San Raphael Auction Gallery i now accepting consignments for their November 12th Nautical & Maritime Antiques Auction

Six years after the landmark auction of Property from the Collections of Lily & Edmond J. Safra, Sotheby’s is honored to hold a second series of sales dedicated to the remarkable collections of Lily & Edmond J. Safra. The four-day auction is comprised of six sale volumes whose contents represent the pinnacle of their respective collecting categories, from magnificent European furniture and works of art to Russian porcelain, Cosway bindings and 19th century paintings and interior watercolors.

Beany and Cecil vinyl lunch kit. John W. Coker Auctions image.

NEW MARKET, Tenn. – John W. Coker is a Tennessee auctioneer better known for his sales of fine and decorative art, but when the opportunity arose to handle two outstanding toy and lunchbox collections – each from a collector of 40+ years – he jumped at the chance. More than 100 cardboard boxes later, Coker knew he had the makings of a terrific auction, and one that toy collectors “would go crazy over.”

Coker’s 1,000-lot Oct. 29-30 event, which will be held at the company’s gallery near Knoxville, is 100% unreserved. “Whatever the high bid is, that’s what the toy, lunchbox or folk art item will sell for,” Coker said.

The Saturday, Oct. 29 session, which commences at 10 a.m. Eastern time, contains more than 450 lots of toys and folk art from the collection of a prominent Eastern Tennessee businessman who began collecting in the 1950s. Many of the toys were displayed at the consignor’s place of business; he always bought and never sold.

Smith-Miller pressed-steel and wood Coca-Cola delivery truck, complete with wood Coke crates. John W. Coker Auctions image.

A featured highlight is the vast collection of Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola advertising toys, many of them rare, early examples pictured in Petretti’s Coca-Cola Collectibles Price Guide. “There are more than 100 Coca-Cola toys, and all are different,” said Coker. “They’re across the board in terms of manufacturers – Metalcraft, Smith-Miller, Buddy ‘L’ – and there are many from foreign countries, including Spain (Paya), Germany, Mexico and Italy. There are also special-edition Christmas productions and wooden ones made during World War II. There are many that I have never seen before.”

Boxed Coca-Cola truck made for the Italian market. John W. Coker Auctions image.

The consignor recalled that the first toy he ever owned was a Metalcraft Shell Oil truck complete with wood barrels. “My daddy paid only one dollar – maybe less – for that toy. It made me appreciate the unusual, and that followed through in my collecting,” he said. The truck is included in the auction inventory.

The owner of the toys commented that the advertising trucks in the collection have never been polished, waxed or restored. “I kept them as original as possible, in ‘as-found’ condition,” he said. “Most of them have 85% or more of their original paint.”

The consignor’s brother-in-law once worked for Lionel, and through that connection, the collector was able to acquire several coveted train sets, including a rare Coca-Cola set and another branded for Ford Motor Co. that was available only to employees.

Handmade tableau consisting of a farmhouse, two-story barn, outbuildings, split-rail fence and dozens of miniature accessories. John W. Coker Auctions image.

Additionally, there are die-cast advertising toys, two matchstick ships and a carved Noah’s Ark with figures. A rustic log farmhouse that took 10 years to make is so highly detailed, it even includes a gun over the mantel and a dog on the porch. It opens up and is accompanied by many additional accessories and outbuildings.

The consignor explained that many of his best pieces purchased over some 40 years came from Northern or Eastern dealers who traveled to the Mt. Dora show in Florida to escape winter weather. “They would come to sell, then they’d go fishing. They knew what I wanted and would bring along their best for me,” he said.

Lanier Meaders face jug, from a collection of Southern pottery. John W. Coker Auctions image.

The consignor also built a sizable collection of folk art and unusual advertising items. The auction will include a Medders family stoneware vase adorned with a snake, leaves and grapes; and 20-25 face jugs, including around five from the fabled Medders family of potters. Other noteworthy items include two Nipper ‘His Master’s Voice’ chalk figures, and a 6-ft.-high Leland McNamee’s Minstrels poster.

