FRIDAY JANUARY 31, 2025 • VOL. 55, NO. 4
Stiegel Stove Plate Sells For $10,000
Calendar Year Off To Strong Start For Horst
By Karl Pass
An 18th century cast-iron stove plate realized $10,000 at a two-day multi-consignor catalog sale held by Horst Auctioneers of Ephrata, Pa., on Jan. 3 and 4. The 867 lots grossed a total $288,885.
In an industry where you generate revenue from two sources: the buyer and seller, Horst has an old-time formula that works for them, earning the bulk of their compensation on the seller side. They do not charge a buyer’s premium for in-house bidders. Absentee and online bids are charged 10 percent. On average, sellers are charged a 20-percent commission, of course being a sliding scale assuming price realized. The vast majority of auction businesses have a buyer’s premium, and, depending on how valuable the consignment, the majority have a seller’s commission. Horst is fortunate to be in a region with
a large amount of material to be sold and a large amount of people who collect, given the overall population, and has a positive reputation. It all matters in today’s business climate, and you can be quite successful working off of small margins.
The salesroom was packed both days. The above mentioned stove plate was dated “1758” and from Stiegel’s Elizabeth Furnace, which was located not far from Horst’s facility. Henrich Wilhelm Stiegel (Henry William) was born in Cologne, Germany, in 1729. He immigrated to America at age 21. After two years in Philadelphia, he moved to Lancaster County and worked for Jacob Huber. Stiegel married Huber’s daughter, Elizabeth. In 1758, Huber died and Stiegel along with business partners took ownership of Huber’s forge, later to be named Elizabeth Furnace.
The plate was a side plate from
a jamb (five-plate) stove, surviving in overall good condition, and sold to a local collector. Stiegel was also known for operating a glassworks and was a founding member of the German Society of Pennsylvania. This organization lent aid to newly arriving Germans. Stiegel died at age 55 in 1785. The Stiegel name is far from lost today in this part of the state. The Manheim Historical Society is an active group and fortunate to have member support and acquisition funds. It was one of the underbidders.
The buyer of the stove plate
Ron Gilligan To Sell Estate Collection Of Vintage Comics And Movie Posters
Sale Will Be Held Feb. 15 Near State College, Pa.
By Karl Pass
On Saturday, Feb. 15, Ron Gilligan Auctioneering will be conducting a public auction for the Patrick Trimble estate to be held at the Baileyville Grange Hall, just west of State College, Pa. The sale location is 210 Deibler Road in Pennsylvania Furnace. The start time will be 9 a.m.
This estate sale will have very collectible vintage comics, a good variety of collectible
baseball cards, Babe Ruth collectibles, framed vintage movie posters and lobby cards, and vintage and antique wind-up toys.
Trimble was a theater professor at Penn State University and a lifelong collector of pop culture beginning with comic books and baseball cards as a child. Those collections continued throughout his life, as well as vintage movie posters, lobby cards, Universal monster movies, autographs, and much more. Highlights
Continued on page 10
also purchased a long rifle and four Aaron Zook dioramas. The long gun was a flintlock by Henry DuHuff, an early Lancaster gunsmith ($4,000), and the combined price for the dioramas was $10,650.
The sale consisted of antique country accessories such as baskets, butter prints, tinware, pottery, and textiles. In the latter category, 31 lots were owned by the late Tex Johnson. Needlework samplers, sewing tools, such as bird top sewing clamps, pin cushions, some English, were all sold.
Continued on page 5
Conestoga Auctions, a division of Hess Auction Group in Manheim, Pa., will hold a two-day auction of the Civil War collection on behalf of the late Edgar (Ed) J. Ewing Jr. (1943-2021). The sale will take place live and online on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8. Day one will start at 10 a.m. and day two at 9 a.m. A preview will take place on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. The auction facility is located at 768 Graystone Road in Manheim. Following retirement from a teaching career in 2000, Ewing began attending militaria auctions, amassing a sizable and eclectic collection of contract muskets, pistols, edged weaponry, books, ephemera, and battlefield relics pertaining to the American Civil War. He visited numerous historical sites and loved researching material and learning about provenance of items he collected. Although several of his ancestors served in the Union Army, the Confederacy was of special interest to Ewing.
A native of Allegheny County, Pa., Ewing lived north of Pittsburgh during childhood. He spent his high school junior and senior years at Fishburne Military School, in Waynesboro, Va., and began to develop a keen interest in history, with a preference for the study of the Civil War. Following graduation in 1961, he went to Bloomsburg State College (now Bloomsburg University), majoring in secondary education with a concentration in history and social science.
For 33 years, Ewing taught a wide range of subjects, including American History, European History, Sociology, History of
This cast-iron side plate from a five plate jamb stove dated “1758” cast at the Elizabeth Furnace (just north of Brickerville, Pa.) produced in the early years of Henrich Wilhelm Stiegel’s ownership of the operation sold for $10,000. For more, read the story.
This paint-decorated slide lid wooden box brought $4,500. It is believed to have originated in the Rebuck area within the greater Mahantongo Valley, a region encompassing parts of upper Dauphin, Schuylkill, and Northumberland counties.
