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Book Reviews

"EARLY AMERICAN FURNITURE, A Practical Guide for Collectors" John Obbard, Collector Books, 2000, 335 pp, 400+ B/W Illustrations, $12.95

To call this book a "field guide" as the author himself does, is to make the book seem less than it is. This little paperback gem should be one of the three or four basic reference books in any furniture library. You won't find the specific piece of antique furniture you are looking for in this book but you will be able to learn why, where and when the piece originated. Best of all there is no price guide included, just tons of entertaining and interestingly written facts.

The book contains thirty chapters organized into three basic sections. The first section consists of seven chapters and is devoted to understanding the history and background of American furniture. Chapters such as "Understanding Period and Style", "Identifying Period Workmanship" and "Fakes and Frauds" have the feeling of well researched individual papers. The clarity of the "Period and Style" chapter is especially refreshing.

The next seventeen chapters comprise the meat of the book, dealing with individual forms of American furniture. Chapter subjects include " Turner's Chairs", "Cabinetmaker's Chairs", "Chests of Drawers", "Highboys, Lowboys,et.al", "Sideboards and Cupboards" and "Tea and Card Tables". The chapter on "Dining and Side Tables" condenses what could be an endless morass into thirteen succinct pages dealing with the evolution of specific elements of the table and how they fit together to comprise different variations.

The last six chapters of the book deal with your personal relationship to the antiques covered in the previous seventeen chapters. Subjects include "Care and Conservation", Documentation and Insurance" and "Suggested Reading" as well as a guide, "Period Furniture Collections", of where to go to see the real stuff.

Whether you collect 18th century originals or Colonial Revival reproductions this book provides the deep background required to appreciate the art. For $12.95 you can't do better to improve your library. The truth is, you probably should get two copies since you'll wear out the first one just paging back and forth. -- Fred Taylor

“ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN OAK FURNITURE,” Robert W. & Harriett Swedberg, Krause Publications, 2000, ISBN: 0-87341-877-8, 399 pages, 1300 BW Photos, Price Guide, $27.95, Softcover

Here’s the latest entry in the field of American oak furniture books. If you think that’s been done before you need to take a look at the new book by Robert & Harriett Swedberg. This prolific couple (more than 20 books since 1976) has produced a work with a slightly different point of view that provides more than just a bunch a pictures.

Following the pattern they established in their 1987 book “Furniture of the Depression Era”, the Swedbergs go from room to room in an imaginary house taking a look at what might be found there. The tour begins in the entry hall and ends in the bedroom with stops along way in the living room, dining room, kitchen, kids’ room and the library. It then adds chapters on accessories, chairs, Arts and Crafts and Mission.

The introduction and first chapter explain why oak came into widespread general use in the late 19th century (the answer may surprise you) and then takes some pains to point out that all that looks like oak may not be - it could be one of the cousins such as ash, chestnut, elm or hickory or even none of the above if artfully artificially grained.

To augment the interesting format, the book uses actual photographs taken by the authors (no catalog drawings) and provides the price for the item as found in the locale in which it was found, a refreshingly honest touch for a price guide.

In addition to the usual chairs, tables and obligatory roll tops found in most oak books, the Swedbergs have taken the time to include some unusual forms such as the barber’s backbar, the corner china cabinet with the concave door and kitchen cupboards with pullout work surfaces supported by a floating leg. Extensive coverage is also given to combination bookcase/secretaries and Hoosier style cabinets.

Since most of the items illustrated are generally of higher quality (and price) than found in run of the mill malls and shops, the Swedberg’s new effort should become the guide to the upper end of the re-emerging oak market.

"A TREASURY OF AMERICAN ART", By Gary R. Libby, The Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach, Florida, Hardcover, 230 pages, color, ISBN 0 – 933053 – 07 - X

One of Florida’s hidden jewels is nestled on a quite side street in south western Daytona Beach, close to, but very far removed from, the bustle of the airport and the noise of the race track. For the last twenty-five years The Museum of Arts and Sciences has been building a collection of American decorative arts that is unsurpassed in the South. But this is not a “southern” museum. It is an American museum, displaying the works of some of the most significant artists and artisans who worked in this country from 1640 to 1900, entirely the result of private philanthropy and the extraordinary efforts of Museum Executive Director Emeritus Gary R. Libby. When Libby became Director in the late 1970s the Museum owned three examples of American art, a Tiffany punch bowl, circa 1890, a tall case clock, circa 1790 and a small landscape by Ralph Albert Blakelock, circa 1875. Today the Museum houses nearly 3,000 American items that have provided the nucleus for the growth of a major museum in the State of Florida.

Under the direction of Libby and in conjunction with such notable experts as Wendell Garrett, Nicolai Cikovsky, Cynthia Duval, Leigh Keno and David C. Swoyer, among others, the Museum has given us a tantalizing peek at over one hundred of the objects that form the heart of the American Collection in “A Treasury of American Art”, a hardcover volume published by the Museum in 2003.

At first glance “A Treasury..” could be mistaken for just another “coffee table” book full of pretty pictures – which it certainly is. But that would totally miss the point. Even without the lavish illustrations, the interpretive essays by Libby and his cohorts provide an insight into the composition and evolution of the American spirit and its art that would seem complete in itself.

The opening essay by Wendell Garrett, entitled “Nature’s Nation”, explores how a diverse group of Pilgrims, refugees, immigrants and adventurers somehow became successful colonists in a land so entirely alien from anything then known in the Old World. And in becoming successful colonists, they became, eventually, Americans, with their own interpretation of the world and its art. Then Nicolai Cikovsky jumps in with “The Art Spirit” to further explain the evolution of the American art pysche and how it has expressed it self in a variety of forms from the painfully untutored to the surprisingly sophisticated.

But then the good stuff starts. What follows is the display, in high resolution color photography, of some truly remarkable objects, each one carefully analyzed, interpreted, placed into context and explained in depth by Libby, Duval, et. al.

The very first color plate illustrates an oak chest, circa 1640, called a “Tulip and Aster” chest for its stylized floral motif. A gift of Kenneth Worcester Dow and his wife Mary Mohan Dow, the chest illustrates the elegantly simple utilitarian virtues prized by the Pilgrims. In his informative exposition of the chest Libby gives us some background on the Pilgrims that many may not be familiar with. Another artifact, also a Dow gift, a small Queen Anne desk on frame, circa 1720-1740, demonstrates the plainer side of Queen Anne styling favored by Sarah the Duchess of Marlborough who was a close friend of Anne, according to essayist Cynthia Duval.