The Sunday, Oct. 30 session features approximately 360 lunchboxes, 30+ loose Thermoses – some quite scarce and desirable – and box lots of Thermoses and lids.

The lunchbox collection came from the estate of a man who collected from the time he was 15 until the day of his passing last fall. “His collection reflected pleasant memories of the lunches his mother packed for him when he was a boy,” Coker said. “His family owned a grocery store that made local deliveries, and his mother, who worked at the store, was an excellent cook. She would fix unbelievable sandwiches for the children, and opening their lunchboxes at school each day was an eagerly anticipated event.”

Captain Kangaroo lunchbox and Thermos. John W. Coker Auctions image.

In his adult life, the collector traveled to shows far and wide, searching for lunchboxes. He bought metal, vinyl and plastic lunchboxes; and brunch bags, and he favored those that depicted robots/space, Western scenes and TV series of the 1950s and ’60s.

“There are many very rare lunchboxes in this collection, and they’re in absolutely beautiful condition,” said Coker. Among the highlights: Captain Kangaroo, Beany and Cecil, three or four Tom Corbett Space Cadet boxes in baby blue and red; five different Roy Rogers lunchboxes and many coveted dome-tops, including a Porky Pig model. An especially nice brunch bag promotes Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. It is finished in bright yellow and black, and emblazoned with the show’s best-known catch phrases.

1954 ADCO metal Superman vs. the robot lunchbox. John W. Coker Auctions image.

The rarest of all lunchboxes in the sale is the 1954 ADCO metal Superman box depicting the Man of Steel fighting an evil robot with eyes that can ignite anything in their path. With its colorful graphics and superhero theme, it is considered the ultimate prize to lunchbox collectors.

“There is so much to see in this sale. If I were a collector of toys or lunchboxes, I would make it my mission to view the contents of these collections, either in person or online,” said Coker. “Everyone loves fresh collections, and these are two of the freshest.”

John W. Coker’s Oct. 29-30 auction will take place at the Coker gallery at 1511 W. Hwy. 11 East in New Market, TN 37820. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com. Tel. 865-475-5163, e-mail john@antiquesonline.com. Visit Coker’s online at www.antiquesonline.com.

New York– Phillips de Pury & Company announce ‘The World of Muriel Brandolini’, an interiors auction celebrating the life and work of decorator Muriel Brandolini. A blaze of color on the fall calendar, Brandolini’s sale will include works from her wide-ranging collection of decorative arts, contemporary design and fine art, as well as examples of her own signature line of furniture.

Featuring the Property from the Estate of
William Sproule, San Francisco,
President of Southern Pacific Rairoad from 1911-1928.

Catalog now online

Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. is proud to announce their second consecutive million dollar sale.  As with all LLAES, Ltd. catalogued auctions, this sale garnered an international audience and a packed house.  Over 1200 absentee and phone bids were executed on sale day, with an additional 800 bidders registered through Live Auctioneers.  More than 200 bidders energized the house with traditional floor bidding.

Important French Parcel Gilt & Gem Set Jewel Casket, Sold $69,000

This auction was held at LLAES, Ltd’s auction gallery in Hillsborough, North Carolina, which is currently being expanded by 5,500 square feet, bringing their overall square footage to 15,500 square feet.  This expansion will offer 2000 square feet of additional gallery space, a state of the art walk in wine cooler, and ample storage space for consignors.  Construction is expected to be complete by December of 2011.

This landmark auction was led by the catalogue cover lot, a 19th century French Parcel Gilt & Gem Set Jewel Casket, which brought top honors selling for $69,000 (prices include the 15% buyers premium).  Despite strong international interest, this casket will remain in the United States.  Another top lot was a bronze by Janet Scudder (Am., 1869-1940) which breezed past its estimate to achieve $52,900.