The Met To Present First Major Retrospective In The U.S. Dedicated To Caspar David Friedrich
Major International Loan Exhibition To Open Soon
From Saturday, Feb. 8, through Sunday, May 11, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will present “Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature,” the first comprehensive exhibition in the United States dedicated to Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840). Friedrich’s art presents nature as a site of personal and philosophical discovery. Marshalling the expressive power of perspective, light, color, and
atmosphere, the artist created landscapes that articulate a profound connection between the natural world and the inner self, or soul. This imagery encapsulated the newly emerging ideals of European Romanticism, a cultural revolution that championed conceptions of individual perception and feeling that are still vital today
The exhibition is made possible by Marina Kellen
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French. Additional support is provided by the Janice H. Levin Fund, Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne, Barbara A. Wolfe, an Anonymous Foundation, The International Council of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Trevor and Alexis Traina. Corporate sponsorship is provided by Allianz X. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. “The most significant German Romantic painter, Caspar David Friedrich brilliantly illuminates our understanding of the natural world as a spiritual and emotional landscape,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and Chief Executive Officer. “This very first major retrospective in the United States of Germany’s most beloved painter follows the celebrations of Friedrich’s work in Europe on the occasion of the artist’s 250th birthday in 2024. We are thrilled to collaborate with our German museum colleagues and many other generous lenders on this rare opportunity to reflect on Friedrich’s portrayals of nature and the human condition. The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the Alte Nationalgalerie of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, and the Hamburger Kunsthalle, which house the most substantial collections of Friedrich’s work in the world. In 2023-24, these museums presented hugely popular exhibitions of Friedrich’s art as part of the artist’s jubilee celebrations in Germany. As a capstone to this series of shows, The Met’s exhibition will feature unprecedented loans from all three institutions and from more than 30 other public and private lenders in Europe and North America, many never before seen in the United States. Despite Friedrich’s celebrated reputation, there have been only two exhibitions dedicated to his work in the United States: “The Romantic Vision of Caspar David Friedrich: Paintings and Drawings from the U.S.S.R.” held at The Met and the Art
Institute of Chicago in 199091 and featuring nine paintings and 11 works on paper by Friedrich, and “Caspar David Friedrich: Moonwatchers” held at The Met in 2001, which included seven paintings and two works on paper by the artist. “Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature” will present oil paintings, finished drawings, and working sketches from every phase of the artist’s career, along with select examples by his contemporaries. The selection will illuminate Friedrich’s development of a symbolic vocabulary of landscape motifs to convey the personal and existential meanings that he discovered in nature. Among the loans that will be exhibited for the first time in the United States are “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” (Hamburger Kunsthalle) and “Monk by the Sea” (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nationalgalerie), two of Friedrich’s most famous paintings and icons of Romantic art. Many other signature works, such as Dolmen in Autumn (Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden), have not been seen in the United States for decades. The exhibition will also bring together for the first time all five of the Friedrich paintings owned by museums in the United States (The Met, the Kimbell Art Museum, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Saint Louis Art Museum), placing these rare American holdings in the broader context of Friedrich’s art. A rich selection of works on paper from domestic and international collections will showcase Friedrich’s talents as a draftsman and the centrality of drawing to his creative practice. As a joint project between specialists in paintings and drawings, the exhibition will also consider the
on permanent loan from the Stiftung Hamburger Kunstsammlungen, acquired 1970 (HK-5161). Photo courtesy Elke Walford.
ways that the artist worked across media and how different materials and techniques shaped his style.
The exhibition will unfold chronologically and thematically, tracing Friedrich’s portrayal of the landscape of northern and central Europe over his four-decade career, which coincided with pronounced symbolic and physical changes to the land, prompted by the rise of Romantic thought, scientific discoveries about the earth, nascent industrialization, and political upheaval, most notably the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815. Each section of the exhibition will examine specific landscape motifs and pictorial strategies that defined Friedrich’s art, while
highlighting the themes that he explored, among them spirituality and religion; the experience of the infinite and unknowable; the passage of time and mortality; solitude and companionship in nature; the juxtaposition of the familiar and the unknown; and the mixture of beauty and danger that the Romantics called the sublime. As a whole, the exhibition will distill Friedrich’s vision of nature and situate his art within the tumultuous politics and vibrant culture of 19th-century German society, illuminating the role of German Romanticism in shaping modern perceptions of the natural world.
To learn more, visit www. metmuseum.org.
Black Cat Teams Up With “The Amazing Spider-Man”
Result Was The First Million-Dollar Spidey Cover
Sold At Auction
Black Cat was good luck for Spider-Man at Heritage Auctions. The debut of the “startling new villainess” on the cover of 1979’s “The Amazing Spider-Man No. 194” sold for $1,020,00 to become the most valuable Spidey cover ever sold at auction. And Black Cat’s introduction wasn’t the sole debut among the record-setters in the Jan. 9 to 12 Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction, as Robin’s first swing through the comics in “Detective Comics No. 38” realized $132,000 to set a new highwater mark for the historic issue. With this $10.79 million auction, Heritage began 2025, making history with record-setting sales of iconic pieces of American history.
Black Cat was created by comics legends Marv Wolfman, who initially intended to use her during his run on Spider-Woman, and Dave Cockrum, who designed her black, whitefur-accented outfit. But it was Al Milgrom who brought her to life on that cover. Milgrom co-created DC Comics’ “Firestorm,” and as penciler and inker, he was responsible for more than 1,000 covers during his tenures at DC and Marvel Comics, where he worked on “The Avengers,” “Defenders,” “Captain America” and dozens more titles. But with session two’s million-dollar sale, the result of a long and heated bidding war, Milgrom’s cover for “The Amazing Spider-Man No. 194”
leaps to the front of the line as the most famous one of his 50-year career. At the consignor’s direction, a portion of the proceeds from its sale will go to the artist. “As we’ve been seeing for some time in our auctions, it’s impossible to predict the ceiling for the best comic art,” said Todd Hignite, executive vice president. “The market is just incredibly deep for such singular examples, and this cover’s record-setting price led to a diverse group of amazing results.”
“Little did I know that my artistic effort on this cover would go on to become one of the most iconic covers of the 1970s,” stated Milgrom. “I’ve signed hundreds, perhaps
Caspar David Friedrich’s (German, 1774–1840) “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” (detail), ca. 1817, is an oil on canvas, 37 3/8-by-29.5 inch, Hamburger Kunsthalle,
Collector Chats With Peter S. Seibert
This Week: The Oddest Year
By Peter Seibert
a half months leading up to the general election, the market has been pretty quiet. In fact, staggeringly quiet. One can see this in both turnover of dealers in antique malls and a willingness to deal (both verbally and in signage) by everyone. It has been truly the most quiet I personally have ever seen the marketplace. And it seemed to be across almost every line of antiques, with only gold/ silver being a strength.
Then, after the election, the sales popped again as if there was pent-up energy. One dealer I know had a huge five figure sale to a single buyer in December. That exceeded sales for much of the prior year. Now again, it’s not about the party but rather about the pent-up energy that was released after the election. This is an axiom, when you talk to older dealers, that runs true through time. In an election year, sales are slow until the general election, and then there is a release in money and people are back.
I recall years ago talking to several dealers who did Jim Burk’s York Antiques Show. They talked about how, in their opinion, when Congress and the White House changed parties it was a good year for selling. Their view was that all those staffers and elected officials moving to Washington, D.C., needed to furnish their homes and get some instant gentility. A tall case clock, a portrait soon to be announced as a hidden ancestor, and some Staffordshire figures were the fastest way to that end.
The antiques market has always been a fickle one since what we are dealing in is not
a life or death commodity (although some collectors might argue the point). Rather, it is what folks spend their disposable income on in any given year. Thus, if you have to buy a car this year or perhaps are going to Europe for vacation, the collection might suffer. Conversely, a tax refund or year-end-bonus could burn a hole in your pocket rather quickly for the right treasure. There used to be, although I wonder if it is still held to be true, a belief that antiques were a hedge against inflation. Certainly those folks who bought brown furniture in the 1990s have found out the hard way. But jewelry and the top end of the market definitely seem to have shown some appreciation. The saga of fine art is an interesting one as certain categories, subjects and artists are now on the outs. My friend Chris at the Yellow Garage and I talked about how certain artists who were big in the past, like the Ashcan painters, are now on the outs with many and their work languishes.