Holly Keris, the Curator of Collections and Registrar at the Museum provides us with an insight into the art of Samuel F. B. Morse. His disappointment in his painting led to the abandonment of the art and opened the way for Morse’s development of the telegraph. His “Portrait of a Matron in a Tignon” reflects his early desire to bring the style of the European grand masters to portraiture in America. And David C. Swoyer’s explanation of John James Audubon’s work “Townsend’s Bridled Weasels” gives us a great personal history of the artist and points out the changes in the work itself, revealed by a pentimento, as Audubon changed his mind about the composition.

Libby provides the background material for two paintings of St. Augustine in the late 19th century, one by C. Grafton Dana (1843-1924) and one by Frank Henry Shapleigh (1842-1906). Both artists eventually lived in the city and painted its scenes many times.

Also pictured are works in the Museum by Tiffany, Frederic Remington, Duncan Phyfe, Anthony Quervelle, John Jelliff, Charles-Honore' Lannuier and an entire host of American artists, some famous, some less so, some anonymous but all important in the overall theme of American art.

As wonderfully done as is “A Treasury of American Art” it can give us but a small taste of what the Museum actually has to offer - but it is an excellent taste that certainly will whet the appetite.

“A Treasury of American Art” can be purchased directly from The Museum Store, The Museum of Arts & Sciences, 1040 Museum Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32114. 386-255-0285, ext.23. For more information visit the Museum website at http://www.moas.org/publications_1.html

TAKE A STROLL BACK IN TIME AT THE BAKER & CO GENERAL STORE, BY FRED TAYLOR, ANTIQUE SHOPPE, MAY 2007

Anyone who grew up in a rural setting is familiar with the concept of the general store, the place where you had a small selection from a wide variety of products that related to the home and health. The other benefit was that you could see almost anyone from the community in the store at any time. While the concept of the local general store took a back seat to the big retailers in growing urban areas around the middle of the twentieth century, the advent of the big box stores in the 1970s and 1980s pretty well seemed to seal the fate of the old time general store. 

But now, many years later, the idea of a small locally owned general store, even in an urban setting, is beginning to appeal to a generation tired of ten acre warehouses and forty acre parking lots. Barbara Baker in Tampa certainly felt the appeal several years ago when she decided to kick out an active brothel in an old West Tampa building and turn it into the modern equivalent of the turn of a century general store, coupling a stroll back in the time with modern amenities and products. The building, built in 1907 was the original home of the Cuesta Rey Cigar Company and later became the home of the infamous Gold Nugget Bar & Tavern. 

Baker & Co. General Store & Antique Emporium opened to the public on October 28, 2006 in the renovated store at 2502 N. Howard Avenue. Baker & Co. is following in the tradition of the beloved local general store offering new and old country primitives, Victorian heirlooms, a hodge podge of knick-knacks and whimsical “eye candies” and most of all a personal touch. Baker said the number one selling item is an herbal aromatherapy called “Tired Old Ass Soak” that really does the trick for sore aching muscles. The store also serves as host to bridal and baby showers, birthday celebrations, teas, Town Hall and business meetings and family reunions and offers wedding or baby gift registries and heirloom baskets appropriate for the occasion. Baker & Co. hosted the 2006 Christmas party for the Tampa City Council and recently hosted a celebration of Councilwoman Mary Alvarez’s eight years in office. Baker & Co. is a community activist involved in historical preservation, historic tours, event sponsorships and is a fund raiser for the Make A Wish Foundation.

The store is moving forward with even more customer involvement and an expanded array of products. It will begin offering a small variety of seasonal vegetables and the greenhouse has already been erected to house herbal plants and selected botanicals under the concept of the Tom Thumb Greenhouse. This summer it will host a series of Star Light Wine Tastings in the open air on the roof, then a Fall Harvest Festival and later this year will be the home of Black & White Movie Nights showing classics such as Three Stooges and Laurel & Hardy.

Baker & Co. General Store & Antique Emporium is a destination location for locals and visitors to the area looking for something new and different yet pleasingly familiar. For more information on upcoming events, reservations, items in stock and a general good time drop by the store at 2502 N. Howard, Tampa or give them a call at (813) 250-1565. Business hours are Wednesday-Saturday 10:00AM –6:00PM and Sunday 11:00AM-5:00PM, closed Monday and Tuesday. The store is located on N. Howard Ave. north of I-275 between Dale Mabry and downtown Tampa.

Antiques & Arts Around Florida, Summer/Fall 2007 

18^TH CENTURY CABINETRY SPOKEN HERE, BY FRED TAYLOR

In an issue several years ago of a well known, nationally distributed antiques newspaper was advertised for sale an 18th century Chippendale mahogany secretary from Pennsylvania or Maryland. The masterful description of the piece serves as both a guide to the secretary and a tour through the precise language of the period antiques trade.

Here is the ad prose: “In three parts: the upper section with swan’s-neck dentiled molded pediment terminating in foliate scrolls filled with pierced latticework and surmounted by a magnificent carved phoenix ornament over a dentiled molded continuous horizontal cornice and blind fret-carved frieze; the middle section has two doors, each with 13 panes of glass, interior with three shelves above two candle slides; the lower desk section contains an opening to a fitted interior with eight valanced pigeonholes centering a prospect door above six short drawers with two valanced pigeonholes above one drawer within prospect door. Below desktop are four graduated drawers surrounded by fluted quarter columns above ogee bracket feet. Brasses replaced, some restoration. Refinished.”

In just over 100 words the ad told us a great deal about this secretary but exactly what was meant by all those formal sounding, extremely precise words and phrases? Take a look at the photograph and then take the description apart phrase by phrase to study and understand it. By the time we are done we shouldn’t need a picture to visualize the secretary.

