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Auction Update May 2017

Auction Update May 2017

Welcome back…

If you collect rare, luxury, or celebrity items, you’ll like this month’s Auction Talk. Items crossing the block in the next few weeks will be a collection of clothing and memorabilia from 1960s folk singer Mary Hopkin; a rare Honus Wagner baseball card; sought-after comic book titles; a Swiss chateau; and fire and rescue memorabilia. Let’s jump right in…

Those Were the Days, My Friend

Mary Hopkin, Welsh folksinger, was one of the first artists signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records, and Paul McCartney produced and played on the record.

In 1968, Welsh folksinger Mary Hopkin had her first hit single “Those Were the Days, My Friend.” Hopkin was one of the first artists signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records, and Paul McCartney produced and played on the record. The release became #1 on the UK Singles Chart and #2 on the (US) Billboard Hot 100.

Hopkin’s family is offering a collection of designer dresses that she wore on stage, plus jewelry, accessories, and memorabilia. Featured is a red frock she wore when photographed with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Lulu.  Rogers Jones & Co. will be auctioning the memorabilia at its Antiques & Fine Art auction on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, beginning at 10:30 AM, UK time. The dresses will cross the block on Friday, June 2 in Cardiff, beginning at 11AM. For registration and bidding information, visit the auctioneer’s website

Honus Wagner Baseball Card

This rare Honus Wagner T206 baseball card will be auctioned on May 24, 2017, by SCP Auctions. The card is expected to bring more than $1 million.

A rare Honus Wagner T206 baseball card will be auctioned on May 24, 2017, by SCP Auctions. The card is expected to bring more than $1 million.

Honus Wagner T206 cards, considered to be some of the world’s most valuable pieces of sports memorabilia, have a dazzling price history. Originally packaged as a “stiffener” in cigarette packs, the card was recognized as the most expensive baseball card in the world in the 1933 American Card Catalog.  The price was $50!  In October of 2016, a Honus Wagner T206 achieved the world-record price of $3.12 million.

The owner of this particular T206 paid $48,500 for it in 1996. He plans to use the proceeds to pay for a college education for his eight grandchildren.

Wagner spent most of his professional baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. At a time when a player’s “cigarette cards” were packaged by the thousands, it is believed that fewer than 200 of the Wagner cards were distributed to the public. Wagner stopped production of the cards for an unknown reason; it is believed that he either wanted more money, or didn’t want his cards used to promote cigarette sales to children.

View the catalog and register for the auction visit here

Collectible Comic Books

One-hundred-twelve lots of single and groups of classic comic books will be offered at Morphy’s Comic Book Auction on June 22, 2017. The auction’s highlight is a 1963 Amazing Spider-Man #1 with a CGC Universal grade of 4.5.

Pick your Universe: Spider Man. Green Lantern. X-Men. Iron Man. Incredible Hulk. Captain America.

One-hundred-twelve lots of single and groups of classic comic books will be offered at Morphy’s Comic Book Auction on June 22, 2017. The auction begins at 9 AM EST, but is currently open for online bidding at Morphy Auctions.  Also found at this address is the auction catalog.

The auction’s highlight is a 1963 Amazing Spider-Man #1 with a CGC Universal grade of 4.5. It is expected to bring $5,000-$6,500. Most lots fall into the $50-$125 range (as of this writing).

Morphy’s is located at 2000 North Reading Road in Denver, PA 17517. For questions, call them at 717-335-3435 or email them at info@morphyauctions.com.

Swiss Chateau

This chateau, located on nine acres of forest and park land and only 15 miles from the center of Geneva, is being offered for the first time in fifty years, and is expected to bring $48 million USD.

The three rules of real estate are “location, location, and location.” This property has all three…

Located on nine acres of forest and park land and only 15 miles from the center of Geneva, this chateau’s balconies offer stunning views of Lake Geneva. If your taste runs to entertaining, you’ll have plenty of room: the residence’s 14,000 square feet is spread over four stories and offers eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, multiple kitchens, a library, a study, and staff quarters. For the “yachting set,” the property has the largest private harbor on the lake.

The chateau is being offered for the first time in fifty years, and is expected to bring $48 million USD.  The auction will be executed by Concierge Auctions on June 15, 2017. The home is now open for previews. Questions can be directed through the Concierge Auctions website.

Fire & Rescue Memorabilia

From time to time, fire & rescue (F&R) lots come to auction, but it’s not often that the contents of an entire F&R museum crosses the block.

From time to time, fire & rescue (F&R) lots come to auction, but it’s not often that the contents of an entire F&R museum crosses the block.

Kennedy & Associates, a leading forensic fire analysis firm, has closed its doors. While in business, they maintained a museum of F&R collectibles. Approximately 444 lots – including fire helmets, tools, fire engines, antique cameras, ephemera, lab tools, and more, will be auctioned live on May 26, 2017, beginning at 5:30 PM EST.

The auction will be executed by Freedom Auction Company of Sarasota, Florida, and held at 1601 Desoto Rd. 34243. Both online bidding and catalog are available on Auction Zip.

Questions can be directed through the Freedom Auction website at or by phone at 941-725-2166.

That’s all for this month. Check back again for a few of June’s auction highlights.


Wayne Jordan is a Virginia-licensed auctioneer, Certified Personal Property Appraiser and Accredited Business Broker. He has held the professional designations of Certified Estate Specialist; Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate; Certified Auction Specialist, Residential Real Estate and Accredited Business Broker. He also has held state licenses in Real Estate and Insurance. Wayne is a regular columnist for Antique Trader Magazine, a WorthPoint Worthologist (appraiser) and the author of two books. For more info, visit Wayne Jordan Auctions or Resale Retailing with Wayne Jordan.

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