Bertoia’s eagerly awaited Nov. 11-13 Annual Fall Auction presents diverse categories of toys, banks, trains and holiday antiques with blue-chip provenance

2,100+ lots include the best of Tony Lasala’s cast iron, Jay Schoedinger’s pressed steel, and Aussie Paul Hale’s steam engines + trains from Jim Fergusson and Warren Heid

VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia’s is a house of many collector specialties, but it’s a rare occasion when all of those specialty categories come together under one roof in one fabulous sale. That will be the case on Nov. 11, 12 and 13 when Bertoia’s presents its perennially popular Annual Fall Auction featuring selections from many premier collections of toys, trains, banks and holiday antiques. More than 2,100 lots will be offered, and those who cannot join the fun in person are encouraged to take part by bidding absentee, over the phone or live online.

An overview of the expansive three-day event reveals that, by the number of lots offered, there are 160+ containing European and American trains, 150+ European autos, boats and airplanes; 100+ European clockwork toys (including Lehmanns and Martins), 150+ comic character toys, 98 steam plants, 100 penny toys, 190 heavy and light pressed-steel vehicles, and 67 featuring antique advertising. On top of that, the cataloged portion of the auction will be followed by a box-lot selection of holiday antiques available only to those attending at the gallery.

The event is highlighted by Part I of Tony Lasala’s superb collection of cast-iron automotive toys. An astute collector for many years, Lasala was able to acquire a many rare and desirable pieces from early dealers and auctions.

“The Tony Lasala collection is unquestionably an important one. Any toy associated with his name will continue to gain instant respect from knowledgeable collectors. The rarity and quality are obvious,” said Bertoia Auctions’ owner, Jeanne Bertoia.

Day 1 is devoted primarily to American toys and banks, and will open with cast iron. Two of

Circa-1870s J. & E. Stevens ‘New Bank’ mechanical bank, est. $1,600-$2,000

Lasala’s favorites are Lot 58, a Kenton City Telephone truck estimated at $4,000-$6,000; and Lot 66, a circa-1929 Arcade white Bekins moving van, $4,000-$6,000. Both were formerly in the Donald Kaufman collection.

Prestigious provenance accompanies many of the American tin toys chosen for the Nov. 11 session. Two highlights that were pictured in Blair Whitton’s 1981 book American Clockwork Toys 1862-1900 are Lot 718, one of only two known circa-1870 George Brown Automatic Waltzers, $10,000-$15,000; and Lot 712, an extremely rare Goodwin carriage – the only one Bertoia’s has ever seen with a seated child, $6,000-$8,000.

Two other tin toys with gilt-edged provenance were once in the prestigious Perelman Antique Toy Museum’s collection. Lot 714, S. Wenner’s Girl on Swing (pat. 1872), is estimated at $6,000-$8,000; while Lot 732, a rare version of the Walking Zouave (pat. 1850s), could stroll away with a winning bid of $1,800-$2,250.

Moving into the American bell toys section, Lot 692, an Ives Leap Frog, is estimated at $7,500-$10,000. “This is only the second Leap Frog bell toy we’ve ever seen,” said Jeanne Bertoia. “When we sold Max Berry’s Leap Frog in 2014, it was the only one known. Then, after the sale, we received a call from someone who said they had one, too, so we are fortunate to be able to bring a second Leap Frog to the marketplace.”

A fine array of banks will be available. Mechanicals include Lot 534, an all-original Calamity bank with no breaks, $8,000-$12,000; Lot 538, an all-original Panorama, $4,000-$6,000; and Lot 614, a near-mint Pelican (thumbs nose), $4,000-$5,000. Still banks include Lot 500, a large Boston State House, $2,000-$3,000; and Gingerbread House (ex Andy Moore collection), $1,200-$1,500.

Figural cast-iron doorstops from a long-held collection are led by several Bradley & Hubbard designs: Girl Holding Dress, Turkey, and Rooster. There are two Salem Witch variations, Lobster, Wine Merchant, Elf Under Mushroom and several other very unusual doorstops.

Saturday’s session will open with a colorful array of comic character toys, including Mortimer Snerd, a boxed Marx Merry Makers Band with marquee, boxed Lionel Mickey Mouse Handcar, and many other classic character depictions.

A fleet of high-end European automotive toys includes Lot 1165, a large deluxe Carette limo with all figures inside, $7,000-$9,000; Lot 1050, a German three-man tandem bicycle, $4,000-$7,000; Lot 1170, an ultra-desirable circa-1935 Tippco Mercedes Autobahn Kurier, $5,000-$7,000; and Lot 1238, an early, hand-painted M&K zeppelin, $2,000-$3,000.

Five sought-after Batman cars, including a sleek-looking ASC production with box, add a modern accent to the Japanese toy lineup. Among the earlier Japanese vehicles are Lot 1179, a boxed, near-mint black Chrysler Imperial, $10,000-$14,000; Lot 1195, a Modern Toy Laboratory motorcycle, $5,000-$7,500; and Lot 1169, a boxed Yonezawa Champion Racer, $2,000-$3,000.

