending the auction was respectable but not overflowing, but Internet bidding (through LiveAuctioneers) was quite healthy, with more than 600 registered online bidders. Phone and absentee bidding was also brisk. “It was one of our biggest sales ever, with stable, moderate prices, strong online interest and bidding in all of the categories,” he said.

Converse added, “There were good bargains for collectors of Asian antiques, which were supported by strong international interest and online bidding. There were also some good opportunities for clock collectors who were willing to pay reasonable prices for rare items. And LiveAuctioneers reported record numbers of online views for five of the top 10 items sold.”

Following are additional highlights from the auction (all prices quoted include a 19-percent buyer’s premium):

• Leading the Asian objects category was a display of various Chinese Imperial seals, all contained in a carved Zitan box ($6,545). There was one large central seal, surrounded by 16 smaller seals, all incised with calligraphic writings. Also, a remarkably realistic miniature Japanese carved ivory in the form of a peeled orange (or Clementine) in polychrome, 1 ½ inches tall, hit $5,950.

• Several sets of porcelain panels, some of which may have been originally mounted onto furniture, were sold. One lot of two panels, bound in faux rosewood and measuring 36 inches by 6 ¼ inches, with each panel set off by carved and pierced panels showing the arts, rose to $1,130. Also, a pair of highly-viewed rosewood carved Chinese vase stands (circa 1840) fetched $3,273.

Remarkably realistic miniature carved ivory orange in polychrome, 1 ½ inches tall, realized $5,950.

A patented clock by Aaron Crane of New Jersey, featuring the torsion pendulum, sold for $6,545.

• Clocks were the last items to be offered, but many bidders waited patiently throughout the entire sale just to vie for the treasures. A rare and important patented clock by the New Jersey clock maker Aaron Crane, featuring a torsion pendulum and running one year between windings, with a four-columns case, an etched glass pendulum glass door and white dial, garnered $6,545.

• A pillar-and-scroll pendulum clock with a label identifying the maker as the renowned clock maker Seth Thomas (who bought the rights to Eli Terry’s patent in 1818) went to a determined bidder for $5,474. The handsome timepiece featured the “off-center” wood geared clockworks and a second hand. It stood 29 inches tall by 16 ½ inches wide, with brass urn finials.

• Two large, Swiss-made “pinwheel” clocks came under the gavel. The first was a wall-mounted cased pinwheel timepiece, probably made by the New Haven Clock Company (Conn.) around 1875. It breezed to $2,380. The other was a fine, dark mahogany (or rosewood) cased standing regulator. The 86-inch-tall, weight-driven timepiece with glazed door rose to $3,570.

Five Andrew Wyeth collotype prints, all signed, brought between $655 and $1,012 each.

• Finally, five Andrew Wyeth collotype prints, all signed by the artist, brought between $655 and $1,012 each.

For more information about this auction, call 610.722.9004, e-mail to Gordon [at] ConverseClocks [dot] com or visit the Gordon Converse & Co. website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A piece of pottery that features a fern and leaves and the letters “E.S. U.S.A.” When searched in the Marks database, we discover the mark if from Ernest Sohn Creations, which contracted with Red Wing Potteries to produce two lines of dinnerware items in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

WorthPoint has launched a new Marks & Library website to provide two new services for antiques dealers and collectors—WorthPoint Marks, for detailed information on identifying artist, manufacturer and makers’ marks, and the WorthPoint Digital Library, which contains content covering a wide spectrum of history and background on specialty items.

The WorthPoint Digital Library contains roughly 130 antiques and collectibles titles from F+W Media, offering detailed information on a wide range of collecting topics, while WorthPoint Marks offers a database with more than 40,000 marks and hallmarks for ceramics, metals, glass and other categories of antiques and collectibles. Both services will continue to add new reference books and marks monthly.

Will Seippel, CEO and founder of WorthPoint, said the company has plans to include visual recognition-based searches, a first in the industry. “That will make WorthPoint the undisputed leading resource for marks information as well as value data,” he said.

Subscribers to the Digital Library will be able to track their reading and place books or articles on their personalized reference shelves, bookmark pages, highlight passages, keep notes and—for some of the books—purchase printed editions.

The WorthPoint Marks and WorthPoint Digital Library will be offered as standalone services to begin with and will be integrated with the main WorthPoint site at a later date. “We would have preferred these services be integrated with WorthPoint.com right now,” Seippel said, “But our subscribers told us they wanted access to them immediately and are willing to wait for integration.”

The new WorthPoint sites are available on a subscription basis, starting at $12.99 per month for WorthPoint Marks, while the WorthPoint Digital Library is available at $14.99 per month. Existing WorthPoint subscribers will be offered a discounted subscription, and there is a free trial available to test-drive the services before subscribing.

The Marks and Lirbary website will also feature new content, including overview articles on how to look for and use various marks, as well as articles on how to find and use specific marks, such as the “Kite” or “Diamond” marks used on British ceramics in the mid to late 19th century.

For a tutorial on how WorthPoint’s Marks & Library site works, view this video:

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Alfio Castelli (Italian, b. 1917- ), “Colloquio,” cast bronze sculpture, 1962, 60-x-40-x-48 inches. Provenance: David E. Bright collection. Est. $20,000-$40,000. (Clark’s Fine Art image)

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. – Collections from the estates of two Hollywood luminaries who played key roles in the production of TV and film classics known the world over will be among the 270 lots coming up for auction on Saturday, Jan. 21, in a sale to be facilitated by Clark’s Fine Art.

The first auction of 2012 for Clark’s, the auction will feature premier modern and contemporary artwork. The third collection in the sale consists of contemporary works of art donated by supporters to the Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center, a Los Angeles nonprofit that will benefit from its portion of the auction proceeds.

One of the sale’s key collections was amassed by Harold Berkowitz, a prominent entertainment lawyer whose A-list clients included Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Jack Lemmon and even the canine superstar Rin Tin Tin. Maintaining offices in Beverly Hills and Paris to accommodate his international clientele, Berkowitz had a hand in the deals behind the “Pink Panther” movie series and 1975 horror-thriller “Jaws,” as well as many of television’s most enduring shows, including “Lassie,” “Flipper,” “The Donna Reed Show” and “All in the Family.”

“Mr. Berkowitz, who passed away in 2010, lived in Malibu and collected contemporary and modern art that suited the décor of his home. His refined taste is reflected in the artworks he personally chose for his collection,” said Clark Cierlak, owner of Clark’s Fine Art.

The second major art collection in the sale comes from the estate of Hollywood director Jerrold “Jerry” Bernstein (1930-1979), whose TV credits included “The Flying Nun,” “Gidget,” “Nanny and the Professor,” “I Dream of Jeannie” and scores of other popular shows.

“Like Mr. Berkowitz, Jerry Bernstein favored contemporary and modern art. He also liked and, to a lesser extent, collected African art. His art collection has remained in the family for the past 32 years. We are honored to be presenting it at auction,” said Cierlak.

The contemporary art collection consigned by the Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center blends perfectly into the trifecta of auction headliners. It is comprised of quality contemporary artworks that were gifts from generous supporters.

“The Silverlake center has been a respected institution within the Los Angeles Jewish community for more than 60 years and provides early childhood education and social programs for people of all backgrounds who have an interest in Jewish culture,” said Cierlak. “Over the years some very nice artworks have been donated to the center. There are paintings with previous appraisal values of $30,000 to $40,000 that we will auction with estimates of $4,000 to $5,000 each.”

One of the sale’s top highlights is a 1988 Monique Frydman (American, b. 1943- ) pigment, color pastel and oil painting on canvas titled “Jaune Majeur III.” The 86-x-76-inch work is artist-signed and dated on verso, and comes with provenance from Galerie Baudoin Lebon in Paris. It is estimated at $12,000-$18,000.

