TimeLine’s March 4-9 Antiquities Auction takes collectors on a fascinating journey through the past with rarely-seen ancient art and artifacts

Featured: Massive Levantine-Egyptian stone head of pharaoh, other rare marbles, 1st century AD jeweled cameo of Augustus, 6th-7th century AD Sasanian silver-gilt jar with dancing girls, ancient armor, coins

Monumental Levantine-Egyptian Stone Head of a Pharaoh
Monumental Levantine-Egyptian Stone Head of a Pharaoh

ESSEX, UK – Britain’s TimeLine Auctions, venerable auctioneers and specialist dealers of antiquities since 1858, will host a wide-ranging and fully-vetted six-day sale of ancient art, books, natural history rarities and coins starting Tuesday, March 4 and concluding on Sunday, March 9. All lots featured in the lavishly illustrated hardcover catalogue are from the March 4 live gallery session. Auction entries from all six days may be viewed online or in the company’s printed PDF catalogues, which include authoritative descriptions and multiple photographic views of each item. Also, in the case of premier lots offered on Day 1, bidders are sure to enjoy the scholarly video commentaries presented by chartered auctioneer and renowned antiques expert Tim Wonnacott. All forms of remote bidding will be available throughout the sale, including live online through TimeLine’s website.

Rare and exceptional artworks and relics from the world’s most acclaimed cultures will cross the auction block along with antiquities from even earlier societies that influenced human progress. The latter would certainly include the civilizations of South Arabia, which presciently cultivated agricultural products and spices. Their cultures were also based around the use of incense, as exemplified by an impressive auction highlight: a figural incense burner from the 7th-6th century BC. 

The bronze, bowl-form piece is surmounted by spikes and flanked by two large aviform supporters, each having one long curving wing to the vessel’s exterior. The obverse is decorated with a raised legend in South Arabian script intersected by a rampant quadruped, possibly a lion. The burner reputedly came from the temple of “Athtar dhu-Garb in al-Sawda” (ancient Nashshan) in the Jawf of Yemen. It was previously held in the private collection of Shlomo Moussaieff (1925-2015), Israel; passed by family descent, then was acquired privately in 2021. Similar to pieces in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The British Museum, it is estimated at £15,000-£20,000 ($18,650-$24,860).

One can only marvel at the breathtaking artistry seen in a monumental Levantine-Egyptian stone head of a pharaoh from the Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 BC. This massive sculpture likely came from an enormous sphinx. It wears a royal nemes headdress with a prominent headband and the remains of rearing uraeus on the brow, and its facial features include large almond-shape eyes and slightly pursed lips. At 17 inches (43cm) high, it comes mounted on a custom-made display stand. Prior ownership includes consecutive European private collections (from 1975), subsequent private acquisition and family descent. Accompanied by an academic report prepared by Egyptologist Paul Whelan, this fabulous treasure carries a £40,000-£60,000 ($49,720-$74,580) estimate.

Another wonderful Egyptian artwork is a limestone low-relief frieze of a fishing scene from the Saite Period, 664-525 BC. It displays a beautifully carved depiction of hips and legs of two standing figures with their day’s “catch,” a long-finned fish. Measuring 9 inches high and mounted on an old stand, its line of provenance includes a European private collection and a 1991 sale at Sotheby’s London. It could reel in a winning bid of £12,000-£17,000 ($14,920-$21,130).

Dating to circa 1500-1300 BC, an Indo-Gagetic copper anthropomorphic idol from India consists of a large, flat-section figure with curled arms, spread legs and a lobed head, mounted on custom-made stand. Exhibiting a high standard of artistry, this important piece measures 14¼ inches (36.3cm) wide. Works of its type and age are discussed in The Bronze Age Metalwork of India, Prahistorische Bronzefunde X (P Yule, 1985). Its ownership can be traced back to a 1950s English private collection, followed by Atigh Gallery (pre-1986), and with Aaron Gallery, which acquired the antiquity from the previous source. Accompanied by a copy of a 1986 invoice from Atigh Gallery, it is expected to achieve a winning auction bid in the vicinity of £18,000-£24,000 ($22,380-$29,830).