             * “In three parts” - This phrase immediately points out that this is an old piece. With an assembled height of around nine feet, not only would it have trouble fitting in most modern houses but transportation would be a significant problem. In the 18th century there were no high cube trucks with lift gates to move a piece like this and there were no elevators. Since large pieces had to be carried by hand and had to fit in a wagon for transportation across town or across the country, modular construction of larger pieces was almost a requirement. 20th century secretaries, particularly Colonial Revival examples, while of a generally smaller scale, seldom consist of separate components. The three parts in this case are the crown, which extends to the top of the doors, the bookcase unit and the slant front desk.

             * “..the upper section with swan’s neck dentiled molded pediment..”  - The key word here is “pediment”. This an architectural term that originally represented the triangular top that rises above a portico or gable. It easily made the transition as a furniture element in Italian furniture of the 16th century, moving to France in the 17th century and becoming very English late in the 17th century and early into the 18th. The pediment is employed above doors or drawers in both the classical triangular form and in rounded form, as is the case here. The “swan’s-neck” portion refers to the flat “S” or cyma curves of the two rising pieces of  the crown. Classical triangular pediments meet in the center in an obtuse point. More baroque pediments, such as this one, leave an opening in the middle and are called “broken” pediments. “Dentiled molded” describes the block-like decorative carving on the underside of the pediment arches. This type of molding, another classical element from Greek architecture, is called “dentil” because of its resemblance to projecting, widely spaced teeth, even though the spelling is different. Dentil molding on an arc such as this is rare because of the difficulty of executing a square block on a curved surface.

             * “..terminating in foliate scrolls..” - This refers to the circular faces of the pediment curves which are carved with leaves - foliage. Other variations of the period are spirals, rosettes and concentric circles.

             * “..with pierced lattice work..” -  Pierced lattice work is the net-like artifact that appears to be draped from the pediment arches to the base of the central figure. Pierced lattice is often associated with, but not limited to, works from the Philadelphia area in the late 18th century.

            * “..and surmounted by a magnificent carved phoenix ornament..” - The carved figure, the phoenix, is a mythical bird that lives for 500 years and then rises, regenerated, from the ashes of its funeral pyre. Unusually airy, asymmetrical carvings, classical busts and cartouches rather than the standard urn, flame or spiral finials were items often found in Philadelphia area work.

            * “..over a dentiled molded continuous horizontal cornice..” - The cornice is the horizontal molding at the top of a piece of furniture. In this case the lines of the cornice are uninterrupted from corner to corner and it has another decorative application of dentil molding, this time done in a straight line, the classical application, rather than on a curve as in the pediment.

            * “..and blind fret-carved frieze;” -   The frieze is the narrow, vertical flat panel below the cornice and above the doors. In classical architecture this is the surface most highly decorated with ornamentation, painting, sculpture or inlay. Here it is decorated with low relief geometrical carvings resembling flat fretwork, interlaced ornamental designs, recalling the theme of the pierced lattice work in the pediment above it.

            * “the middle section has two doors, each with 13 panes of glass..” - In the 18th century glass making was a very different proposition from the modern plate glass industry. Panes of glass were produced by the “crown” method. A gather of molten glass was removed from the kiln and blown into a large sphere which was attached to a long iron rod called the puntil or “punty”. The punty was twirled to spin the glass out into a flat circular sheet roughly a yard in diameter called a table. This table was detached from the punty and reheated to increase the flow out and then allowed to cool. But even after this annealing process the table of glass was not completely flat. It was still thinner on the edges and increased in thickness toward the center crown called the “bull” where it had been attached to the punty. Since the glass usually contained impurities, the resulting cool table of glass had bubbles in it. Those bubbles large enough to affect the integrity of the glass were called blisters and sections containing them were not used. Smaller gas bubbles were called seeds and were acceptable in sheet glass. After discarding the blisters and working around the thick bull, the yield of good glass from an individual table was low and the useable pieces were generally small. In order to create a tall door as required for this bookcase, the small pieces of glass had to be installed in a wooden framework called a muntin. The number of panes in these doors is the traditional 13, patriotically reflecting the number of original Colonies.

            * “..interior with three shelves over two candle slides;” - While the case, crown and doors of this piece are mahogany, the interior shelves and interior back panels of 18th century were usually of a secondary wood such as poplar. Mahogany was an imported luxury item and was not generally used for shelves or drawers sides, backs or bottoms. Shelves were generally adjustable utilizing fitted supports that rested in notches in the front and rear of the cabinet. Candle slides, small shelves that pulled out from the lower part of the case, were an important accessory, providing a platform for a light source above the work rather than placing it directly on the writing surface.

            * “the lower desk section contains an opening to a fitted interior..” - This refers to the entire arrangement of drawers, doors and slots within the desk itself. The interior structure was often assembled as a separate unit consisting of a frame and vertical dividers and then “fitted” into the case of the desk.

            * “..with eight valanced pigeonholes..” - Letter slots or opening are traditionally called pigeonholes. The wood forming the shaped top of the pigeonholes is cut to resemble fabric which is called a valance when draped over the tester of a four poster bed. These wood valances over the pigeonholes were not just decorative - sometimes they were used to conceal small secret drawers suspended in the top of the pigeonholes.

            * “..centering a prospect door above six short drawers..” - The small interior locking door is called a “prospect” door. The mention of the six interior drawers, four narrow and two wide, with specific reference to their length, may be another clue to the existence of other concealed drawers behind the visible six.

            * “.. with two valanced pigeonholes above one drawer within prospect door.” - This is a busy piece, with another fitted interior space within the original fitted interior..

            * “Below desktop are four graduated drawers..” - The drawers are in ascending order of size from top to bottom, the traditional arrangement since the late 17th century when the use of multiple, stacked drawers became commonplace. The top drawer is both narrower and thinner than the other drawers because the supports for the drop front, the lopers, have to fit in the case on either side of the top drawer.

            * “..surrounded by fluted quarter columns..” - Fluted columns are another classical Greek architectural item but there is no place for columns in the round here so quarter columns are used as the visual edge of the lower case, giving it a look of substance to carry all that is above. “Fluted” refers to the concave vertical channels in the column. The ridges between the flutes are called “fillets”. The opposite of fluted, “reeded”, a convex, rounded type of vertical line, is also sometimes used in late 18th century pieces.

            * “.. above ogee bracket feet.” - Ogee refers to the shaped vertical surface of the feet. The outline of the brackets is another flat “S” shape or cyma curve with a tight radius at the top of the bracket but with a longer looser radius toward the bottom. This reflects the curve in the siding pediment of the crown. A bracket foot is one that extends from the mitered corner of the base molding partially across the front and side forming a right angle under the case.