Bertoia’s will set sail with several large, extremely desirable Marklin boats. Lot 1212, a fantastic steam-powered Amerika liner, is fresh to the market and comes to auction from the grandchildren of the original owner, who received the boat as a child in the 1920s. In spectacular, all-original condition, it is expected to reach $40,000-$60,000. Other Marklin highlights include Lot 1211, a circa-1929 Rheingold 30-inch paddleboat, $35,000-$45,000; Lot 1215, a circa-1910 New York battleship, $20,000-$30,000; and Lot 1217, a display piece replicating the Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen that was made by the revered German toy manufacturer under commission for a travel agency, $10,000-$14,000.

Lehmann toys include boxed examples of an Echo motorcycle, $5,500-$7,500; Baker and Sweep,

$2,750-$3,750; and Paddy and the Pig, $2,000-$3,000. Several coveted, French made Martin wind-ups will be offered, as well.

From the Land Down Under comes the Paul Hale steam engine collection, incorporating numerous steam plants, horizontals, verticals, and more. Lot 1401 is a possible salesman’s sample steam tractor engine, estimated at $2,500-$5,000. Lot 1339, a Marklin steam plant impressively sized at 18 x 20 x 24 inches, carries a $6,000-$9,000 estimate.

Bertoia’s will be bumper to bumper with upscale European trains and accessories from the Warren

Heid collection. Standouts include: Lot 1442, a Marklin Central Station in superior condition,

$15,000-$20,000; Lot 1408, an original Ernst Plank hot air trolley, $15,000-$18,000; Lot 1409, an early Carette train in original wood box, $4,000-$6,000; and Lot 1462, a King George V O-gauge train reputedly made by Marklin for Bassett Lowke, $4,000-$6,000.

Fans of American-made trains will want to be on board for the excellent lineup of productions by American Flyer from the Jim Ferguson collection. Additionally, there are many desirable trains and accessories by Voltamp, Lionel, Ives and Carlisle & Finch. Top entries include: Lot 1524, an early Voltamp 2100 B&O train; Lot 1529, a Carlisle & Finch suspension bridge; and Lot 1578, an Ives O-gauge engine with tender and Brooklyn and Buffalo cars.

Saturday’s proceedings will wrap with an eye-pleasing selection of antique petroliana and motoring memorabilia. The grouping includes Lot 1635, a large, Art Deco-style Richland Gasoline auto-themed poster; and Lot 1636, a Francisco Heater automotive sign in outstanding condition.

Boxed roaring-engine Batman car, FMG Japan, est. $1,500-$2,000

The Sunday session will be brimming with beautiful pressed-steel vehicles – both heavy and light gauge – from the renowned Jay Schoedinger collection. There are some great Buddy L’s, some having provenance from the Don Kaufman collection; plus Kingsburys, a boxed Marx G-Man car, and a boxed Girard Fire Chief car. Additionally, nine pedal vehicles, including a Gendron fire truck, will roll confidently across the gallery floor.

Because Bertoia’s November auction traditionally launches the holiday season for toy collectors, there is always a glittering section of Christmas antiques from which to choose, and this time is no exception. There are Dresdens, Santas of various types, kugels, and glass ornaments. Other holidays represented are Halloween, Easter and Valentine’s Day. Following the cataloged portion of the sale, Bertoia’s will present over 100 holiday box lots for auction attendees only.

Bertoia’s Annual Fall Auction will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 11, 12 and 13, 2016 at Bertoia Auctions’ gallery, 2141 DeMarco Dr., Vineland, NJ 08360. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, phone or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Start times: 10 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday, Nov. 11; 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12; and 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. Preview the week of Nov. 7-10 from 9am-5pm; on Saturday from 8am, and on Sunday from 9 a.m.

To contact Bertoia Auctions, call 856-692-1881; email toys@bertoiaauctions.com. Additional info is available online at www.bertoiaauctions.com.

BOULDER, Colo. – Attention time travelers and antiquities collectors: No boarding pass is required for Artemis Gallery’s May 21 journey to past civilizations. All that’s required is an Internet connection and you’ll soon be browsing a fascinating auction catalog filled with more than 400 choice Classical, Near Eastern and Far Eastern antiquities; plus Pre-Columbian and ethnographic art.

 Precious metals will be presented in a variety of forms, including decorative and monetary. Taking the spotlight in this category is a selection of beautiful Viking jewelry made in northern Europe in the 9th-12th centuries CE.

Viking silver bracelet, northern Europe, 9th-12th century CE, found in Great Britain, estimate $2,000-$3,000.

“Fine jewelry was worn by both men and women as a sign of status within the Viking culture,” note Teresa Dodge, managing director of Artemis Gallery. “Viking craftsmen used high-carat gold and very pure silver that stood the test of time, as you can see from the items in our auction.” A braided ring composed of two 22K gold wires twisted together, hammered and welded at the terminals exhibits traditional Viking techniques. Weighing 5.2 grams, the ring is estimated at $5,000-$7,000. A pair of high-karat gold hoop earrings adorned with inverted pyramids is similarly estimated at $5,000-$7,000, while an elegant twisted silver bracelet with coiled terminals is expected to make $2,000-$3,000. All three items were discovered in Great Britain and have been held in private collections for decades. Exhibiting extremely fine artistry and detail work, a circa-19th-century Russian icon depicting Saint Nicholas is stamped “BE” and “84” on its silver oklad (cover). It comes to Artemis Gallery from a Texas private collection and carries a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.