The world of antiques is built upon collecting for passion, but it is also built upon the notion of profit. We all
want to build a great collection, and we all want to be there at that final auction when it is sold and we (or most likely our estate) have made a supreme profit on it all. The variability of the market is the piece that no one counts on, although in four more years I think we hopefully will remember the November/December surprise.
“Born to collect” should be the motto of Peter Seibert’s family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seibert’s writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years’ worth of antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.
Reading’s Game 7 Auctions Teams Up With Safe Berks For Benefit
Online Auction Offers Tickets To The Big Game
Game 7 Auctions is proud to partner with Safe Berks to offer a Super Bowl LIX package. The package includes two tickets to Super Bowl LIX, round trip airfare for two on Southwest Airlines, and a one-night stay for two at L’Auberge Baton Rouge. The auction begins Monday, Jan. 27, and ends with a soft close at 10 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2. To register as a bidder, go to www.Game7Auctions.com. It will be the only auction on the site for that week.
Safe Berks is a Reading, Pa., based nonprofit organization that serves all victims and/or survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault. All of their services are free of charge (with the exception of Bridge House), available in English and Spanish, and completely confidential. They are trauma informed and culturally competent. Their facilities are welcoming and open to all who need them.
This auction hopes to serve as a major source of revenue for Safe Berks. The tickets were donated by the National Football League (NFL), while private donors provided the airfare and night at the hotel. Game 7 Auctions, also of Reading, has waived their consignor’s fee so that 100 percent of the final hammer price for this auction will go to Safe Berks. There will be a 15 percent buyer’s premium added to the final price to offset the cost of advertising this auction.
Super Bowl tickets rank among the most coveted tickets in the sports world. Few actually make their way into the public realm. A small percentage are available for sale through the NFL, but they usually get swallowed up by ticket brokers. Another small percentage is made available through a random lottery. About a third of the tickets are
distributed among the teams in the conference championships, roughly five percent go to the host city (New Orleans this year), and the remaining very small percentage is split evenly among the rest of the NFL teams. Suffice it to say, demand far exceeds supply.
As with any tickets for any event, the main driver of the variation in price is location. Tickets on the 50-yard line command a far greater premium than tickets in the upper deck of the end zone. The NFL is still holding these tickets, so the seat location is unknown at press time, but the belief is that it will be known by the start of the auction. If not, it will certainly be known by auction’s end. As a Reading based auction house partnering with Safe Berks, the Philadelphia Eagles would be a far-bigger draw than the Washington Commanders. By the start of the auction, the Super Bowl teams will be set.
Currently the lowest priced Super Bowl ticket on the ticket aggregator Tick Pick is a little under $6,000, so two tickets ($12,000 low
end value) with airfare ($800 value) and a night at the hotel ($500 value) creates a significant potential windfall for Safe Berks.
To register to bid or just to track this auction, visit www. Game7auctions.com.
ANTIQUES
Collectors Of Antique Fishing Baits
Hooked On To Sale Of Wayne Edens Collection
Sells For $30,750
Heddon “Factory Board” Frog Lure, Hand-Carved,
The water was fine and the bidders were biting at Morphy’s auction of the Wayne Edens collection of antique and vintage fishing lures, part one, which tallied more than $900,000. The 622-lot sale on Dec. 9 was singularly focused on treasures from the Edens collection, the largest, most comprehensive and historically-important collection of its type ever to come to the public marketplace.
As predicted, the top lot was an all-original Heddon frog lure (or “bait”) personally crafted by James Heddon, founder of the Heddon Company. One of eight created and subsequently exhibited on a display board at the Heddon plant in Dowagiac, Mich., the frog was formerly the property of Dudley Murphy (1940-2022), co-founder of the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club. Murphy had obtained the
An exceedingly rare Heddon special order 1309 five-hook Black Sucker in five-hook configuration in spectacular white saltwater color with glitter finish sold for $22,200.
A Shakespeare No. 64 five-hook Red Musky (Muscallonge) Trolling Minnow with high forehead design dating it to ca. 1906-7, accompanied by pictorial box, sold for $27,600. Oversize baits of this type are rarely encountered.
lure directly from the Heddon factory. In addition to its unbroken line of provenance, Edens’ frog lure was definitively photo-matched to one of the original eight “board” examples, and sold within estimate for $30,750.
A rare Heddon special order 1309 Black Sucker in a five-hook configuration dazzled with its spectacular white saltwater color, glitter finish and solid amberglass eyes. Graded Excellent Minus to Excellent, it reeled in a winning bid of $22,200. Prices reported include buyer’s premium. A Heddon 707 Dowagiac Musky Minnow bait with a sienna crackleback finish was of a type first marketed in 1909. Sturdy and sizable at 5-3/8 inches long, it was one of the finest of those few known to have survived. On top of that, it was accompanied by its oversize introductory box. It landed within its pre-sale estimate range at $20,910.
Sought after, a Shakespeare No. 64 five-hook Red Musky (Muscallonge) Trolling Minnow bait exhibited deep crimson coloration and a high forehead design that definitively dated it to ca. 1906-7. Oversize baits of its type are rarely encountered, and with the bonus inclusion of an elusive pictorial box, it was one of the auction’s most desirable entries. Attracting 15 bids, it sold near the midpoint of its estimate range, for $27,600.
Another highlight lure was a Shakespeare No. 1611 Wooden Minnow with five hooks, a red back and white belly, thin, handpainted gills, and perfect glass eyes. Dating to ca. 1907-09, the irresistible fish-enticer came to auction with its correct and equallyrare white-label pictorial box,
08525
A gold-painted Bing’s Nemahbin Minnow made by A.F. Bingenheimer, Milwaukee, Wis., VG Plus to Excellent Minus condition with its rare pictorial box correctly marked “GOLD WEEDLESS” on one end, sold for $18,000. Continued on page 8
10 ANTIQUE MARKET, 115 S. Main St. Daily 10am-6pm. Cecil County’s largest! Approx. 65 dealers, variety & nostalgia. Buying/selling antiques & collectibles.
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SUMMIT ANTIQUES CENTER, 511 Morris Ave. 2 floors, 50+ dealers. Antiques, collectibles. Smalls to furniture. Open 7 days 11-5. Free Parking. www.thesummitantiquescenter.com
08062 Mullica Hill 856-478-9810
OLD MILL ANTIQUE MALL, 1 S. Main Street. Open Daily, 11-5; Sat. 10-5. Antiques, glassware, records, coins, stamps, military items, collectible toys, trains, linens, books & ephemera.
Horst
Continued from page 1
A grouping of Stahl pottery did well, as did several lots of Cowden & Wilcox stoneware. A C&W batter jug with bir d decoration realized $7,800, going to the trade. The cobalt had a slightly blurred appearance otherwise could have easily done b e tter, according to one collector in the salesroom.