The remainder of the 700 lot Catalogue Auction saw strength and consistency

Confederate North Carolina Contract Forage Cap, Sold $14,375

from start to finish.  An outstanding Confederate and militaria collection opened the bidding on sale day.  A Confederate North Carolina Contract Forage Cap more than doubled its estimate, hammering for $14,375.  With fervent bidding between phone and floor bidders a rare Mendenhall, Jones & Gardner Confederate Rifle rose to $17,250.  Another top lot was a McElroy Confederate Foot Officer’s Sword, which sold for $10,350.

This sale offered an impressive collection of North Carolina and southern pottery, the quality of which was reflected by bidding activity on sale day.  An Alamance County Redware plate, circa 1880, North Carolina, which was a property deaccession from the Museum of Southern Decorative Arts to benefit their acquisitions fund, sailed past its estimate to achieve $13,225.  Other top sellers include a NC Slip Decorated Redware Plate which sold for $5,750 and a NC Slip Decorated Redware Pitcher which hammered for $4,370.

Southern Federal Inlaid Serpentine Sideboard, Sold $21,850

American Furniture brought solid and strong bidding throughout the sale.  Top lots include a Southern Federal Inlaid Serpentine Sideboard which achieved $21,850 and an outstanding American Classical Secretary Bookcase which rose to $7,475.

Estate Jewelry was led by an Edwardian Platinum & Aquamarine Pendant, which blew past its estimate with heated bidding between phone bidders and brought

Amethyst, Turquoise, Diamond, and Pearl Choker, Sold $6,900

$13,800.   Other lots of note include a 44-carat Amethyst, Turquoise, Diamond, and Pearl Choker, which brought $6,900 and a Platinum and Three Stone Diamond Ring which hammered for $6,612.50.

Carved Soapstone Buddha, Sold $17,825

Asian lots elicited much excitement from both floor and telephone bidders.  Two exciting lots to watch were a Carved Soapstone Buddha, which exploded to $17,825 and a Large Chinese Porcelain Jardiniere which rallied to $17,250 and left with a floor bidder.

Fine Arts offerings were diverse and of top quality.  Lots of note include an oil on canvas by Lendall Pitts (1875-1938) entitled, “Source of Romanche” which sold for $4,600; a woodcut on wove paper by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), “The Annunciation,” which hammered for $3,910; an etching by Adriaen van Ostade (Dutch, 1610-1685), “The Gossips,” which brought $2,300; a pencil signed screen print on paper by Andy Warhol (Am. 1928-1987) which brought $3,910; and an untitled Alexander Calder (Am. 1898-1976) which sold for $2,185.

The Decorative Category was led by the sale of an outstanding Ormolu & Cut Glass Chandelier, 19th century, which

Janet Scudder (American, 1869-1940) “Bird Fountain,” Sold $52,900

between phone and floor bidding rose to $8,050 and a Northwest Coast Polychrome Bentwood Box which soared past its estimate and brought $20,700.  Another lot of note was a Swedish Gilt Bronze Garniture Set, 19th century, which hammered for $4,600.

The Fine Wine session, which was held Friday, September 16th at 6PM, was energized by a magnum bottle of La Tache, vintage 2005, which hammered for $8,912.50.  Other top achievers include:  four bottles of Chateau Margaux, vintage 1985, which sold for $1,380 and two lots of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, vintage 1981 and 1985, which both sailed past their $300-$400 estimates to achieve $977.50 and $920 respectively.  The next Fine Wine Auction is scheduled for Friday, December 2nd at 5:30PM.  To discuss buying or selling fine wines contact Mark Solomon, Fine Wine Director, at mark@llauctions.com.

Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd.’s Two Day Winter Catalogue Auction will be held on December 2nd and 3rd, 2011.  LLAES, Ltd. is always seeking quality consignments, whether it be an entire estate or a significant item. If you would like to discuss selling please call the gallery at 919-644-1243 or email at info@LLAuctions.com.  To learn more about Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. please visit their website at www.LLAUCTIONS.com.

Circa-1878 Watts & Co. coffin-shape telephone offered with a copy of the first telephone directory, est. $10,000-$20,000. Morphy Auctions image.