A historically important medieval dagger from the Battle of Towton (1461, English Wars of the Roses) is made from iron and bronze with a wood handle, and has retained all of its elements. The formidable 14½-inch-long battle weapon is estimated at $2,000-$3,000.  From an earlier era, a circa 158-150 BCE silver tetradrachm from Macedonia features the head of Artemis on obverse and monograms, a thunderbolt and a club with oak leaves on the reverse. Estimate: $700-$900.

Apple-green jade adornment, 6th-9th century CE, estimate 4,000-$6,000.

Many exceptional Asian antiquities will be offered, including a Chinese Qing Dynasty bronze bell, $4,000-$6,000; and a late 18th/early 19th century Tibetan thangka painted with the lineage tree for the Gelugpa sect, ex Sarkisian Gallery, $5,000-$7,000. An extraordinary 1833 (Edo period) Sumiyoshi school Shunga scroll contains 19 unrelated depictions of sexual tableaux, e.g., seductions, couples and groups engaged in sexual activity, etc. The scroll is published in Erotic Aspects of Japanese Culture by L. Gichner, and is estimated at $5,000-$8,000. A wonderfully varied selection of Pre-Columbian art is led by a Mayan apple-green jade adornment, circa 6th-9th century CE, with the carved visage of a Mayan ruler or lord wearing an ornamental headdress. Ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, the artwork is presented on a custom stand and has a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$6,000.

Rare and unusual, two 48-inch-long Oceanic (New Guinea or Molucca Islands) animal-skin scrolls are both pictorial and narrative in nature. Both date to the 17th or 18th century and will be offered as one lot with a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.

Bidders may participate in Artemis Gallery’s May 21, 2015 auction live online, by phone (please reserve phone line in advance) or by leaving an absentee bid that will be lodged confidentially and competitively on their behalf. The sale will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and will be conducted simultaneously on three bidding platforms: ArtemisGalleryLIVE.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. For additional information about any item in the auction, call Teresa Dodge at 720-502-5289 or email teresa@artemisgallery.com.

DENVER, Pa. – Morphy Auctions will present 839 lots of antique advertising in its March 28th specialty auction. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee or live online via Morphy Live.

Rare, large 1909 Coca-Cola cardboard poster
est. $6,000-$12,000

Among the main categories are Coca-Cola and soda pop signs and other advertising, rare tobacco tins and petroliana. A featured highlight is the selection of high-end soda fountain syrup dispensers, led by Lot 451, an Earl Hires platter with matching bowl that supports a nicely decorated globe-shape dispenser. The suite is marked “Mettlach,” referring to a city in Germany where Villeroy & Boch porcelain was produced. Offered together with three early, tall mugs with an identical motif, the set is believed to be the only known example. “We think the set originally might have been loaned to a successful soda fountain operator. We don’t think it’s a type of item that was ever produced commercially,” said Dan Morphy, president and founder of Morphy Auctions. The lot estimate is $75,000-$125,000.

Wool’s Cherrie Smash syrup dispenser est. $40,000-$60,000

Another stunning antique syrup dispenser is Lot 493, produced for Wool’s Cherrie Smash. Decorated with appealing graphics in bold colors, this may also be a sole survivor. In excellent-plus to near-mint condition, it is expected to reach $40,000-$60,000 on auction day. Lot 515, a circa-1900 Pepsi-Cola ceramic syrup urn with gorgeous Art Nouveau decoration, stands 18 inches high and is estimated at $30,000-$50,000. No soda pop collection would be complete without representation of the king of soft drinks, Coca-Cola. Morphy’s is known for its record-setting prices achieved from the sale of Coke advertising, but collectors can find beautiful examples at all price points. An especially nice choice for the mid-range collector is Lot 278, a 1909 Coca-Cola cardboard poster. Featuring a model holding a glass of Coke, the rare and impressively sized poster is 55½ inches long and is estimated at $6,000-$12,000.

Earl Hires syrup dispensing bowl
est. $75,000-$125,000

A classic in the soda-pop collecting world is Lot 376, a 1910 Allens Red Tame Cherry Red cut-out sign with metal easel support. Heavily embossed to render depth, this great-looking sign depicts a young girl and boy enjoying their beverages at a table emblazoned: “Drink Allens Red Tame Cherry and you’ll smile too.” Estimate: $800-$1,400. Vibrant and appealing, a curved porcelain sign advertising Red-Top Flour shows a young boy dressed in knickerbockers, jacket and cap, climbing over a fence. In excellent-plus condition, it measures 22 by 16 inches and is estimated at $10,000-$20,000. Morphy’s Saturday, March 28, 2015 auction will be held at the company’s gallery at 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through Morphy Live, LiveAuctioneers and Proxibid. Start time is 9 a.m. Eastern.

Preview the entire auction inventory daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or from 8-9 a.m. on auction day, prior to the start of the sale. For additional information on any item or to reserve a phone line for live bidding on auction day, call 717-335-3435 or email info@morphyauctions.com.

