Sol LeWitt sculpture hits $118,000 at Nest Egg Auctions

“We are thrilled with the results. The Auction did really well,” said auctioneer Ryan Brechlin.

The 240-lot auction proved to be full of surprises as the afternoon progressed. A sterling silver octopus-form chatelaine made by Gorham Silversmiths in the late 19th century was holding the attention of many serious buyers during the preview.

“It is rare to see American silver like this come to market” said Brechlin.

Bidding started slowly at $1,100, and proceeded with an in-house buyer competing against an online bidder. The online bidder was victorious at $11,800. A chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Each chain is mounted with a useful household appendage such as scissors, thimble, vinaigrette, buttonhook, etc.

An archive of early Connecticut papers, photographs and ephemera from the Pratt family of Old Saybrook brought $5,664, well above the $1,000-$2,000 estimate.

A rare carved blackamoor head humidor with ivory teeth and shell eyes exceeded its estimate of $500-$1,000, closing at $3,540.

The featured item of the sale was a Sol LeWitt painted aluminum outdoor structure. The 38-inch, seven-pointed star rises into a flat-top pyramid. It was owned by Michael Hayes, a friend, neighbor and fabricator for Sol LeWitt for many years. Hayes sat in the audience with his wife as the modern sculpture came up at the mid-point of the sale.

“We had a very eager in-house bidder and a serious collector on the phones for this piece,” said Brechlin.

Bidding opened at the high estimate of $50,000 and proceeded briskly in $5,000 increments until it hit $90,000 when the bidding slowed. A few more bids brought the price up another $10,000. After a final call the gavel dropped at $100,000. The total price including buyer’s premium was $118,000.

“This is a single-item record price for us at Nest Egg,” said Brechlin.

The previous single item sales record was a painting by artist Alphonse Mucha that sold in April of last year for $59,000.

All prices are inclusive of buyers premium except where noted.

Complete auction results may be viewed on Nest Egg’s website: www.nesteggauctions.com.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

Sterling Associates auctions Chinese bronze for 25 times high estimate

“What we have discovered is that some bidders in the tri-state area like to come to an in-house preview to inspect the goods, which gives them an extra level of confidence about leaving absentee bids, bidding over the phone or via the Internet,” said Sterling Associates’ owner, Stephen D’Atri.

That’s exactly the method that culminated in the $151,450 (inclusive of 16.5% buyer’s premium) price paid online March 31st for a three-section Chinese bronze deity with multiple arms. Estimated at $4,000-$6,000, the bronze was destined to race far beyond expectations from the moment it opened for bidding.

“We were astounded when it opened at $17,000 online. At that point we knew we had something special,” said D’Atri. “All of the bidders on that particular piece appeared to be Asian. There were three people on the phone from China, and additional Chinese bidders were calling from Canada and Australia.” The winning bidder, a Chinese art buyer who resides in the United States, had previewed the bronze in person and bid live online during the sale. He then shipped the bronze back to China.

D’Atri subsequently learned that the bronze was of an earlier period than had been stated in the auction catalog, and that it is considered exceptional because it is “pure Chinese.” After purchasing the bronze, the winning bidder explained that the way in which the bronze figure’s arms and face are positioned indicates it was inspired and designed in a “pure Chinese” manner, with no other Asian influences coming into play. “To Chinese art collectors, this is very desirable, and they will pay a premium to acquire artworks of this type,” D’Atri said.

It has become apparent, Chinese fine art collectors have become very comfortable with remote bidding in US auctions and know what they’re buying, D’Atri said. As an example, D’Atri cited the Chinese bidder who paid $3,961 for a small, jade-covered rosewood or huanghuali box estimated at $200-$400. “He recognized the jade as having come from a scepter, which gave it greater importance,” D’Atri said.