DENVER, Pa. – A large percentage of the world’s population has never even seen a dial-face telephone, but that certainly wasn’t the case with the late Bill Daniels. The massive collection of antique and vintage phones that filled his home comprised a chronological archive of Alexander Graham Bell’s 1876 invention and contained models ranging from primitive turn of the 20th century curiosities to ultra-cool mid-century designs.

A premier assemblage, the Daniels collection has been consigned to Morphy Auctions, where it will be apportioned into three subsequent General Antiques auctions, the first of which will take place on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15, 2011. The phones will open the second session.

“Many of Bill Daniels’ phones were displayed at museums or shows, but he was

Circa-1892 Western Electric magneto wall cabinet set, est. $7,000-$10,000. Morphy Auctions image.

always a buyer, hardly ever a seller,” said Morphy Auctions CEO Dan Morphy. “Bill worked for AT&T’s long distance division until his retirement at age 52, so telephones were always a big part of his life.”

Daniels’ widow, Dorothy, said her husband started picking up old phones at flea markets, tag sales and church sales, later expanding his hunt to collector shows dedicated exclusively to telephones. “As his collection grew, he started thinking about the idea of a museum, so in addition to phones, he started buying phone booths, telegraphs, intercoms and other phone-related items,” Mrs. Daniels said.

One of Bill Daniels’ favorite pieces was his Watts & Co. coffin phone, which gets its name because of its distinctive shape. It is offered in the Oct. 14-15 auction with a $10,000-$20,000 estimate. Other highlights include a Western Electric magneto wall cabinet set, est. $7,000-$10,000; and an American toll 50-cent pay station telephone, est. $5,000-$10,000. Most of the phones in the collection are American, although there are also some examples from England and Japan.

The Friday session will open with more than 70 occupational shaving mugs, a category that has become closely associated with Morphy’s. A mug emblazoned with a merry-go-round is expected to bring $1,200-$1,500. Two mugs with a transportation theme carry a presale estimate of $1,000-$1,500 each. One has a depiction of a mail delivery truck, while the other is illustrated with a racecar.

From a 35-year apothecary collection, a 16 ½ in. green demijohn or carboy apothecary show bottle with gold label identifying ‘Indian Hemp Fluid Extract.’ Est. $250-$500. Morphy Auctions image.

Approximately 180 lots of antique apothecary items from a Pennsylvania pharmacist and pharmacology professor’s 35-year collection are included in the Friday lineup. The collection includes many “shop” bottles that 19th century pharmacists would have displayed on shelves. Most of them are glass and have labels identifying the medicinal contents by their Latin names. The containers vary in terms of decoration, with some having gold or black labels with fancy trim. Some are colorful, have diagonal labels or other distinctive designs.

The apothecary collection also includes a number of hardware items, such as an early pill roller that made pills from paste, an unusual emulsifying machine, and several counter-mounted cast-iron presses for inserting corks into bottles. “Some are quite artistic for their era and have figural designs on them, such as an alligator, sleeping dog or coiled snake,” the consignor said.

Also seen in the collection are nicely decorated 12-inch Parke-Davis “green” tins for herb and leaf storage, Victorian porcelain and ceramic display jars; mortar and pestle sets, and a sub-collection of glass apothecary candy jars. Visually appealing glass “show globes” were made to hold colored water and to be displayed on countertops, in shop windows or suspended from chains inside a pharmacy. “Legend has it that the color of the water was a signal of the general health of the community – green meant the community was healthy and red meant there was disease,” the consignor said.

A selection of 120+ pieces of pottery includes productions by Roseville, Fulper and Rookwood, as well as some very nice

Monumental Rookwood pottery vase attributed to Valentien, with heavy silver overlay created by Gorham Silver Co., 14 in. tall. Made for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Est. $30,000-$50,000. Morphy Auctions image.

mochaware. The top lot in the category is a Rookwood vase made for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and attributed to A.R. Valentien. It stands 24 inches tall and is exquisitely decorated with owls, seashells and a large serpent on the sterling silver overlay. It could make $30,000-$50,000 on auction day. Other pottery highlights include a Roseville green Bonita jardinière with pedestal, est. $2,000-$4,000; and a 4½-inch mochaware pitcher with tree décor, applied handle and artist’s mark, est. $1,000-$5,000.

