Antiques & Auction News - December 23, 2022

Gehman Auctions To Hold New Year’s Day Toy Sale

Ephrata, Pa., Auction House Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

Online auction company Gehman Auctions, based in Ephrata, Pa., is holding a 2,000-lot twosession toy sale on Sunday, Jan. 1. Session one will consist of a large selection of quality vintage and modern toys, while session two will be vintage slot cars and Hot Wheels red line toys.

In their first year in business, Shane Gehman and team were able to successfully sell a significant single-owner collection of sports cards, toys, comic books, and coins over the span of more than 20 auctions. The final sale for the large consignment resulted in a gross total of over half a million dollars. Six sessions were dedicated to coins, with prices realized for the category bringing a total of over $150,000. This was a highlight for Gehman, who launched the company in January 2022.

Gehman and team possess a broad base of general product knowledge and extensive in-depth expertise in multiple core categories. With accurate, thorough and professional presentation of consignments, along with aggressive marketing, they have seen strong results. Hallmarks of the process include multiple high-resolution digital photos in a studio environment, thorough lotting and cataloging services, quick and safe in-house shipping, and an authentic love of the people and Continued on page 4

This large inverted sand picture in a bottle by Andrew Clemens of McGregor, Iowa, 1887, realized $277,575.

Bonhams Skinner’s live Americana Auction, which occurred Nov. 18, saw significant bidder interest, with particular excitement in the auction house’s offering of an inverted sand picture in a bottle by Andrew Clemens, McGregor, Iowa, 1887, realizing $277,575.

Few examples of inverted sand bottles by the well-known artist exist. Clemens (1857-94) lived with deafness from an early age. He made a career of painstakingly inserting and arranging naturally colored grains of sand into intricate images inside small glass drug and

chemist bottles. The sand was collected and presorted from an area in Pikes Peak State Park referred to as Pictured Rocks. The sandstone is naturally colored by iron and mineral staining. It is known he used homemade tools formed out of hickory sticks and wire with a process using no glue. Upon completion of the detailed work, Clemens sealed the bottle with a stopper and wax. The bottle sold includes an incredibly fine depiction of a ship at sea on one side with an inscription of “Merry Christmas” on the other and was

done fairly late in his career (1887), when the images became more and more elaborate.

Lot 158, “The Four Seasons Suite,” consisted of four paintings attributed to Fatqua, from Canton, China, ca. 1805-15 selling for $189,375. Believed to have been originally purchased in Boston at Child’s Gallery in the 1950s and featuring examples of nighttime and winter landscapes largely unheard of in Chinese landscape art of this period, this domestic celebration of the Qing Dynasty from the early

The late Darlene Rose Eyrich Moser was an antique dealer, collector, and businesswoman. She was born in 1942 on a farm in the Oley Valley. Growing up, she was an avid horseback rider and had a love for animals. She met and married Eugene L. Moser and moved to an adjacent farm after graduating from beauty school. In 1961, she opened a beauty shop in their home and started her first business. She pursued a business career for five years and had two daughters, Michele and Sharon. Over this time, she joined the Farm Women’s Club of America and did volunteer work, cooking for the refreshment stand at auctions. This was when she fell in love with antiques and auctions. Relishing in the thrill of the hunt and pursuit, she began buying things to decorate their home.

During this time, a friend had asked her to share a booth setting up at a flea market. There, she made her first $100 in the business. She had the bug and soon opened a booth at Renningers Antique Mall every Sunday. She began studying antiques and reading books in the

Pop Culture Rarities Drive Hake’s Auction To Strong

Hake’s, the York, Pa., auction house that lit the fire for America’s pop culture obsession 55 years ago, rang up yet another high-flying auction total on Nov. 15 and 16, achieving excellent prices across many specialty categories and closing the books at $2.4 million.

The force remained with “Star Wars” collectibles, which were led by an extremely rare encased “Star Wars” (1978) 3.75-inch Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure. It was only the third carded specimen of its type ever to pass through the doors at Hake’s. A SKU on the card’s footer identified it as an earlier production, and with an AFA grade of 75 Ex+/NM to excite collectors, it flew to greater heights, finally stopping at $79,178.

A “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1984) Princess Leia 3.75-inch sample figure inspired widespread competition. Dressed in a solid pink poncho, as opposed to the later camouflage poncho, the figure was affixed to an Imperial Stormtrooper/ Snowtrooper blister card because cards for the preproduction Leia figure had not yet been produced. With a notarized CIB Letter of Authenticity, AFA-graded 60 Y-EX, the prized sample figure reached $42,834 against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000$35,000.

Only days before celebrating his 94th birthday, Mickey Mouse stepped into the spotlight along with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on a New Zealand Mint 1-kilo Niue coin made of gleaming .999 fine gold. The Disney superstar is depicted on the coin just as he appeared in his debut animated role as Steamboat Willie. Presented in a wooden display box with a New Zealand Mint COA, the precious-metal collectible sold within estimate for $58,410.

Historical Americana, the category that launched Hake’s operation in 1967, is always in great demand, but it’s not often that one encounters a ca. 1864 “Don’t Tread On Me” Gadsden Flag anywhere in the marketplace. Recalling Benjamin Franklin’s 1754 political cartoon of a disjointed snake with the caption “Join Or Die,” the colorful glazedcotton Gadsden Flag in Hake’s sale was a book example (“Threads of History”) that came from a private collection, where it had resided for many years. It surpassed its $10,000-$20,000 estimate to settle at $28,556.

Hundreds of comic books were offered, many of them from the Golden and Silver Age of publication. A CGC 5.5 Fine example of Marvel’s Journey Into Mystery #83, published in August 1962, is well known to collectors because it features the origin and first appearance of Thor, God of

Thunder. It exceeded its high estimate to close at $20,767.

Original comic art joined the ranks of “fine art” years ago, and prices have been climbing steadily ever since. In the auction, Al Plastino’s original pen-and-ink splash page (Page 1) art for Action Comics #333 (DC Comics, February 1966) was a favorite, with its depiction of Superman punching through the midsection of villain Lex Luthor’s robot. The eye-filling artwork rose to the upper end of its estimate range, checking out at $17,501.

The complete trove of

hand-colored stat paper sheets for the 1987 hardcover book Marvel Masterworks #1, which reprints the 1963 Amazing Spider-Man Volume 1, #1 comic, sold for $14,437. That particular Silver Age issue is legendary because it features the second-ever appearance of Spider-Man by Steve Ditko. The unique cache of art auctioned by Hake’s came from the archives of Andy Yanchus, who was the colorist for the reprints of Volume 1, #1. The lot attracted 43 bids.

The 2015 New Zealand Mint 1-kilo Niue coin of .999 fine gold with image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on obverse and iconic scene of Mickey Mouse in “Steamboat Willie” on reverse retains a wooden display box and NZ Mint COA. It sold within estimate for $58,410.

This Nintendo NES (1989) Super Mario Bros. 2 game cartridge with white Nintendo seal, VGA 85+ NM+, sold near high estimate for $9,086. The Nintendo N64 (1998) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time game cartridge with vertical seam sold within estimate for $7,282.

Some Collecting Markets Should Not Be Speculator Friendly

also firmly believe that certain collecting categories, just due to their nature, should not be “speculator friendly.” This has been a topic of heavy debate in certain collecting circles, but I stand by my assessment and have been routinely criticized for it. A perfect case for my assessment is the market for rare coins.