A historical document sold on day two, a rare 18th century Lancaster County (Governor John Penn) order pertained to the “Conestoga Indians.” The framed document with envelope (June 15, 1764) signed by Penn was written to Jacob Wislar (Wis sl er) appointing him as superintendent to care for the Indians that had
settled on unsold lands of “Conestoga Manor” in Manor Township. This order was to vacate all persons who have/shall presume to settle or commit any waste upon the part of the manor referred to as “Indiantown.” This was following murders the year bef or e. Following an 1763 uprising by Chief Pontiac and the Ottawa Nation in northwestern Pennsylvania and through the Great Lakes region, tensions were heightened. A group of vigilantes attacked Indians that were settled in Conestoga Township. A group of 10 member s of the tribe were placed into Lancaster Prison (or workhouse) with the intent of safety but were murdered there on Dec. 14, 1763.
Jacob Wissler (173897) was born in Lancaster County, a miller by trade, and worked at the Sam Herr Mill. He was appointed and served as superintendent for five years, later moving to York County and eventually returning to Donegal Township In summary, the letter, on behalf of Penn pertained to Wislar and surviving members of the Conestoga Tribe of the Susquehanna Nation. The document was purchased online for $8,140 by Tom Ryan, Director Emeritus on behalf of LancasterHistory, and is being included in the museum ’ s current public exhibition, “Thieves and Vagabonds: A History of Law and Justice
Continued on page 9
A large consignment of Barbara Ebersol bookplates sold well, according to one collector in the
One illustrated here, unsigned but attributed to Ebersol, went for
$3,300.
A reproduction “Weber” box, done in exact detail to an original, by the late John Dierwechter (Schaefferstown, Pa.), ca. 1990s, sold for $350.
An assortment of antique and vintage Native American items sold on day one. Here is a decorated pottery Acoma olla (vessel) attributed to the Acoma Pueblo region of New Mexico, ca. 1930s-50s, which realized $775.
Selling for $625 was this Breininger Pottery (1982) “Bellstyle” redware lion.
Redware from the early years of the Breininger Pottery (Robesonia, Pa.) has a market today. This glazed fish bottle/ flask from 1970 brought $575.
A Stahl Pottery, 1941, sgraffito decorated dish sold for $600.
A pair of early wrought-iron ice skates sold for $475.
salesroom.
$775.
A Cowden & Wilcox bird decorated stoneware batter jug sold to dealer Greg Kramer for $7,800.
The three-gallon Cowden & Wilcox bird decorated jug sold for $10,500 to a collector in the salesroom.
This wooden bucket bench in worn painted surface went for
Child’s Play: Family-Friendly “Play Mates”
Smack Dab In The Middle: Design Trends Of The Mid-20th Century
By Donald-Brian Johnson
Hey there, check out this month’s Play Mate!
Now that I have your attention.
Once upon a time, “playmate” meant something a lot different than it did to the gang at “Playboy” magazine. From the early 1930s onward, “Children’s Play Mate” was the publication getting all the publicity. Sure, there were competitors (“Jack and Jill,” “Wee Wisdom,” “ Highlights for Children ”), each with some of what “Children’s Play Mate” had to offer. But this digest-sized monthly, hailed as “The Favorite Magazine of Boys and Girls,” had it all. There were stories (“The Circle-D Kid,” “The Mystery of the Old Barn”); poems (“children of Holland, with busy feet, go clomp-clomp-clomping down the street”); puzzles (“find 10 hidden faces in this picture!”); recipes (“Barbara’s Favorite Frosty Grape Lemonade”); projects (“Make A Pumpkin Totem Pole!”); and contests (“Win A Pedigreed Cocker Puppy All Your Own For the Neatest and Most Interesting Letter!”). There was even, in that much more trusting time, “Everybody’s Mail Box,” with letters (and addresses) from prospective pen pals around the world.
A winged cherub, a flower petal, and bubbles: Fern Bisel
for the August 1938
Lots more was stuffed into each issue’s 50-plus pages, which were geared to an enthralled readership “from 4 to 14.” But what primarily appeals to today’s collectors, who might not be particularly interested in playing connect-the-dots, or reading about “Tailspin TeenaThe Little Witch Who Couldn’t Learn To Fly,” is the “Play Mate” artwork. Most of the cover illustrations, as well as the interior art, were the work of Fern Bisel Peat, art director for “Children’s Play Mate” from 1933 until 1955. Her unique style captures all of the era’s childhood milestones in brightly colored, whimsical drawings that serve as a time capsule of mid-20th century America. A boy and a girl sail past the pine trees on their rope-and-plank swing, another pair brave brisk spring winds to hang a birdhouse, and an angler duo peer into a pond, wondering if they’ll ever have any luck on their fishing trip. And, since the magazines were monthly, “Play Mate” covers run right down the yearly calendar, from New Year’s and Valentine’s Day, through Halloween and Christmas.
The magazine’s visual visionary, Fern Bisel, was born
CALENDARS
A UCTIONS
ILLINOIS
02/15-02/16/2025, UnionSaturday & Sunday 10 AM. Pedal to the Medal Auction. Donley Auctions
MARYLAND
01/22-01/31/2025, SparksWednesday through Friday, Online Only. Lifetime American ceramics collection of Carole Carpenter Wahler. Over 300 lots of 19th century stoneware & redware. Crocker Farm
PENNSYLVANIA
01/25-02/08/2025, Biglerville - Saturday 7 PM, Online Only. War themed milk bottles from the John Force collection. Larry Swartz Auctioneer
01/27-02/02/2025, ReadingMon through Sunday, Online Only. 2 tickets to Super Bowl LIX on 2-9-25, 2 Southwest round trip flight e-passes, 1 night stay for 2 at L’Auberge Baton Rouge. Game 7 Auctions
01/27/2025, York - Monday 5 PM. Duck decoy auction. Gilbert & Gilbert Auctioneers
01/28/2025, Glen RockTuesday 9 AM. Guns, instruments, sound equipment, power tools, ammo, air compressors, generators, snow blowers and more! Wehrly’s Auction Service
general store items, cast iron, quilts, folkart & more! Dean Arner Auctioneer
02/01/2025, Lehighton10am to 6pm Wednesday thru Sunday. Antiques and Collectibles with over 30 Dealers. Anthracite Vintage Mercantile & Auctions
02/01/2025, Orwigsburg10:00am, Saturday. Items up for auction include; Firearms, Furniture, Jewelry: 18k to 10k, Platinum, Coins, antique/ vintage LP’s, Military, Toys, Video Games, Instruments, Sports, Paper (comics and magazines), Collectibles and many other nice items! Blums Auction
02/01/2025, Ephrata - Saturday 9 AM. Antiques, collectibles, toys, model trains, dolls, household goods, tools & more Horst Auction Center
02/01/2025, SchnecksvilleSat 9 AM. Paper money, silver coins, toy farm collection, knives, glassware, antiques, primitives, collectable toys & more! Houser Auctioneers
02/02/2025, NazarethSunday 2 PM, Online Only. 500+ Swarovski figures. Dotta Auctions
“Peter Pig” a regular feature in “Children’s Play Mate” gets the front cover for the August 1940 issue.
in 1893, and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in fine arts. In 1917, she married Frank Peat, and the pair opened an interior decorating firm, specializing in décor items for children’s bedrooms and nurseries. In the early 1930s, the family moved to “Beech Hollow Farm,” near Bellville, Ohio, which became the home base for Fern’s artistic endeavors. There was no doubt about who lived there: the brightly colored Beech Hollow window shutters were decorated with Fern’s imaginative illustrations.