Twenty pieces of early blown glass will be auctioned. A pair of signed 10½-inch Steuben iridescent candlesticks is estimated at $1,500-$2,500; and a signed 1910 La Verre Francais art glass vase standing 11½ inches tall is expected to reach $1,500-$2,500.

More than 50 artworks have been cataloged, including a nice selection of oil paintings. A signed 15 x 20 inch Guy Carleton Wiggins New York City snowscape carries a $10,000-$16,000 estimate. For those who favor contemporary marine art, there is a Christian Riese Lassen seascape, 25 x 29 inches, estimated at $15,000-$25,000.

Asian ivory includes an intricately carved 39-inch-long tusk, $2,000-$4,000; and a 13-inch-tall plaque carved with a populated village scene, $1,000-$2,000. A fine selection of netsukes is also set to cross the auction block.

A collection of sterling silver Native American jewelry will be sold, with the top piece being a squash blossom necklace with 15 stones, estimated at $800-$1,200. Among the fine jewelry lots, the highest estimate of $5,000-$7,000 accompanies a 14K white gold filigree diamond and sapphire ring. It features a 1.1-carat VS1 center diamond in E color.

German-language copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, found in Pennsylvania, est. $5,000-$5,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Morphy’s is located in Lancaster County, which was home to many of Pennsylvania’s earliest German settlers. It’s always exciting, Dan Morphy said, when important 18th-century documents pertaining to those early settlers emerge from area estates and collections. The Oct. 14-15 sale contains two such items. The first is a leatherbound 1767 merchant’s daybook from Lititz, Pa. The book shows merchandise purchased over a 70-year period, through 1837. “What makes it interesting is that the book is written in three or four different hands, presumably generations of the same family, and the entries are shown in shillings and pence till 1789, at which point it switches to American monetary terms,” said Morphy. Described as being in exceptional condition for its age, the daybook is estimated at $1,000-$2,000.

The other article of early Pennsylvania German origin in Morphy’s sale is a German-language copy of the Declaration of Independence that was owned by the late Glenn Redcay, a well-known local antiques dealer and businessman. Morphy believes the document may have been created 20 or 30 years after America declared its independence in 1776 and that its purpose was to inform members of the German community who were not proficient in English. “Over the years Glenn had it appraised several times, and the appraisal values ranged anywhere from $5,000 to $150,000. We’ve entered it in the sale with a $5,000-$10,000 estimate,” Morphy said.

The 1,200-lot auction is rounded out with a grouping of more than 70 figural celluloid tape measures, including the only

Set of Snow White and (6) Dwarfs celluloid tape measures, est. $2,000-$3,000. Morphy Auctions image.

known Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs set (with 6 Dwarfs), est. $2,000-$3,000; and a few Oriental rugs. A tightly woven 9 x 12½ ft. Kirman originally purchased for $50,000 is conservatively estimated at $10,000-$20,000.

All forms of bidding will be available for the Oct. 14-15 auction, including live at the gallery, by phone or absentee, and live via the Internet through Morphy Live (sign up at www.morphyauctions.com) or LiveAuctioneers.com. The sale will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern time on both days.

For additional information on any lot in the auction, call Morphy’s at 717-335-3435 or

e-mail serena@morphyauctions.com. View the fully illustrated catalog and all other auction information online at www.morphyauctions.com.

Arbor Antiques Services promotes a Spring and Fall Round Top Show every year during the nationally known Antiques Festival in Round Top, Texas. Our Round Top show site is located on eight acres at the American Legion Post #338 on Hwy. 237 off of Hwy. 290. We are just 2 miles from downtown Round Top. We offer dealer spaces in an air-conditioned hall and in several large big top tents. We have free admission, free parking and an on-site cafe. As an antique dealer or a shopper, you will not want to miss this antiquing experience in Round Top, Texas.

Foe more information:

(928) 779-2300

http://www.culturalpartners.org/auction.htm