By Shawn Surmick

Oscar Wilde once famously declared, “A fool is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Warren Buffett has gone on record repeating this same mantra every time the financial world is rocked by mass speculation, whether the subject in question is real estate, meme stocks, cryptocurrency, artwork, or even collectibles. I myself, have long cautioned that the current market of mass speculation in the antiques and collectibles trade is here to stay as long as starry-eyed speculators continue to buy into this market blindly out of emotion rather than logic.

The truth is that you can financially invest in antiques and collectibles just as you would financial assets, but the risks of investing in the antiques and collectible trade are far greater than that of a prudent and well diversified financial portfolio. This, however, doesn’t stop the average speculator from trying, not realizing that there are an unfathomable number of ultra-wealthy market manipulators, grading companies, and auction houses more educated in these markets than the average speculator. I have uttered these words of caution in numerous articles. I

For the uninitiated, the market for rare coins has become one of the most mature markets in the entire antiques and collectibles trade. During the late 1980s, the market was rocked by a massive speculator bubble ushered in by Wall Street and a handful of wealthy investors (actually they were market manipulators, but I am trying to be nice here) looking to pump up coins as an asset class that everyone on Main Street needed to own. The results were disastrous, and the rare coin market spent the next decade digging itself out of a proverbial death spiral. When the dust settled, however, the market was left in a better position than before. During this time, collectors, dealers, and even investors learned that the rare coin market was a sophisticated market in its own right, using its own unique grading system and also different dynamics than that of standard collecting categories. For instance, eye appeal and toning play a major role to the value of a coin, even if it is third-party graded. To compare and contrast these market dynamics with that of vintage toys, I know very few collectors of vintage “Star Wars” toys that would pay a premium for discolored action figures, even if they appear pretty and unique due to the damage occurred.

My simple point is that the rare coin market has always been complex, and that is one

of its greatest strengths. Successful coin collectors and investors have a unique ability to patiently assess and analyze the value of a coin on an individual basis. The only other markets that I can currently think of at present time that require this same level of detail are traditional antiques and fine art. It should also be noted that most traditional antiques and fine art, unlike coins, do not have the benefit of third-party grading and encapsulation.

Unfortunately, multi-billion dollar companies active in the collectibles trade do not see coins in the same light as the true collectors and purists. For many years now, several high-profile individuals in the coin collecting space have been pushing for an adoption of a new 10-point grading system. To be fair, there are some aspects of a 10-point grading scale that I fully agree with, but I suspect most individuals pushing for its adoption do not have true collectors in mind. The current grading scale in place for coins and paper money is the 1–70 Sheldon grading scale that was adopted by the American Numismatic Association in the 1970s, which became the standard for third party grading companies to use since their origins.

Sadly, some in the coin collecting trade feel that the adoption of a 10-point grading scale would bring fresh new collectors (read: speculators) into the market and ensure that the market is more aligned with other collecting categories that also use thirdparty certification, like comic books, trading cards, video games, and toys. The problem is that all of those markets are rooted in pop culture. Coins are rooted in history. I have long cautioned about the

effect on the trade of making more sophisticated markets speculator-friendly. It does not benefit the collecting markets in question, it simply brings more starry-eyed speculators into the fold who do not wish to study the history of these objects or how these markets work, but rather proudly declare the item is now an investment. We have seen this play out before. Do a price check on what certain factory-sealed vintage WATAgraded video games were selling for just two to three years ago, and look at what they are going for now. The results are astounding, as some of these games dropped well over 50 percent or more in value. That was due to a group of malicious market manipulators making these niche collectibles seem like can’t-lose investments. Even comic book collectors are not immune from this trend. The simple reason that most collectors continuously lament that they cannot afford vintage high grade key issue comic books is simply because multi-billion dollar companies learned how to encase these once disposable pieces of newsprint in plastic and call them investment worthy. Now we have a new generation of collectors who, if asked what is so special about their beloved copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 (first appearance of Spider-Man), only know how to answer by looking at what is written on the grading label of the tamper evident plastic enclosure encasing the book. Make no mistake, I am one of the most diehard advocates of thirdparty grading you will ever meet but acknowledge that a lot of these third-party grading companies benefit highly from the current investmentdriven mania that has taken hold of the collectibles trade.

My next article will discuss my opinions on NGC’s decision to release a new 10-point coin grading scale for 1982 and later modern era coins. Spoiler alert: I am not very impressed as of yet.

Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.

By James P. Milkovich

shopping space.

By

August of 1955, World War II had been over for ten years, and Americans of all ages were busy partaking in the offerings of postwar prosperity. Davy Crockett coonskin caps were a fashion rage, Ray Kroc’s first McDonald’s restaurant opened in suburban Chicago, 20-year old Elvis Presley signed with RCA to record “Heartbreak Hotel,” and the ultra-modern Southgate USA shopping center was christened on the corner of Warrensville Center and Libby Roads in Maple Heights, Ohio.

Southgate’s immediate success and popularity fueled consistent expansion. By 1961, the center boasted a remarkable full mile of stores and over 1,000,000 square feet of

Four years later, in 1965, Southgate USA became the nation’s largest shopping center, with more than onehalf of greater Cleveland’s booming population having visited its array of over 100 stores. That holiday season, a festive Christmas parade complete with local dignitaries, marching bands and Santa Claus weaved its way through the center to cap off a decade of unprecedented customer service.

In 1971, Southgate’s management introduced a small, red on white, lapel button with an image of Santa Claus that was designed to be tossed into the crowds that lined the streets for the annual Christmas parade and then distributed free of charge by member stores throughout the holiday season.

Fresh images of Santa were created in 1972 and 1973 as interest in the

unique holiday token began to gain momentum. A date

Series Of Auctions Featuring Schroeder Toy Collection Finishes On A High Note, Totaling $6.25 Million

Latest Sale Continued Schroeders’ Philanthropic Legacy

After the toy community had the excitement of bidding on treasures from the 60-year Aaron and Abby Schroeder collection in March and September 2021, only one question lingered: was there more? Indeed, there was. With a heady $5.7 million subtotal from last year’s events as its foundation, the third and final installment put the exclamation point on the series.

On Oct. 14, Bertoia’s presented “Abby’s Attic Finds,” a 500lot discovery selection that added another $550,000 to boost the grand total to $6.25 million.

Proceeds from 100 of the October sale’s lots were earmarked to benefit the Entertainment Community Fund (ECF), a cause close to Abby and the late Aaron Schroeder’s hearts. The toys had been donated by the Schroeders to the American Museum of Antique Toys

in the early 1980s; now they would generate a hefty contribution to a deserving nonprofit. In the spirit of charity, Bertoia’s also waived its commission

More than 150 mechanical and still banks, early clockwork and paper-lithographed toys, candy containers, European tin toys, horse-drawn pieces and other rarities were offered at the auction. The top lot of the day was a Kyser & Rex cast-iron Roller Skating mechanical bank in excellent condition. It easily swept past its $12,000$18,000 estimate to reach $24,000. Also popular, a 1950s Mark Haber secondcasting of a J & E Stevens Bull and Bear mechanical bank sold for an aboveestimate $7,800.

Highlights from the perennially popular early American tin category included a 21-inch-long Ives clockwork alligator (patented 1875), pristine with its original box, $14,400 against a $5,000-$7,500 estimate, and an Althof Bergmann Mechanical Circus Rider clockwork hoop toy with the original figure and hoop, $6,000 against an estimate of $2,500-$4,500. Another American toy that outperformed was a colorful George Brown clockwork locomotive with the unlikely name “CUBA” stenciled on its boiler. It rose to $4,800 (est. $1,500-$2,500).