As predicted, the top lot amongst the paintings was a beautiful oil on canvas by Vittorio Matteo Corcos (Italian, 1859-1933) titled Portrait of Anna Maria Borghese (née de Ferrari, 1874-1924). The framed 71 x 43¾-inch oil-on-canvas portrait depicting the young Italian noble in a pastel pink dress, her arm resting upon a terrace railing, sold for $52,425 against an estimate of $15,000-$25,000.

A large and colorful 1965 oil-on-canvas landscape by African-American contemporary artist Richard Mayhew stirred considerable bidding interest on the phones as well as via the Internet. In the end, the painting titled Time and Space sold to a phone bidder for $11,359 against an estimate of $2,000-$4,000.

D’Atri said he never expected one particular lot would lead to a call from Ethel Skakel Kennedy, widow of US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The auction item in question was a holographic letter written to Mrs. Kennedy by her future brother-in-law Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy in 1946, while both were still teenage students. The letter was addressed to “Miss Ethel Skakel, Manhattanville College.” Written in longhand on Cranwell Preparatory School stationery, the letter spoke of upcoming exams, having to do “manual labor” for getting caught “fooling around one night,” and also reminded Ethel that she “forgot to include six dollars and the stubs for the chances” in her last letter. The lot, which D’Atri described as a “chatty, youthful letter,” had been entered in the sale with a $400-$600 estimate.

Prior to auction day, D’Atri was informed by a staff member that he had received a call from a woman named Ethel Kennedy, and that she had left a Palm Beach, Florida, phone number. “You mean the Ethel Kennedy?” D’Atri asked the employee.

“I returned the call, and she said that I had a letter that belonged to her and she requested it to be returned,” D’Atri said. “We spoke at length, and I told her I would contact the consignor, which I did. The consignor and I agreed that it would only be appropriate to return the letter to the original recipient. I made a follow-up call to Mrs. Kennedy to get her address, and she was very pleased to know the letter would be sent back to her.”

Sterling Associates will conduct its next Art & Antiques Auction on Saturday June 9, 2012. For additional information, call Stephen D’Atri at 201-768-1140 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Visit Sterling Associates online at www.antiquenj.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog for Sterling Associates' March 31 auction, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Bertoia’s March 23-24 antique toy auction reaches $1.3M

VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia’s March 23-24 ‘Made to Be Played’ auction, a 1,400-lot offering highlighted by the Grover Van Dexter European tin toy collection, closed the books at an impressive $1.3 million (inclusive of 15% buyer’s premium). LiveAuctioneers.com provided the Internet live bidding.

An extensive variety of early toys crossed the auction block. A Hubley cast-iron Popeye Patrol depicting the popular cartoon sailor on a motorcycle had been estimated at $10,000-$12,000 and rode off as top lot after hammering $19,550.

“It was a well-attended event, and the phones and Internet were very busy,” said Bertoia Auctions associate Rich Bertoia. “We’ve noticed that with each successive sale there are more and more serious bidders using alternative bidding methods. We’re reached a point with the electronic crowd where they’re 100% trusting of the catalog descriptions. A bidder will call ahead of time and ask, ‘Is this toy really excellent?’ Then after the sale they’ll call me and say it was actually better than described.”

The aforementioned Popeye on Motorcycle had an association with Bertoia’s that went way back, Rich Bertoia said. “My brother Bill (co-founder of Bertoia Auctions) bought that toy years ago after visiting the Hubley showroom in New York. It was a big deal for a small company like Hubley (of Lancaster, Pa.) to make it to the big trade show, and the 1928 motorcycle was brought along for display only. Bill somehow ended up buying the toy, then resold it to collector Bob Brady. In turn, Bob sold it at auction a few years ago. The person who bought it at that particular auction, consigned it to our March 23-24 sale.”

Before the auction, Rich Bertoia was asked how he thought the toy would fare. “I said that cast iron has made a comeback, that there are a few more collectors in the mix now, and that you won’t find another one in that condition,” Bertoia said. “It ended up nearly doubling its low estimate at $19,550.”

