Antiques buyers and sellers responded favorably to show promoter Bob Zurko’s new antiques show at the Berrien County Fairgrounds in Berrien Springs, Mich. Read More +
Berrien Springs show debut marks new venture for Zurko Promotions
Toys
Americana and collectibles online auction opens bidding
Hake Americana & Collectibles is in the midst of its 206th auction of character collectibles, pop culture mementos, political memorabilia, holiday collectibles, natural history artifacts and entertainment keepsakes, which closes July 17-19. Read More +
‘Enigma’ ciphering machine brings $101,000 in vintage technology auction
A legendary ‘Enigma’ ciphering machine from 1938, which influenced WWII dramatically, was the top lot at Auction Team Breker’s May 26 sale of vintage science, technology and toys.
So complex are the Enigma’s 22 billion possible combinations, an original prospectus claimed, that it would take one man working continuously day and night, and trying a different cipher-key every minute, 42,000 years to exhaust all the possibilities. However, it took a private buyer just a few minutes to bid the machine’s final sale price to $101,450, more than 10 times the published reserve. Read More +
Ask Antique Trader: Thrift store velocipede is charming decorator piece worth up to $300
An Antique Trader subscriber inquires: “We found this at the Salvation Army and loved it at first sight. This horse is hand-carved from wood. The wheels are wood wrapped in steel and it has a horsehair tail. …” Read More +
Two important lifetime antique doll collections offered June 16-17, 2012
Two collections of antique dolls, furnishings, fashions, doll houses, miniatures and an important half doll collection will be offered June 16-17, 2012 by Frasher’s Doll Auction. Bebes from Jumeau, Steiner, Bru, Rabery and Delphieu will cross the block along with dolls from the 1930-1950 era, including Raggedy Ann, Shirley Temple dolls, Nancy Ann Storybook dolls and Alexander dolls. Read More +
Cast iron Uncle Sam Chariot pull toy may bring $25,000
Fine European antique toys and train stations, plus an array of still and mechanical banks and toys from collectors Dr. James Laster and John Jirofsky headline the July 1, 2012 auction. Cast-iron American toys exhibiting particularly fine condition include a “super-mint” circa-1905 Uncle Sam Chariot, made by Kenton Hardware and retaining 99.5 percent of its original paint. The 12-inch-long patriotic toy, whose chariot replicates an American eagle, is expected to achieve $18,000 to $25,000. Read More +
Widow keeps Ax Murder House, will auction off museum collections
Darwin and Martha Linn have always been interested in history; they were partners in helping to preserve the heritage of the Villisca, Iowa, community with their Linn-Olson Museum. Soon the museum’s contents will come under the gavel in a public auction. Read More +
Bidding war sends slave collar to $10,000
Mosby & Co.’s April 28 auction carried an eclectic mix of posters, porcelain, paintings and prints along with toys, advertising, folk art and Americana. The firm reported its best selection of posters to date. Read More +
Cars and trucks, trains and planes: Transportation toys fill 50-lot vintage toy category
More than 400 lots of antiques and fine art will be sold at auction Thursday, May 24, by Gordon S. Converse & Co. Categories include antique clocks, Asian objects, fine art, and more than 50 lots of toys and toy trains, among others. Read More +
May 11-12 doll and toy auction boasts Marklin and Bing train rarities
A remarkable cross-category collection of vintage toy airplanes, three outstanding train collections and more than 400 lots of dolls and accessories will join a widely varied array of other fine toys to form the core of Morphy Auction’s May 11-12. 2012 sale. Read More +