Equine toys consistently found favor with bidders. A ca. 1900 “Ride Around the Carousel” toy, with tin plate horses and riders capable of rotating if connected to a steam engine or other power source, entered the winner’s circle at $6,600 (est. $400-$600). A Merriam eight-inch tin horse on wheels trotted out the door for $3,600 (est. $800-$1,200), with an elegant 19-inch Hull & Stafford horse-drawn carriage keeping right in step and also selling for $3,600.

Opening the auction and ultimately leading the

Gehman

Continued from page 1

products. That combination of quality personal customer service, professional presentation, and commitment to invest in marketing has helped establish the firm within a competitive industry and region.

Shane Gehman, owner, auctioneer, has been a lifelong collector. Born in the heart of the antiques capital of the world, he has 30-plus years of experience with antiques and collectibles and has been an auctioneer since 2009. “This is something that really runs through my veins,’’ remarked Gehman.

For information on the Jan. 1 sale, call 717-669-9668 or visit www.gehmanauctions.com.

The Electric Sailor arcade stimulator, made in Germany for the British market, 25 inches tall, sold for $8,400.

This Kyser & Rex (Philadelphia) Roller Skating cast-iron mechanical bank, excellent condition retaining bright original paint colors, sold for $24,000.

Continued on page 5

Bertoia

parade of European toys and novelties, a 25-inch-high Electric Sailor coin-operated arcade game presented in excellent condition with alloriginal paint. Made in Germany for the British market, the sailor’s jacket pocket was marked “1d,” meaning one English penny. His abilities included winking each eye and emitting a mild electrical buzzer shock, but his hidden talent turned out to

be his charm in the auction room. Against an estimate of $3,000-$5,000, the sailor said “Anchors aweigh” at $8,400.

Another very rare entry, a 7inch-long Jewel Motion Picture kaleidoscope-form candy container, sold near the top of its estimate range for $6,600.

All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of buyer’s premium.

To learn more, call Bertoia’s at 856-692-1881 or visit www.bertoia auctions.com.

19711 Newark 302-454-8007 AUNT MARGARET’S ANTIQUE MALL, 294 E. Main St. Mon- Sat. 10-5, Sun 12-5. 2 floors. Antiques, collectibles, vintage, primitives, much more! www.auntmargaretsantiquemall.com

19711 Newark302-733-7677

MAIN STREET ANTIQUES, 23 Possum Park Mall. Hrs.: Mon.-Sat. 10-8, Sun. 11:30-5:30. Over 45 Showcase/Room Dealers selling quality antiques & collectibles. mainstreetantiques.com

To place your classified ad Call 1-800-428-4211

5 & 10 ANTIQUE MARKET, 115 S.

07052 West Orange973-323-1711

VALLEY VINTAGE, 168 South Valley Rd. Open Mon-Sat. 11-6, Sun. 12-5. 2100 sq.ft., 25+ dealers. Antiques, vintage, collectibles, furniture, decor, kitchenware, jewelry, books, LPs, ephemera.

07901 Summit908-273-9373

A Merriam tin

wheels, 8

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

08005 Barnegat 609-698-3020

BAY AVENUE ANTIQUES, 349 S. Main.

Open Wed.- Sun., Noon - 6 PM. Book Seller, Pottery, Glass, Furniture, Holiday, Decoys, Antiques & UniquesPLUS Chalkpaint & Iron Orchid Design.

08016 Burlington609-747-8333

HISTORIC BURLINGTON ANTIQUES & ART EMPORIUM, 424 High Street. Open 6 Days: T, W, F, Sat., Sun: 11A-5P & Th.11A- 7P. www.antiquesnj.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.

08081 Sicklerville856-545-3187

CARNIVAL OF COLLECTABLES, 368 Cross Keys Rd. Open Wed.- Sat. 10am6pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. 12,000 sq.ft Antique & Arts Mall, over 100 dlrs. www.carnivalofcollectables.com

08525 Hopewell609-466-9833

TOMATO FACTORY ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTER, 2 Somerset St. We Have It All! Open Mon. thru Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-5. We have 38 Dealers. www.tomatofactoryantiques.com

08753 Toms River732-349-5764

MAIN STREET ANTIQUE CENTER 251 Main St. Open Mon.-Fri. 10am-3:30pm, Sat. 10am-4:30pm, Sun. 12-4:30pm.

16686 Tyrone 814-684-5088 I-99 ANTIQUES, conveniently located off the Tyrone Exit of Interstate 99, 1222 Pennsylvania Ave. Quality antiques & collectibles. 40 Dlrs. Open Th., Fri., & Sat., 10:30am - 4:30pm, Dlrs. welcome.

16801 State College 814-238-2980

APPLE HILL ANTIQUES, Rt. 26N to 169 Gerald Street. Distinctive antiques in a gallery setting. Over 60 dealers. Open daily 10 to 6. Wide variety.

17062 Millerstown717-589-7810

STITCH IN TIME ANTIQUE & GIFT MALL, 43 N. Market St. Antiques, Collectibles, Furniture, Quality Handmade Crafts & Gifts. Open 7 days 10-5, Fri. til 8. Millerstown exit off RT322.

17350 NewOxford717-624-3800

ZELMA’S EMPORIUM (Formerly Golden Lane) 11 N. Water Street. Antiques, Americana, Art, Asian, Primitives, etc. Closed Mon., Tues.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5 or by appt. ZelmasAntiques.com

17361 Shrewsbury717-235-6637

SHREWSBURY ANTIQUE CENTER 65 N. Highland Dr. “A True Antique Mall” over 10,000 sq.ft. with over 55 dealers. Open 7 days, 10-5. Ample parking. Close to other shops in historic village.

18229 Jim Thorpe610-850-5660

ANTIQUES ON BROADWAY, 52 Broadway. Primitives, militaria, art, glass, autographs, pottery, guns, artifacts, coins and vintage collectibles. Open Wednesday through Sunday 10-5.

18944 Perkasie215-257-3564

TREASURE TROVE, 6 S. 7th Street. Estate jewelry, furniture, linens, vintage clothing, glass, china, books, toys, kitchenware, advertising, postcards. Primitives to Deco. Dealers Welcome. Mon.-Sat. 10-5. In business 42 years.

Open Wednesday thru Saturday 10 -5, Sundays 11-4

19543 Morgantown610-913-1953

MORGANTOWN MARKET, 2940 Main St.. Hours 10-5 daily. Berks Co. Largest Antique Boutique. Antiques,Collectibles, Vintage Home & Garden Decor.

An Ives clockwork alligator, patented 1875, 21 inches long, pristine with rare original box, realized $14,400.

A George Brown clockwork tin locomotive, 10 inches long, stenciled on boiler with the name “CUBA,” went for $4,800.

hose on

inches long, the largest of a series that included three sizes, sold for $3,600.

This Althof Bergmann Mechanical Circus Rider clockwork hoop toy, 1871 patent date stenciled on outside of hoop, sold for $6,000.

The Bull & Bear cast-iron mechanical bank, Mark Haber 1950s second casting of a bank originally manufactured by J & E Stevens, sold for $7,800.

The Large Hull & Stafford horse-drawn carriage, 19 inches long, realized $3,600.

