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Auction Sept. 11th & 12th, 2010
Featuring: Antique Furniture, Fine Art and Chinese Jade & Ivory Carvings
SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. – It was a story that might easily have been written for television – but in this instance, it was strictly nonfiction. While assessing her late father’s possessions prior to sending a consignment off to auction, a Philadelphia woman made a fortuitous discovery in the garage of the family home. There, amongst the garden tools and bric-a-brac, she came across several weighty suitcases that had long been stashed out of sight. Thinking they might contain old clothes or discarded household articles, the woman was taken completely by surprise when she opened the cases to find a horde of valuable old coins, many of them silver and gold.
“Nobody knew about the collection. Her father had never told anyone about it,” said Tom Wakeley, general manager of Stephenson’s, the company that auctioned the coins on Sept. 20 at their suburban Philadelphia gallery.
The collection ended up being “a tremendous success” at auction, Wakeley said, garnering $88,000 inclusive of 10% buyer’s premium.
“At this sale we had more live bidding than we did absentee and phone bidding because there were a number of nice pieces of gold in the collection. Buyers of gold coins like to inspect them and judge the condition for themselves,” Wakeley explained. Ninety-five percent of the 417 lots offered were purchased by in-house bidders.
Nineteenth-century gold coins of various denominations were offered in the sale, including an 1899 $10 gold piece (lower right), which sold for $660. Stephenson’s Auctions image.
Top-selling specimens included a 1907 $2.50 gold piece that realized $632.50 and an 1899 $10 gold piece that made $660.
A wealth of silver was available to bidders, as well. Seven Morgan half dollars from the early 20th century were sold as one lot for $1,430; while a book containing 27 silver commemorative half dollars from the mid-20th century finished its bidding run at $2,640 – quite an impressive result for coins whose total face value was a mere $13.50. Wakeley commented that condition was what drove the price on the grouping. “The half dollars were in uncirculated or even brilliant uncirculated condition, and that’s what collectors are looking for,” he said. “With money being so tight, collectors won’t spend a lot for average-condition coins, but if a coin is pristine, the money will come out.”
Other highlights of the Aug. 20 sale at Stephenson’s included an 1849 Seated Liberty silver dollar, $715; a book of 21 early 19th-century half cents, $1,017.50; and an exceptionally nice, unopened proof set containing each U.S. coin minted in 1950, which sold for $660.
A grouping of Barber dimes from the late 19th century/early 20th centuries sold as one lot for $1,210. Stephenson’s Auctions image.
Wakeley commented that, compared to buyers of other types of antiques, collectors who purchase coins at auction will cut to the chase. “At some auctions, bidders will hold out in hopes that the auctioneer will open a lot at a lower price, but at a coin auction, if the auctioneer asks for $25 and the coin is worth $500, they’ll just yell it out,” Wakeley said. “They already have the value figured out according to the price of silver or gold. That helps the auction go a little more quickly, too.”
Stephenson’s will conduct its next coin auction on Oct. 1, 2010, and will offer part II of the same collection featured in the Aug. 20 sale. For additional information, call Stephenson’s Auctioneers at 215-322-6182 or e-mail info@stephensonsauction.com. Visit Stephenson’s online at www.stephensonsauction.com.
With its cobblestone side streets, preserved buildings and revolutionary monuments on almost every corner, Philadelphia is certainly a historical treasure. And like any beautiful old city, Philadelphia is prime hunting ground for beautiful collections of old things, especially if one knows where to look.
If you’re antiquing in Philadelphia, head first to Chestnut Hill, just to the north of center city. Germantown Ave, marked by streetcar tracks, runs down the middle of this quiet leafy neighborhood lined with the awnings of bakeries, toy stores, and a locally famous cheese shop. This is a place where bells jingle when you push open shop doors that have clearly stood on their thresholds for generations, if not centuries.
The entire neighborhood speaks to the best of authentic high-end shabby chic—Even private homes blocks from Germantown Ave display a mesmerizing combination of age and Philadelphia grace, with elegantly peeling Victorian window frames and vine-tangled garden gates. Try to open an antiques shop here and you’d better be able to keep up with customers who know exactly what they’re looking for and can afford it when they see it.