In addition t o her cover paintings (a duty occasionally shared with other artists), Fern was responsible for the entire “look” of “Children’s Play Mate.” That included creating the artwork for the magazine’s interior color pages (puzzles, “cutout” toys, and paper dolls), as well as the line art for its many stories, articles, and promotional ads.
Bisel Peat was a versatile artist, which kept the family finances afloat during the Depression and WWII years. In addition to Fern’s magazine
01/29/2025, PhiladelphiaWednesday 1 PM. Large stately 2 1/2 story stone home on a .27 acre level corner lot w/ detached 2 car stone garage. 2014 Ford Fiesta, quality antiques, furniture, collectibles, sterling silver, glassware & household goods. Barr Davis Auctioneers, LLC 02/01/2025, Andreas - Saturday 9AM. Large estate primitive & antique auction. Early Winchester & long rifles, early
02/03/2025, DillsburgMonday 6:30 PM. Furniture, box lots, antiques, dishes, stamp collection, crocks, baskets, paperweights & more! Hardy’s Auction Service
02/07-08/2025, ManheimFriday 10 AM, Sat 9 AM. Two day Civil War Collection of the late Edgar Ewing. Hess Auction Group
02/08/2025, Andreas - Saturday 9 AM. Antiques, blue decorated crocks, script jugs, advertising signs/thermometers, eagle weathervane, country smalls, furniture &
more! Dean Arner Auctioneer
02/08/2025, Mt Wolf - Saturday 9 AM. 450+ lots. Country store items, gas pumps, oil cans, advertising items, furniture, crocks, antiques & more! Rentzels Auction Service
02/12/2025, NazarethWednesday 6 PM, Online Only. Online sports memorabilia collection. Dotta Auctions
02/15/2025, PA Furnace - Saturday 9 AM. Vintage comic book collection, vintage baseball cards, autographed baseballs, Babe Ruth collectibles, vintage framed movie posters & lobby cards, wind-up toys & more! Ron J. & Ron S. Gilligan & David C. Zentner
02/22/2025, Nazareth - Saturday 11 AM, Online Only. Online coin auction. Dotta Auction
03/08/2025, Nazareth - Saturday 11 AM, Online Only. Online antiques & collectibles auction. Dotta Auction
02/01/2025, Ephrata - Saturday 9 AM. 1 owner farm toy collection. L & H Auctions, Inc. WISCONSIN
02/07-02/08/2025, TomahFeb 7: Session 1 at 9am, Session 2 t 4pm Feb 8: Session 3 at 9am. Heated building with seating food & beverages are provided. SESSION l: 9:00 AM. -Selling advertising signs, clocks & thermometers. Oil cans, plus other interesting and unique items SESSION 2: 4:00 PM. -Selling advertising signs, clocks & thermometers. Oil cans, antiques, adv tins, license plate toppers, weathervanes, fire extinguishers. Plus many other unique & unusual items. SESSION 3: 9:00. -Selling advertising signs, clocks & thermometers. Plus other interesting items. Millers Auction Co.
SHO W & FLEA MARKET CALEND AR
GEORGIA
02/06-02/09/2025, Atlanta, Thurday 10 AM - 5 PM, Friday & Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM. SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS - ANTIQUE Atlanta Expo Center, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road.
03/06-03/09/2025, Atlanta, Thurday 10 AM - 5 PM, Friday & Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM. SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS - ANTIQUE, Atlanta Expo Center, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road.
04/10-04/13/2025, Atlanta, Thurday 10 AM - 5 PM, Friday & Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM. SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS - ANTIQUE, Atlanta Expo Center, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road.
OHIO
02/22-02/23/2025, Columbus, Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM, SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS - ANTIQUE, Ohio Expo Centers, 717 East 17th Avenue.
03/22-03/23/2025, Columbus, Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM, SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS - ANTIQUE, Ohio Expo Centers, 717 East 17th Avenue
PENNSYLVANIA
01/02-12/27/2025, Berwyn, Every Saturday & Sunday 9-5. PA Indoor/Outdoor Vintage Flea Market – Now Open Year Round! 270 W. Swedesford Rd. 01/02-12/31/2025, Lewisburg, Every Sunday (Except Easter) 8 AM - 4 PM, RT 15 FLEA MARKET & FARMERS MARKET - FLEA MARKET, Rt 15 Flea Market, 150 Silvermoon Lane.
01/31-02/01/2025, York, Friday 10 AM-6 PM, Saturday 10 AM-5 PM, YORK FAIRGROUNDS CONVENTION & EXPO CENTER - ANTIQUE, 184th Semi-Annual Antiques Show & Sale, 334 Carlisle Avenue.
03/01-03/02/2025, Bath, Saturday 9 AM - 4 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 3 PM. GOVERNOR WOLF HISTORICAL SOCIETY
- ANTIQUES, Historic Bath, 6600 Jacksonville Road
03/01/2025, Bath, Saturday 10 AM - 3 PM. 10TH ANNUAL CHESTNUT STREET ANTIQUE SHOW & SALE, Christ Church of Bath, UCC, 109 South Chestnut Street
03/01/2025, Columbia, Saturday 8:30 AM, PENNSYLVANIA BOTTLE AUCTION - CENTRAL PA MILK, SODA & BEER BOTTLES, Columbia VFW Post 2435, 401 Manor Street.
03/22-03/23/2025, Honey Brook, Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 3 PM, ELVERSON ANTIQUE SHOW & SALEFOLK ART, AMERICANA, FURNITURE, STONEWARE, TEXTILES, ADVERTISING & MORE! Honey Brook Elementary School, 1530 West Walnut Street.
03/28-03/29/2025, Lancaster, Friday 10 AM - 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM, MORLATTON POST CARD CLUB - VINTAGE & MODERN POSTCARDS, BOOKS & EPHEMERA, 48th Annual Postcard Show, Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road.
Peat’s cover fantasy
issue of “Children’s Play Mate.”
School’s in session! This is Bisel Peat’s cover for September 1940.
Carrying home the books: Angela Tuite’s cover for the September 1946 “Play Mate.”