Steam toys from the collection of the late Klaus Grutzka, who taught art at the prestigious Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., put in a strong performance. A fine Marklin rolling steam engine with foldable stack, double flywheel and other nice details topped the steam-toy group at $8,050.

There was interest from both sides of the Atlantic in European tin toys from the personal collection of Grover Van Dexter, who owned a legendary Greenwich village toy shop called Second Childhood. Van Dexter’s shop – like his personal collection – was laden with rare Lehmanns and Martins.

Van Dexter’s Lehmann Coco, a weighted-string pull toy that depicts an African native climbing a palm tree to retrieve a coconut, not only retained its paper tree leaves but also its rare pictorial box. Estimated at $1,500-$1,800, it was bid to $8,625.

A French Fernand Martin wind-up toy depicting an English soldier was made of tin and outfitted in a cloth uniform with metal helmet and gun. An unquestionably rare toy, it soared to $6,325 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,200.

Collectors love oddities, Bertoia said, and that described the German-made tinplate Deep Sea Diver of unknown manufacture. Examples of this nicely detailed tin-litho character in a primitive diving suit and domed helmet seldom appear at auction. Against an estimate of $1,200-$1,500, it claimed a winning bid of $5,750.

Depicting a character from the early newspaper comic strip “Toonerville Folks,” a Powerful Katrinka wind-up toy by Nifty swept past its $900-$1,100 estimate to realize $2,588.

“This is the type of toy that keeps comic character buyers interested. There were fewer Powerful Katrinkas made than other comic character toys. When one of them comes out of the woodwork, it gives the market a bump,” Bertoia said. “The Toonerville toys had more of a regional than national distribution. The comic strip had a rural theme, so the toys were only sent to certain pockets of the country. As a result, the toys are rare.”

A selection of antique still and mechanical banks – many in superior condition – was led by a hand-painted spelter bank depicting Santa Claus with a staff in one hand and a bag slung over his shoulder. Prices for spelter banks have continued to escalate, as the Santa bank proved when it sold for $8,625 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,500.

Perhaps the most unusual entry in the auction was a cast-iron figural hand, painted red and weighing more than 100 lbs. The 32-inch-tall trade sign was originally a display piece in a York, Pa., glove factory. Bertoia said he had seen only one other like it, in an Architectural Digest spread of several years ago. Bertoia’s sold the example in their sale for $6,325 – more than six times its high estimate.

Bertoia’s is known for its record prices on figural cast-iron doorstops, a collecting category in which Bertoia’s owner, Jeanne Bertoia, is an acknowledged expert.

“In this sale we included the complete range of Hubley Art Deco doorstops designed by Anne Fish, a popular English cartoonist and illustrator in the 1920s,” said Jeanne Bertoia. “Each was in beautiful condition. The Parlour Maid, which depicts a French maid serving cocktails, was in even better condition than the book example.” Estimated at $1,800-$2,500, the Parlour Maid achieved a top bid of $5,463.

Bertoia’s will present its annual Fall Sale on Sept. 21-22. On Nov. 10, the company will auction part II of the Dick Claus collection of nautical toys and boats. To contact Bertoia Auctions, call 856-692-1881 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Visit Bertoia’s online at www.bertoiaauctions.com.

View Bertoia's fully illustrated March 23-24 auction catalog, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com

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Intense bidding pushes art to record highs for Hindman

CHICAGO – With a filled auction room of private collectors, dealers and very active telephone and online bidders Leslie Hindman Auctioneers spring auction of Contemporary, Modern, American and European Art on May 2 was a resounding success.

The European and Old Master paintings session realized a total of $2.87 million. Much of the auction’s success can be attributed to the collection from the Lucie Sable Sandler Trust, which included two paintings by William Adolphe Bouguereau that brought a combined $1.2 million with premium. Each of the Bouguereau paintings went to successful international bidders from the United Kingdom. Also from the Sandler Trust, Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky’s Woman in a White Hat, sold to an East Coast buyer for $292,000.

