Published on Antiques and Auction News – June 7, 2024
When asked what was most memorable about her Spring Fabulous Finds at the Warehouse two-day event held April 26 and 27, auctioneer/owner Amelia Jeffers explained, It was amazing to me the bulk of the items that brought top dollar could fit in two totes in the back of my SUV. Buttons, books, Rolex watches, chatelaines, fountain pens, all sold strong as did Sterling silver, fine art, and some funky unique pieces found while paring down the contents of Jeffers warehouse. This is not an online-only event, stated Jeffers. We have found some buyers want to be in the room at our warehouse Fabulous Finds auctions, so we offer reserved seating limited to about 20 individuals. We had people there all day long. The bulk of the auctions bidders are still garnered online. This sale had about 3,500 registered online bidders, as well as phone and absentee bidders. For this April auction, 903 lots sold; a 93 percent sell-through rate, and almost 400 buyers, for a sale total of $366,350 with buyers premium, summed up Jeffers.
Day one of this affair was led by Sterling silver, four sets to be exact. The top lot of this day was a second half of the 20th century German set of Bruckman 800 flatware, approximately 268ozt, which sold for $4,750 (est. $4,000-$7,000). Everything from hollow handled fruit knives to seafood forks and serving pieces was included in the set. Another set of Bruckman 800 flatware equally as elaborate and 264ozt, was bid to $4,700 (est. $3,000-$6,000). A service for 12 of sterling flatware with serving pieces marked AL that was 193ozt brought $4,000 (est. $3,000-$5,000).
Three groups of vintage buttons, both American and European examples from the late 19th/20th century, were a surprise, selling for $3,600 against an estimate of $150 to $300. I have been asked in the past, Arent you embarrassed when your estimate is so far off the mark? Not at all. We get excited to see the final bid crush our estimate. Our consignors are, too! This group of buttons included examples of carved shell, portrait, cut steel, cloisonne, and porcelain to name a few. They measured from 5 inches to 1.5 inches. A single 17th century European smugglers button with enamel and colored stones realized $1,000 (est. $200-$400), as did a group of six European ornate buttons with bezel set stones. At 10.5 inches long, a European (18th/19th century) ornate gold and cobalt enamel chatelaine with a pocket watch made $3,500 (est. $3,000-$6,000). Elaborate in design, this chatelaine had five pendants: a snuff, a perfume, a pocket watch key, an enamel and gold vase, and an engraved whistle. Also on the chatelaine was a hunters case pocket watch featuring cobalt enamel and diamonds on the case. And a bid of $3,100 (est. $200-$400) won an oil-on-board in a vintage frame work in the manner of American artists Guy Carleton Wiggins titled Winter Street Scene. It appeared to be signed G. Wiggins at lower right.
Day twos Fabulous Finds focus was testosterone based. Coined The Gentlemans Auction, this session offered up items with a masculine bent with fabulous Rolex watches leading the day. A late 20th century Rolex GMT-Master 18-carat yellow gold example with a dial marked Tiffany realized $18,000 (est. $18,000-$25,000). A Rolex Milgauss 40MM Oyster Perpetual Model 116400GV with a blue dial, ca. 2019, sold for $10,000 (est. $10,000-$15,000), and a late 20th century, two-toned Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner watch was bid to $7,000 (est. $3,000-$5,000). A wonderful collection of desirable books made their way to this auction in a unique manner. The last Tuesday of each month we host a free walk-in appraisal day where people bring in items theyd like to know more about, explained Jeffers.
An individual brought in several valuable books during one recent appraisal day. Come to find there were more like this, and the owners decided to consign the collection to this auction. A first edition (Stave I, 1843) of Charles Dickens (1812-70) A Christmas Carol was won for $5,500 (est. $950-$1,250), and a signed Walt Whitman (1819-92) Leaves of Grass special edition of 300 copies, 1889, sold for $2,500 (est. $950-$1,250). For those who want to be the next Dickens or Whitman, a group of Eversharp pens and pencils, five capped fountain pens and 13 decorative mechanical pencils, brought $1,150 (est. $150-$350), where as a lot of 14 gold-toned or plated vintage pens and pencils were won for $1,000 (est. $200-$400). And what kind of guy gala would it be without toys and tattoos!
A bid of $3,800 (est. $2,000-$4,000) took home a Bally Corvette racing themed pinball machine, made in 1994 by Midway, while $1,000 (est. $150-$250) was needed to display the (likely Asia) 20th/21st century polychrome decorated carved wood tattoo parlor trade shop signs of two tatted forearms. Each measured 30.5 inches long. Amelia starts every auction as her mentor, Tom Porter of Garths Auctions would by saying, The only thing I am an expert in is selling your stuff. Her consistently growing success in doing just that maybe indicates Amelia Jeffers expertise consists of much, much more.
Comments