Strolling westward from Abington Ave, stop first in Lavender Hill, owned by Florence Maloumian. Simple and lovely paintings from the rural Catskills, refinished Eastlake Victorian furniture, and the signature pieces in the store—collections of dried and silk flowers in playful color combinations– draw the eye to every corner of Lavender Hills’ artistically cluttered space.
Next stop in at Garden Gate Antiques, a multi-owner shop a few doors down. Make a note of the authentic African pieces in the back corner, including statuary from Malawi and a curious Sowei mask “for women’s initiation.” Run by a husband and wife team of passionate African art collectors, this section of the store features masks and textiles at marked down prices for the rest of the summer.
Move next to George Hoby’s shop where a wall-mounted bighorn sheep gazes out over a collection of odds and their corresponding ends arranged in layers so dense you’ll want to slow your gander so as not to miss anything. Hoby himself presides from the back of the store in a chair that I spent some time studying (not for sale apparently, though I doubt I could afford it if it was). The space is a bit too small for an extensive furniture collection, but features watercolors by Abraham Hankins, ceramics, and everything from old flutes, to girly art-deco ads, to salt and pepper shakers. Hoby’s easy style makes the room a pleasant place to linger for a while.
And finally, no antiquing day in Chestnut Hill is complete without a look into the Antiques Gallery. This shop is representative of the neighborhood in many ways, but it’s best to know your own preferences here, since there’s a lot to see and the store sometimes keeps non-standard hours.
While strolling and perusing, examine the unbelievable collection of maps and historic prints at the map store. Take a break for coffee at Cake or the bakery across from the toy store, and don’t miss the cheese shop. Years ago, the owners of this place offered me a taste of Papillion French blue cheese that changed my life. Chestnut Hill tends to make an afternoon of antiques shopping into a complete experience– Take advantage of the tendency, especially if you’re only in town for a day or two.
By Erin Sweeney
for Antiques.com
Catalog now online
Auction Sept. 13th, 2010 10am
Los Angeles
There are a few common reasons why people choose to sell antiques. Each reason comes with its own set of solutions.
Scenario 1:
You’re a collector and you like to cull your collection now and then. This keeps the process interesting and keeps excess clutter from taking over your life.
Details: You know what your items are worth. After all, you’ve been collecting these gizmos for years and you have an eye for provenance.
Solutions:
Your sources may function as outlets. If you spend a lot of time at the model train store talking to the proprietor, find out if he or she will make you an offer. This kind of transaction builds bonds with other collectors, legitimizes the enterprise (whatever it happens to be), and keeps our weird little communities strong. You may also find a fair price here, not to mention a good home for your lovables.
Find an online or print community resource, and see if the publishers will let you post an ad.
Find an online auction site that specializes in your items.
Try to avoid generic outlets like pawn shops or flea markets where buyer knowledge may be broad but not deep. If you have something special, knowledgeable buyers may line up for it, while outsiders may have to be convinced of its worth. For better offers, find the former.
Scenario 2:
You’ve just inherited something, or you’re emptying the house of a relative who’s moving or downsizing, and you’re surrounded by items (tin toys, china plates) that you don’t want but suspect are valuable.
Details: You have no idea what these items are worth. You also may be pressed for time.
Solutions:
Find antiques shops and dealers in your area who can come to your location, view the items, and make you an offer. An additional benefit: Whoever buys the items will also haul them away.
An auction in the home may be an option. Find a dealer who will come to you. The dealer will take a percentage of the proceeds, so if you organize and advertise the sale yourself, you might save money. But you may lose, too—Dealers have contacts among specific antiques communities, whereas the audience you draw on your own may be too general to appreciate the value of your items.
Scenario 3:
You have an item, and you would like to take it somewhere, leave it behind, and walk away with money. An episode of Antiques Roadshow has you eyeing the pottery bowl in your cabinet that has no sentimental value to you, and if you can find that mysterious “auction” those appraisers are always talking about, you’d like to dump the bowl and collect your millions.
Solution:
First, don’t rush. What your item is worth today it will be worth tomorrow. If you really do have a treasure on your hands, get several appraisals from reliable dealers before you commit to selling. Then:
Research antiques auctions taking place in your area and find out how to get your item on the block. (This site is an excellent resource.)