Another fine American work is Alex Brown’s (b. 1966- ) oil on canvas titled “Presence Chamber.” The 68-x-60-inch painting—titled, signed and dated “1998” on verso—renders a three-dimensional op art effect. With an appraised value of $37,000, it is cataloged with a $6,000-$9,000 estimate.

A wonderful cast-bronze sculpture titled “Colloquio” was created in 1962 by Italian sculptor Alfio Castelli (b. 1917- ). The signed 60-x-40-x-48-inch depiction of two angular figures in a perpendicular arrangement was previously in the collection of the late David E. Bright and is estimated at $20,000-$40,000. Cierlak noted that David Bright was “a renowned collector who bequeathed 23 paintings to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where a wing was named after him. There are also 11 works from his estate at the Murphy Sculpture Garden at UCLA.”

“Standing Nude Woman,” a 70-inch-tall welded metal sculpture by Californian Gene Logan (1922-1999), comes with provenance from the Ankrum Gallery, which opened in 1960 and for decades was a favorite haunt for art collectors in LA. Estimate: $1,000-$2,000.

Monique Frydman (American, b. 1943- ), “Jaune Majeur III,” 1988, 86 x 76 inches. Provenance: Galerie Baudoin Lebon, Paris. Est. $12,000-$18,000. (Clark’s Fine Art image)

Alida Margolis (American, b. 1975- ) created the oval oil on canvas titled “We Love You All.” Signed and dated on verso, the 64½-x-106-inch painting has an appraised value of $20,000. It will be offered at Clark’s on Jan. 21 with an $8,000-$12,000 estimate.

Norwegian artist Haavard Homstvedt’s (b. 1976- ) acrylic-on-linen wrapped over panel work titled “Nudes (Double Step)” measures 64-x-48 inches and was previously appraised at $35,000. Some sharp-eyed collector could take away a bargain if it sells within its estimate range of $4,000-$6,000.

Two signed multicolor acrylic columns by Yugoslavian artist Velizar Vasa (b. 1933- ) will be offered individually in consecutive lots. Each incorporates a spectrum of colors—blue, green, yellow and purple—and measures 101 inches tall, inclusive of stand. The presale estimate on each column is $4,000-$6,000.

Clark’s Fine Art welcomes all forms of bidding for its Jan. 21 auction, including live at the gallery, absentee, by phone, or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com. The gallery is located at 14931 Califa St., Space A, Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles), CA 91411. The auction will begin at noon Pacific Time. Preview 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16 through Friday, Jan. 20, and from 10 a.m. till noon on auction day.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 818.783.3052, e-mail to gallery [at] pacbell [dot] netor or visit the Clark’s Fine Art website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Bonnie Parker points a Winchester shotgun at Clyde Barrow in a mock arrest. What is believed to be this same shotgun, along with a Thompson sub-machine gun—also believed to have belonged to the infamous couple, will be auctioned on Saturday, Jan. 21, in an event to be facilitated by Mayo Auction & Realty.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A pair of vintage guns believed to have been owned and used by the notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde—a .45 caliber Thompson sub-machine gun and a 12-gauge Winchester model 1897 shotgun—will be the centerpiece lots in a firearms consignment auction planned for Saturday, Jan. 21, by Mayo Auction & Realty.

The auction will be conducted in Mayo Auction & Realty’s spacious gallery facility, located at 8253 Wornall Road in Kansas City. Many antique weapons and other pieces of militaria will cross the block, representing several conflicts. But Bonnie and Clyde promise to be the headliners.

Several signs strongly suggest the highlighted firearms were, in fact, toted and used by Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, said Robert Mayo of Mayo Auction & Realty. “The consignor’s great-grandfather, who was in law enforcement at the time, was given the two guns by another peace officer who had seized the weapons after a raid on the pair in Joplin, Mo., in April of 1933.”

The raid occurred at the height of the duo’s crime rampage that cut a wide swath across middle-American during the Great Depression. The raid did not produce any arrests (the two had a knack for staying one step ahead of law enforcement), but it did yield a cache of weapons and a camera. When the film was developed, there were pictures of the couple with some of their guns.

One of the photos shows Bonnie “disarming” Clyde in a staged mock arrest, pointing a Winchester model 1897 rifle at his chest. It is identical looking to the one being offered Jan. 21.

“The fact is, these guns are highly collectible and would draw attention in any sale by their own history and merit,” Mayo said. “The Winchester model 1897 is a coveted rifle, and the Thompson sub-machine gun is only legal to own by special permit.” He said the winning bidder for the “Tommy gun” (the gangster nickname for the Thompson weapon) will have to go through a permit approval process with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

The winning bidder of the Thompson sub-machine gun will need to get a permit approval from the Bureau of ATF.

Close-up view of the barrel portion of the Thompson (“Tommy gun”) sub-machine gun being sold.

Even without a link to Bonnie and Clyde, this Winchester 12-gauge model 1897 would still be coveted by collectors.

The guns have been in the family of Mark Lairmore and his sisters, the consignors, from Springfield, Mo., ever since the unknown Depression-era police officer gave them to their great-grandfather, also named Mark Lairmore . He has since passed away. From 1973 until late last year, the weapons were displayed in the Springfield (Mo.) Police Museum, also known as “The Calaboose.”

“They were the major draw of the museum and I don’t think they were all that anxious to give them up,” Lairmore said. “But my father and grandfather have also passed away, so the sentimental reasons to hold onto them are no longer there. I feel it’s time for someone with an appreciation of antique guns and the history behind these guns to own them and care for them.”

Bonnie Parker strikes a menacing pose, brandishing a pistol that is not part of the auction.

Clyde Barrow looks innocent and dapper in this photo, but he was a cold, calculating killer.

Lairmore said there was “no doubt it my mind whatsoever” that the guns belonged to Bonnie and Clyde. “When they were in Springfield, they kidnapped a police officer and had him in their car,” he said. “They bragged to the officer about having stolen their Tommy gun in Ohio, and the serial number on my gun is the same as one that was once listed as stolen in Ohio. That, to me, is huge.” The account was documented in the local paper, the Springfield News-Leader.

Additionally, Lairmore said, the police officer who gave the guns to his great-grandfather had nothing to gain by saying they came from Bonnie and Clyde. “It was a gift from one policeman to another,” he said. “There was no reason to invent a fairy tale to go along with it. What’s unfortunate is, we don’t know who that policeman was. If we did, we might have an airtight case. But we don’t.”

Mark Lairmore (far left), the man who was given the weapons, started an armored car business in Tulsa, Okla.

Mark Lairmore (left), grandson of the policeman given the guns, presents them to Springfield (Mo.) Police Chief Gordon Loveland, for display at the Springfield Police Museum (1973-2011).

Interestingly, Lairmore’s great-grandfather had his own encounter with another one of the Depression era’s most notable and notorious criminals: Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd (1904-1934). According to family lore, Lairmore went to Floyd’s home to issue a warrant or make an arrest and a gunfight broke out. In the ensuing melee, Lairmore was shot in the leg.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were notorious outlaws, robbers and criminals who, with their gang, traveled the central United States during the Great Depression, from 1931-1934. Though they were widely known for their bank robberies, Barrow actually preferred to rob small stores and gas stations. They killed as many as nine police officers, plus other innocent civilians.

The raid and shootout in Joplin left two police officers dead. The scene of the raid (and where Bonnie and Clyde had an apartment) is now a museum. Visitors can rent the second-floor room and spend the night. Bonnie and Clyde’s crime spree led them through Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana, where the two were finally killed in a hail of gunfire.