Visit Morphy Auctions online at www.morphyauctions.com.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In the 1980s, New York’s gritty Lower East Side was a hotbed of aspiring artists and entertainers with the common goal of achieving fame and success. Two of the kindred spirits drawn to each other within the fast-paced microcosm of music, art and youthful freedom were British-born artist, dancer and model Martin Burgoyne and his best friend/roommate Madonna. On February 9, Myers Fine Art will auction the Burgoyne family’s archive of mementos from their late son’s New York days as the centerpiece of its 20th Century Decorative Arts sale.

Martin Burgoyne (British/American, 1963-1986), original colored-pencil drawing of Madonna used for the 1983 Madonna record ‘Burning Up,’ 8 x 6¾in, portfolio estimate $2,000-$4,000

“Like so many talented young people who had not yet been ‘discovered,’ Martin Burgoyne worked a variety of jobs to get by while building a name for himself as a graphic artist,” said Mary Dowd, co-owner of Myers Fine Art. “He worked as a dancer, model and even a bartender at Studio 54. During that time, he and Madonna were very much a part of each other’s lives and socialized with a large circle of friends that included Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Tragically, Martin died at the age of 23, but he left quite a legacy. His parents, who are now retired in Florida, have been the guardians of his art and other mementos entered in our February 9th auction.”

Burgoyne’s portfolio of 12 original colored-pencil drawings, some of them depicting Madonna, were chosen to grace both the front and back covers of the pop star’s 1983 debut 12-inch dance single, “Burning Up.” The portfolio of original art is estimated at $2,000-$4,000.

1980s Polaroid photograph of  Burgoyne and Madonna, estimate $600-$900.

An extensive trove of Polaroids and studio photos, documents Martin and his friends at work and at leisure in their collective comfort zone. A candid Polaroid of Martin – then a student at Pratt Institute – and Madonna – who was on the verge of stardom – shows them in the fashions and pastel-colored hair typical of the early 1980s. “Madonna is already revealing her individuality, with rosaries draped around her neck,” Dowd noted. The photo is estimated at $800-$1,200. Other prized Polaroids include one taken of Burgoyne looking like a latter-day James Dean with friend Keith Haring (1958-1990), against the backdrop of a Haring artwork. Estimate: $800-$1,200. A color photo of Burgoyne with Madonna in a recording studio could realize $800-$1,200 at auction.

Other artworks of note include an Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print “Mao #91,” measuring 36 inches square and numbered 56/250. The 1972 print made at the Styria Studio is estimated at $35,000-$50,000. Also having a Warhol connection is a 3ft-long painted-canvas sardine with movable tail, which retains its Sotheby’s sticker from the highly publicized 1988 auction of cookie jars and other items from the pop art legend’s estate.

Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print ‘Mao #91,’ 1972, 36 inches square, numbered 56/250, Styria Studio, est. $35,000-$50,000. Myers Fine Art image.

Of great historical significance is a small collection of items connected to the family of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and which will be apportioned into three auction lots. The grouping includes two 1899 signed photos of Nicholas and his wife, the Tsarina Alexandra, which were given to Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock while he was Ambassador to Russia under President William McKinley. The collection also includes a gift given to Hitchcock by Tsar Nicholas II: a Faberge parasol with a guilloche enameled gold and diamond handle created by premier Faberge designer Michael Perchin. Estimate: $4,000-$5,000.

Myers Fine Art’s Sunday, February 9, 2014 auction of 20th century decorative art featuring the Martin Burgoyne collection will commence at 12 noon Eastern Time. A preview will be held from 10-6 on Saturday, February 8, and from 10 a.m. till noon on auction day. The gallery is located at 1600 4th St. North in St. Petersburg, FL 33704. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable. For additional information, call 727-823-3249 or e-mail auctions@myersfineart.com. Online: www.myersfineart.com.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Waverly’s of suburban Washington, D.C., will offer connoisseurs 450 lots of rare books, maps, atlases and ephemera in a well-rounded November 21st catalog auction. Many themes and categories are featured, and key selections include an 1865 note signed by Abraham Lincoln, The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe(1902, 10 vol.), and a “censored” Civil War-era map showing the locations of 20 forts around the nation’s capital.

Section of 1862 topographical map of ‘Original District of Columbia and Environs’ showing street grids and important landmarks, including ‘Presidents House.’ Est. $4,000-$6,000.

The 1862 topographical map of the “Original District of Columbia and Environs” was created by G. Arnold C.E. and published by G. Woolworth Colton of New York City. The highly detailed map shows not only the region’s natural features, both Washington City and Alexandria’s street grids and railroads, but also the location of more than 20 Union forts, marked in red.

