Auction Daily’s 2021 Thanksgiving Treasure Hunt

Bird’s the word when it comes to Thanksgiving Day treats and treasures coming up for auction in November. Here are five gobble-gobble great finds for your consideration!

Norman Rockwell’s Home for Thanksgiving 

Let’s kick off this Thanksgiving treasure hunt in the most iconic way possible. On November 5th, Heritage Auctions of Dallas, TX will present Norman Rockwell’s Home for Thanksgiving in its American art auction. This heartwarming image appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on November 24th, 1945. The oil on canvas masterpiece measures 35 inches by 33 inches. Signed and inscribed by the artist, it is fully provenanced and authenticated. It features a 1940s-era autumnal scene of a handsome and vibrant soldier peeling potatoes alongside an older woman, possibly his mother or grandmother. Given the title of the work, it is safe to assume the two are preparing a side dish for their traditional Thanksgiving feast. Imagine the look on your Thanksgiving guests’ faces if they saw this painting hanging on your dining room wall! This masterpiece carries a presale auction estimate of USD 4,000,000 to $6,000,000.

Tiffany & Co. Dinner Plates 

For many folks, nothing says Thanksgiving like a plate piled high with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and other traditional fixings. Here are some extraordinary plates to help serve that highly anticipated annual meal! On November 16th, Heritage Auctions will offer lot #74029, a set of six Tiffany & Co. Shell & Thread pattern sterling silver dinner plates during the Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu sale. This extraordinary sextet was designed and produced in 1911 and is fully hallmarked. Each plate measures over 11 inches in diameter and features a plain circular well, wide shoulder, a molded and engraved rim, and an engraved roundel on the neck. These plates bring the phrase “doing the dishes” to a whole new level. They carry a presale auction estimate of $6,000 to $8,000.

Vintage Glass Epergne

Preparing the table is another Thanksgiving tradition, but finding the space to set all the plates, utensils, tableware, flowers, and favorite condiments can feel like a game of Tetris! The Victorians solved the crowded table syndrome years ago with epergnes. These multi-tasking centerpieces can hold floral arrangements, dressings, candles, and other smaller items through their efficient, vertical designs. They consist of a central bowl or server with dishes supported by radiating branches. They are usually made from colored blown glass or silver. 

On November 13th, Crescent City Auction Gallery of New Orleans, LA will present lot #0313, a 19th-century cased pale yellow glass epergne. It measures nearly 21 inches tall with a diameter of over ten inches. This fine example has a central floriform trumpet vase, flanked by two angled floriform vases and two swirled scrolled clear glass arms. It is detailed with two cased glass baskets and rests upon a round scalloped bowl base. This example is literally a butler for your table. It carries a presale estimate of $300 to $500.

Turkey Candy Container

Turkeys, for good reason, can be considered the goodwill ambassadors of Thanksgiving. As such, they are often pictured on seasonal tableware, linens, giftware, and other practical items. But try and contain yourself over this next “functional” Thanksgiving treasure— a practically life-sized turkey candy container! 

On November 19th, Bertoia Auctions of Vineland, NJ is auctioning off lot #1136, an oversized turkey candy container on the second day of its Annual Fall event. Novelty candy containers emerged in the late 1800s as a way of marketing and selling sweets. Brands made these early containers from glass, cardboard, papier mâché, wood, or composition. Seasonal themes included Santa, Halloween cats and pumpkins, and Easter rabbits. Collectors especially cherish these novelties today. This big bird measures 18 inches tall and is extremely well rendered and painted. Given its form, detailing, and presentation, it is most likely German in origin. It has a presale estimate of $3,000 to $5,000.

Thanksgiving Postcard Archive

This final Thanksgiving treasure hunt find is certain to get your stamp of approval. Potter & Potter Auctions of Chicago, IL is offering a massive archive of Thanksgiving postcards (lot #0700) as part of the Photography & Ephemera sales event on November 20th. In this collection of about 500 vintage postcards, many bear the signatures of Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle (American, 1865 – 1934), Frances Isabelle Lockwood Brundage (American, 1854 – 1937), and other popular early 20th-century illustrators. This visually stunning collection includes cards decorated with images of dinner menus, turkeys, children, Pilgrims, and other traditional themes. Most examples in this lot date back to 1920 or before. The archive carries a presale estimate of $500 to $700. 

Searching for more seasonal collectibles? We recently surveyed the spookiest lots coming to auction this Halloween.