In addition to realizing strong prices, the sale set auction records. Salvatore Marchesi’s Altar Boys achieved the highest price at auction for the artist. The painting sold for $36,600 against an estimate of $15,000-$25,000. A record was set for the third highest price for an Antoine Blanchard painting, when a street scene realized $31,720. Additionally, 16 international bidders from eight countries competed for works by Hermann David Salomon Corrodi, one of which brought $219,600, a price among the artist’s top 10 records at auction.

The American Art session opened to a crowded auction room, bringing $902,353 against a presale estimate of $542,500-$840,700. Competitive bidding on Asher Brown Durand’s Guard House, Catskill Mountains, which had remained in private hands for the last 60 years, drove the sale price to $146,400, the artist’s third highest auction price. Eight bidders competed for Leroy Neiman’s 1961 Vegas, which blew past the previous auction record and sold for $173,600 to a private collector in Minnesota. In addition, a rare Chicago scene by Guy Wiggins sold for $46,360.

The continued strength and international appeal of Modern and Contemporary art was evident in the exceptional prices realized at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ auction. A highlight was Ray Parker’s 1979 Untitled, which sold for an impressive $58,560 against an estimate of $25,000-$35,000—the second highest price ever achieved by the artist at auction.

Chu Teh Chun’s Composition No. 125, 1962 set another record as the highest grossing work on paper by the artist, achieving $68,320.

Contemporary artists were well represented. An original collage by Theodoros Stamos flourished amid a bidding war and brought $17,080.

A mixed-media sculpture by Jesus Rafael Soto far surpassed its estimate of $7,000-$9,000 realizing $21,960.

Andy Warhol works continue to be in demand with his Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century achieving $97,600 and his Liz lithograph realizing $39,040 in the Fine Print and Multiples session. The session also saw strong prices by other postwar artists, including Stella, Rauschenberg and Koons.

Contemporary sculpture fared well with aggressive interest from telephone bidders. Toshiko Takaezu’s Moonpot sold for an impressive $19,520—tying the auction record for the artist. A small Clement Meadmore also sold above its estimate, bringing $10,370.

Other highlights included a bronze sculpture by Israeli artist Igael Tumarkin. Selling for $20,740, it became the artist’s highest grossing bronze ever offered at auction. Ernst Neizvestny’s 1978 Minotaur did extremely well, achieving $19,520 against an estimate of $5,000-$7,000.

Modern Masters Prints such as Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali saw strong bidding, including Picasso’s Femme au Collier 1959 linocut, which achieved $46,360.

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers realized over $7.5 million during the five days of auctions including Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts, Modern and Contemporary Art, American and European Art and Fine Prints and Multiples.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

1949 Bigsby guitar hits high note in Heritage sale: $266,500

DALLAS - The crowd of guitar collectors, aficionados and curiosity seekers was held breathless for 10 solid minutes on Saturday, April 21, as two bidders went head-to-head and bid-for-bid over a stunning 1949 Bigsby bird's-eye maple solid body electrc guitar – just the fourth guitar made by the famous shop – with the eventual winner triumphing to wide applause with a price realized of $266,500 to lead Heritage Auctions’ Vintage Guitars and Musical Instruments Signature® Auction at The Dallas Guitar Show. LiveAuctioneers.com provided the Internet live bidding.

“The auction of this amazing Bigsby was one of the most exciting moments I’ve ever experienced at an auction,” said Mike Gutierrez, consignment director at Heritage Auctions. “The room was packed, the crowd was jazzed and the guitar brought double what Heritage had ever sold any guitar for.”

The auction overall realized north of $1.5+ million, with 409 lots total in the auction, translating into a 94.3% sell-through rate by total value. All prices include 25% buyer’s premium.

While the price did not approach that of the 1949 Bigsby, collectors were impressed with the $46,875 price realized by a beautiful 1955 Fender Stratocaster sunburst solid body electric guitar, serial # 6525, which brought more than 2-1/2 times its pre-auction estimate of $18,000+.