“It was considered a threat to security for these forts to be identified,” said Monika Schiavo, director of sales and marketing at Waverly Rare Books. “The map came to the attention of the War Department after it was offered for sale in stores around Washington, and agents confiscated every copy they could find. They also attempted to obtain the names and addresses of those who had purchased copies of the map, and even went to New York to destroy Colton’s lithographic stone. As a result, these maps are very rare today.” The example in Waverly’s Nov. 21 auction, which was consigned by The Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of the District of Columbia, is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

The maps and atlases category, overall, is very strong. A circa-1794 edition from London with 87 plates is voluminously titled “A New Universal Atlas…A Modern History and Description of the Whole World Containing New, Full, Accurate, Authentic, and Interesting Accounts and Descriptions of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.” Nineteenth-century atlases include “Kingdoms, States and Republics of the World (1854),” and “The Illustrated Atlas, And Modern History of the World – Geographical, Political, Commercial, and Statistical (1851).” Also, several high-quality lots were consigned by a major collector of early Bermuda maps, a specialty category that has a dedicated following.

An item of great historical importance is an 1868 textbook on seamanship that was owned and signed by James Henry Conyers, the first African American cadet enrolled at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Conyers was appointed to the academy by US Representative Robert Elliot of South Carolina. Unfortunately, Conyers’ tenure at Annapolis was brief. He suffered indignities and repeated beatings at the hands of racist midshipmen, and after a relatively short time, left the academy. The textbook is entered in the auction with a $3,000-$5,000 estimate.

A small but remarkable archive of World War II memorabilia comes with provenance from Bruce Norton, the former director of the Marine Corps Command Museum in San Diego. One of the lots is a panel from a 1995 calendar commemorating the 50th anniversary of the US Marines’ landing at Iwo Jima. It is signed by approximately 66 Iwo Jima vets attending a 50-year reunion, as well as photographer Joe Rosenthal, who took the iconic 1945 photo of Marines raising the American Flag on Mount Suribachi. This item is estimated at $400-$600.

A second item consigned by Norton is a 1953 book titled “Pearl Harbor to Golgotha,” written by Mitsuo Fuchida, the air captain who led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Fuchida, who later became a Christian minister, signed the book after being recognized by a Marine at a diner in Idaho. The book later came into Norton’s possession and now will be auctioned with a pre-sale estimate of $400-$600.

Engraved portrait of Abraham Lincoln framed together with 1865 handwritten note in authorizing passage through Union lines toward Richmond. Est. $3,500-$4,500.

Topping the Presidential selection, an engraved portrait of Abraham Lincoln is framed together with a handwritten note that reads: “Allow A. Van Camp to go through our lines to Richmond and to return upon his own private business. A. Lincoln. Feb. 25, 1865.” The estimate on this lot is $3,500-$4,500. The auction also includes documents signed by Presidents James Monroe and John Quincy Adams.

An estimate of $4,000-$6,000 has been placed on the 10-volume set “The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe.” It is one of 26 editions that were published in 1902 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons. A century older and no less fascinating, the 1805 R. Shannon work “A Practical Treatise on Brewing, Distilling, and Rectification…” deals with the “genuine process” of making brandy, rum and Hollands gin, and the “London practice” of brewing porter, ale, and table beer and country ales. One of the volumes delves into the cultivation of wine grapes, wine importation and even wine tasting. Estimate: $600-$900.

Waverly Rare Books’ Nov. 21 auction will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern time. The preview begins on Nov. 16 and continues through and including auction day (see website for hours). The gallery is closed on Sundays.

**All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee or live via the Internet through www.LiveAuctioneers.com. For information on any lot in the sale, call 703-532-5632 or e-mail monika.schiavo@quinnsauction.com. Visit Waverly Rare Books online at www.quinnsauction.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – There is no such thing as an average sale at Palm Beach Modern Auctions (PBMA). Each of the company’s events is carefully curated, with the tastes of today’s sophisticated art buyers kept firmly in mind as consignments are gathered.

Larry Mohr (American, 1921-2013), stainless steel sculpture, signed, dated 1999. Est. $1,500-$2,500.

Palm Beach Modern’s November 2nd auction will reveal just how broad the contemporary category has become, with a refined selection of abstract expressionist, outsider and street art; mid-century furniture, and superb minimalist sculptures from the estate of New York artist Larry Mohr (1921-2013).

The Mohr consignment is an important one. An accomplished sculptor whose figural and abstract works are housed in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Georgia Museum of Art, Vassar College and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum at Cornell University, Mohr was noted for his large-scale bronze and aluminum sculptures made of welded and bolted I-beams.

“Mr. Mohr passed away earlier this year, and much of his art was left to museums. We were allowed to pick five sculptures from his estate to offer at auction and chose some incredible abstracts that we felt would appeal to those who follow our sales,” said PBMA auctioneer Rico Baca.

Among the five Mohr artworks is a signed and dated 1999 stainless steel sculpture, 14 inches high by 36 inches wide, estimated at $1,500-$2,500. Also standing 14 inches tall, a star-like bronze is titled “CXC XXIII” and estimated at $750-$1,500. Each of the Mohr auction lots will be sold together with a catalog from the Georgia Museum of Art’s 1998 exhibition of Mohr’s sculptures.

Works by some of today’s most in-demand artists are entered in the 300-lot sale. Highlights include a Helen Frankenthaler signed 5-color screen print artist’s proof titled “Spoleto” (est. $1,000-$2,000), a Larry Rivers signed and dated (1968) mixed media cigar-box sculpture titled “Dutch Masters” (est. $4,000-$6,000), and a Paul Jenkins signed and dated (1971) abstract lithograph in blues and greens, 3/100 (est. $500-$1,000).