For more information about this auction, call 816.361.2600, e-mail to Robert [at] auctionbymayo [dot] com, or visit the Mayo Auction & Realty website.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

ABC News
‘White Only’ Pool Sign Discriminatory, Not Decorative Commission Rules

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission dismissed a landlord’s claim today that a “white only” pool sign was simply an historical antique sign and ruled that it was discriminatory. “At this point, it means that we believe that it’s probable that discrimination has occurred,” commission spokeswoman Brandi Martin told ABCNews.com. The five-member commission decided unanimously on the matter, upholding an earlier ruling. In December, Cincinnati landlord Jamie Hein was accused of discriminating against an African-American girl with a “white only” sign at her swimming pool. Hein told ABCNews.com that the sign was an antique and a decoration.

FOX News
When Celebs Auction Their Stuff for Charity, They Often Keep Most of the Profits

Stars give up their personal items in charity-related auctions all the time, and often they make a big deal in the press about their resulting charitable contributions. But how much of what these auctions rake in do the stars actually give to their causes? “Many times the public assumes that all the proceeds go to charity and not the celebrity,” Glenn Selig, President/CEO of Selig Multimedia, told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “But that is often not the case. The public should never assume that 100 percent goes to charity.”

FOX-31 Denver
Broncos, Tebow Memorabilia Fetching Big Bucks—For Now

Broncos fans are taking matters into their own hands and turning their love for Tim Tebow into a money market. “I’m kind of catching Tebow fever, I have to say,” Lauren Wilson of Denver says. “Broncos fans are taking matters into their own hands and turning their love for Tim Tebow into a money market. “I’m kind of catching Tebow fever, I have to say,” Lauren Wilson of Denver says.

Auckland Today
Following Trends in Antiques in New Zealand

Growing up around antiques and collectibles may have started a lifelong fascination in trading treasures for The Vintage Shop owner Haley Doreen. Specialising in retro and mid-century furniture, the business has been a part of Mt. Eden for 20 years. Founded in Wellington as Cobwebs in 1982 by Ms Doreen’s parents, the business moved to Dominion Rd in 1992 and was renamed Hoarders Antiques.

The Wichita Eagle
C. Marie’s: For Women Who Never Outgrew Dolls

“This is a girl’s store!” Connie Cotter’s warning is well taken for any man who stumbles into C. Marie’s Collectibles, her doll shop on West Douglas. Dolls – hundreds of them – stare out from the walls and shelves, and up from the floors, interrupted only by frilly hats, aprons and handkerchiefs. There are life-size and startlingly lifelike dolls, as well as rag dolls, handmade dolls from Europe and a dozen other varieties.

Phoenix New Times
Political (Action) Figures: The Republican Candidates’ Collectible Matches

If you’re still reeling from the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary and can’t make sense out of the current crop of GOP frontrunners and their platforms, a little action figure therapy just might help you sort everything out – and where better to do it than the Arizona Popular Culture Experience. John Edwards (not that one) is the proprietor of the geek haven at Desert Ridge – and with 10,000 different vinyl and plastic totems of your youth – has the perfect stage to re-enact this year’s biggest battle.

Henderson (N.C.) News-Times
A Blue Ridge Take on the Year in Antiques

It is time for our review of the past year in antiques. Fasten your seatbelts. It was a bumpy year. The highlight of the year was the Elizabeth Taylor jewelry auction. It took Christie’s two days to conduct the sale and it brought an astounding $137 million. This more than doubled the previous record for a single owner’s jewelry auction held by the Duchess of Windsor. Her jewels brought $50 million. Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry did not include the famous Taylor-Burton 69-carat diamond which Taylor sold in 1978 for $5 million to help build a hospital.

Contact Music
Jack White Barters For Elephant’s Head On Antiques Show

Jack White shared his love of taxidermy in an episode of antiques TV show American Pickers as he haggled for an elephant’s head. The rocker made an unlikely cameo in the series, which follows Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz as they scour junkyards and basements for antiques and collectibles. The duo visited White at his Third Man Records base in Nashville, Tennessee and unpacked the stuffed elephant’s head from a giant crate as he quipped, “That is the weirdest looking giraffe I’ve ever seen.”

Los Angeles Times
‘Star Wars’ Flashback: Christmas ’77 Left Fans with Empty Feeling

The hottest Christmas gift for 1977 was the one that wasn’t available — “Star Wars” had opened in May of that year but no one, least of all the toy company called Kenner, was prepared for the film’s galactic success and the massive consumer demand that followed. Kenner was thrilled to hold the toy-making license for the George Lucas epic that was quickly becoming one of the largest grossing movies of all time but aside from a small amount of merchandise that hit stores at the time of the movie’s release, the toy-maker was woefully unprepared to handle the hunger for Jedi products and playthings.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Harry Rinker’s three-year term on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee will recommend stamp subjects that are contemporary, timely and relevant, while at the same time representative of the cultural diversity that is the United States to the U.S. Postmaster General.

Harry L. Rinker, who writes the syndicated “Rinker on Collectibles” column published on WorthPoint, has been appointed a member of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) by U.S. Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.

The three-year term begins this month and will continue through the end of December 2014. Rinker is one of five new members joining the committee.

CSAC is a 15-member committee that recommends to the Postmaster General stamp subjects that are contemporary, timely and relevant, while at the same time representative of the cultural diversity that is the United States.

“I had the privilege of addressing CSAC about collecting trends twice in the past and am honored to have been appointed a voting member of the Committee,” said Rinker, whose CSAC selection was based upon his ability to identify and interpret developments within the national and global collecting field.

As a member of CSAC, Rinker will attend four committee meetings per year. His first CSAC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 19-20 at the headquarters of the United States Postal Service in Washington, D.C. Between meetings, he will work with the professional staff of the Stamp Development Division and CSAC members on subject selection and the promotion of stamp collecting.

Rinker is president of Harry L. Rinker, LLC, doing business as Rinker Consulting, a firm specializing in providing appraisal, consulting, editorial, educational, media, personal appearance, research, and writing services for the antiques and collectibles community. Hi weekly “Rinker on Collectibles” column, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Rinker hosted 78 half-hour episodes of “Collector Inspector,” a weekly show on Home & Garden Television, devoted to seeking out antiques and collectibles in private homes. He also appeared in two HGTV specials—“Endless Yard Sale” (2003) and “Collectibles: Coast to Coast” (2004). “Whatcha Got?” his syndicated radio call-in show, first aired in March 2006.

Rinker is a prolific antiques and collectibles writer who has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 25 titles. “Guide to Toy Collecting” (for the Smithsonian), published by Collins in March 2008, is his latest title.

His 12-year career as a museum professional began as director of archival research for Historic Bethlehem and culminated as executive director of the Montgomery County (PA) Federation of Historical Societies. He has a B.A. from Lehigh University, an M.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and an M.F.A in Creative and Professional Writing from Western Connecticut State University. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of English and Communications at Davenport University, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Harry and his wife, Dr. Linda K. Rinker, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at Davenport University, live in Kentwood, Michigan.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Orlando Sentinel
NASA Space Artifacts Command Top Dollar

More than 40 years ago, it was priceless. The 70-page checklist—hastily updated after an in-space explosion—enabled the three astronauts aboard Apollo 13 to turn their lunar module into a lifeboat and survive what was nearly a deadly disaster. So when officials at Heritage Auctions obtained the three-ring binder from the personal collection of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, they expected it to fetch top dollar—but still were stunned by the final bid of nearly $390,000.