            * “Brasses replaced, some restoration. Refinished.” - A concise, self explanatory statement of current condition. 

Knowing the precise language of the antiques business can save a lot of time and confusion. It took nearly 1500 words to explain the original 100+. 

Public Relations/Promotional

Pre- and Post-Auction PR

Carwile’s Auction Round Up

When you attend an auction, either as a buyer or a seller, what kind of prices do you expect to see? Naturally as a seller you want to realize a premium price for your property. As a buyer you want to get a bargain - exceptional value for your money.

What you really see at an auction is a fair price – the value the open, public market places on the property, not just someone’s more or less expert opinion. Of course you will always hear someone say they bought something at auction and it is worth a lot more than they paid for it. Or a seller may say they got more for an item than it was worth. Actually neither is the case. The fact that a buyer offered (bid) a specific price and it was the best bid for that item means that is what the item was worth on that day at that time in that place. The fact that the transaction occurred set the market price, the fair market value.

In many cases the Internal Revenue Service and most insurance companies place a value on items based on “fair market value.” One of the definitions of fair market value used by these companies is the amount you could reasonably expect to receive, before seller costs and premiums, through a reputable auction service which deals in that particular type of item. Fair market value is also the amount that most professional appraisers use as the basis for their work. At an auction you can actually see the process by which fair market value is determined - buyers bidding against each other for the right to buy the property.

Come talk to the professionals at Carwile Auctions and let us explain how the Auction Method will help you realize a fair price, whether you are buying or selling.

IDA MAE BUTERBAUGH, Florida Pioneer, by Fred Taylor, Antiques and Art Around Florida, Summer 2003

There is an old saw that says you can always tell the pioneers by the arrows in their backs. Florida show promoter and owner of Buterbaugh Antique Shows, Ida Mae Buterbaugh, certainly has acquired a nice collection of arrows over her years in the antiques business.

Born Ida Mae Edwards in Pitcairn, PA, near Pittsburgh, Ida Mae was raised by adoptive parents from a very early age. When she was seven years old her adoptive mother began buying and selling local estates, establishing a precedent that served Ida Mae well in later years. She met her soul mate, Charlie Buterbaugh in elementary school and after that, she says, “Charlie never had a chance.” They were married in 1945 when Charlie returned from duty in the Pacific, still in a cast, recovering from wounds received in battle and from a kamikaze attack on the homeward bound hospital ship.

The early post War period was short on housing and short on household “stuff” as Ida Mae recalls and like most newlyweds of the era they had to scrounge for items to set up an apartment. During this period Charlie remembered that a nearby uncle had a large unused barn and that another relative was an auctioneer - of sorts. With these assets Charlie and Ida Mae aggressively began to acquire and auction off local households and estates. But they prudently hung on to items they felt had special value, the antiques. Using these special items, by 1949 they had established an antiques wholesale business. By the mid 1950’s when the bulk of local estates had been broken up and sold, Ida Mae and Charlie opened a retail antiques business.

By a curious twist of fate in 1963 the organizers of the State of Pennsylvania’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of a French and Indian War battle in the area asked Ida Mae to organize an antiques show to be held in conjunction with the celebration. This first successful promotion would eventually launch Ida Mae on her show promoting career.

In 1968 she and Charlie began traveling to Florida to participate in the seasonal antiques shows including the Jacksonville Women’s Club, the Vero Beach Optimist Society and the original D.S. Clarke shows in Miami and Augusta. But the Buterbaughs did not neglect their home region. Charlie and Ida Mae acquired the University of Notre Dame A/C Building Show, the Syria Mosque Show in Pittsburgh, the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building Show in Oakland (PA) and the Community Center Show in Lebanon. They were now big time promoters while still exhibiting in almost every other major show in the East and Mid West.

After raising three children in addition to all the shows, Charlie and Ida Mae decided Florida was good place to spend a lot of time so they acquired a string of small South Florida shows, mostly just for the mailing lists and the Exhibitor contracts. When Charlie died in 1997, followed soon after by her oldest son Arthur, Ida Mae forged a partnership with her two daughters and pressed on with her promotion of the Buterbaugh Antique Shows.

Today the partnership owns the Delray Beach South County Civic Show, the Jr. Women’s Club of Boca Raton Show and the brand new Palm Beach County Convention Center Show to premier December 12, 13, 14, 2003. In addition to her own shows Ida Mae participates as a dealer in several other shows including the dmg West Palm Beach Antiques Show (formerly known as Picadilly), the dmg Miami Beach Show and Taylor Hoag’s Pompano show.

She is dedicated to bringing new blood, both dealers and collectors, to the trade. As an active participant in the Professional Show Manager’s Association program to instruct and guide new dealers, last season Ida Mae served as mentor to three new dealers, helping them get off to a good start in their new careers.

She also has some strong advice for her fellow lovers of the world of antiquing – “Do yourself a favor and learn your craft, learn your product and learn to cooperate with your promoters. You need to take it upon yourself to advertise your participation in a show in addition to that done by the promoter. Sales are no longer the result of just showing up – learn, learn, learn.”

Auction Reports

Highwaymen and a harbor scene take the day at  Turkey Creek, by Fred Taylor, Auction Highlights, Antique Trader, March 16, 2005

Art was the interest of the day for many bidders at Turkey Creek Antique Auctions' February 19 sale. Every third Saturday of every month, weather permitting, Turkey Creek Auction owner Charles David Glynn sets up his big striped tent in front of his red barn on US Highway 441, about 13 miles north of Ocala, Florida near the small town of Citra. And the weather usually permits. For the February 19 edition of Turkey Creek Auctions, while Boston hovered around the freezing mark and Minneapolis shivered at 20 degrees near the 6PM auction start time, Citra basked in Florida mid winter balm with the temp hanging out in the mid 70s. By the time the big tent was packed with over 300 bidders Glynn had to raise the sides to cool it down.

The 200 house chairs had quickly filled up and there were more than 100 people standing. After the sides were raised they could mill around outside and change positions for a better view. It also allowed better access to the food. Turkey Creek’s regular vendor, Gram’s Mobile Snack Cart owned by Jenny Rosselot, was on the scene to fuel hungry bidders with soda, hamburgers, hot dogs, Philly cheese steak and assorted goodies like fries, cheesecake and fresh strawberries.