“If this auction and this guitar are any indication – and I think we can safely say they are – then vintage Fenders are definitely coming back,” said Gutierrez. “Fenders certainly ranked as the most interesting pieces of bidding in this auction. Owners of these early Strats would do very well to take a long look at their guitars right now and consider the current market.”

Gibson guitars also showed plenty of strength in the auction with a 1957 Gibson Les Paul standard gold top solid body electric guitar, Serial #7 6188 – a first year gold top – bringing $45,313 and a 1959 Gibson ES-335 sunburst semi-hollow body electric guitar, serial # A29998 realizing $31,250.

Collectors eagerly awaiting the auction of a 1967 D'Aquisto New Yorker sunburst archtop acoustic guitar, serial # 1016A, which was among the most popular guitars in auction previews, were not disappointed when this beautiful guitar rose to finish the auction at $27,500 amidst spirited bidding.

Further highlights include, but are not limited to:

1962 Fender Stratocaster Fiesta Red Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial # 84684: Realized $26,250.

1960 Fender Telecaster Custom Sunburst Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial # 49600: Realized $21,250.

1963 Fender Stratocaster Sonic Blue Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial # L06914: Realized $21,250.

1960 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial # 44561: Realized $21,250.

1960 Fender Stratocaster Left-Handed Sunburst Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial # 45618: Realized $20,000.

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Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

Skinner April 20-21 Asian Art sale grosses $3.2M

BOSTON – Skinner Inc. has announced exceptional results with many lots far exceeding their presale estimates at its Asian Works of Art sale held on April 20-21. The sale grossed $3,241,279 inclusive of a buyer's premium of 18.5% to $200,000 and 10% above that mount. LiveAuctioneers.com provided the Internet live bidding for the event.Judith Dowling, Director of Asian Works of Art at Skinner, said, “There continues to be a really strong market for fine art, and categories performed well across the board. In particular, Chinese art buyers are still very much looking to procure very popular Imperial pieces, as well as beautiful 18th- and 19th-century works, and this sale featured some fantastic finds.”

Flasks & Rhinoceros Horn Cups

Flasks and rhinoceros horn cups did exceptionally well in the sale. A disc-shaped, copper red and underglaze blue flask from the 18th century was the auction’s top selling lot, exceeding the presale estimate of $25,000 to realize $270,000. This flask depicts a leaping full-face dragon encircled with a “flaming pearl,” and a Qianlong mark is found on the base.

A blue, white, and copper red moon flask from the 18th/19th centuries depicting a scrolling lotus and tendrils brought $24,885. The lotus is rendered in pale copper red with ruyi-head borders and stylized chilong handles.

Top selling rhinoceros horn cups included a 17th-century libation cup depicting several chilong, which sold for $67,375, and a 19th-century libation cup in the form of a lotus that sold for $14,220.

Cloisonné

A vast selection of high quality cloisonné saw excellent results. Works from China, covering a range of periods from the 18th through 19th centuries, brought high prices and were highlighted by a bottle-form vase from the K’ang-hsi period. The vase exceeded its estimate high of $15,000 to sell for $79,625. Made from polychrome enamel on bronze with a turquoise blue ground, it came to Skinner from the collection of Robert M. Hoi and had previously been purchased at the American Art Association sale on Feb. 18, 1911.

Other notable pieces of cloisonné bringing high prices included an 18th-century censer decorated with scrolling lotus flowers and leaves, marked “Xuan De Nian Zhi Se” at the base, which sold for $24,885; a pair of cloisonné vases in the “nui tou zun” shape depicting the story of “He Lu Tong Chun” that brought $33,180; a pair of cloisonné pagodas that sold for $29,625; and a court necklace container decorated with fu, lu and shou seal script characters that went for $27,255.