Vancouver Sun
Kim Kardashian’s Barbie Doll Will Include Her Big Butt

Kan’t get enough of the Kardashians? It’s OK, we’ll try not to judge. If you happen to be one of the millions of fans keeping up with America’s most famous family, you’re in luck; they’re about to be turned into dolls, thanks to Mattel. The three Kardashian ladies (Kim, Kourtney and Khloe), are about to make Ken feel a bit funny in his plastic molded parts, because they’re about to become Barbie’s new besties.

PopBlend
Two Guns Owned by Bonnie and Clyde up for Auction

Antique guns in good condition tend to be really valuable, as do collectibles associated with Prohibition Era gangsters. When an item meets both of those criteria, a bidding war typically ensues, which is why the grandchildren of Mark Lairmore may be in line to make a whole lot of money. Their grandfather worked as a police detective in Joplin, Missouri as the American public gleefully cheered on outlaws such as John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and the Barker Family.

Auction News Central
Thieves Haul $100,000 Worth of Antiques From Closed Shop

The owner of a closed-up antique shop south of Palmer, Alaska, is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the capture of thieves who emptied out his business. Bill Lowe tells KTUU-TV that thieves took antique bicycles, Alaska native dolls, Fur Rendezvous memorabilia, a mastodon tooth and other items totaling $100,000 from the rustic roadside complex near Mile 37.5 Glenn Highway. The shop had been closed for years. Lowe has been in Minnesota caring for his wife, who died recently of brain cancer.

TrekMovie.com
Remembering the Collectibles of Star Trek Deep Space Nine

On Jan. 3, 1993, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” premiered with the two hour television movie “The Emissary.” Today, TrekMovie celebrates by remembering some of the variety of collectibles available during the past 19 years, which allowed fans to make Star Trek “deep space mine!” Time travel with us through the decades to see some of the items made based on DS9 and its amazing characters.

Christian Davies Antiques
Pete Doherty Buys Antique Pipes

Notorious rock star Pete Doherty stopped off to buy himself some antique drug paraphernalia whilst on a trip in Paris. The singer stopped by at a fair selling antiques whilst on his recent trip and found a few 1930s pipes, originally used as part of some lab experiments involving drugs. The pipes were up for sale as antiques, perhaps for someone to buy who was interested in 1930s memorabilia, however, Pete was apparently interested in the current working order of the pipes.

News-Antique.com
Antiques & Appraisal School Releases ‘Trending’ Data

The old saying that “every season has a reason” seems to be spot-on when it comes to people looking to purchase antiques and collectibles. The Asheford Institute of Antiques (AIA), a professional-level, distance learning program on antiques and appraising, recently released the results of an in depth survey it conducted on market trends in the antique business, which it compiled from students and former graduates. The primary focus of the survey was to gauge interest in current trends of antiques and collectibles, based on sales and requests for particular items. And while no measurable scientific practices were employed, and the survey was informal in nature, the results were still quite interesting, said the schools publications Director, Tony Drew.

WNYC News Blog
Niche Market: Obscura Antiques & Oddities

If Tim Burton, Bob Dylan and Edward Gorey had a yard sale it might look something like Obscura Antiques and Oddities in the East Village—where antiquated and dangerous medical devices are perched next to old jars of poison, and taxidermy too frightening to display in the Natural History Museum is crammed in every nook of the shop. “We specialize in scientific antiques, medical antiques, taxidermy. A friend of mine called it, ‘Stuff you didn’t think you needed until you saw it.’ I call it, ‘An alternative kind of beauty,’” said Evan Michelson, one of the co-owners of the over 20-year old shop.

Investor Junkie
Are Your Collectibles Really an Investment?

While it’s true that some items do increase in value over time, and some collectibles can provide you with a decent enough return as an alternative investment, chances are that those items labeled “collector’s” by the company trying to sell them aren’t going to be worth much down the road. In fact, even if you keep them in mint condition, they might be worth less than you paid for them.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Rianovosti
Russia Seeking More than 900 Artworks via Interpol

Russia has added more than 900 works of art including paintings and collectibles to Interpol’s online database of stolen cultural property items, Russian Deputy Interior Minister Sergei Bulavin said on Dec. 29. More than 250 works of art, among them paintings by Isaak Levitan and 23 ancient icons have returned back to Russia via the global policing body since 1990. Historical documents signed by Elizabeth of Russia, Catherine the Great, Nicholas I of Russia and other emperors returned back home in 2010, Bulavin added.

San Francisco Luxury News
Michael Jackson’s Estate Items Raise Nearly One Million Dollars

The items that belonged inside home where Michael Jackson spent his last moments on earth raised close to one million dollars last weekend when they were auctioned off through Julien’s Auctions. Pre-auction estimates from the company were said to be around $200,000 to $400,000, but fans of the late King of Pop paid a pretty penny to get their hands on some of the furniture that was in the home he rented in California up until his death in June of 2009.

Newsday
‘Occupy’ Artifacts Now Collectibles

Occupy Wall Street may still be working to shake the notion it represents a passing outburst of rage, but some establishment institutions have already decided the movement’s artifacts are worthy of historic preservation. More than a half-dozen major museums and organizations from the Smithsonian Institution to the New-York Historical Society have been avidly collecting materials produced by the Occupy movement.

WTSP-TV Sarasota, Fla.
Sarasota Police Recover $400,000 in Stolen Property, Collectible Coins

Sarasota Police make three arrests and recover $400,000 in stolen property. On Dec. 14, a victim reported gold, silver and collectable coins valued at over $400,000 were stolen during a home burglary. Detectives assigned to the burglary notified retailers about the stolen gold and collectable coins. American Coins and Collectibles contacted investigators, saying that on Dec. 15, two customers attempted to sell a suitcase full of very valuable coins. The suspects were going to verify the value of the coins at another shop and then return to make the sale.

WebWire
Seventh Inning Stretch Provides Merchandise for Every Major League Sports Team

Baseball fans searching for an online store to buy memorabilia and collectibles may be interested in checking out the Seventh Inning Stretch website, where fans can find autographed baseballs for sale, Yankees apparel, a Yankees cap, a Red Sox cap and much more. The company provides merchandise representing every major league sports team. In addition to memorabilia and apparel, customers can find baseball cards, toys, glassware and other unique items bearing the logo of their favorite baseball team.

Chicago Magazine
Leslie Hindman on Buying Art and Antiques

What’s hot among auction buyers? Mid-century modern furniture is one thing that’s hot right now, which can mean that it’s overpriced. If people like English and French furniture, they should buy it now because it’s relatively cheap. But really, people shouldn’t buy something just because it’s hot. You need to discover what you really like—paintings, furniture, jewelry, whatever. Invest some time learning about these things and then buy what pleases you. The first rule of collecting: Only buy things you like, because you can never be guaranteed they will be a good investment.

Christian Davies Antiques
Never Mind Cash in the Attic – What About Cash on the Antique Dining Table?

Lancashire residents will be no doubt be furiously checking the contents of their antique cabinets, following the news that an antique plate taken for “Antiques Roadshow” valuation in a supermarket carrier bag was estimated to be worth £100,000. Grandmother Wendy Jones had only taken the piece along to the event as an afterthought, when she learned it was being filmed near her home in Aberglasney, Wales . . . When ARS valuer John Axford saw the 18th-century oval plate, he instantly recognized it as one of a set commissioned by the Prussian East India company between 1750 and 1755, for King Frederick II. He based his valuation on a much smaller bowl from the same service, which recently sold for £31,000.

