COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Old Toy Soldier Auctions Sets New House Record FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015 • VOL. 46, NO. 49
The 103-Lot Boutique Selection Brings $305,000
Folk Art And Painted Furniture Lead The Way At Cowan’s Exceptional quality made a difference during the Oct. 17 live salesroom auction of Fine and Decorative Art conducted by Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati, Ohio. Led by material from the collection of Dr. John and Shirley Chewning of Cincinnati, Ohio, competitive bidding drove the prices for many of the lots well above their estimates. Total sales reached $594,000 for the 577-lot auction. The Chewnings’ assembled an intriguing and exceptional array of folk art, pottery, miniatures, glass, furniture and more. A pair of 19th-century folk art pastel The high seller of the day and portraits (one shown) sold for $63,000. one of the biggest surprises of On the frame backboards was inscribed the auction was a pair of 19th- in pencil “Russell Hills Hudson and Ms. century folk art pastel portraits Russell Hills Hudson.” selling for 63,000. The estimate was $400-$600. Other selections of folk art and also furniture from the Chewning collection inspired competition amongst bidders and brought high prices throughout the sale. A five-drawer chest in original blue sponge paintdecoration sold for $19,200. It had been esti- A five-drawer chest in original blue sponge paintmated at $1,000-$1,500. An decoration sold for $19,200. Ohio portrait of Cynthia Hine by itinerant artist Jasper Miles (1782-1849) realized $19,200, and a Pennsylvania paint-decorated corner cupboard brought $6,300. Additional offerings from the Chewning collection included a John Bell Pennsylvania flower pot, which sold for $6,000; a Pennsylvania dutch cupboard with a high pie shelf selling for $3,480; and a William and Mary mule chest, which sold for $3,120. Selections of fine art and works on paper by well-known regional artists did well. A painting by Frank Duveneck (American, 1848-1919), titled “Portrait of Theodore Wendel,” This Andrew Clemens sand bottle sold for $18,000. Continued on page 2
AAN Current News
Sam Maloof Custom Rocking Chair Moves Bidder To $37,500 on page 11
Holiday Events In Historic Mullica Hill
The Britains Set #73, British Army Display, sold for $13,200. On Oct 17, Ray Haradin’s specialty company Old Toy Soldier Auctions (OTSA) pulled out the big guns with the James Cook collection, the headliner of its “Investment Rarities” sale. Featuring early Britains military sets of extreme rarity and superior condition, the 103-lot offering attracted enthusiasts from all over the world by phone, absentee and live via the Internet, finishing at $305,000 (all prices quoted include a 20 percent
buyer’s premium). The total was a new house record for OTSA. “This was our most successful auction ever, with a 100 percent sell-through rate and an average lot value of nearly $3,000,” said Haradin. “The sale total exceeded the overall high estimate and our own high expectations. This was the type of collection that comes along once in a blue moon, and toy soldier fans knew it.” Leading the charge was an
Christmas At The Emporium on page 7
Continued on page 2
Alderfer Auction To Offer French Hero’s Marriage Contract On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the Alderfer Auction Company will offer at auction a rare and historically significant document signed by Napoleon, Josephine and five French marshals as part of a “Legacy Auction - Rare and Important Autographs and Historical Documents” to be held in Hatfield, Pa. Documents signed by both Napoleon and his wife Josephine are rare, and a document having their autographs, as well as five important military leaders of Napoleonic France, is an even rarer occurrence, outside of an institutional collection. In early 19th century France, as it is today, getting married was a special event. In France at that time, church weddings were performed, but only civil marriages were legally binding.
on page 14
Holiday Painting Sale Taking Place At Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio on page 16
12th Annual Christmas Antique Show Slated In Oldwick, N.J. on page 19
These civil ceremonies produced a legally binding contact that detailed specifications for the bride and groom’s estates if death or divorce should occur, as well as financial particulars for Continued on page 4
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . starting on page 3 SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 4 AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . on page 10 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 8
FEATURED AUCTION: Rock Island Firearms Auction - December 4-6, 2015 in Rock Island, Illinois
AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . starting on page 8 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 19