Glynn noted that the “usual crowd of doctors, lawyers and Indian chiefs” showed for the event but there was an unusually large number of new bidders trying to register before the sale and it turns out many of them came to buy. A surprising number of bidders stayed until the 11:45PM end when the last of the 515 lots crossed the block.

Art was the interest of the day for many bidders. Works from the 1950s and 1960s by the group of black Florida artists known by the name of “Highwaymen” have enjoyed a revival in recent years. Their landscapes and seascapes have preserved scenes of undisturbed Florida now hard to find in the rapidly growing state. Two modest examples of work by deceased artist Livingston Roberts each sold for a bargain $500 plus the 10 percent buyer’s premium. But the real bargain in Highwaymen art was the large work by Mary Ann Carroll, the only female member of the famous group. Ms. Carroll is still active in her art and her work is highly sought after. A Florida buyer in the room took home the scene of crashing waves on Florida rocks and sand for $400.

The most interest was generated by a harbor scene, oil on canvas laid on board, executed in the late 1940s by Australian born artist Hayley Lever (1876-1958). Born in Adelaide, Lever was educated in London where he was influenced by the Impressionist and Fauvist movements. Encouraged by his friend Ernest Lawson, an American Impressionist painter, he immigrated to New York in 1911 where he was well received, becoming the Director of the Studio Art Club and was an instructor at the Art Students League from 1919 - 1931. The best showing by a Lever work was at Doyle New York in 2003 when his “Impression of London Bridge” sold for $40,000. The recent average for Lever sales has been in the $5,000 range. His 16in X 30in depiction of “Tanker Ships, Port of Newark, New Jersey”, in overall good condition, was hotly contested both in the room and on the phone. The winner was a phone bidder from New York who parted with $6,500 plus premium.

The outstanding art bargain buy of the day may turn out to be an oil on canvas of a woman and child by Percival DeLuce (1847-1914). The late 19th century painting of a female child sitting in her mother’s lap reading from a book had some condition problems but it sold on the phone to a dealer in South Florida for $3,000. Skillful restoration no doubt will add to the value of the work.

But art is not found only in oil on canvas. To some, jukeboxes from the 1940s and 1950s are works of art in themselves. One bidder thought the Wurlitzer Model 1100 “Arch Top” from 1948 or 1949 was such a fine piece of art that he spent $2,000 to take it home. The Wurlitzer Model 1250 was the first by the company to handle the new 45rpm records. Introduced in 1950 it changed the course of jukebox history. This one sold for $1,000, as did a Seeburg “Bubble-Front”, circa 1953. From slightly later “The pause that refreshes” was available from a tall red and white vending machine that demanded a dime for an ice cold Coke in 1960. But this time the price was $1,500 for the entire machine. An example of another genre of art was the Inaba cloisonné vase in pale blue with a striking carp on the side. This vase, found in Inverness, Florida, belonged to a man sent to China during World War II as the chief meteorologist assisting Gen. Chiang Kai-shek in his battle with Mao Se Tung. This vase accompanied the man home after many years spent in the Orient. It sold for $2,500.

Furniture was not completely abandoned for this sale. A simple honest three piece oak or elm bedroom set in faint Eastlake styling from the late 19th century, tall headboard, dresser with cheval mirror and dry sink with towel rack, went for $1,100 and a stately mirrored hall seat with applied carving and four double hooks, from the same period, made $800. Another fairly plain piece, a poplar open top, step back cupboard with two double blind panel doors, late 19th century, did very well at $1,100 as did a Colonial Revival breakfront with bubble glass in the four upper doors above the secretary pull out. An English glazed two door bookcase from the Renaissance Revival period, in ebonized wood with gilt incising, may have been missing the two lower original wooden panels in the doors. Modern glass apparently had replaced them. That question held down the price to $700. One slight disappointment was seen in a set of six George III upholstered side chairs. In good condition with acanthus carved knees, the set could muster only $300. Glynn said the consignor had paid $250 each chair about twenty years ago and commented “Chairs are under appreciated in this country.”

MARK OF TIME, Orlando, FL, February 16, 2005, Antique Week, February 28, 2005

Florida’s premiere dealer in antique watches and clocks, MARK OF TIME of Palmetto, held its fourth annual auction in Orlando during the peak winter season on February 16 in Orlando at the Embassy Suites in the downtown district. As is the custom for MARK OF TIME this coincided with the Florida Mid-Winter Convention of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. also held in downtown Orlando.

For the second year, Mark Peer, owner of MARK OF TIME, included live online bidding through eBay Live Auctions as part of the sale with excellent results in spite of some technical difficulties. Peer’s expert staff was able to resolve the problems with no loss of critical information and minimal delay. Approximately 19 percent of the lots sold online.

This was an especially emotional sale for Peer since over 80 percent of the 339 cataloged lots belonged to long time collector and personal friend John Darrow who died in March 2004. Darrow had been a member of NAWCC for over forty years and was truly an enthusiastic collector.

In previous years Peer had noted that while high quality 19th century English and American clocks were holding strong, the market for gilt clocks and for French bronze was soft. While the first part of that statement was certainly true for this sale the softer part of the market seems to have shifted from French bronze to watches.

A French dore bronze cupid figure mantel clock, circa 1820, with original gilt dial and original movement sold for $1,700 plus buyer’s premium, well in excess of the pre sale estimate of $800-$1,200. The onsite premium was 10 percent while the online premium was levied at 20 percent. Another 19th century French figural dore bronze, circa 1845, 22in high, reached $1,600 before premium against an estimate of $750-$1,250.

Top lot of the sale, an oversized Renaissance Revival wall clock, crossed auctioneer Jerry Byfield’s block late in the sale when only thirty lots remained. The pinwheel regulator was a model #3 variation from the New Haven Clock Co., circa 1885. At 89in high it was probably designed for a large entry way or for display in a public lobby such as in a bank or hotel. In overall excellent condition with original finish and exhibiting only minor wear, this fine quality clock was won by an out of state bidder in the room for $8,000 plus premium.