A very rare Jewel Motion Picture kaleidoscope-form candy container, 7 inches long, sold for $6,600.

This ca. 1900 “Ride Around the Carousel” tin plate, with mounted horse-and-rider toys that rotate if connected to steam or other power source, sold for $6,600.

Santa Button

was added to the button in 1974, and a mini collector craze ensued.

In 1979, Ted Knight, best known for his role as a quirky newscaster on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show,” served as the Christmas parade’s Master of Ceremonies. A full-page newspaper advertisement featured Knight stating, “All good things come from Southgate USA, including our famous Santa button!”

Throughout the years, the button’s design has remained brilliantly simple and consistent. The first recognizable deviation

came in 1990 as a silver background was added to mark the 25th anniversary of the Christmas parade. In 1991, the customary protocol of colors was reversed to create the white outline of Santa on a red background.

By 2000, the button increased slightly in size and included the Southgate USA logo for the first time. The 50th anniversary of the center was commemorated on the 2005 edition of the button.

In 2015, Southgate USA celebrated its 60th anniversary, and the beloved Santa Button continued as a treasured and enduring tradition evoking nostalgic images of six decades of life in greater Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1979, actor Ted Knight served as the Christmas parade’s Master of Ceremonies. This full-page newspaper advertisement

featured Knight stating, “All good things come from Southgate USA, including our famous Santa button!”

The 1991 Southgate USA Santa button.

The 1975 Southgate USA Santa button.

This was the first Southgate USA Santa button. Made is 1971, the button is the size of a dime and considered rare due to production.

Records For Mark Rothko, Stevan Dohanos, Tella Kitchen And Others

In Heritage’s American Art Auction

$6.895 Million Event Proves Increasing Popularity Of American Artists’ Work

The art market showed no signs of slowing during Heritage’s American Art Auction featuring choice works by such luminaries as Mark Rothko, Joseph Leyendecker and Thomas Moran. The Nov. 4 sale, which realized $6,895,750, was an explosion of bidding with a spectacular sellthrough rate and broke auction records for a number of beloved American artists who have shaped the art of the last century.

“With more than 1,150 bids on just 218 lots, the excitement in the auction room on Friday felt like an

American Art feeding frenzy, the likes of which I have not seen in my entire career,” says Aviva Lehmann, senior vice president of American art at Heritage. “Seeing this passion for American Art from both new and seasoned collectors thrills me beyond words.”

Rothko saw an auction record for an early figurative work from a seminal series: $1.45 million for “A Last Supper.” The painting was one of the very few private loans in a recent major Rothko retrospective at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, and it is a crucial

work in understanding Rothko’s trajectory from figurative to abstract painter. “Handling the sale of this important and formative museum-quality American masterwork was a careerhigh moment,” says Lehmann. “We knew we were in the presence of greatness when it came through the doors, and watching our clients marvel at this masterwork when it hung in our New York, Chicago, and Dallas galleries was extraordinary. We are thrilled to have found a new home for this American masterpiece.”

Artist and illustrator of the social realism school Stevan Dohanos saw an auction record for 1944’s “Penny Candy,” a Saturday Evening Post cover, at $375,000. “It is his bestknown Post cover, a veritable Holy Grail,” says Lehmann.

Folk and Outsider Art was highly coveted in Friday’s sale, with strong prices achieved for Thornton Dial and Purvis Young. Artist Tella Kitchen brought in a record for her 1975 oil-on-canvas “Christmas at the Golden Lamb” at $13,125. Sculptor and painter Artis Lane saw a new auction record for her mixed-media sculpture “Emerging New Man” at $20,000.

Illustration was particularly strong in this event. Along with Dohanos, Arnold Lobel saw an auction record for his watercolor and pencilon-paper “Frog and Toad,” ca. 1975-79, bringing $37,500.

In the recent past, American art could underperform at auction, but those days seem to be behind us. “It is no secret that I am committed, in heart and soul, to promoting every aspect of American Art and raising its profile in both the auction and scholarship world,” says Lehmann. “With each passing season at Heritage, we are setting more records and expanding the category. Our recent auction affirms our position as the go-to house for collectors and institutions seeking the

finest American Art. And we are only just beginning.”

Institutions participated in the bidding. A sophisticated work on paper by Mary Stevenson Cassatt, “Gathering Fruit,” ca. 1893, sold to The Chrysler Museum of Art in Virginia for $37,500. Other well-performing lots were Hughie Lee Smith’s “Boy with a Flute,” an oil-on-canvas that sold for $312,500, the second-highest price at

Continued on page 12

Mark Rothko’s (American, 1903-70) “A Last Supper” from 1941, his early figurative work from a seminal series, sold for $1.45 million.

Maynard Dixon (American, 1875-1946) is considered the master of the American West. His oil-on-canvas “Bright Morning, Utah,” 1944, sold for $175,000.

Let It Snow! Those Sensational Snowglobes

Smack Dab In The Middle: Design Trends Of The Mid-20th Century

By Donald-Brian Johnson

“Rosebud....”

And with that muttered word, the classic movie “Citizen Kane” opens. As publisher Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) breathes his last, a snowglobe falls from his hand and smashes on the floor.

Most globes, fortunately, lead a happier existence. Glass (and later, plastic) fluid-filled snowglobes (aka waterglobes, waterballs, snowdomes, snowscenes, snow shakers, or blizzardweights), with their picturesque interior scenes and all those swirling flakes, have been delighting us for over 140 years.

The first documented appearance of a snowglobe was at the Paris Universal Expo of 1878. According to the Expo report, the globe depicted a man with an umbrella attempting to protect himself against a snowy onslaught. It wasn’t until 1900, however, that the first globe patent was issued, to Erwin Perzy of Vienna.

A developer of surgical equipment, Perzy’s original goal was to come up with better reflective material for his Schusterkugel, a flask filled with water used to focus light during surgery. A snow-like effect occurred when the flask, filled with fluid and the new reflective particles, was shaken. Inspired, Perzy set up shop

as a still-in-operation-today snowglobe m anufacturer. That “Citizen Kane” globe was a Perzy.

America had to make do with imports until 1927, when Joseph Garaja of Pittsburgh was granted a domestic patent for his innovation: snowglobes assembled underwater, to assure that they were completely filled, with a tight seal.

The recipe for what exactly went into a snowglobe remained a closely guarded secret. The object: to keep the snow whirling about as long as possible before sinking to the bottom. While original globes were water-filled, an eventual blend of water and glycerin or glycol helped the flakes make a lazy descent. Even better, the antifreeze-like mix kept the fluid from turning into a soonto-shatter iceball.

Modern snowglobe snowflakes

are mostly white plastic, but over the years a variety of substances have been tried: bone chips, porcelain bits, sand, sawdust, ground rice, and even soap flakes. Some were well-suited to a snowglobe’s theme: tiny blue foil bats for a Halloween globe and gold glitter for one starring Liberace.