Nanuet N.Y. Patch
Man Gets 1-3 Years for Stealing Star Wars Action Figures

A Blauvelt man has been sentence to 1 to 3 years in state prison for violating a court-issued order of protection by stealing collectible Star Wars action figures from a home in Orangetown. Kevin Stadnick, 28, of 108 Derfuss Lane, Blauvelt, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 to first-degree criminal contempt for the theft, which District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said also included taking a telescope along with the action figures on April 13 from the home of a person who was protected by an order issued in Orangetown Town Court.

St. Louis Today
It’s A Gas! Event Just Around the Corner

The 20th Annual “It’s A Gas!” petroleum collectibles show is less than three weeks away. Vendors from far and wide will be pulling into the Boone County Fairgrounds on Friday, January 13, to set up their booths for this indoor swap meet of all things related to the gasoline and service station businesses from early twentieth century to modern times. The popular show is attended by vendors and buyers from across the nation and is one of the largest shows of its type and the closest one to the St. Louis area. What are you likely to find at It’s A Gas!? Well, anything from vintage matchbooks to huge metal and neon advertising signs.

Reuters
Wine Sales Robust in 2011, May Drop More in 2012

It was a good year for fine wine in 2011 with auction houses reporting solid sales but the bubble has burst in the Bordeaux market and prices are expected to fall further in 2012. Wine sales at auction house Acker Merrall & Condit topped $110 million this year. Christie’s estimated its sales would be more than $90 million, while Sotheby’s wine auctions hit $85.5 million and Bonhams finished at $17 million.

The Hindu
Survivors of Time – The Gavel’s Knock

Murray and Co., where different eras juxtapose, it is hard to imagine order. The sun seeps in through stained glass to illuminate old microwaves, sewing machines, computer keyboards and dismantled swings. Every Sunday, over the last eight decades, at least 250 ageing articles resting in this auction house find new homes. From the 1920s until the 1970s, Murray and Co. was a household name in Madras with many legendary auctions to their credit. They were the ones who sold HM Hospital to Express Estates and the property on Greams Road to Apollo Hospitals. From 1964 onwards, they have also been the official auctioneers for the Ministry of Defence.

TriValley (Ariz.) Central
Arizona Man Buys 1941 Fruitcake in Online Auction for $525

A 1941 fruitcake has sold for $525 to an Arizona man in an online auction to help the needy in southwest Ohio. An Ohio company that handles estate sales and online auctions sold the cake Dec. 22. Elite Estate Group owner Larry Chaney said the buyer did not want his name released.

Philadelphia Enquirer
Antiques Dealer who Weathered Changes

Morris Finkel, 88, of East Mount Airy, an antiques dealer who rose to national prominence during six decades of business on Philadelphia’s Antiques Row, died Thursday, Dec. 22, from complications of pneumonia at the Visiting Nurses Association hospice in East Falls. Since 1947, Mr. Finkel had been a constant presence in his corner store at 10th and Pine Streets. He worked with private clients, major museums, and historical societies and helped form important collections.

Pottstown (Pa.) Mercury
Five Tips for Sharing Your Family’s Antique Holiday Heirlooms

The holiday season is a time for parties, family get-togethers and open houses. With family and friends gathered to enjoy the season, it is a perfect time to highlight your own history by featuring vintage photos and antique objects from days gone by. Here are five tips for making this holiday season a time to reminisce about your family via your heirlooms.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Canadian Pickers’ Sheldon Smithens and Scott Cozens. (photo courtesy Cineflix, Inc.)

ATLANTA – “Canadian Pickers,” the most popular collectibles reality TV show in Canada, and WorthPoint, the world’s leading online resource for collectors, have agreed to work cooperatively in bringing additional expert knowledge to the show’s web site. The site will include articles and other published information from WorthPoint’s Worthologists (subject-matter experts) on a wide range of topics, from a beginner’s guide to auctions to the finer points of collecting specific objects, such as first edition books or duck decoys. Worthologists also may be asked to contribute perspectives on various topics that arise from TV viewers and site visitors.

Worthologists supplement their expert advice with data from WorthPoint’s Worthopedia, the industry’s most comprehensive price guide that includes more than 100 million global auction results aggregated from eBay, virtual marketplaces and leading auction houses. Site visitors will see selected Worthopedia data from time to time in articles as well as in forum postings.

Will Seippel, WorthPoint CEO, said, “We look forward to putting our full complement of resources behind Canadian Pickers. Published material from Worthologists and data from our price guide are just the start. We have just introduced an iPhone/iPad application, and early next year we will introduce an online Marks Library, both of which will be perfect partners for any true ‘Picker’.”

‘Great Big American Auction’ Premiers Dec. 8

“The Great Big American Auction,” starring Ty Pennington, premiers Dec. 8 on ABC.

ABC has announced that it will air “The Great Big American Auction,” in a very special television first made-for-TV auction event, at 10 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, Dec. 8. The show will star Ty Pennington of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” one of America’s leading reality TV personalities, and feature exclusively Heritage Auctions’ experts, auction services and staff.

The special was produced by Cineflix (Auction) Inc. for ABC. Executive Producers are Lisa Levenson, Pennington, Joe Houlihan and Simon Lloyd.

Pennington has been transforming people’s homes and lives for several years now as the host of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and has now found an exciting new way to change lives by turning their memorabilia and assorted hidden finds into treasures worth life-changing amounts of money.

After scouring flea markets, cellars, attics and yard sales to find one-of-a-kind items whose owners have no idea of their real value, Pennington, with a team of experts from Heritage Auctions, tags the best items and brings them to The Queen Mary ocean liner in Long Beach, Ca., for “The Great Big American Auction.” The exceptional collectibles range from first edition classic comic books to rare American currency to an early 20th century baseball icon’s checkbook, and much more in-between, all chosen for their rarity, value and the uniqueness of the consignor’s story.

“It’s a great thrill to be part of this major network, prime time show, to work with Cineflex and ABC and a star the magnitude and class of Ty Pennington,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. “We went to great lengths with our staff and experts to make sure that all these unique items have great stories and that they live up to Heritage’s exacting consignment standards. We hope that everyone will enjoy the show as much as we enjoyed being a part of it.”

Objects originally bought for mere dollars, or literally plucked right out the trash will go for thousands of dollars as their lucky owners’ lives are changed for the better.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

The Daily Mail (U.K.)
Murder, He Wrote: Brass Desk Where Hitler Wrote the Munich Pact to be Auctioned

Over 1,000 rare relics from the Third Reich are going under the hammer in one of the biggest ever auctions of Nazi war items. Macabre items including a love letter written to Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s secret accounts book and even the Nazi leader’s personal desk are all part of the huge sale in Stamford, Connecticut. Top of the lots was the ceremonial brass desk belonging to Hitler which the Nazi leader used at the signing of the Munich Pact, which preceded the Second World War.

Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Storage Auctions Yield Thrills, but Little Gold

Tony Vargas scans the Boynton Beach storage facility’s parking lot and sees a caravan of about 30 cars quickly fill the empty spots. “Here comes the herd,” he says. “They’re late today.” Within minutes, the lobby is crowded with men and women carrying flashlights. They’re here to search for treasures that may be hidden among heaps of dirty clothes and filthy mattresses, and they’re eager for the storage auction to begin. “It’s not like the television show. They always find gold on that show,” says Vargas, 54, of Pembroke Pines. “They never show how most of the time you just end up driving to the junk yard.”

Wilmington (N.C.) Star News
Hodgepodge of ‘One Tree Hill’ Items up for Auction

Imagine a yard sale on steroids, punctuated by the cacophony of auctioneers and the occasional interruption of an airplane about to land. That was the scene at Screen Gems Studios—located across 23rd Street from Wilmington International Airport—on Friday morning as the auction portion of the “One Tree Hill” Wrap Sale opened. Bidders gathered outside a warehouse that held what seemed to be a bottomless hodgepodge of home decor, toys, books, musical instruments and just about anything else you can imagine.