Several tall clocks did well. A 99½in tall unsigned Pennsylvania clock in a mahogany case, circa 1830, with eight day movement and painted iron moon phase dial competed to $4,600, going to an in room bidder from Port Charlotte, FL. From a century later, circa 1930, a Herschede American Revere 5 Tube electric clock, 80in tall, sold above its $1,000 estimate at $1,400 as did an Italian carved clock, circa 1778, 100in tall, $2,700 vs $2,500 and a large Peter Boholand French regulator, circa 1900, 84in, $1,600 vs $1,500.

As with any auction there were a few surprises, most of them very pleasant. Lots with unusual variations or animation seemed to capture the audience interest. A rare New Haven Dancing Skeleton mantle clock, circa 1920, featured a rare automata of a skeleton swinging over a bar above the dial. It sold for $3,600 against an estimate of $500-$1,500 and an American Ansonia mantle clock, circa 1904, 27½in tall, with a Lasoree statue rising above the dial flanked by porcelain inlay closed at nearly double the high estimate at $1,900. But the most unusual clock in the entire inventory was the “Firebug” made by E. N. Welch Manufacturing Co., circa 1880. This scary little critter automatically lights an oil lamp to signal the alarm function. In excellent original condition with original box and papers “Firebug” sold for $3,600. For more information visit the website at http://www.markoftime.com or call (941) 721-1801.

PHOTO CAPTIONS FOR MARK OF TIME (Prices do not include buyer’s premium.)

ROCK ISLAND AUCTION, Moline, IL, April 30 –May 2, Antique Week, June 20, 2005

It is a generally accepted fact in the antiques trade and in the auction business that a complete set of anything, chairs, silverware, china will sell for more than the sum of the individual pieces. A premium is placed on the concept of the set. That was certainly true in Moline, IL at Rock Island Auction’s Spring 2005 Premiere Firearms Auction of April 30 – May 2.

This time the “complete set” was a unique and irreplaceable assemblage of Browning Olympian Grade rifles. In 1966 Robert C. Fessler, Sr. placed a special order with Browning for one of every caliber and barrel weight rifle the company made for that model year. The order was so special that it took four years to complete and was personally delivered to Mr. Fessler by John Val Browning, chairman of the board and his son John M. Browning. The set consists of twenty presentation rifles, meticulously assembled and engraved by the very best of Browning’s staff. The rifles are consecutively numbered with the smallest caliber, a .222 Remington Lightweight having the lowest number and the largest bore gun, a .458 Winchester Magnum, the highest. One other caliber, a .264 Win. Magnum, was listed in the 1966 Browning catalog but it had been discontinued before Fessler’s order was placed. Special arrangements were made and a .264 model, the last ever made by Browning, was included in the set known as “The Magnificent Twenty.”

Only master and grand master engravers were allowed to work on the set and each rifle has at least two signatures and some have several more, all in highly visible locations. The top of each receiver is fully engraved and the bolts and handles are engraved where possible. The barrels of the .222 and the .458 are totally engraved. All normal marking such as “Browning Arms Co.” and the serial numbers that are usually hot stamped are individually engraved in script in the Magnificent Twenty and the serial numbers on the right side of the receiver are inlaid with gold. More than 6,000 stock blanks of Claro walnut were examined before twenty were selected for their clarity and coloring for the matched set.

Six years after the delivery of the set the ownership of Browning Arms Corporation changed to Fabrique Nationale and all the original machinery, dies, tooling and jigs were replaced and scrapped. That assures that this set of spectacular rifles can never be duplicated.

The Magnificent Twenty was offered on the block on Saturday April 30, the first day of the three day event. The sale of this lot was conducted in the “continental” style with each rifle offered individually. The sum of the individual winning bids, $260,000, became the opening bid for the entire set. A number of bidders joined the fray at the opening call but the pack quickly winnowed down to two resolute players. The winner stayed in on the phone to $430,000 plus the 15 percent buyer’s premium bringing the price of the set to $494,500. Included in the winning bid, in addition to the rifles, was complete documentation on manufacturing instructions, correspondence, life histories of the engravers and copies of the original purchase order and invoices as well as photos of the Browning facilities at Morgan, Utah and Liege, Belgium.

Saturday also saw the final installment of the sale of the Peter & Patty Murray Collection, a thirty year plus project documenting the history and arms of the Winchester Company. This installment of the collection also included twelve lots that had belonged to Gen. Curtis E. LeMay. The most sought after of these was the General’s personal sidearm, a .380 Colt Model M 1908 General Officer’s Pistol. It was presented to him upon promotion to general and was his personal carry weapon while on active duty. It guarded his bedside table after that. The historic pistol, retaining 95 percent of the original blue, sold for $34,500 including the 15 percent buyer’s premium. Another of Lemay’s items, a factory presentation engraved Deluxe Special Order two barrel set Winchester Model 50 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun had been given to LeMay as Outdoorsman of the Year in 1958. Described in the catalog as “possibly the most beautiful model 50 ever made, it sold for $9,200.

Another historic weapon in the Murray Collection was a Henry Lever Action Rifle, one of 800 purchased by the Ordnance Department in 1863 and 1864 and issued to the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry Regiment in March 1864. The 1st D.C. Cavalry was the only regiment in the Union Army entirely armed with the Henry rifle during the Civil War. The Henry was the most advanced weapon available to the Union Army at the time. Although organized for the defense of the Capitol, the 1st D.C. Cavalry was dispatched to assist in the Richmond campaign where it suffered heavy losses. It was merged with the 1st Maine Cavalry for the rest of the War. This weapon, directly traceable to a specific unit during the Civil War, sold for $34,500.

Sunday was the military portion of the sale featuring over 500 European military pistols, Japanese pistols, sniper rifles, German WWII rifles and contract Mausers. The leading military lot was a seldom seen DWM 1904 Navy Luger Model 1906 bearing serial number 36. The Navy Luger was the first Model Luger adopted by the German military. Only 1200-1500 of this model were manufactured. This firearm retained 97 percent of the original blue finish, showing only minor wear on raised contact points. The winning bid fell in the higher portion of the presale estimate of $35,000 - $65,000, closing at $63,250 including the premium. The second highest military lot immediately followed the DWM Luger to the block. It was an early Ludwig Loewe & Co., Model 1893 Borchardt pistol with stock, holster, leather covered case and complete group of accessories. In overall excellent condition, this oddly shaped 7.63mm semi automatic pistol sold for $40,250. A designer for Ludwig Lowe at the time named Georg Luger used the Borchardt as the basis for the first 7.65mm parabellum bearing the name Luger.