Chinese Scrolls & Paintings

Scrolls and paintings fared exceptionally well, with a beautiful hanging scroll depicting branches attributed to Qi Baishi exceeding its estimate high of $500 and selling for $65,175. Other scrolls and paintings that performed well included a Chinese fan painting of a landscape, which sold for $41,475; a matted painting of a ladybug that went for $41,475; a framed fan with the painted image of a man in a boat on a river that brought $31,995. A hanging scroll with the image of a Chang Jiang river landscape sold for $28,440.

Huanghuali Furniture

Demand for fine furniture was also strong, highlighted by a beautifully crafted Chinese Huanghuali table that brought $41,475, exceeding its presale high estimate of $1,200. Other featured pieces that brought top prices include a Huanghuali settee, which sold for $23,700; a Huanghuali dressing table that went for $18,960; a Huanghuali folding armchair that sold for $14,220; and a 19th-century blackwood display cabinet that brought $11,850.

The Skinner Asian department is now accepting consignments for its September auction. Please contact 508-970-3263 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to inquire.

View the fully illustrated catalog from the April 20-21 sale, complete with prices realized, online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Dallas Auction Gallery sells Cruz-Diez artwork for record $519K

DALLAS –Dallas Auction Gallery set a new record auction price for the contemporary artist Carlos Cruz-Diez during their April 25th Modern Art and Antique Auction. Lot 117, a Carlos Cruz-Diez multimedia piece, sold for a record price of $519,000 against an estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. LiveAuctioneers.com provided the Internet live bidding for the sale.

Adriane Crosland, Dallas Auction Gallery's Director of Fine Arts, said, “We were pleased to be able to offer this important work by Carlos Cruz-Diez that has remained in a private collection since 1970. Our aggressive marketing garnered interest internationally from private collectors and dealers alike.

The piece titled "Physichromie no. 511" was created from extruded PVC, casein (plaka) and acrylic inserts mounted on plywood with an aluminum strip frame. The work measures 40 by 95 ½ inches and is signed, titled and dated 1970 on the reverse. Carlos Cruz-Diez is known for his kinetic art, and this piece was exhibited at the XXXV Biennale de Venezia, Venice, Italy 1970.

Scott Shuford, President of Dallas Auction Gallery, said, “We are very proud of the global interest we were able to generate for this spectacular work of art. Phone bidders from Spain, Italy, England, Brazil, Venezuela, Switzerland, and the United States made it an exciting auction. The consignor of this piece was very pleased.”

Another important work by contemporary Artist Paul Jenkins sold for $19,120 against an estimate of $8,000-$12,000, a set of three Al Held "Untitled" ink and acrylic artworks on paper sold for $17,925 (estimate $7,000-$10,000), an oil painting on board by Jean-Gabriel Domergue sold for $20,315 (estimate of $5,000-$7,000, and an oil painting on canvas done by the school of Frans Pourbus (The Elder) sold for $50,787.50 (estimate $10,000-$15,000.

Two outstanding prices realized came from pieces out of an estate in Oklahoma City. An E. Kahn Louis XVI-style kidney-shaped desk sold for $65,725; and an H. Conquet Louis XVI-style commode a vantaux made $59,750.

DAG also hit a high note with an exquisite collection of Royal Worcester by George Owen. Lot 63, a Royal Worcester potpourri and cover by George Owen, sold for $32,862.50 (estimate $4,000-$7,000). Lot 74, a Royal Worcester reticulated vase by George Owen, also sold for $32,862.50. Lot 88, a Royal Worcester reticulated ewer by George Owen, sold for $21,510.

To contact Dallas Auction Gallery, call 214-653-3900.

View the fully illustrated catalog, complete with prices realized, online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Yankees World Series ring sells for $15,600; Mar. 25 at Tim's Inc.

It was a diverse sale that set numerous records for Tim's, Inc. -- most Internet bidders for one sale, most page views to the online catalog (25,000+), and longest duration for a Cabin Fever Auction (12+ hours). One can probably add to that list record interest, judging by the enthusiasm and intensity displayed by bidders, who behaved like they were at Game Seven of the World Series.