Burlington (N.C.) Times News
Storage Unit Auctions Thrive on the Thrill of the Hunt

Alan Ray raises the door of a foreclosed 10- by 15-foot storage unit Thursday and a bidding frenzy begins. About 30 pairs of eyes zoom in on a box of what looks to be animal hides, a deer rack, a couple guns, several fishing poles and what might be a large-size speaker. There’s some furniture scattered amongst the jetsam. Don Ray, who owns two Ray Self Storage locations in Burlington, starts the bids at $100. Within seconds, the bid is up to $700 and racing toward $800.

Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot
Santa Gives OK to Secondhand Gifts

Santa’s got a new bag and it’s full of secondhand gifts. Such gifts are getting second looks because budgets are tight, and there’s growing interest in repurposing items. “The search for treasures can be as much fun as finding what you’re looking for, so the treasure hunter must never abandon the search,” said Jim Dean, owner of Jim Dean and Associates estate sales and appraisals in Albion. Savvy shoppers call them “well-loved treasures:” stuff you can buy at swap meets, estate sales, moving sales, auctions, antique and vintage shops, consignment and thrift stores and on websites.

Reuters
Collectors Evolving into ‘Passionate Investors’

Dennis Varni remembers buying his first car, a 1931 Ford Model A, more than a half century ago when he was 14. It cost him $45 and to amass that princely sum, he picked fruit, hawked his model train set and even sold the clothes off his back. Now 67 and retired from owning several successful businesses, Varni no longer sweats scrimping and saving to buy motor vehicles. In fact, his collection of 65 cars and 13 motorcycles, valued at $10 million, has bolstered his bottom line at a heart-racing pace.

The Telegraph (U.K.)
100-year-old Japanese Vase Suffers ‘Most Expensive Chip in Antiques Roadshow History’

Alan Bridges, 75, bought the dirty pot at a car boot sale last year for just £3—a price which included the plant inside. Although the porcelain enthusiast knew he had a bargain, he had no idea of its true worth until he took it to be valued on the “Antiques Roadshow.” Lars Tharp, one of the Antiques Roadshow’s longest-serving experts, said it was worth £2,000 to gasps from onlookers but then gave the bad news that, without the chip, the three-legged incense burner would have been worth double that.

Christian Davies Antiques
Identical Antique Chests Show Back-to-Back Profit on Daytime TV

The popular BBC1 antique shows, “Cash in the Attic” and “Bargain Hunt,” were aired back-to-back on Tuesday Dec. 6. Evidently travel was in the air, because both programs featured an antique chest from the Golden Age of transatlantic liners—and both made a handsome profit.

Innovation Excellence
3 Ways Reality TV is Exactly Like Disruptive Innovation

It seems America’s appetite for reality TV hasn’t yet curbed and possibly even continues to accelerate. Want proof? You know that show where people buy delinquent storage units “blind,” then rifle through them looking for valuable collectibles, antiques and other goods? Which one? you say, yeah, that’s my point; there are multiple series that fit that bill including “Storage Wars,” “Auction Hunters” and in a tangential way, “Pawn Stars.” The interesting part is that reality shows like these offer us many parallels into the world of innovation. How so? No, it’s not blind luck turning up a Honus Wagner and thankfully it has nothing to do with the Kardashians.

Grand Rapids Press
Part of Casnovia Antiques Shop Destroyed in Fire, at Least $70,000 in Damage

A section of an antiques shop was destroyed by fire Saturday morning, causing an estimated $70,000 in building damage. The fire at Pijnappels Work Shop, 16 East St., was reported about 9:15 a.m. by a passerby, but a fire alarm also registered with a security company at about the same time, said Tyrone Township Fire Chief Mike Rexford.

Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald Journal
Spartanburg Gallery Owner has an Appreciation for Old, New

John Miraziz of Spartanburg has a passion for art and antiquities. “It’s in your blood, you know, you love it,” he said. Much of his life was spent in or near the cradle of civilization. Miraziz was born in Bethlehem. His family lived in Palestine until 1948, when fighting erupted after the independent State of Israel was established. Miraziz’s family fled to his father’s native Iraq.

Canton (Ohio) Repository
Local Man Pays Record Price for Photo of Edison

It took three years for David Grabowsky to find an autographed photo of Thomas Edison that he coveted enough to pay a record price. Grabowsky, president of Standard Plumbing & Heating Co. at Fifth Street and Walnut Avenue SE, said he valued the photo of Edison because of the inventor’s work ethic, perseverance and other reasons.

Oregon Live
Nutcrackers and Smokers Make Lively Christmas Decor

Right inside the door of Barbara and John Cullicott’s Lake Oswego home is the stairway to the second floor, and every tread holds a story. On one side, a nutcracker stands watch, while on the other stands a smoker. Smokers—smoking men (there are some women) —are a German creation, Barbara explains, promptly taking the figure from its base to expose where the incense goes. Once lighted, the figurine goes back on its base and smoke wafts through the body and out the pipe he’s smoking or from under a plate of muffins held by one of the rare smoking women.

Indianapolis Star
Rediscover, Revamp and Repurpose are the Bywords at Reclamation Vintage Shop

Just in time for the Christmas rush, Elizabeth Brown has moved her trendy vintage shop to an old upholstery workroom that abuts the Monon Trail. Brown originally opened Reclamation at 49th Street and College Avenue about a year ago, but in November she moved to 5335 Winthrop Ave., into the former Hughey Hartman upholstery workroom. And Brown did more than move. The under-30 entrepreneur, who studied design at Ball State University and had worked for Midland Arts & Antiques Market, opened her own 7,000-square-foot arts and antiques mall.

Danbury (Conn.) News Times
Antiques & Collectibles: Old Frames May Bring Surprising Prices

Picture frames were very elaborate during Victorian times. The rectangular frame for an oil painting could be three or four inches deep, with several different types of carving on the borders. And the frame often was covered with gold leaf. Small frames were sometimes made of carved pieces of dark wood joined in a crisscross fashion. The simple silver frame favored today for photographs was unknown to Victorians. They preferred odd-shaped silver-plated frames with added figures or objects because they liked lots of ornamentation.

Ocean City (Md.) Today
Berlin Antique Store Burglars Arrested after Pawning Items

To maintain a drug-free lifestyle, maintain a life without drug users—simple advice offered Monday by Judge Richard Bloxom to a 20-year-old Bishopville woman who broke into a Berlin antiques store in April. “You don’t have a prayer of not using drugs if you don’t stay away from people using drugs,” Bloxom told Amanda Elizabeth Sinclair in Circuit Court in Snow Hill. “You have to find a whole new group of friends.”

Columbus (Ind.) Republic
DeKalb County Farm Bureau Looking for Collectibles to Mark 100 Years in 2012

The DeKalb County Farm Bureau is looking to mark its centennial. Bureau manager Greg Millburg says so far members have loaned or donated historical photos of county farmsteads and charter documents. WNIJ radio reports the farm bureau is collecting artifacts and keepsakes to mark its 100th anniversary next year. Bureau manager Greg Millburg says so far members have loaned or donated historical photos of county farmsteads and charter documents. He says they also have collectibles, like rulers and letter openers.

Quincy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger
Costal Living: ‘Storage Wars’ Captures Our Undivided Attention

I have just finished watching eight consecutive episodes of the reality TV show “Storage Wars.” Someone please call my psychiatrist. It was like being at the scene of a tragic car crash: I didn’t know whether to stare at the wreckage or look away. I gazed at the tube for four hours without a break. I watched people trying to outbid each other for the contents of storage lockers whose owners had defaulted on their monthly payments. I even got to know the cast. (My favorite cast member is Barry, who is an over-the-top Los Angeles collector of objèts d’art, hot rod cars and motorcycles. Like me, he is a silly guy who sees humor everywhere.)