The Monday sale was described by Rock Island president Patrick Hogan as representing “the art of the gun”, celebrating the engineering and artistry of the firearms. The height of the art was undoubtedly seen in the Statue of Liberty Colt Single Action revolver. This magnificent and unique Buntline Special, in .44-40, bore the serial number “Liberty 100.” Designed by Larry Mayle and engraved and embellished by master engraver Leonard Francolini, this gun celebrated the centennial of the Statue of Liberty, incorporating symbols of both America and France in the decorative scheme. The pistol itself, the case and the accessories incorporate steel, copper and wood removed from the Statue during the 1986 renovation. A plaque inside the case bearing the information about the gun carries an inscription commemorating the Statue. The plaque is a piece of the original copper skin of Lady Liberty. Any place on the gun that was not inlaid in gold was finished in a highly polished blue above the cast sterling silver grips and buttcap. This unique American treasure changed hands for $97,750, the highest single lot of the sale and second highest in the sale following the Browning collection.

Another highly decorated Colt was a close second to the Liberty 100. A cased Single Action Army, .45 cal., bearing serial number MMA – 1, had been designed, engraved and gold inlaid by Alvin White. It had been donated by Colt Industries in 1985 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Museum’s benefit auction conducted by Christie's in October of that year. Twenty years later the Colt sold for $69,000.

Representing the engineering side of the theme were some extraordinary examples of custom made single shot target rifles from the Warren Greatbatch collection. Many were made by individual gunsmiths who lavished their best work on them and others were specially modified factory guns. The star shooter in this category was an engraved custom Pope Ballard single shot Schuetzen rifle in .33-40 cal. Schuetzen is the name of an offhand firing position rifle sport that originated in Germany and was especially popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In modern Schuetzen, the competitor fires lead bullets at paper ring targets that are placed at a distance of 200 yards, originally 200 meters. This custom sporting rifle with a J. Stevens #368 scope, in excellent condition with 98 percent blue on the barrel, scored a bullseye with a bid of $34,500. More of the Greatbatch collection will be offered in future Rock Island sales.

Auction manager Judy Voss said there were 1100 registered bidders for the three day sale with approximately 400 on the floor. The sale generated 10,500 absentee bids and 3,000 phone bids tying up twenty lines. The sell through rate topped 97 percent with 60 – 68 percent of the lots being won by absentee bidders. Gross for the sale was in excess of $5.7 million, a Rock Island Auction record. Auction president Hogan said, “The last several years have shown an unusually strong market for firearms and the sales this year show no indication of the market slowing down." For more information visit the website at http://www.rockislandauction.com or call (309) 797-1500.

PHOTO FOR ROCK ISLAND AUCTION (Prices include the 15 percent buyer’s premium)

Mag 20.jpg – Browning Chairman John Val Browning (l), R. C Fessler, Sr. (c) and Doug Fessler (r) check out the new Magnificent Twenty collection in the Browning headquarters in Morgan, Utah shortly after delivery in 1970. Doug Fessler is holding the largest rifle of the group, a .458 Winchester Magnum. (Browning photo)

2065.jpg – The best selling military firearm was this rare DWM 1904 Navy Luger Model 1906 in 9mm with 6in “fat” barrel. It closed at $63,250.

2066.jpg – This ungainly looking pistol is an early Ludwig Loewe & Co., Model 1893 Borchardt pistol, a forerunner of the Luger parabellum. It sold for $40,250.

3119.jpg – This Henry Lever Action rifle was issued to the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry in March 1864. The .44 Henry RF rifle was the most advanced weapon available to the United States Army at the time. It was the top selling Winchester in the sale competing to $34,500.

3212.jpg – The Pope Ballard custom engraved Schuetzen rifle, .34-40, with a J. Stevens #368 scope brought $34,500.

326.jpg – A nice surprise at the sale was this F. Funken factory engraved Belgium Browning over and under 20 ga. shotgun. Felix Funken was Browning’s premier engraver when this gun was manufactured. From the personal collection of Val A. Browning, this shotgun sold for $20,700, far outstripping its estimate of $7,000 - $12,000.

3300.jpg – Fitting nicely in the Greatbatch single shot collection was this Sharps Model 1874 Long Range No. 2 rifle in .45 cal. With its 32in part octagon barrel and 10 pound weight it was designed to compete in the competitions at Creedmoor and other international ranges. It sold slightly under estimate at $12,650.

3322.jpg – The highest single lot of the sale was the Liberty 100 Colt Single Action revolver embellished and engraved by Leonard Francolini. The gun and its accessories included pieces of the Statue of Liberty salvaged during the 1986 restoration. This unique piece of American history was won with a bid of $97,750.

3337.jpg – Donated by Colt to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s benefit auction in 1985, this elaborately decorated Single Action Army, serial number MMA – 1, was engraved by Alvin White. It sold at Rock Island for an impressive $69,000.

3460.jpg – Gen. Curtis LeMay’s personal carry weapon, a .380 Colt Model M 1908 General Officer’s Pistol, retained 95 percent of the original blue. This historic pistol, monogrammed “CEL”, reached $34,500.

AUMANN AUCTIONS, Sale March 5, 2004, Antique Week, March 15, 2004

“Signs are getting better and better” according to Dan Mathews of Aumann Auctions. He was referring to automotive and petroliana signs in particular but he also included general advertising signs in the group. The sale of March 5 certainly bore this out. As has been Aumann’s practice in the past for major sales, the auction was conducted live online, simultaneously with the live action at the Will County Fairgrounds in Peotone, IL. Mathews noted that roughly 25 percent of the lots were sold online, either live or through online absentee bids but just as important was the underbidding they provided. With 75 – 80 registered online bidders, as many as 50 were on at the same time during the sale, competing against the 125 bidders on hand.