Hess
Continued from page 1
of Germany, and Civil War History in the Oley Valley School District. At Oley Valley he met his future wife, Joanne, who was a high school English teacher and department chair. Throughout his teaching career, he was known for his booming voice, vast historical knowledge, talent as a lecturer,
tions associated with Parkinson’s disease in 2021 and is remembered as a lifelong student of history, an avid reader, an enthusiastic Pittsburgh Steelers fan, devoted husband to Joanne, and a loving dad to his golden retrievers and Irish wolfhound. His greatest
legacy is the many students who learned valuable lessons in history and in life in his classroom. Several of his students have gone on to become history teachers as a direct result of his influence, guidance, and mentorship.
Day one of the auction will focus on CDVs, tintypes, and other images, ephemera such as personal letters from soldiers and official documents, many groupings and sets of cast lead miniature soldiers (many from other conflicts), found battlefield relics, Confederate currency, ribbons, badges and reference books.
Included is a “housewife” and snuff box identified as belonging to Charles W. Roberts, a Captain of Company A 124th Regiment. Roberts enlisted from Chester County on 8/12/1862 and mustered out 5/17/1863. The 124th was a nine-month regiment which saw combat at Antietam and Chancellorsville. His photo can be
found on “Find a Grave.” The “housewife” roll-up bears a tag that states “needlebook carried during the war of 1862 & 63 Capt. Charles W. Roberts.” The snuff box is engraved with his name, has a hinged top and is nickel-plated construction. Both are in fair to good condition. Another interesting lot is a book printed in 1862 in Richmond, Va., by West & Johnston, the “Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States.” The inside cover is signed and dated. There is heavy finish wear and loss to the covers and heavy foxing to the pages, excessive color toning and signs of age, overall fair to poor condition. Day two will focus on the contract muskets, pistols, swords and bayonets, found battlefield relics, currency, and accoutrements. Included is a standard issue Union Cavalry wool shell jacket with yellow piping on the cuffs and collar. It contains all 12 general eagle service buttons with two at each cuff, intact lining with areas of staining, and a complete set of shoulder scales, overall in good condition. There are also identified items belonging to Ansel Ward, who served in both the 3rd Massachusetts infantry and the 4th Massachusetts cavalry. They were
purchased together from a relative of Ansel Ward and include a woven cavalry hat cord with two copper bullions, a 3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Kepi from Rent & Bush of Boston with militia hat badge, an 1832 regulation pattern officers saber belt, a purple officer’s sash, discharge certificate, and a book “Tract for
Soldiers.” The kepi remains in good shape with areas of moth damage, the regulation belt has separated hangers with flaking and crazing, the buckle has a worn, aged finish, and the purple sash has excessive color fading. For further information, call 717-898-7284 or visit www.hessauctiongroup.com.
Accessories From Reike; 1 Highlight Features A 1/16th Scale Working New Holland Baler (Bat. Opperated); 4 Pedal Tractors; Precision Series Farmall 560 W/2-MH Corn Picker & Other Precision Series Tractors & Implements; Early Tonka Trucks; Peterbilt & Other Model Trucks; Tonka, Buddy L, Structo & Other Toys; Farm Trucks; Tru-Scale, Ertl & Other Farm Implements; J.B. Hostetter & Sons (Mount Joy PA) IH Farmall Dealership Sign; Grain Cradle; Misc. Farm Collectables; IH Tire Pressure Gauge; New Idea Jigsaw Puzzle; IH Advertising Items; IH Paper & Collector Magazines; IH Miniture Collectables; Terms: On-Site Cash Or Check 10% Buyers Premium, Credit Card 13%
This 1/6th cased tintype of a Union soldier will be sold on day one.
This standard issue Union Cavalry wool shell jacket with yellow piping on the cuffs and collar contains all 12 general eagle service buttons with two at each cuff and a complete set of shoulder scales. It will be sold on day two.
Among the day one items of note are these 12 relic belt and shoulder plates.
These items belonging to Ansel Ward, who served in both the 3rd Massachusetts infantry and the 4th Massachusetts cavalry. They were purchased together from a relative of Ansel Ward. They are among the offerings on day two.
Weapons such as this Savage model 1861 .36 cal. Naval percussion pistol will be sold on day two.
The Starr Carbine .56 cal. ammo box will be sold on day two.
The “housewife” roll-up has a tag reading “needlebook carried during the war of 1862 & 63 Capt. Charles W. Roberts.” It is included in day one. Read the story for more on Roberts.
On day two will be this C. Sharps model 1863 .52 cal. saddle ring carbine.
Child’s Play
Continued from page 6
duties, other projects included illustrating more than 60 books, among them new editions of “Mother Goose” and “A Child’s Garden of Verses.” As a freelance artist, she also designed everything from children’s toy chests, wallpaper, and room dividers, to rag dolls, holiday decorations, playing cards, greeting cards, and coloring books. A notable assignment was for famed toymaker Ohio Art. There, Bisel Peat was the artistic force behind those Ohio Art tin toy favorites found in every reputable sandbox: pails, shovels, buckets, and watering cans. Originally just 15 cents, vintage copies of “Children’s Play Mate” remain a bargain at $10 or less. Framed, the magazine’s colorful covers are exuberant depictions of childhood
“Dressed in funny, shabby clothes, she dances on her funny toes.” By Angela Tuite, a “find the hidden figures” game from “Play Mate,” September 1946.
Morphy
Continued from page 4
making it an incomparable duo for any serious collector. Against an estimate of $10,000-$15,000, it leaped to a winning bid of $19,680.
Made by one of the most collected of miscellaneous makers, A.F. Bingenheimer, Milwaukee, Wis. established 1904-05, a gold-painted Bing’s Nemahbin Minnow was graded VG Plus to Excellent Minus. It retained ,its incredibly rare pictorial box adorned with an image of the bait, its name, and the description “A NEW BAIT.” One of the box ends was correctly marked “GOLD WEEDLESS.” Cataloged with a $5,000-$15,000 estimate, it swam to even friendlier waters, settling at $18,000.
Also noteworthy, a desirable “Missouri Barberpole” made by Charmer Minnow Company and known as “The Charmer Minnow” certainly lived up to the claim imprinted on its included original orange box: “The Most Attractive Fish Lure Any Angler Ever Cast.” Additionally, the box label indicated a retail price of $1 and the words “THE CHARMER” and “Patent Applied For.” It rose to $7,200 against a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000.
Parts two and three of the Wayne and Lori Edens fishing lure collection will be auctioned at Morphy’s in 2025, with dates to be announced soon. Each of the sales will offer 600 to 700 lots and feature many special-order and one-of-a-kind lures, some in their original picture boxes.
For additional information, visit www.morphyauctions.com.
All images courtesy of Morphy Auctions.