Rey Quinones was a shortstop who played for three teams from 1986-1989 (the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates). He held an administrative position with the Yankees in the 1996 season, thus entitling him to a ring. It was a beauty, featuring 1.5 ounces of gold, 23 brilliant round-cut diamonds (one for each Yankee championship team) plus a faux sapphire.

The ring was the top lot of the nearly 750 items that crossed the block in a sale that Tim Chapulis – owner of Tim’s, Inc. – described as one of the best Cabin Fever Auctions ever. “Interest in this year’s sale was way up compared to last year,” he said. “We started selling at 12 noon and didn’t quit 'til after midnight. It was a marathon sale packed with quality merchandise.”

A respectable live crowd turned out for the event, while 400 bidders participated online. Internet bidding dominated, with thousands of hits to the catalog and bids pouring in from eight different countries (Canada was especially active). Phone bidding was brisk, and Chapulis said left bids numbered in the “high hundreds.”

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a buyer’s premium of 15 percent for cash purchases, 18 percent for known checks and 20 percent for winning Internet bidders.

The first 18 lots to come up for bid were a blend of graded and raw ungraded St. Gaudens gold coins, and that set the tone for the rest of the day. “We knew we were going to have a great sale up front because of all the many gold and silver coins,” Chapulis said. “It didn’t hurt that the value of precious metals continues to climb.” The St. Gaudens coins averaged over $2,000 each.

The last three lots of the sale were also gold coins: a pair of half-ounce American eagles ($1,080) and a one-ounce American eagle ($1,770). “We had Internet bidders who stayed up past midnight to bid on those coins,” Chapulis said with a laugh. Other coins that did well included an 1889 –CC Morgan silver dollar ($1,897.50), and a Civil War-era 1861 $5 Coronet coin ($1,610).

Coins weren’t the only items that coaxed people out of their long winter hibernation. The auction also featured rare and vintage guitars (some of them signed), antique clocks (by some of the most renowned named in early colonial clockmaking), Oriental estate carpets, furniture (to include a monumental oak carved two-door glass collector’s cabinet that hit $5,310), and more.

The clocks featured a Silas B. Terry (Plymouth, Conn.) keyhole-shaped clock, 25 inches tall ($2,300), an uncommon and large rosewood E.N. Welch (Forestville, Conn.) wall regulator weight-driven clock from circa 1880s ($2,242), a Jerome & Darrow (Bristol, Conn.) pillar and scroll clock ($1,200), and a circa-1856 Elmer Stennis banjo clock with original glasses ($2,012).

Vintage guitars included a Gibson Byrdland model from around 1960 ($8,625), a Gibson Hummingbird guitar from the same era ($2,300), and a vintage guitar signed by members of the iconic '60s rock band Iron Butterfly ($604). Proceeds from the sale of that guitar, plus other items in the auction, went to benefit St. Jude Research Children’s Hospital, based in Memphis.

Returning to coins, other lots included a complete set of Mercury head dimes that featured the key date 1916-D date ($1,150), a 1900 choice uncirculated Berber quarter ($1,080), an 1898 Barber 10-cent coin ($1,230), a roll of year 2000 one-ounce American pure silver eagle coins ($990), a similar roll from 1987 ($1,080), and many $5 Indian and Liberty head gold coins.

Rounding out the day’s top lots were a pair of Ponsin circa-1700 continental European flintlock dueling pistols ($6,325), a beautiful lacquered music box purchased by an online bidder in California for a buyer overseas ($1,620), a pair of stuffed wolves from a restaurant in the Carolinas ($600 each), and a gorgeous but damaged Kerman rug with a large hole in it ($4,425).

Admittance to the auction came in the form of a suggested $10 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in memory of Peter W. Chapulis, Tim’s late father. “The outpour of support was tremendous,” Tim said. “Many people gave more than we asked. This year we’ve raised over $45,000 for the charity. The goal is to reach $50,000 for 2012, St. Jude’s 50th year.”

View the fully illustrated catalog, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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