While frosty figural themes, from jolly Santas to top-hatted snowmen, are a snowglobe staple, much more has been captured within them. Snowglobes celebrating scenic attractions and vacation destinations have remained tourist favorites since the 1940s, whether of Niagara Falls or Bermuda. There are globes geared to such pop culture favorites as Batman, Mickey Mouse, and Davy Crockett. Looking for a snowglobe for your favorite golfer? One for Valentine’s Day? A snowy salute to the Last Supper? You’ll find them all, somewhere amongst the 32,000plus globes listed daily on eBay. You’ll even run across the occasional gotta-havethis oddity: a snowglobe

CALENDARS

AUCTIONS

DELAWARE

01/02/23, LINCOLN, MON. AT 9AM, Victorian GWTWlamp, adv., Diamond State beer light, DE milk bottles, framed art, oil lamps, NCR brass hobnail oil lamp w/match. shade, Noritake, Longaberger baskets & pottery, glass nesting & Easter eggs, shotguns, estate jewelry, qty. furnishings/ accent pcs. incl. antq. & contemp. for ev. rm. in home, gilt & dec. wall mirrors, & much more!, Wilson's Auction Sales red bldg., Rte. 113, Wilson's Auction Sales, Inc.

01/02-09/23, EAST GREENVILLE, CLOSES MON. AT10PM, Late Neil Moore 450+ collec. of Saratoga & Saratoga-type bottles., Absentee Auction: www.glassworksauctions.com, Glass Works Auctions

01/14/23, UNION, SAT., The Beatles & Audio Equipment Auction, from collec. of Don Schlosser., Online Only: DonleyAuctions.com, Donley Auctions

01/28/23, UNION, SAT., Old West & Native American Auction., Online Only: DonleyAuctions.com, Donley Auctions

01/01/23, WILLINGBORO, SUN. AT1PM, 21st Cen. Antiques Annual New Year's Day High-Qty. Auction. US WWII & militaria, folk art & prim., mid-cen. mod. furn./dec.: 5 tulip chairs, jade & glass bonsai trees, Atomic age Strato 'Shoot the Moon' mech. bank. Edison tabletop cylinder player w/brass horn, Swiss music box, adv., glass/ pottery, jewelry: 100's pcs., holiday incl. rare items!, Foster Military Lodge, 351 Charleston Rd., Chris Doerner, Auctioneer

12/27-28/22, DUNDEE, TUES. & WED. AT10AM, 2-Day year-end auction incl. 1000's of country store, antqs., advertising, furniture, primitives & stoneware. Pie safes, painted furn., cabinets, butter churns, coffee grinders, Stickley pcs., dec. stoneware, pantry boxes, spool cabinets, sugar buckets, music boxes, toys, quilts, samplers, military items, Mobil Oil lollipop, Pennzoil, etc., Live & Online: 17020 Dover Rd.; AuctionZip; BidSpirit; LiveAuctioneers.com, Atlee Raber Auctions

ILLINOIS NEW JERSEY OHIO PENNSYLVANIA

01/01/23, SHOEMAKERSVILLE, SUN. AT9AM, New Year's Day Auction! Life-sz. Blues Brothers & Charlie Chaplin statues, carved Indian statue, arrowheads, 1 & 5 cent slot machines, primitives, cast iron, scales, lighting, victrola, phonograph, glassware, Roseville, Hummels, racing coats, H.D. collec., adv., toys, furn. & more!, Shoemakersville Fire Co. Banquet Hall, 300 Church St., Wagner Auction Service

01/05/23, KINZERS, THURS. AT 10AM, Furniture, antiques, rare/ notable artwork,19th-20th cen. Asian wares, fine cameras, navigational compasses, leatherbound books, antq./vtg. dolls, stereoscopes & views, mech. music machines & much more!, Live & Online: 5336 Mine Rd.; embassyauctionsinternational.com; liveauctioneers & invaluable.com, Embassy Auctions International

12/14/22-01/03/23, FOGELSVILLE, BEGINS CLOSING TUES. AT6:30PM, Breweriana, Tobacciana, Coke Adv. Vending mach.- 5 Coca-Cola & 1 Pepsi, 100 clocks, 40 thermometers, 100 Steins, 60 trays, DZS tap knobs, lights/ signs, decanters incl. 100 J.Beam, Michter's, 50 train & 50 car, limo., Ezra Brooks, wild turkey & figural., Online Only: www.zettauction.com, Zettlemoyer Auction Co.

12/15/22-01/01/23, EPHRATA, SUN.: SESS.1 BEGINS CLOSING ATNOON; SESS.2 BEGINS CLOSING AT5PM, Vtg./ Mod. Toys in 2 Sessions. Playmobil, Fisher Price, Polly Pocket, Star Wars + other action figs., Breyer horses, collec. statues, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Hubley, Tonka, Marx jeep & trailer, Model Motoring, wind-up toys, vtg. battery-op. robots, antq. Mickey Mouse book & pillow case unused, antq. wdn. Buddy L, Fireball Island game, & more! , Online Only: www.GehmanAuctions.hibid.com, Gehman Auctions

12/25/22-01/03/23, DALLAS, SUN. AT1PM - TUES., 1st Annual New Year Online Auction. Antq. stained glass panels, antq. red settee, early oak Hoosier cabinet, oriental rugs, early corner cupboard, lg. butcher block, Beacon Hill dining rm. pcs., 1950's phone booth, clocks, jewelry incl. 10k, 14k, sterling, etc., qty. glassware, artwork, books, quilts, & more., Online Only: www.backmountainauctions.com, Back Mountain Auctions

12/27/22, GLEN ROCK, TUES. 9AM, 100 pcs. cast iron, 50+ signs, toys, J.Deere & I H tractors, tools incl. blacksmith items, swage block, leg vice, Enterprise #750 grinder, food ceramic kiln, food chopper, Wilton buffet vice, J. Deere Model A, Air Cool engines, uprights & kick starts, & much more!, 4067 Snyder Rd., Wehrly's Auction Svc.

12/27/22, MYERSTOWN, TUES. AT1PM, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts end-of-year blowout! Sev. lg. musical stage props, alum. stage, skid of speakers, Zamboni, Hamilton Watch Co. outdoor clocks, architec. street lamps, JukeBox mach., early 10 cent Coca-Cola cooler, rare Reese's peanut butter cup ride displays, early lighting, Victor-sty. bird cage, disp. cases, & much more!, Online Only: www.kleinfelters.hibid.com, Kleinfelter's Auction

12/29/22, HARRISBURG, THURS. AT10AM, Dolls Auction. Ball-jointed dolls. Blank, Face Up, Basic, & Full Kits, many in orig. boxes. Dollzone, Sweet Dolls, Blue Blood, Magic Time, Lasher Studios, Narin Creative, Only Kids, Dollmore, Doll Leaves & more!, Online Only: www.CordierAuction.com, Cordier Auctions & Appraisals

12/30/22, HARRISBURG, FRI. AT10AM, Antq. & mod. furn., art, collec., hh. Hickory Amer. Masterpc. dining set, bookcases, Country Store cabinets, floor lamps, Chinese rug, antq. & mod. prints/ ptgs., 15 J. J. Audubon prints of birds, mantle clocks, crocks, Zippo lighters, Hamilton Beach triple mixers, sheath & pocket knives, DeWalt tools, dinnerware & more!, Online Only: www.CordierAuction.com, Cordier Auctions & Appraisals

12/31/22, OXFORD, SAT. AT 9AM, Dairy Collectibles & Milk Bottle Auction. Clean bottles w/farm scenes, cows, war slogans. Coffee creamers, s.cream jars, butter churns, butter crocks & molds, bottle caps, Dunloggin hist. bks. & Life Mag., Holstein cow & bull, milk trucks, metal signs, Golden Walker items, ice cream molds, bottle filler & many unique items., 1900 Bon Ox Rd., Larry Swartz, Auctioneer

SHOW & FLEA MARKET CALENDAR

GEORGIA

01/12-15/23, ATLANTA, THURS.-SUN., Antique Market, 3650 Jonesboro Rd. SE, Atlanta Expo Center, North Bldg.