A dramatic pop art screen print by sought-after American artist Alex Katz is titled “White Hat” and depicts in close-up a stylish woman in a navy-trimmed white Panama hat. It is expected to make $3,000-$3,500.

Barry McGee (a k a ‘Twist,’ American, b. 1966-), monumental artwork on dropcloth canvas, 85½in high by 105in wide. Est. $50,000-$80,000.

One of the most exciting categories in the sale is street art, led by a monumental work by one of the movement’s true pioneers – San Francisco’s Barry McGee (a k a “Twist”). After he participated in the 2001 Venice Biennale, McGee’s profile skyrocketed, and much of his street art was scavenged or stolen, said Baca. “You don’t often see his art at auction, and certainly never a work as large as the one we will be auctioning, which measures 85.5 by 105 inches.” The McGee artwork is painted on US Army surplus canvas and “has that classic Barry McGee look, where there’s one dominant central figure and his trademark drips of paint in the background,” Baca said. “It’s a quintessential example of a new movement – a sort of neo folk art that looks a lot like the hobo art seen on trains that run between San Francisco and Canada.”

The McGee canvas is estimated at $50,000-$80,000 and has a minimum opening bid of $44,000. Baca predicts there will be multiple bidders willing to step up to the plate and pay the price to own it, citing the (approx.) $40,000 price realized at a major international auction house in May for a smaller McGee artwork.

“The McGee piece in our auction has street-art history, as well as great provenance. It was exhibited at a boutique hotel in San Francisco in the 1990s,” said Baca. The artwork will be auctioned along with a copy of a 2010 photo of the consignor with Barry McGee at Art Basel.

Other hot-ticket street artists in the Nov. 2 auction include Danny Simmons (brother of hip hop impresario Russell Simmons and Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons of Run-DMC), Shepard Fairey, Purvis Young and Katsu. While not technically classified as “street art,” auction entries by Jamie Reid, known for his punk rock show posters; and Donald Roller Wilson, whose work falls under the “Lowbrow” art movement, are expected to appeal to street art fans, as well. Wilson’s 1996 painting on canvas of Cookie the baby orangutan in a party dress (est. $10,000-$15,000) recalls the New York Times’ description of Wilson’s style as “goofy, hallucinogenic…kitsch, but high-quality kitsch.”

Palm Beach Modern’s Nov. 2nd auction will be held at the company’s exhibition center at 417 Bunker Rd., West Palm Beach, FL 33405, and will commence at 12 noon Eastern Time. Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.com or Artfact.com. Preview 10-5 Mon.-Fri. during the week prior to the sale; or from 9 a.m. till noon on auction day. Contact: 561-586-5500, info@modernauctions.com.

Visit Palm Beach Modern Auctions online at www.modernauctions.com. View the fully illustrated auction catalog at www.LiveAuctioneers.com or www.Artfact.com.

DENVER, Pa. – Dan Morphy, CEO of Morphy Auctions, has announced the appointment of Michael L. Vice as expert consultant in firearms and militaria. In his new position, Vice, who is based in Gettysburg, Pa., will appraise and catalog guns, rifles and military-related artifacts for all Morphy Firearms sales, starting with a January 11 auction that features a major Colt collection.

Michael L. Vice, newly appointed Firearms & Militaria expert at Morphy Auctions

Michael Vice is a Texas native who obtained his B.A. in history from Mississippi State University, and a Master of Arts degree in museum science from Texas Tech University. He undertook further postgraduate studies in military history at Kansas State University and was an honorary research associate at the University of Birmingham’s World I History Centre in Birmingham, England.

Additionally, Vice is a graduate of the Seminar for Historical Administration, a nationally recognized museum management and leadership training course sponsored by AAM, AASLH, The Smithsonian, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In 2009, Vice co-authored a major work about surviving Crimean War British artifacts that are held in UK museums and private collections. Titled “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War,” it won the Independent Publishers Association’s Silver Medal for Best Reference Book for 2010.

Vice is a Vietnam veteran and retired major in the US Army Reserve, and has spent the past 30+ years in the museum field. Most recently, he served as museum curator at the US Army Medical Museum at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. During the decade between 1993 and 2003, he was chief museum curator at Gettysburg National Military Park, overseeing a world-famous collection of 42,000 historical artifacts, a vast park archive, and a collection of 700,000 archaeological specimens. His distinguished work history also includes curatorial positions with the US Army Corps of Engineers Office of History, the US Army Center of Military History, the National Park Service, and the United States Cavalry Museum.

An active member of many state and national organizations devoted to antique firearms and military history, Vice enjoys collecting, researching, restoring and shooting American military longarms made between 1835 and 1890. He is considered a leading expert on the American Civil War and American Indian Wars (1866-1890).

“We feel extremely honored that Michael agreed to join Morphy’s as head of our Firearms and Militaria department,” said Dan Morphy. “His qualifications are superb, and his expertise and reputation will play a major role in the further development of what has become one of our strongest and most active departments at Morphy’s.”

**To contact Michael Vice regarding consignments to future Firearms sales at Morphy’s, call 717-335-3435 or email info@morphyauctions.com.