Chicago Tribune
Fire Destroys Antiques Building in Marshalltown

Fire has destroyed a building in Marshalltown, Iowa, that was being used to store antiques. Firefighters responded to the blaze late Monday night and remained at the scene until about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, putting out hot spots. Marshalltown Fire Chief Steve Edwards says a local antiques dealer, Rowley Antiques, was using the second-floor of the building as storage. The first floor was used as a commercial warehouse.

Reuters
Take Care Selling the Family Silver, Hard-Up Greeks Told

Greece published guidelines on Tuesday to protect its austerity-hit citizens from being ripped off by pawn shops buying their family gold and silver. The consumer protection agency issued the unusual notice as new pawn shops spring up across Athens to meet demand for instant cash in Greece’s contracting economy. But crisis-hit families may be getting a poor deal from unscrupulous traders.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Haute Living
Marilyn Monroe Images Sold for More than $300,000 at Auction

Copyrights and images from Marilyn Monroe’s first photo shoot have just sold for an impressive $352,000 at an auction known as “Icons & Idols” last Sunday. In addition to the images of Marilyn Monroe, the Beverly Hills auction included items from Lady Gaga and John Lennon. Julien’s Auctions spokeswoman, Caroline Galloway, said that the Monroe photos were taken in 1946 when she was still Norma Jeane Dougherty.

Houston Chronicle
Red Alligator handbag sells for $203,000

To the untutored eye, it looks a red alligator handbag. Ah, that is where a Dallas auction house says you missed your mark. Heritage Auctions announced that it has sold an Hermes Diamond Birkin handbag for $203,150 in bidding that ended Tuesday. Heritage spokesman Matthew Rubinger said the bag went to a collector who wished to remain anonymous. Rubinger says the bag is made of crocodile hide and features 18-karat white gold, diamond-encrusted hardware. He says a similar bag without the jewels and in lesser condition was sold for $77,000 at auction in England a year ago.

The Scoop on Today
Michael Jackson’s Household Items Set for Auction

Michael Jackson spent his final days in a beautifully appointed private home that was not his own. But the fact that they were his final days now potentially can turn into a financial bonanza for the house’s actual owners, who are selling off over 600 items the late singer and his children used and lived with while he rehearsed for his comeback “This Is It” tour in 2009. The auction will be conducted by Julien’s Auctions on Dec. 17; a free exhibit of items from the 100 North Carolwood Drive house will be open as of Dec. 12.

Encino Patch
Lou Woolf and His Amazing Collectible Ray Guns

I recently sat down with my good buddy Lou Woolf and discussed his amazing collection of vintage 1950s space-age ray guns, valued at over $100,000. Lou has been a real estate agent in Encino for over 25 years. Our friendship is based primarily on a shared love of the 1950s and 1960s, which we both maintain was the last era of innocence in this country.

Pueblo Chieftain
Joyful houseful: Christmas Collectibles Color Her World

She’s a one-woman Christmas-decorating machine. Except that Rhoada Stahle’s holiday trees and tables, her wreath-adorned doors and evergreen-festooned corners show far too much artistry to have been done by machine. The Pueblo West retiree has spent 40 years collecting decorations, haunting garage sales and flea markets, studying books and magazines, refining her hobby until it’s become gallery-worthy. And though there’s potential for such a houseful of Christmas to resemble a hoarder’s nightmare, Stahle exercises restraint along with her enthusiasm and the decorating seems nearly perfect.

Hollywood Reporter
Morgan Spurlock’s Comic-Con Doc Picked Up for Distribution

Newbie distribution outfit Wrekin Hill has teamed up with the National Entertainment Collectibles Association to pick up the distribution rights to Morgan Spurlock’s fanboy documentary “Comic-Con Episode IV – A Fan’s Hope.” The plan is to release the film in Spring 2012 at the same time with a multi-city tour of the movie incorporating events, including fandom gatherings, across the country.

Los Angeles Times
Hand-Blown Antiques and Machine-Made Trash at ‘Bottle Tree Ranch’

To see the forest for the trees, drive north from Victorville, Calif., on old Route 66 into the desert, past the cement factory where Elmer Long toiled for decades, to a grove of metal and glass that is more than the sum of its parts. Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch is a folk art forest—two-plus acres crowded with hundreds of metal sculptures adorned with colored bottles and topped with just about anything one could imagine.

Litchfield County Times
Small, Unique Antiques for Seasonal Giving Are Plentiful in Region

Tired of battling the crowds at the mall or giving the same old tired gift to family and loved ones year after year? Sick of never again seeing the tie you bought for Uncle Bill or having the sweater you dropped good money on disappear into your mother’s closet? Well, when it comes to buying something meaningful, a gift that will last a lifetime and beyond, many Christmas shoppers are turning to antiques.

Louisville Courier-Journal
Collector’s Holiday Antiques Highlight German History

Although no one camped out overnight to buy electronics or ordered presents online on cyber-Monday in late 19th- and early 20th-century Germany, holiday commerce was critical. Artisans were toiling away to pump up the German economy by making Santas, reindeer candy containers, toys, stockings, angel decorations and other holiday items to sell in their country and in Victorian England and the United States. Then, as now, merchants were depending on “Santa Claus” and Christmas gift-giving and celebrating to save the economy, said Kit Carter-Weilage of the Lexington Road Preservation Area, a longtime collector of antique German holiday items.

Montreal Gazette
New Rules Breathing Life into Cuba’s Living Museum of Antique Cars

Come 3,310 cars have been sold among individuals in Cuba since authorities eased a 50-year-old ban on such sales in early October, the official Granma daily reported Tuesday. And 994 vehicles have been donated during the same period in the communist-ruled island known as a living museum of vintage cars. Since the new regulations came into force, authorities have issued 14,630 registration certificates required for car transfers, acknowledging that the process is “still young” and that a few hitches still need to be ironed out, the official communist party organ Granma reported.

New Jersey Herald
Boyhood Train Hobby Grows into Local Business

In the winter of 1963 one Blairstown boy’s fascination with collectible trains was ignited with one spectacular Christmas present: A Lionel train set beneath the tree. From there, the 5-year-old’s enchantment with trains grew into a 200-piece collection and a Blairstown business. Jetstream Collectibles, which opened in February, is the innovation of Tony Zaremba and business partner Josette Zube. Jetstream Collectibles on Main Street specializes in custom and museum quality military, space, commercial and marine desk top display models, collectible trains, accessories, villages, antiques, and children’s games and toys.

Abilene Reporter-News
This Man’s Junk is Another Person’s Junk; Good, Bad or In-Between

There are three kinds of junk. “Some people get insulted when you call it junk, but I call it ‘good junk,’ ‘in-between junk’ and ‘bad junk,’” Rex Dodds said. “You get the good, the bad and the ugly.” Dodds, 59, is the owner of Deja Vu, an antique store at 105 W. Walker Street that opened near the end of October 2001. “At the time, I was dating a girl named Cindy and we’d go hunting junk on Saturdays,” he said. “We finally got so much stuff that we thought we were either going to have to have an auction or open up a store.”