ACP 14: Paper dolls played a big role in the success of Play Mate. These two, by Fern Bisel Peat, were featured in the January 1948 issue.
in America. (Even better: unlike their centerfold namesakes, Fern’s cover illustrations don’t have a staple in the middle).
Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann.
All photos by Donald-Brian
ACP 10: Ringing in the new! Bisel Peat’s cover art for the January 1947 issue of Children’s Play Mate
Johnson.
Donald-Brian Johnson is the co-author of numerous Schiffer books on design and collectibles, including “Postwar Pop,” a coll ection of his columns. Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com.
15: Now those are really big Valentines! February 1948 Play Mate.
One of the legendary original eight Heddon “factory board” frog lures hand-carved ca. 1898 by Heddon company founder James Heddon, definitively photo-matched to vintage photos of the frog lures in situ at the Heddon plant, discussed in the book ‘”Heddon Historical Footprints” and book example shown on Page 26 of Dudley Murphy’s “Blue Book,” sold for $30,750.
These Jan Cummings Fairform Bait Works set of diminutive handmade Savage Shrimp displaying four different baits, each one new in its individual box, along with larger dealer case to accommodate the quartet, sold for $14,145.
and
by its correct paper-label pictorial box, sold for $19,680.
JOHN FORCE MILK BOTTLE AUCTION #2
Auction Closes Sat., Feb 8 beginning at 7PM 105 State Rt. 31, Flemington, NJ
Don’t miss the 2nd opportunity to
HAAR’S AUCTION SCHEDULE
Located @ 185 Logan Rd (RT 15), Dillsburg, PA 17019
MONDAY – FEB. 3, 2025 – 6:30 P.M.
FURNITURE - COLLECTIBLES – TOOLS - ETC.
Restaurant & doors open @ 5:00 P.M.
FURNITURE: Sofa; sleep number bed; table w/chairs; stands; etc.; BOX ROOM: tools; box lots; STAGE AUCTION collectibles; primitives; Antique dishes; old catalogs; Stamp collection; crocks; baskets; paperweights; milk glass; buttons; Longabergers®; frogs; pictures (old); NOTE: Only a partial listing, STILL MUCH MORE TO UNPACK and set up! Check www.haars.com for pictures and updates. Office 717-432-8246 or Doug & Vickie Hardy auctioneers 717-432-3779. Estate of Lynn & Joan Potts Dillsburg plus others.
Sunday, February 2nd, at 2 pm A Super One Person Collection. Online auction only.
Wednesday, February 12th, at 6 PM
Rare Baseball, Football, Basketball & Hockey Cards. Garbage Pail Wax Boxes including rare Series 1 Thru 14, 1991 Topps Desert Shield BB cards plus lots more! See website for preview dates & times.
Saturday, February 22nd, at 11 am
Lots of Silver Dollars, Gold Coins, bulk silver coins & more. Special Preview: Friday, February 21st from 1 pm to 6 pm
Saturday, March 8th, at 11 AM
Special Previews Friday, March 7th from 1-6 PM
Grandfather clocks, Gaudy Dutch, Adv. Spool cabinets, Frakturs, Stepback & corner cupboards, Brunswick Cambridge Piil Billiard Table, Primitives, oil paintings, etc.
NEXT AUCTION FEBRUARY 10, 2025
The Shakespeare No. 1611 Wooden Minnow with five hooks, red back and white belly, handpainted gills, and glass eyes, ca. 1907-09,
accompanied
ACP
Horst
Continued from page 5
in Lancaster County.” For museum hours, visit www. lancasterhistory.org. It is located at 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, Pa. The underbidder was private collector Mike Miller.
Ac c ording to Brent Horst, the company’s next catalog sale is being scheduled for the first weekend in A pril. It will likely take place Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5.
To learn more about this or future sales, call 717-738-3080.
A Governor’s order (John Penn) pertaining to the “Conestoga Indians” (after the murder, the year before) with a 1764 date sold for $8,140. The buyer was LancasterHistory and is being included in the museum’s current public exhibition, titled “Thieves and Vagabonds: A History of Law and Justice in Lancaster County.”
for in-house
for
VARIETY SALE
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2025
AT 9:00 A.M. VAN AT 2:00 PM IN MAIN AUCTION HALL
Preview Times - Friday, Jan. 31 from 2 P.M. thru 5 P.M. and Saturday, Feb. 1 from 7 A.M.
*The following is just a very general list of items to be sold. Photos representing the entire auction will be posted on our website www.horstauction.com on Friday, January 31.
Sale to be held at the Horst Auction Center, 50 Durlach Rd., EPHRATA,
Baseballs
& Lobby Cards - Windup Toys Ron J. & Ron S. Gilligan & David C. Zentner will conduct a Public Auction located at the Baileyville Grange Hall 210 Deibler Rd., Pennsylvania Furnace, PA. 16865. From State College, take Rt. 45 West to Pine Grove Mills & continue 5.5 miles & turn right onto Deibler Rd. to auction on left. For overnight accommodations the nearest motel is Nittany Budget Motel www.LionCountryLodging.com (814) 308-8212. To combat identity fraud; if you are not known by the auctioneer and want to pay with a check, we will hold your items at our office until your check has cleared. If you would like to avoid this hassle, you are welcome to pay cash & take your items with you the same day. Please take note of this and we apologize for the inconvenience. State issued Photo IDs will be scanned into an Automated ID Data Capture Scanner and Electronically Screened for verification - Security will be on hand.