For those who admire the distinctive beauty of Greek Attic pottery, Timeline is pleased to suggest a circa 520 BC black-figure lekythos of ovoid shape with a slender neck, trumpet-shape mouth, strap handle and discoid foot. It is adorned with a well-composed combat scene involving three Hoplites, the first in a tall-crested Corinthian helmet, who thrusts his long spear toward the shielded middle figure whose own spear is blocked by a third figure. This 10 3/8in (26.5cm) vase, of a type that would have stored oil, ointments or perfume, is similar to an example in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its provenance can be traced to a German private collection of the 1960s, followed by a 2013 auction in Germany where it was acquired by its present owner. Estimate: £20,000-£30,000 ($24,860-$37,290)

A very fine Scythian Chalcidian or Illyrian variant (Caucasian type) helmet from the 3rd-1st century BC is handsomely embossed with images of stags on both sides and ram horns on its brow. It was constructed from two joined halves, with hinged cheek-pieces. Its background includes acquisition on the European art market in the mid-1980s, subsequent ownership by an Oxford, UK private collector; and most recently a London doctor. Comparable to examples in several important reference books and publications, it will convey with an academic report prepared by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. Estimate: £18,000-£24,000 ($22,380-$29,830)

Three exceptional Roman antiquities highlight the sale, the first being an agate cameo of Augustus from the 1st century AD. The profile portrait bust is presented in an antique gold pendant frame with surrounding emerald, sapphire and ruby cabochons; and clusters of pearls. It is marked on verso 750 in a rectangle Bd G, which is believed to represent an upstate New York jeweler’s stamp; along with an indeterminate third mark. Its total weight is 99 grams, and its illustrious line of provenance includes an early-20th-century New York collection, the Robert Haber Gallery, New York, in 1990; and the collection of Jean Clostre of Geneva, Switzerland. Thus museum-quality piece is accompanied by a scholarly report from Dr. Ittai Gradel, who notes that the cameo is “of exquisite technical quality” and has “a close parallel in the Cabinet des Medailles, Paris.” Estimate: £30,000-£40,000 ($37,290-$49,720)

A superb circa 1 AD Roman (Augustan) Parian marble portrait of Gaius Julius Caesar Vipsanianus (20 BC-4 AD) was modeled in the round and carved with soft facial features, a long neck, and hair trimmed in Julian style. With a height of 19 inches (48cm) inclusive of its custom-made stand, the marble compares to examples in several important books and publications about Roman historical portraits. Acquired on the London art market in the 1970s, followed by a 2007 appearance at Christie’s and 2015 sale at Bonhams (both in London), with consecutive private owners in between, this lot will convey with an academic report from Raffaele D’Amato. Estimate: £18,000-£24,000 ($22,380-$29,830)

A second noteworthy Roman marble is a 2nd century AD head of a barbarian. Carved in the round, it depicts a Dacian or Germanic warrior with high cheekbones, a narrow chin, small pointed beard and broad, curved moustache. The center-parted hair is cut moderately short with fringe, and the almond-shape eyes are deep-set with heavy lids. Having a height of 8 3/8in (21.5cm) inclusive of its custom-made stand, the marble claims prestigious provenance: Marlaud de Serres, France, acquired in the 1980s; a 2011 sale at Christie’s Paris; and a Swiss private collection. Also, it was exhibited at Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, in 2025. A photo of artefacts in that display is included with the auction lot, as is an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato, copies of the sculpture’s French cultural passport, and other important documentation. Estimate: £12,000-£17,000 ($14,920-$21,130)

A sensational 6th-7th century AD Sasanian silver-gilt jar serves as a testament to how long dancing has existed as a form of human expression. It is adorned with repousse figures of three nude dancing girls with draped swags of cloth, as well as images of a peacock and two small boys around the vessel’s circumference. Standing 7 3/8 inches (18.7cm) high, it comes with several reports, including an academic one from Dr Raffaele D’Amato. Similar to examples in several important reference books and museum collections, this rare and extraordinarily fine work of art has graced a private collection since the 1960s and is now guided by an auction estimate of £15,000-£20,000 ($18,650-$24,860).

TimeLine’s March 4-9, 2025 auction will be held live at the company’s head office located at The Court House, 363 Main Rd., Harwich, Essex CO12 4DN, UK. All lots featured in TimeLine’s hardcover catalogue will be auctioned during the March 4 opening session. Internet bidders may pre-register online. Goods may be previewed in person at the gallery by prior arrangement only. Auction start time: 7am US Eastern time/12pm (midday) GMT. All remote forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone (please book phone line 48 hours ahead of time), or live via the Internet through TimeLine’s bidding platform or LiveAuctioneers. TimeLine Auctions accepts payments in GBP and ships worldwide. Questions: call +44 7494 866514 or email Aaron Hammond at [email protected]. Website: https://timelineauctions.com. 

P is for Cartier’s Panther

Making an unobtrusive appearance in 1914, the indomitable feline eventually made a deep mark on the jewelry company, and became an icon. Under director Jeanne Toussaint’s leadership, it inspired magnificent creations and remains very much alive today.