WBRC-TV Birmingham, Ala.
Pre-1982 Pennies Now Worth More Than a Penny

It is good news for those of you that hang onto your spare change; your pennies may be actually worth more than a penny. Pennies minted before 1982 have a copper content of 95 percent. With a sharp increase in copper prices, the weight of that copper in a pre-1982 penny is up 236 percent in value, making that penny worth almost two and a half cents. Southern Coin and Collectibles in Hoover (Ala.) says they have been saving those pre-’82 pennies for several years now. Before you go digging through your piggy bank, federal law bans melting down currency.

Irish Independent
Yeats Painting Among 2-Million-Euro Haul Sold at Auction

An auction of rare Irish art and collectibles—including four recently discovered paintings by Jack B Yeats—sold for a total of more than 2 million Euros last night. A pocket watch immortalized by James Joyce in his masterpiece “Ulysses” sold for six times the guide price during frantic bidding at Adam’s auction house in Dublin. A rare self-portrait of renowned painter Jack B Yeats called “Jazz Babies”—which was last seen in public more than 40 years ago —sold for the guide price of €480,000.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Washington Post
A Million-Dollar-Plus ‘Superman’? Rare 1938 Comic Expected to Fetch Record Price

By 7:26 Wednesday night over the New York metropolis, Superman may be flying higher than he’s ever soared before. The Man of Steel is up for auction, and Wednesday night’s winning bid could be a record north of $1.5-million. A rare 1938 Superman comic book was put on the block Nov. 11, and with less than 20 hours to go, the auction/consignment site ComicConnect.com and its sister dealership, Metropolis Collectibles, expect the book—Action Comics #1—to fetch a record prize. (As of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the top posted bid—though not yet officially authenticated, of course—was $1.552-million.)

New York Times
Works by Disney, Before He Started Mousing Around, Are for Sale

Long-lost works by Walt Disney are suddenly sprouting like the bits of a chopped-up broom brought magically to life. An early cartoon drawing by Disney, dating from the early 1920s before Mickey Mouse was a gleam in his eye, will be among the items for sale at a two-day auction in Reno, Nev. The drawing, titled “Fill Up My Can,” depicts a cigar-smoking man in a derby hat and bears the prophetic if not rib-tickling caption, “Develop your sense of humor and it will develop you.” (Fans will also notice that Disney’s autograph hasn’t quite developed its signature flourish.) The drawing was previously owned by Disney’s sister, Ruth, and is expected to sell for between $35,000 and $50,000 at an auction that starts Tuesday at the Atlantic Casino Resort.

Reuters
Amy Winehouse Dress Fetches $68,000 at Auction

A printed chiffon dress worn by the late singer Amy Winehouse for the cover of her chart-topping album “Back to Black” has sold for 43,200 pounds ($68,000) at auction. The hammer price, minus buyer’s premium, was 36,000 pounds, still well above pre-sale estimates of 10-20,000 pounds, said a spokeswoman for Kerry Taylor Auctions which specializes in high-end vintage fashion.

Bedford Today (U.K.)
Sniffing out the Stories Behind Antique Treasure

A journalistic couple from Ravensden have taken their love of a good story to whole new level, by opening an antiques dealership with a difference. Andy Watts and Kathryn Holloway met on the eve of the first Gulf War waiting for the last flight out of Riyadh to arrive at Heathrow Airport so they could cover the dramatic events. Andy as a photographer for the Times newspaper and Kathryn as a television news reporter. The couple fell in love and had two children, but after glittering careers in the media it is their shared love of French antiques which has led them to open Bon Chic Bon Genre at the Antiques Centre in the grounds of Woburn Abbey.

New Mexico Daily Lobo
Career Paths: From ‘Picker to Proprietor’

Christian Dimery started out as a “picker,” someone who buys and sells antiques as a hobby, in 1987 while he traveled across the United States. He now owns Christian Dimery Antiques and Oddities, located on the corner of Central Avenue and Morningside Drive in Nob Hill. “I got a job at what was then Morningside Antiques in this same location (as his current antique store),” he said. “I intended to be a park ranger, I really did, but the owner said, ‘You don’t need to be working for me, you need to be working with me,’ so I became a partner.”

The Record (Kitchener, Canada)
Sports Collector Turns Passion into Business

Kevin Ivory is like the boxer who gets knocked down, but keeps getting up again. Perhaps it’s appropriate that he’s now running a business called All-Star Sports Collectibles. He’s survived recessions, employers going out of business, competition trying to put him out of business, mall restructurings, difficult landlords, a legal battle with a franchisor, break-ins and even the theft of $40,000 from the safe at the last business he ran. “You get beat up, but you’ve got to get back up,” says the 52-year-old Toronto native, whose varied resume includes stints as an aircraft worker, flight attendant, furniture salesperson, video-arcade owner and used goods salesman.

Motley Fool
These Collectibles Won’t Make You Rich

It’s tempting to think that all those baseball cards you have stashed in the attic will one day provide you with a comfy retirement. Think again, though. Many popular collectibles are far from the best path to wealth. At Yahoo! Finance recently, Jason Notte reviewed several categories of popular collectibles, pointing out how “completely worthless” they can be.

Antiques Trade Gazette
Seize Your Chance to Beat SCAM Guides

SCAM guides have struck yet again, but finally the European Commission has launched an investigation and wants to hear from victims about their plight. The deadline on submitting your views on the subject is December 16. Submissions are published so keep it simple and factual. Although the questionnaire is quite long, many of the questions are optional, so it need not take a long time to complete. The latest attempts to con art and antiques dealers have been made by Expo-Guide, an organization purporting to be based in France but in reality operating out of Mexico, and the Valencia-based European City Guide, which is also back to its old tricks, even targeting ATG directly.

Reuters
Christie’s Sees Tepid Wine, Modern Art Sale in Hong Kong

Growing caution among Asian buyers led to a tepid start for the autumn Hong Kong sales of global auctioneers Christie’s, which failed to sell all lots at a three-day wine sale and a contemporary art auction. While the wine sales, which consisted of mixed lots and a private single-owner sale, recorded a slightly better-than-expected HK$64.70 million, the lackluster results in the first two days of the auction were unexpected, said Christie’s head of wine sales, Charles Curtis.

Auto Remarketing.com
Pennsylvania Auction Owner, GM Face Federal Fraud Charges

An auction owner in Pennsylvania and his general manager are in some hot water after federal prosecutors charged the pair with committing fraud against charities. William Stake, owner of Gettysburg Auto Exchange, and auction GM David Burk face charges of “operating and conspiring to operate a scheme to defraud charities who used the Gettysburg Auto Exchange to sell vehicles donated by private individuals for charitable causes,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said in a statement Wednesday. These charges follow an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Harrisburg office.

Star Local News
Junking the Trend: Antique Markets Thrive on City’s East Side

One’s junk truly is another’s treasure, and “X” marks the spot in McKinney. TreasureSpotters, the city’s newest antique market, is now open for business. Located just east of downtown, off Virginia Street and along the railroad tracks, the monthly market provides another local destination for “junking.” “For all of us, once a month isn’t enough,” said Rick Stricklin, TreasureSpotters owner and a vendor at the more established Old Red Lumberyard Junk Market, also on McKinney’s east side. “We wanted to do it twice a month, we just needed a place.”

Washington Post
Auction House Bonhams & Butterfields Sets up Shop in D.C.

The great thing about Washington, Martin Gammon says, is that there may be a Himalayan art collector or a rare manuscript aficionado living next door to you. “Washington is really one of the cultural capitals of North America,” said Gammon, managing director of auction house Bonhams & Butterfields’ new office in Georgetown. “There are such diverse collecting groups, ranging from rare maps to Greek, Pakistani and Native American art.” Bonhams, the largest auction house after Christie’s and Sotheby’s, opened in the District last month to cater to the area’s collectors, diplomats and museums. It is the only major auctioneer with an office in the area.

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