NEW JERSEY

02/11/23, TITUSVILLE, SAT. 9AM-3PM, Pinback Button Show: Buttons, Badges, Ephemera & Posters, 1396 River Rd. (Rte. 29), Union Fire Co.

12/21-24/22, COLUMBUS, HOLIDAYHOURS: W./TH. 8-8; FRI. 10-8; SAT. 8-3, Indoor/Outdoor Flea Market, Rt. 206 South, Delaware Valley, Columbus, NJ

OHIO

01/28-29/23, COLUMBUS, SAT.SUN., Antiques & Designer Items Market, 717 E. 17th Ave., Ohio Expo Center

PENNSYLVANIA

02/03-04/23, YORK, FRI. 10-6 & SAT. 10-5, York, PAAntiques Show & Sale, 334 Carlisle Ave., York Fairgrounds Conv. & Expo Ctr., Memorial Hall East

02/18-19/23, PITTSBURGH, SAT. 10-5 & SUN. 10-4, Pittsburgh Antiques Show, 164 Fort Couch Rd., Pittsburgh - Crown Plaza Hotel

12/10/22 TO 04/02/23, BERWYN, EVERYSAT. & SUN., 9AM-4PM THROUGH APR. (CLOSED 12/24-25; OPEN 12/31-1/1), Indoor/Outdoor Vtg. Flea, 270 W. Swedesford Rd., Berwyn Vintage Flea Market

VIRGINIA

01/07-08/23, CHANTILLY, SAT. 9-6 & SUN. 11-5, The DC BIG FLEAAntiques Market, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Dulles Expo Center

The magic of a snowglobe as seen on this cover illustration by Alex Ross for the December 1942 issue of “Good Housekeeping.”

They don’t mind the snow: Santa and his reindeer make a rooftop landing in this musical globe, which plays “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

Here is a musical snowglobe released to commemorate the 75th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the annual kickoff to Christmas.

For kids of every age, this globe celebrates the FAO Schwartz toy store in New York City.

This is a lavishly detailed musical snowglobe depicting the Nativity, to the strains of “O Holy Night.”

“Prometheus,” the iconic statue from New York’s Lincoln Center, is captured within a globe.

As its slogan goes, there’s more than meets the eye with “Transformers,” and many eyes were focused on a “Transformers” 1984 Series 1

Autobot Commander Optimus Prime, which changes from a tractor-trailer to a robot with headquarters, then back again. AFA-graded 80 NM and presented in its original window box, the coveted toy rolled to $9,735.

The sale featured more than 200 classic video games and consoles, with a timeline running from the groundbreaking Atari 2600 to the PlayStation 4. Among the top lots were two Nintendo classics: an NES (1989) Super Mario Bros. 2 game cartridge with a white Nintendo seal, VGA 85+ NM+, which sold near its high estimate for $9,086, and an N64 (1998) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time game cartridge with vertical seam, which finished at $7,282.

America’s long love affair with baseball will never end, and mementos documenting its early legends have been revered by multiple generations of collectors. A book example that was formerly held in the Paul Muchinsky

collection, a large (3.5-inch diameter) 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers National League Champions real-photo button, was an ultra-desirable entry in the sale. The team lineup depicted on the button includes such immortals as Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider and Pee Wee Reese. It sold above its high estimate for $5,735.

It might have been only a paper souvenir, but a ticket to the Beatles’ Aug. 29, 1966, concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco represented much more than just an evening of music and screaming fans.

Emblazoned with photo portraits of John, Paul, George and Ringo, the auction example was the finest and highestgraded of all known full tickets to an event that ended up being the Fab Four’s final concert before a paying audience.

Graded PSA Full 9 Mint, it sold within its estimate range for $11,779.

All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of buyer’s premium as stated in Hake’s Terms & Conditions (www.hakes.com).

To learn more, call 866-404-9800 (toll-free) or 717-434-1600 or email hakes@hakes.com.

All images courtesy of Hake’s Auctions.

The hand-colored stat paper sheets for the 1987 Marvel Masterworks #1 hardcover book that reprints the 1963 Amazing Spider-Man Volume 1, #1 comic, which features the second-ever appearance of Spider-Man by Steve Ditko, came from the archives of colorist Andy Yanchus and went for $14,437.

Al Plastino’s original penand-ink splash page (Page 1) art for Action Comics #333 (DC Comics, February 1966) depicting Superman punching through the midsection of villain Lex Luthor’s robot as a police officer in the background rushes toward the scene brought $17,501.

Here is a Beatles Aug. 29, 1966, Candlestick Park (San Francisco) concert ticket with photo portraits of all four band members. It is the finest known and highest-graded example of a full ticket from what was their historic final concert before a paying audience, PSA Full 9 Mint, and sold for $11,779.

A rarely seen ca. 1864 “Don’t Tread On Me”

War-era Confederate Gadsden

evoking

Franklin’s 1754 political cartoon of disjointed snake with caption “Join Or Die,” glazed cotton, 18-by-25 inches, depicted in book “Threads of History,” sold for $28,566.

Hess

Continued from page 1

evenings. She had a passion for learning and for history.

In 1970, she and her husband opened the Oley Turnpike Dairy, where she began to successfully manage and run two businesses. A year later, she helped her mother, Lena Eyrich, establish a business as well. This began the lifelong passion for attending auctions and estate sales near and far. Eventually, she had 40 showcases and booths at locations on antique row in Adamstown, Pa.

Everyone that knew her knew of her competitive spirit

and zest for the business. For over 50 years, she was the ultimate collector and loved the material, from flow blue, gaudy, and decorated ironstone, Victorian art glass, and art pottery to decorated stoneware, spatterware, agateware, country furniture, and more.

The estate auction will be live at Conetoga Auction Company on Saturday, Jan. 14, begining at 9 a.m. It will also be offered on Live Auctioneers and HiBid for live bidding. Conestoga Auction Co. is located at 768 Graystone Road, Manheim, Pa.

For additional information, call 717-664-5238 or visit www.hessauctiongroup.com.

A large 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers National league Champions real-photo button with team lineup that includes Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider and Pee Wee Reese, 3.5 inches diameter, a book example, sold above high estimate for $5,735.

This Journey Into Mystery #83, August 1962, features the origin and first appearance of Marvel’s God of Thunder, The Mighty Thor, CGC 5.5 Fine, and sold just above high estimate for $20,767.

An encased “Star Wars” (1978) 3.75-inch Ben (Obi-Wan)

Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoting earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM, very rare and only the third carded specimen of its type to be offered by Hake’s, sold for $79,178.

This “Transformers” 1984 Series 1 Autobot Commander Optimus Prime, which converts from tractor-trailer to robot with headquarters, then back again, AFA-graded 80 NM, is among the most desirable of Series 1 “Transformers” toys. It sold for $9,735.

This “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1984) Princess Leia 3.75inch sample figure in solid pink poncho (as opposed to later camouflage poncho), affixed to Imperial Stormtrooper/ Snowtrooper blister card because cards for Leia figure had not yet been completed, advertising “Free Nien Nunb” offer, AFA 60 Y-EX, notarized CIB LOA, sold for $42,834.

Civil

Flag

Benjamin

Bonhams

rare

zinc horse and hoop weathervane that sold for $20,400.