Caille Puck 5-cent upright slot machine with music, pre-1900, stocked with great American tunes, plays well. Estimate: $18,000-$22,000.

DENVER, Pa. – Morphy’s Oct. 4-5 Premier Advertising & Coin-Op auction contains more than 1,100 top-quality lots from several major collections. There are dozens of early coin-op, slot, penny arcade and pinball machines in the sale; as well as 60+ lots of superb tobacco tins from the David Hirsch collection, and one of the most comprehensive Moxie collections ever amassed, that of the late Jan Miller Bacci of Boston.

The Hirsch collection includes many of the finest known tobacco tins. “All of them are in beautiful condition, and some are believed to be the only ones of their type in existence,” said Dan Morphy, CEO of Morphy Auctions.

Lot 8, a Century Tobacco flat pocket tin is estimated at $1,000-$1,500; while Lot 11, a pre-1900 Old Abe Chewing Tobacco flat tin is estimated at $1,200-$1,600. Images of American Indian chiefs adorn Lot 7, a Prairie Flower Chewing Tobacco tin, $1,000-$2,000; and Lot 12, an extremely rare Kipawa Cigar tin, $2,000-$4,000. Perhaps the star of the collection is Lot 13, an Alcazar round cigar tin picturing a world famous racehorse from which the brand took its name. Near mint, it is expected to make $6,000-$8,000.

Over 150 lots of soda pop advertising will be available, including many coveted, early pieces promoting Coca-Cola and its little-known offspring – Coca-Cola Chewing Gum.  Launched around the turn of the 20th century, Coca-Cola Chewing Gum wasn’t a commercial success for the Atlanta-based company.

1914-1916 Coca-Cola Gum cardboard cutout with Dutch boy image, Estimate: $15,000-$25,000.

Lot 459, a 1914-1916 cardboard cutout sign depicting a Dutch boy running in his clogs and clutching an oversize pack of Coca-Cola Peppermint Pepsin Gum is another Petretti book example. Vibrant and colorful, the 29 by 22in sign is described in Morphy’s catalog as “important and rare.” It is expected to make $15,000-$25,000 on auction day.

Saturday’s session opens with the third offering of occupational shaving mugs from the collection of the late Ray Jones and his wife, Theresa. Ray Jones’ navy career is reflected in many of the mugs he acquired, including Lot 641, shipbuilder, $800-$1,200; Lot 702, deep sea diver, $2,000-$3,000; and Lot 736, USS Philadelphia warship, $1,200-$1,500.

Coin-op and arcade machines will follow, with top entries including two prized Caille machines: Lot 795, a pre-1900 Puck 5-cent upright slot, $18,000-$22,000; and Lot 760, a 5-cent Bullfrog upright slot, $25,000-$30,000. The selection also includes many arcade games of skill and 15+ pinballs from the 1950s/60s. A Pace FOK slot machine is actually new/old stock and retains its original shipping crate. The coinage for this machine is the French franc, which is the same size as a US quarter. The machine left Chicago in the late 1930s, bound for Shanghai. It made it as far as Paris, but the outbreak of World War II prevented it from ever making it to China. It is estimated at $7,000-$8,000.

Several vintage jukeboxes stand ready to create lively mood music for the auction. Lot 838, a Wurlitzer Model 81 on “Mae West” stand, is estimated at $12,000-$15,000. It will be followed by a Wurlitzer Model 800, $7,000-$9,000.

Rare Planter’s point-of-purchase copper and steel peanut roaster topped with papier-mache figure of Mr. Peanut, design introduced in 1920.

Mr. Peanut will take his turn in the auction spotlight, as well, with Lot 825B, a 1920s peanut roaster topped by a papier-mache figure of the iconic dancing goober, leading the Planters selection. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000. Lot 825A, a fully functional Hamilton stand-on scale, 44½in tall, with a fantastic painted iron figure of Mr. Peanut, could weigh in at $7,000-$10,000.

Within the 100+ general store lots are numerous hunting and fishing-related advertising signs. Lot 922, a 1907 Winchester paper-on-linen poster realistically depicts four hunting dogs, $3,500-$5,000. Lot 920, a 1910 cardboard cut-out sign with the image of a shell dog and two quail, could realize $2,500-$4,000.

Morphy’s Oct. 4-5 Premier Advertising & Coin-Op Auction will commence at 9 a.m. Eastern Time on both days. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through Morphy Live, Artfact and LiveAuctioneers.

Morphy Auctions is located at 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517. Tel. 717-335-3435 or e-mail serena@morphyauctions.com. View the auction catalog online at www.morphyauctions.com, www.artfact.com or www.liveauctioneers.com.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Waverly Rare Books, a division of Quinn’s Auction Galleries in suburban Washington DC, will deliver a wealth of local nostalgia to the auction block on Thursday, September 19th. The centerpiece of the sale is a remarkable selection of gelatin silver photographic prints by Theodor Horydczak (Polish/American, 1890-1971), whose specialty was documenting in black and white the architecture and social activities in our nation’s capital primarily during the first half of the 20th century.

Elvis Presley inscription and autograph on record-album sleeve. Est. $300-$500.