The top lot of the sale was somewhat of a surprise. It was the smallest version of a United Service Motors neon sign from the 1930s. At only 14 X 24in, this small electric display could be mounted on a counter top or in a window. The sign had been reproduced in a small quantity five or six years ago and Mathews felt that might hold down the price somewhat. However, the mighty mite soared above the presale estimate of $3,000 - $3,500 to a winning bid of $4,600 plus the 10 percent buyer’s premium. Online and absentee premium was 15 percent.

On the other hand size may have inhibited bidding on a non-automotive related lot. At the time of Lady Bird Johnson’s great highway beautification program in the mid 1960s, Mail Pouch chewing tobacco advertised by painting barns with the company logo. Under pressure, Mail Pouch ceased the barn painting operation and produced smaller, free standing signs. This one belonged to the family of one of the people responsible for the barn painting and sign part of the business. At 40 X 70in this was certainly smaller than a barn but maybe a little too big to comfortably fit on the wall of a collector. It brought a slightly disappointing $1,100 plus premium.

An Austin Powder Co. framed print ad featuring two bird dogs, 19 X 23in, in excellent condition, rated a 9, made an outstanding $2,400 in the room, closely followed by a Remington Guns cardboard ad with original hanging straps. Rated as an 8 due to some retouching along the sides, the sign still reached $1,750 on the phone.

Two dealer service signs produced good results. A Rambler Parts Service double sided porcelain sign with a few chips but still rated at 9, brought $1,650 and a DSP Dodge Plymouth Dependable Service sign hammered down at $1,300.

A single quart of Husky Premium Motor Oil with a new top sold for $500 and flat gallons from a number of producers averaged in the area of $325.

For more information visit the website at http://www.aumannauctions.com or call (888) 282-8648.

Herzog Landscape leads Turkey Creek Auction, by Fred Taylor, Antique Week, Eastern Edition 12/27/04

CITRA, Fla.-- In preparation for the annual overindulgence this time of the year, Turkey Creek Auction owner Charles David Glynn spread a mighty feast of more than 550 lots for his 16th annual pre-Thanksgiving auction on Nov. 20. The Florida weather cooperated and the big white tent outside the Turkey Creek Auction red barn was packed with around 275 bidders. Unlike many recent auctions at the auction site, the inventory for this event did not come from New England but was found mostly in Florida.

The big fish in the sale was a landscape by Herman Herzog. It was signed on the back Rattlesnake Run, Pike Co Penn 1884 H Herzog and depicted a small sunlit clearing littered with fallen trees in a heavily wooded area. Herzog was born in Bremen, Germany, in 1832 and attended the Dusseldorf Academy where he established quite a name for himself. His patrons included Queen Victoria and the Grand Duke Alexander of Russia, as well as a growing band of admirers in the United States.

After winning Honorable Mention at the Paris Salon in 1863 and 1864 he relocated to Philadelphia. He adapted readily to his new country, winning a bronze medal at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, but his real passion was to see the entire country, border to border and coast to coast and to paint as much of it as possible. He left a pictorial legacy of the unspoiled American landscape of the 19th century. Late in the century, when Herzog's son lived in Gainesville, Herzog made frequent trips to the area, completing a body of work consisting of more than 250 Florida scenes before his death in 1932. This painting, though not one of the Florida works, was found in the community of Beverly Hills near Inverness, Fla.

When Rattlesnake Run crossed the block there was an onslaught of phone activity with 10 lines in action. The winner was a private collector in Texas who called in with the winning number of $47,000 plus the 10 percent buyer's premium.

But no art sale in Florida is complete without some Highwaymen paintings and this sale had two by Harold Newton. The Highwaymen is the name given the group of 26 African American artists working around Fort Pierce, Fla., in the mid 1950's. Influenced by A. E. "Beanie" Backus (1906-1990), the artists sold their landscape and seascape renditions out of their cars Along Florida roads. Highwaymen art has enjoyed a renewed popularity in the last decade after years of oblivion. There are now a number of galleries and dealers, mostly in Florida, who specialize in the subject. One of Newton's oil on board, a portrait oriented scene of a palm tree and shoreline sold for $2,800 plus premium. The other, a sedate river scene, reached $1,500.

The best art buy of the sale was probably a portrait of a woman signed D.V. Bond Detroit 1853. Charles V. Bond, American, 1825-1864, was a portrait and landscape painter from Livingston County, Mich., whose work today generally sells in the $650-$1,000 range. This pre-Civil War portrait went for $400.

Furniture was soft in spots but good pieces did well. A very impressive Eastlake tall sideboard had a marble deck above five drawers and a raised panel door and a mid-rise shelf supported by turned columns below a dome-top mirror. In walnut with walnut burl accents on major flat panels, this 120-year-old dining room piece sold for $1,600. A late 19th century oak baker's cabinet with a dry sink in the main surface featured three chip carved blind panel doors and three small drawers in the top section and two drawers, two blind panel doors and a pullout flour bin below. It looked sufficiently mellow but still crisp in a refinish, rising to $1,500. An elegant three-piece oak bedroom set from the turn of the century was encrusted with applied molding and carving. The 7ft tall headboard was topped by a crown panel of what appeared to be a nautical theme. The dry sink and the dresser each had the same top panel above their mirrors. This set was a very good buy at $1,300.

Oak seemed to be the wood of the day in general. A nice quarter sawn oak china server with curved glass panels below and a beveled mirror above, with a top shelf supported by lion's paw columns, sold for $900. An oak 60in S-roll top desk, with raised panels, a spacious fitted interior and seven drawers plus a file drawer, in an old refinish, hung in there for the same price, and an oak china cabinet with curved side glass, a beveled and leaded glass door and lion's head columns crossed at $800.

Several English pieces of furniture did surprisingly well. A George III mahogany chest three over three with string inlay on the drawer fronts with ring pull hardware, standing on French feet, sold for $700 as did another mahogany George III chest, two over three, on a bracket base. A rosewood tea poy, circa 1840, brought $350.

Pairpoint lamps are generally well received, especially those with puffy shades. The example at Turkey creek had a base with a gold wash and 14 in shade with a rose and butterfly theme. The lamp had a late Art Nouveau feeling to it, dating from around 1910. It felt like a $6,000 lamp to a local bidder in the tent.

Jewelry was also on several bidders' shopping lists. A Victorian gold slide bracelet with carved stones and gems made $1,300 and a lady's cocktail ring with 3.08 carats of emerald and diamonds sold for $900.