For more information, visit www.bonhams.com.

P.M.

See pics and complete catalog at www.LarrySwartzauctioneer.com

Sale order: milk bottles/collectibles.

Auction will be a live & webcast. Prebidding will open December 22 at www.LarrySwartzauctioneer.hibid.com

As

suit for the event. Joseph Christian Leyendecker’s Saturday Evening Post cover “Town Crier” (1925) sold for $423,000, and his 1906 Collier’s Weekly magazine cover, “The Discus Thrower, The American Victory at Athens,” sold for $200,000.

Norman Rockwell’s “Maxwell House Coffee” illustration featuring a terrier interrupting a chess game sold for $312,500.

Hudson River School artist Thomas Moran’s work did exceptionally well in this auction. Two intimate oil-on-canvas pictures that shimmer with the atmospheric buzz of a quiet morning in the Italian port at Venice, both from 1906, brought in $125,000 and $109,000. One of these was from a larger group of Hudson River School

paintings in this auction from the Santander Bank collection.

A 1944 oil-on-canvas titled “Bright Morning, Utah,” by Maynard Dixon, master of the American West, brought $175,000. Dixon’s “Abandoned Ranch” from 1935 sold for $87,500. And Edward Willis Redfield, an American Impressionist landscape

painter and member of the art colony at New Hope, sold for $137,500 for his oil-on-canvas, “The Brook at Carversville,” ca. 1925. A stirring painting by Texas artist G. Harvey, titled “The Mountain Man” (1976), tells the romantic story of the cowboy’s life surviving and thriving within the everchanging landscape, and sold for $87,500.

“Our unmatched level of bidding, our constant record-shattering, and our stellar sell-through rate affirm Heritage Auction’s standing as a permanent leader in the American Art field,” says Lehmann. “I am already excited to see where we go from here.”

For complete results, visit www.HA.com/8099.

Island w/ IDs. Multiple sets Marine and GI dog-tags, belt buckles, lighters, pocket knives. Unused protective GI goggles original packs, Camp Dix- NJ ID badges & tags. Marine & GI shoulder & cuff patches, 2nd Service Command, 11th, 18th-Sky dragons, 19th Corps, the 20th, 22nd, US 28th Normandy Breakthrough. Signal Corps flags original case, Desert Pith helmet, spats, hats & kit bags, more. Photos of battleships & planes, weapons being prepped for deployment, etc. Industrial Photos WWII Fighters assembly, US German Occupation cigarette case. Other Militaria: Small Vietnam Marine Corps flag. WWII Filipino Barong Sword with scabbard, Niagara Falls Souvenir coin-purse officer’s hat, Civil War Naval Bayonet, 1913 Bayonet, US Cavalry items, etc. Folk Art & Primitives- Wood Sunstrand cash drawer, Early Cranberry Scoop, Porcelain Black Americana Boy, rare Black boxers hand-toy, other folk art black Americana. CI Doorstops Hubley Airedale, Cape Cod cottage, Victorian Lady. Virginia Metal Crafters Brass Horse. Bookends- rare Bradley & Hubbard Colonial Door, Pointer Dog, Casting Fisherman. Anri wood figures -occupations & animated bottle toppers, wood bung mallet. Trenton Pottery two-toned Jug, Mexican 3 footed pot, Blue glaze butter crock with ferns, Fort Edward 2-gal crock, Tin spice box. Cast iron hotel room safe, Victorian Shell Art Diorama, glass & brass Beehive inkwell, Daguerreotypes & tintypes. Early block planes, WWII 4” wood battle ship, 3’ long metal cargo ship, Diorama metal elks & stags fighting & looking at predators in antique shadow box++. Mid Century Modern- 5 Burke tulip chairs, jade & glass bonsai trees, wooden tambour style clutch, Atomic Saturn Punch bowl, comic carved coconut, Moroccan Camel Saddle, Atomic age Strato “Shoot the Moon” mechanical bank++. Eclectic Items- Edison Tabletop Cylinder Player w brass Horn, Swiss Music Box w/inlaid top, CT Mulligan Magic Lantern Projector w Slides, 8+ Micro Beaded Bags w/ peacocks, Birds of Paradise, Flowers, Victorian Scene, more. Globe w/mother-of-pearl & semi-precious stones, Leather clutch-hand painted w/bone accents, German Disney Mica Snow White & 7 Dwarves candy containers-mint OB. 2 original Lava Lamps (1972-1990), 50s Book of knowledge Owl bank, SW Native American souvenir rug, 1919 Singer Midget Sewing Machine w/wood box, 1915 full size roulette wheel Beverly NJ Knights of Columbus, antique firehose nozzles, Original Flexy Racer Steerable sled, 30’s Harvard University

The work by Mary Stevenson Cassatt (American, 1844-1926), “Gathering Fruit,” ca. 1893, sold for $37,500 to The Chrysler Museum of Art in Virginia.

Arnold Lobel’s (American, 1933-87) “Frog and Toad” watercolor and pencil-on-paper made for a possible poster illustration, ca. 1975-79, sold for $37,500, an auction record for the artist.

Artist and illustrator of the social realism school, Stevan Dohanos’ (American, 1907-94) “Penny Candy” was a cover for The Saturday Evening Post in 1944 and realized $375,000.

auction for the artist.

mentioned above, illustration was a strong

ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S DAY AUCTION

Location: Wilson’s Auction Sales, Inc., Route 113, LINCOLN, DELAWARE - In the “Gallery” (Red Building) 9:00 AM: Victorian GWTW lamp, oyster plates, Nippon vase, Delaware jar lamps, music boxes, black Americana,

glass,

dresser box, split oak baskets, dome top doll trunk, doll furniture, wooden shoes, oriental ginger jar,

warmer, cast iron door stop, oak bible chest, souvenir glass, Jack in the Pulpit vase, cast iron banks, Levy

butter molds, early three handled vase, James Morrow crock, redware funnel stamped “Didier-March

York”, metal funnel marked “Dover”, Wm Hare Crocks & jug-Wilmington. Advertising Signs: Ford TractorHoch Ford-Bridgeville, JW Shockley Purina-Snow Hill, MD, Gulf Oil, S&H Green Stamps, Penn’a Low Down Grain Drills, Marathon Oil, Golden Sun Feeds, Pepsi, Schaefer Beer, Pensupreme Ice Cream, WB Mitten-Dover, Bowers, Leipsic, Little Creek & Fenwick police dept, cardboard Coke, Maryland Insurance & others. Advertising Collectibles: Blue Hen Theatre posters-Rehoboth, CG Otwell wall clock-Laurel, Delaware Feed mirror-Dagsboro, Diamond State beer light, 1901 Mule Auction ad-Owens Station, JH Hubbard basket factory w/photo-Felton, STP rack, Bireley’s cooler, #33 & #72 Coke machines, & more. Delaware Milk Bottles: Bay View-Milford, CH Nutter-Milford, GE Sapp-Harrington, Fred C. Geyer-Milford, Spring Garden Dairy-Laurel, Higgins Dairy-Seaford, HW Sharp-Milford, Fry’s-Milford, GeyersMilford, Drapers-Milton, Byron Pepper-Georgetown, Silver Hill-Milford, Greens-Millsboro, Lynthwaite-Wilmington, John Hurd-Smyrna, Josephs-Harbeson, Diamond State-Dover, Freer-Dover & many others. Framed Art: A selection

framed prints-many signed & numbered. An assortment of lamps, crystal stemware, hd ptd baskets, vases,

& cruets, oil lamps, Hummel figurines, Roseville & other pottery, carnival glass, Delaware glass, Mary Gregory, piano babies, cut & pressed glass, Noritake, Longaberger® baskets & pottery, Panoramic Dupont photos-Seaford, album w/100 Delaware postcards, Businesses & Industries of Milford 1787-1987 paperback, lanterns, candleholders,

decorated crocks, early tools & kitchen utensils, Royal Bayreuth china, Tropical #12 oil stove,

biplane, GI Joe models, Griswold cookware, coke trays, cast iron lollipop scales, cast iron mailbox,

Millsboro baseball uniform-ca. 1920, NCR brass receipt box, saddle rack, early yard cart, and much

Stock: 1

We are still accepting tags & vehicles…check our web site for updated listings.