Museums may also have an interest in your piece. Make some calls and find out.
By Erin Sweeney
for Antiques.com
Auction Sept. 16th, 2010 10am
Featuring Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Thea Porter, Carolina Herrera, Missoni, Givenchy, Valentino and many more.
William H. Bunch – Auctions & Appraisals
PA-AU-002314-L
1 Hillman Drive at Route 202 South
0.4 mile south of Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA
TUESDAY, August 31, 10 AM
Beginning @ 10AM in the WAREHOUSE &
1 PM in the FRONT SHOWROOM
Previews: Monday,
August 2, 9AM – 5PM
Tuesday (Sale day) from 9AM
Please note the 1 PM start time in the front room!
Furniture at 5 PM in the front room!
2 pc mahogany breakfront with Egyptian head mounts
9 pc carved mah French BR set with white antiqued finish
Pierced tin pine pie safe in old paint surface
Sample of bisque figurine and decorated porcelain collection
Furniture at 4:30 PM in the back room, 5 PM in the front.
STERLING SILVER & PLATE, GLASS, CHINA & PORCELAIN, LAMPS, CLOCKS,
NEAT STUFF, JEWELRY,
ARTWORK, FURNITURE INCLUDING
COUNTRY AND VICTORIAN
CUSTOM AND REPRODUCTION, MUCH MORE!
WAREHOUSE @ 10 AM: TOOLS, HOUSEHOLD, COLLECTABLES, 1000’S BOOKS, EPHEMERA, TOYS, DOLLS, MUCH MORE!
*****************************
MULTI-ESTATE DISCOVERY
AUCTION
Tuesday, September 14
Beginning @ 10AM in the WAREHOUSE &
10 AM in the FRONT SHOWROOM
Previews: Monday, September 13 , 9AM – 5PM
Tuesday (Sale day) from 9AM
STERLING SILVER & PLATE, GLASS, CHINA & PORCELAIN, LAMPS, CLOCKS,
NEAT STUFF, JEWELRY,
ARTWORK, FURNITURE INCLUDING
COUNTRY AND VICTORIAN
CUSTOM AND REPRODUCTION, MUCH MORE!
WAREHOUSE @ 10 AM: Our Warehouse is LOADED! TOOLS, HOUSEHOLD, COLLECTABLES, 1000’S BOOKS, EPHEMERA, TOYS, DOLLS, MUCH MORE!
2 Session Multi-Estate
Catalog Auction
Of Fine and Decorative Arts
Beginning at 12 Noon each day,
Monday & Tuesday, September 20th & 21st, 2010
Preview Sunday September 19th from 12 PM to 5 PM
Monday, September 20th from 9 AM to 5 PM
Tuesday, September 21st from 9 AM
On Monday at 12 PM, we will sell 185 lots from a single owner collection of Venetian and other European glass, 41 pcs Gouda pottery, 200 plus pcs of Delft and other Dutch/Continental pottery, to be sold singly and in lots! Also a small collection of above average floral and scenic early 20th c European porcelain by various Limoges, Austrian, German, Czech, and other factories, plus a small but nice collection of Victorian art glass. About 250 lots in total for Monday afternoon!!
On Tuesday, from many Delaware Valley estates, collectors, and private consignors,
500 plus lots of fresh to the market fine art, decorative arts, much more!
Oriental rugs, silver, jewelry, pottery, large selection of fine Chinese porcelain and other Asian decorative arts, 18th-20th c furniture, fine art, works on paper, clocks, 19th c tortoise boxes, fine 18K gold mounted Steuben crystal, George Washington Order of Cincinnati document, Bryant Baker’s “Young Lincoln” in a 10″ bronze casting, folk art steam locomotive, much more!!
Artist List: Japanese woodblock prints, Harry Dunn, George Cope, Seymour Zayon, Charles Jay, Marc Chagall, Philip Jamison, James Whistler, Paul Davis, Arthur Clifton Goodwin, Geoff H Flavelle, James Turner, Henry Harold Vickers, manner of Worthington Whittredge, Samuel Bouquet,Bernardus Petrus Viegers, much more.