Horydczak was especially adept at capturing attractive angles of government buildings and landmarks, both inside and out. He enjoyed being in the heart of the action and was there with his camera for such events as the 1933 World Series and Washington’s World War II preparedness campaigns. The vast majority of Horydczak’s work – more than 14,000 photos in all – became part of the permanent collection at The Library of Congress after his family donated the extensive archive.

“Theodor Horydczak was an accomplished commercial photographer whose photos were turned into postcards, calendars and other printed ephemera. In our research, we came across a rare Mount Vernon souvenir postcard featuring one of Horydczak’s photos, which leads us to believe he also sold his photos to museums and cultural institutions,” said Monika Schiavo, director of Waverly Rare Books.

There are 35 large-format Horydczak photographs in the September 19th auction, some of them measuring over 6 feet. Three are pencil-signed and some are stamped on verso with Horydczak’s studio name and reproduction notice.

“The consignor of the Horydczak photographs purchased them years ago as a box lot at a country auction in Virginia, then stored them away,” Schiavo said. Estimates range from $300-$500 for a gelatin silver print of the National Cathedral Sanctuary, to $1,500-$2,500 for a dramatic after-dark image of the US Capitol and Reflecting Pool, pencil-signed by Horydczak. Beautiful photos of the Washington Monument and Mount Vernon are also among the signed lots.

The auction will recall America’s days as a new nation in the form of an archive of historical documents pertaining to Fries Rebellion. The 1798 uprising of German-American farmers near Philadelphia, led by John Fries (circa 1750-1818), protested a federal real property tax enacted by President John Adams to finance an anticipated war with France. In July of 1798 Fries led the group of dissenters to a jail in Bethlehem, Pa., demanding the release of prisoners who had been arrested for resisting the tax.

U.S. District Judge Richard Peters issued warrants for the tax protestors and sent U.S. Marshall William Nichols to Northampton County in February of 1798. Nichols arrested 20 violators and held them in the Sun Tavern in Bethlehem prior to their removal to court in Philadelphia. Fries led a company of men to the tavern and negotiated with Nichols, who eventually released the prisoners; whereupon Fries and his company dispersed. Later, Fries was captured and tried twice. Both times he was convicted of treason and sentenced to hang, but in 1800 he was pardoned by President Adams.

Group Lot 436 contains 31 documents pertaining to Fries Rebellion, including the written appointment of Capt. William Rodman of the Bucks County Troop of Light Dragoons to the post of Deputy Marshall, troop rolls, lists of equipment, payments to soldiers, and correspondence requesting payment for expenses for forage and stores. The archive is estimated at $2,000-$3,000.

A compelling slice of 20th-century British history is encapsulated in Lot 371, a set of three custom-cased, blue cloth albums originally belonging to Edward the Prince of Wales (briefly King Edward VIII until his abdication; later Duke of Windsor). The albums contain 117 photographs relating to Edward’s British Army service in Egypt and Sudan during March and April of 1916. The photos include such subjects as British military personnel in a rowboat crossing the Suez Canal, Indian military men on camels, two photos of a monkey on board the ship that transported Edward to Sudan, two photos of trains, and many pictures of the prince on horseback, with honor guards and other officers. Additionally, there are photos from the palace of the Governor-General of Sudan, and images of Sudanese commoners, some with livestock. The bound albums are embossed in gold: “Windsor Photographs Vol. 159/160/161.” Estimate: $400-$700.

Edward isn’t the only royalty represented in Waverly’s September 19 auction. Memories of America’s own “king” – Elvis Presley – are captured in Lot 434, a record-album sleeve personally inscribed “To Sue/Thanks./Elvis Presley.” In very good condition, the autographed sleeve is expected to make $300-$500.

Among the top entries in the Art & Illustrations section is Lot 192, a cased 1898 folio of Pierre Bonnard lithographs titled La Lithographie Originale en Couleurs (Paris: Andrew Mellerio). Two original lithographs by Bonnard are among those included. Estimate: $1,500-$2,500. Also, Lot 203, a set of six French art and literary journals, features original lithos by Chagall, Calder and Tapies. The six issues of Derriere Le Miroir (Paris: Maeght) are from as early as 1966, the period during which Calder’s star rose to prominence worldwide. Estimate: $200-$300. Lot 276, The Prints of Roy Lichtenstein – A Catalogue Raisonne 1948-1993 by Mary Lee Corlett, is estimated at $150-$200.

A boxed set designed by Jasper Johns as a tribute to Gertrude Stein is cataloged as Lot 53. The compartmented set was created for a 1971 museum exhibition in Germany and includes paper rolls that introduce and list the contents of the exhibit; as well as an advertisement for Johns’ “lightbulb” works, and a red plastic rose. The lot is affordably estimated at $80-$120.

Waverly Rare Books’ September 19 auction will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern time. The preview is on from September 14 through and including auction day (see website for hours). The gallery is closed on Sundays.

All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee or live via the Internet through www.LiveAuctioneers.com. For information on any lot in the sale, call 703-532-5632 or e-mail monika.schiavo@quinnsauction.com. Visit Waverly Rare Books online at www.quinnsauction.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.