Estate Jewelry: 14k ruby & diamond ring, 14k 1/2 ctw 3 band diamond ring, 18k filigree orange garnet ring, 14k 1 ctw sapphire & 1/2 ctw diamond ring, 14k 1.10 ct emerald cut diamond ring, 14k antique emerald & diamond filigree ring, 14k 1ctw diamond cocktail ring, 14k 2 ctw past, present & future diamond ring, 14k garnet ring, 14k diamond enhancer ring, 14k 1/2 ct diamond solitaire ring, antique 14k .40ctw diamond engagement ring, 14k men’s 3 stone diamond band, 14k diamond & sapphire ring, sterling 1 ct emerald w/white sapphires, assorted sterling jewelry, and more not listed. Coins To Include: Gold coins, a selection of silver dollars to include 1878 CC Morgan dollar & an assortment of other old money.

3:00 P.M.: A selection of quality furnishings & accent pieces, antique and contemporary, for every room in the home. To include bedroom suites & accessory pieces, dining room furniture, walnut Chippendale desk, pine corner cupboard, walnut secretary desk, pine blanket chest, oak hanging corner cabinet, mahogany card table, hall seat, mahogany fall front desk, rnd oak table, cherry four poster bed, cherry trundle bed, mahogany canopy bed, child’s canopy bed, marble top tables, trunks, drop leaf tables, gilt & decorative wall mirrors, rockers, coffee & end tables, dovetailed blanked chest, floor lamps, luggage stand, and much more not listed.

PREVIEW: SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, FROM 11:00 A.M. TIL 4:00 P.M.

Snowglobes

promoting “Crown Termite Control” (featuring an interior crown, naturally), or one with a suspended faucet, labeled: “turn off excess secretion of gastric acid with Nacton.” And, your day will be brightened considerably if you encounter a globe with a mass-produced foul-up. For instance, the Eiffel Tower, mistakenly labeled “Souvenir of Puerto Rico.”

Today’s snowglobes take many forms. There are flatbottomed plastic ovals (reportedly inspired by the view out the back window of a Volkswagen “Beetle” and unfortunately prone to evaporation and cloudy liquid). There are “mechanicals” that light up, incorporate music boxes, or even swoosh the snow around at the touch of a button. There are figures built around snowglobes (Santa with a toy shop tummy globe). There are even those huge outdoor inflatables. Interior globe lights illuminate showers of polystyrene pellets cascading around nylon

figures.

Most vintage snowglobes remain extremely affordable: under $15 for plastic, and under $50 for glass (for imports and Disney globes, plan on adding more). So the next time you’re snowed in, check out some of those 32,000 listings. Like Charles Foster Kane, the dreamy allure of snowglobes may transport you back to your childhood. Just don’t drop one. Oh, and don’t drink the water.

Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann.

All photos by DonaldBrian Johnson.

payment. Call 215-348-2500.

Donald-Brian Johnson is the co-author of numerous Schiffer books on design and collectibles, including “Postwar Pop,”acollectionofhiscolumns. Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com.

MOVIE POSTERS

SHEET

any era. Sandy Marrone, 113 Oakwood Drive, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077, 856-829-6104 E-mail smusandy@aol.com

Don’t forget your raincoat: the Niagara Falls globe features the tour boat “Maid of the Mist.”

Those guys must be getting cold on the Mt. Rushmore snowglobe.

Who’s watching who? Here is a cat and mouse snowglobe.

There’s a twister coming, as seen on the “Wizard of Oz” globe, by the San Francisco Music Box Company.

Does he really work that hard? He’d like you to think so! The “Workaholic” snowglobe is initialed by the author, “DBJ.”

Gehman Auctions

564 N. Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17552

Shane Gehman, 717-669-9668 • AU#006279

Dillion Lehman, 717-466-9256 • AU#006109

Chris Clouser, 717-201-3797

Vintage & Modern Toys

Vintage and Modern Toys Including: Playmobil & Fisher Price, Polly Pocket, Star Wars Action Figures, Breyer Horses, Large Assortment of NECA and Other Action Figures NIP, TMNT and Marvel Action Figures NIP, Hess Trucks, GI Joe, Diecast, Model Kits, Collectible Statues, Barbie NIB, Vintage Board Games, Ephemera, Sports Cards, Slot Cars, Redline Hot Wheels, Hubley and Tonka, Snoopy Collectibles, Hallmark Ornaments, Danbury Mint, Shuco, MOTU He-Man, Circus Posters, Buddy L, Marx Jeep & Trailer, Wind Up Toys, Childs Singer Sewing Machine, Antique Mickey Mouse Pillow Case Unused, TMNT Video Game Poster, Large Assortment of Collector Dolls, Vintage Marx Playsets, German Penny Toys, Vinyl Kaiju Figures, Vintage Battery Operated Robots, Antique Steam Toys, Smith Miller Mobiloil Tanker, Antique Wooden Buddy L, Fireball Island Game, Motorcycle Trophies, Vintage Battery Operated Toys in Box, Steiff Animals, Tin Friction Vehicles, Cast-iron Hubley Doorstops, Antique Mickey Mouse Book.

Vintage Slot Cars and Hot Wheels Redline including over 1200pcs: 1/32nd Scale Scalextric Slot Cars, Tyco, Faller, Aurora TJET, Aurora AFX, Aurora Super II, 1/24th Scale Chassis NIP, Vintage 21 Car AFX Store Display, Custom HO Slot Cars, Riggen Slot Cars, Model Motoring, Hot Wheels Redline including 400+ lots: Custom Camaro, Custom Mustang, Deora, Lola, Vicky, Cougar, Power Pad, Porsche, Lincoln Continental, Sugar Caddy, AMX, McClaren, Mod Quad, Jet Threat, Ford J, Sand Crab, El Dorado, Beach Bomb, Grasshopper, Hot Heap, Neet Streeter, Twinmill, Silhouette, Carabo, Custom Volkswagen, Custom T-Bird, Funny Money, Custom Barracuda, Heavyweights, Python, Dodge Charger, Seasider, Fleetside, Skyshow, Nitty Gritty Kitty, Classic ‘31 Ford Woody, Lotus Turbine, Torero, Open Fire, Brabham Repco F1, Splittin’ Image, Paddy Wagon, Shelby Turbine, Classic Nomad, ‘36 Ford Coupe, Indy Eagle, Mercedes 280SL, Custom Firebird, Noodle Head, Peeping Bomb, Mighty Maverick, Superfine Turbine, Mustang Stocker, Bye-focal, Show-Off, Rolls Royce, Beatnik Bandit, Chaparral, Ferrari, Heavy Chevy.