1981 Triumph Spitfire with only 33,000 original miles
A fully illustrated catalog will be available by the end of this week on our website at williambunchauctions.com.
Terms: 20% buyer’s premium with 3% cash/check/wire transfer discount, V/MC accepted
LIVE ONLINE BIDDING via LiveAuctioneers.com and AuctionZip.com, 3% fee
MULTI-ESTATE CATALOG AUCTION
TUESDAY, June 22, 12 PM
AN ESTATE COLLECTION OF MUSIC BOXES, HISTORICAL FLASKS, FINE BOOKS AND EPHEMERA, CLOCKS, FURNITURE, JEWELRY, SILVER, ART GLASS, POTTERY, FINE ART, 1920’S TO 1950’S MOVIE POSTERS, PHOTOS, AND EPHEMERA, MUCH MORE!!
Grif Teller, American, 1899-1993, o/c, 38″ x 57″, “”Speed, Safety, and Comfort”, southbound electric passenger train at Claymont, Delaware, Milepost 19.5.” Original artwork for the 1936 PRR calendar, depicting electric locomotive #4823 with 3 r ed Pullman cars rounding a gentle curve near Claymont, DE, with the Delaware River in the background
THIS PAINTING BROUGHT $61,000 PLUS PREMIUM
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO CONSIGN TO OUR
FALL CATALOG SALE?
Reginaphone Model 240 Regine Hexaphone
These 2 machines are from a collection of about 50 music boxes in all featuring 2 other Regina uprights, 8 Regina tabletop machines, Swiss cylinder music boxes, some with interchangeable cylinders, paper roller and cob organs, Edison cylinder record players, clocks, and ond other mechanical stuff!!
Featured lot in our April 13, 2010 catalog sale.
Lot 276
Robert Aitken, printer; The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments: Newly translated out of the Original Tongues; and with the former Translations Diligently compared and revised. Philadelphia: Robert Aitken, 1781-82. 2 parts in one volume, 12mo.
Said to be more rare than the Gutenburg Bible!
Estimate $40,000 to $60,000
SOLD FOR ALMOST
DOUBLE LOW ESTIMATE AT $78,975, INCLUDING BP!!
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[http://www.williambunchauctions.com/content/images/bunchlogo2.jpg]
One Hillman Drive (Rt. 202 and Rt. 1)
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Phone: (610) 558-1800
Fax: (610) 558-0885
E-Mail: info@williambunchauctions.com
Catalogue Now Online
The Richard Wright Collection of Moorcroft Pottery
Tuesday 21 September
New Bond Street, London
View Online Catalogue
Buy Catalogue
Viewing Times
Auction Enquiries
It’s no mystery that antiques are the biggest “green” thing going. It’s not like antique enthusiasts are jumping on the “green” wagon either. We were “green” long before it was the cool thing to be.
But the latest hip trend I see is antiquer’s taking what we call “findings” which are pieces of antique or vintage items (not the entire thing) and resourcing them. In short, we are recycling recycled items!
How does one do that? I’ll give you a few examples:
Rice grain bags – currently very hot in the Southern market. What does one do with them? Covering antique chairs, or making pillows for the couch with them. They are so popular, that Restoration Hardware has caught on and is selling reproduction pillows.
Jewelry – I’ve seen jewelry artists taking lone earrings, single shoe clips, buttons, etc and adorning jackets with them, or creating necklaces with the older pieces as pendants or parts.
Photographers are taking cool old painting frames and using them to showcase great black and white photography.
I remember the first time I saw something like this was several years back when I saw typewriter keys being used to create names on a necklace.
Then it was mahjong tiles incorporated into bracelets; vintage bottle caps used to embellish purses…
I have also met dealers that specialize in “found” objects. Interior decorators have been recycling antiques for years. Take a look at how interior designer Kelly Giesen works with vintage doors, hardware and mixes vintage lighting with traditional:
I’d love to hear your suggestions on making old new again. Tell us about it here!
Reyne
Scenes of the City: Prints, Drawings, & Paintings of New York 1900 – 2000
Auction Sept. 16th, 2010
19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings
Auction Sept. 21st, 2010