Batman No. 1 Spring Issue 10¢ comic book in frame, The Fantastic Four 10¢ Nos. 1 – 2 – 3 - & 4 comic books, Special Edition Comics No. 1 featuring Captain Marvel, Amazing Fantasies No. 15 Introducing Spider-Man, The Atom 12¢ Nos. 1 & 2 comic books, DC Action Comics Superman No. 25 10¢ comic book, All Star Comics 10¢ No. 5 comic book, Batman 10¢ No. 6 comic book, EC 10¢ Mad No. 1 comic book, Tales of Suspense 12¢ Nos. 39 & 40 Introducing Iron Man comic books, Journey Into Mystery 12¢ Nos. 83 & 84 Introducing The Mighty Thor, The X-Men 12¢ Nos. 1 & 2 comic books, The Incredible Hulk 12¢ Nos. 1 – 6 comic books, Action Comics No. 7 December 1938 10¢ comic book, Famous Funnies featuring Buck Rogers 10¢ #210 comic book, The Human Torch 10¢ comic book, Dell 10¢ The Lone Ranger Railroad Issue signed by Clayton Moore comic book, The Human Torch Fall Issue 10¢ No. 9 comic book, Real Life Comics 10¢ July No. 24 Task Force 58 comic book, Superman No 8 10¢ comic book, 25¢ X-Men No. 93 & No. 94 comic books, X-Men 12¢ comic books in exc. condition, X-Men 25¢ & 30¢ Nos. 95 – 108 comic books, Marvel 12¢ Daredevil No. 1 & No. 2 comic books, The Amazing Spider-Man 12¢ 1 Mar. & 2 May comic books, Captain America 12¢ No. 100 Big Premiere Issue comic book, Many Good EC Comics, Many Nice Pulp Magazines from the 30’s & 40’s,…..Marx “Joe Penner Wanna Buy A Duck?” wind-up toy, Marx “Harold Lloyd Funny Face” wind-up toy, Line Mar Electric Remote Control Battery Operated Robot w/ orig. box, “Mr. Wong Detective” Boris Karloff framed movie poster, “New Adventures of Batman and Robin” Chapter No. 1 Batman Takes Over framed movie poster (1949), “King Kong” framed movie poster, “Superman” Chapter 13 Hurled To Destruction framed movie poster (1948), Tarzan & the Huntress (1947), Zombies on Broadway (1945), Rawhide with Lou Gehrig (1938), Colorful Mexican Posters of Superman, Tarzan & others, Bela Lugosi as Dracula framed autograph, Boris Karloff as Frankenstein framed autograph, Lon Chaney Jr. as Wolfman framed autograph, A Piece of Draculas Cape with Provenance framed, framed Associated Press photo & autograph of Edgar Rice Burroughs (1927), (31) vintage lobby cards. Walt Kelly Original Unpublished Pogo art, Superman Kirk Alyn postcard, Kirk Alyn “Superman” autographed photo, Bramwell Fletcher autographed photo, Many limited edition ¼ scale Movie Monster characters with original boxes. BASEBALL MEMORABILIA: Babe Ruth Items, Topps 1954 Baseball Cards incl. Ted Williams, Topps 1954 Jackie Robinson, Topps 1954 Billy Martin – Phil Rizzuto – Duke Snider – Willie Mayes – Ernie Banks – Henry “Hank Aaron” rookie card – Tom Lasorda – & Al Kaline, other cards including Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Ed Mathews, Warren Spahn, Stan Musial, Roberto Clemente, Peter Rose Rookie Card, 1963 Rookie Stars, Mickey Mantle signed baseball, Al Kaline signed baseball, Duke Snider signed baseball, Bill Mazeroski signed baseball, Ernie Banks signed baseball, Pete Rose signed baseball. Auctioneer’s Note: This was one man’s unbelievable Collection and this is a very brief ad see website or AuctionZip for a full lot listing and Photos, No absentee, or phone bids will be accepted - no buyers’ premiums for live bidders. Terms: Cash or Check only by conclusion of auction. Food & Restrooms Available day of auction - tents if needed.
“Horst Auction Center”
The Civil War era regimental flag (painted silk) sold for $11,000. Another comparable flag/banner (not pictured) sold for $9200.
Horst has no buyer’s premium
bidders. They charge 10 percent
online and absentee bids.
Gilligan
Continued from page 1
To learn more, call Ron Gilligan at 814-237-0189 or visit www.rgilliganauctions. com. should be several high quality movie posters and a variety of Golden Age comics. A few of the choice comics include a stash of #1 books safely stored in a drawer. Of note are a Batman #1, Fantastic Four #1, The Incredible Hulk #1, The Amazing Spider-Man #1, X-Men #1, MAD #1, Atom #1, Special Editions Comics #1, Here Comes Daredevil #1, plus many other comics. This will be a vast estate of vintage pop culture and entertainment items, along with sports collectibles.
Super Bowl LIX Tickets Auction
Safe Berks is a Reading, Pennsylvania based non-profit organization that serves all victims and/or survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault. All of their services are free of charge (with the exception of Bridge House), available in English and Spanish, and completely confidential. They are trauma informed and culturally competent. Their facilities are welcoming and open to all who need them.
To register to bid or just to track this auction, please visit Game7auctions.com. 100% of the winning bid price will benefit Safe Berks. January 27 thru February 2
Continued from page 2
Many of whom were likely among the more than 4,700 bidders who participated worldwide in the sold-out four-day event, which saw a curated 910 lots top $10.79 million. Among them was a copy of Superman’s 1938 debut graded CGC Apparent FN+ 6.5 Moderate/Extensive (A-4) that sold for $384,000, a heroic sum for a restored copy of “Action Comics No. 1.” Heritage
thousands, of autographs on this comic for legions of fans.”
Not far behind was another original work that served as one of the auction’s centerpieces: Jack Kirby and Mike Royer’s cover of 1978’s graphic novel
“The Silver Surfer” (or, as it’s come to be known, “The Silver Surfer: The Ultimate Cosmic Experience”). The Surfer ranks among King Kirby’s most potent and popular creations, and this graphic novel wasn’t just the first of its kind but ranks among Kirby’s finest works. It soared to a $312,000 finish.
A bidding war erupted over Kirby and Joe Sinnott’s splash page that kicked off 1969’s “Fantastic Four No. 83,” a tale that asked, “Shall Man Survive?” This stunning piece opened live bidding at $57,500 and sold for $117,000.
The copy of this restored “Action Comics #1” (DC, 1938) CGC Apparent FN+ 6.5 Moderate/Extensive (A-4) off-white to white pages realized $384,000.
The best copy of “Detective Comics No. 39” Heritage had ever offered graded, CGC Very Fine+ 8.5, sold for $33,600, another record for the issue that teased Clayface, who made his proper debut one issue later.
There was also no shortage
photos at www.deanarnerauctions.com DEAN R. ARNER, AUCTIONEER, LLC AY-002077L 570-386-3389 SAT., FEB. 8, 2025 AT 9:00 A.M. Andreas Station House, 42 Andreas Road, Andreas, PA 18211 Antiques, blue decorated crocks, script jugs, advertising signs/thermometers, porcelain license plates, eagle weathervane, duck decoys, country smalls, furniture and more!
Selling for $132,000 was this “Detective Comics #38” (DC, 1940) CGC VF 8.0 white pages. It’s a new auction record for this issue in this grade.
of suspense over the CGC Very Good 4.0 copy of 1944’s “Suspense Comics No. 3” offered in this auction. Copies of the book in any condition are extraordinarily difficult to come by and extraordinarily expensive when they do pop up. It realized $156,000 to become, by far, the most valuable copy of the historic title in that grade.
“Bidders were particularly excited about fresh-tomarket material, particularly new material from the Golden Age,” according to Heritage Auctions Vice President Barry Sandoval. “These comics are now more than 80 years old, and collectors often wonder if there are any discoveries yet to be made. For now, at least, that answer is a resounding yes.”
To learn more, visit www. HA.com.
From 1979, “The
Amazing Spider-Man No. 194” original cover art sold for $1,020,00, to become the most valuable Spider-Man cover ever sold at auction. It was Black Cat’s introduction.