“Panthère flâneuse” (“Strolling Leopard”) necklace (2017): platinum, emerald and rubellite beads, onyx, emerald eyes, diamonds. © Cartier
“Panthère flâneuse” (“Strolling Leopard”) necklace (2017): platinum, emerald and rubellite beads, onyx, emerald eyes, diamonds.
© Cartier

Celebrated in brooches, bracelets, watches and necklaces, the panther has padded through Cartier‘s collections for over a century. It has won over the world’s most elegant women throughout the decades, including the Duchess of Windsor, her contemporary Daisy Fellowes (heiress to the Singer company), Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Shirin Aga Khan, Mexican actress María Félix, French actress Jacqueline Delubac, Saint-Germain-des-Prés muse Juliette Gréco and Italian aristocrat and patron Marella Agnelli. Even today, the big cat continues to exert a powerful attraction, as witnessed by its recurring and constantly reinvented presence in contemporary creations. “The panther remains a commanding symbol of not only femininity and elegance but also independence and even danger,” says Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s Director of Image, Style and Heritage. “It is inseparable from the image of freedom. However, its first understated appearance in 1914 was purely aesthetic. The wild feline entered the Cartier repertoire with the evocation of its fur on a watch dial paved with diamonds and onyx. This abstract representation reflected Cartier’s taste for black and white jewelry. But the choice of the panther also resonated with the current vogue for the exotic.

Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier's creative director of jewelry, in her office in Rue de la Paix in 1967. HENRY CLARKE, MUSEE GALLIERA/ADAGP, PARIS 2025 - © CONDÉ NAST
Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s creative director of jewelry, in her office in Rue de la Paix in 1967.
HENRY CLARKE, MUSEE GALLIERA/ADAGP, PARIS 2025 – © CONDÉ NAST

“Panthéromanie”

Exerting a powerful fascination since antiquity, the big cat occupied a prominent place in art, fashion and decoration in the early 20th century, and another panther entered the Parisian jeweler’s premises in 1914. In artist Georges Barbier’s drawing on an invitation to a jewelry exhibition, the panther is shown lying at the feet of a woman wearing a very long pearl necklace. The fierce animal made a further appearance in the company’s creations in 1917 in figurative form, inlaid on an onyx toiletry set. At the same time, paving evoking the panther’s coat began to appear in bracelets, brooches, cigarette cases, cufflinks and so on. In 1931, at Daisy Fellowes’ request, the company created a necklace in a real panther skin of platinum, sapphires, turquoise and diamonds. Then, in 1935, a ring featured — for the first time in three dimensions — two panther heads facing each other, separated by a star ruby held in their front paws. But it wasn’t until 1948 and a commission from the Duke of Windsor that the feline was represented in volume in its entirety. Abandoning black and white jewelry, the piece created was a brooch featuring a 116 ct emerald, on which the animal in yellow gold and black enamel proudly rested. Shortly afterwards, Cartier designed another brooch, soon to become iconic, with a sculptural panther paved with diamonds and sapphires adorning a 152 ct sapphire cabochon. This was immediately bought by the Windsors. At the same time, in 1949, Daisy Fellowes acquired a “Golden Fleece” brooch with, instead of a ram, a panther with articulated head and legs. From then on, the trend was established once and for all: the noble big cat was adopted by the most elegant high society women and became a sign of prestige. Jean Cocteau even coined the term “panthéromanie” (panther mania) for the craze. But for Pierre Rainero, “the panther also resonated with Cartier’s identity. In representing it in 3D, like a sculpture, without any reference to antique pieces, the House boldly broke with the codes of jewelry.” The items designed by Peter Lemarchand were the result of long hours spent studying the feline’s expressions and movements at the zoo in Vincennes. Taking realism a step further, the company also evoked the animal’s fur and silky appearance through an exclusive technique known as “serti pelage” (“fur setting”), which involved surrounding the stones representing the rosettes on the skin with grains of metal incorporated into tiny threads, giving the impression of hairs. The naturalistic panther was at first dominant and proud, then playful, sensual or even in mid-roar. Appearing in necklaces, tiaras and rings, its attitudes and depictions evolved over time. “Aesthetic, functional and symbolic relevance were all central to the Cartier panther’s timeless success,” says Pierre Rainero. But the power of the motif was also linked with its embodiment by a woman.

Bracelet in platinum and onyx, with two emeralds and 1358 diamonds. © Cartier
Bracelet in platinum and onyx, with two emeralds and 1358 diamonds.
© Cartier

Jeanne Toussaint, aka PanPan

Jeanne Toussaint was already associated with the panther, even before her path took her to the very heart of the company in Rue de la Paix. In 1913, during a safari in Africa, her then lover saw how fascinated she was by wild animals, and gave her the affectionate nickname of “PanPan” (from the French, “panthère”). But the connection between the cat and the future creative director of jewelry also reflected her authoritarian nature and fierce determination, as well as her unconcealed liking for panther (leopard) skin: “She was famous in Paris for adopting an audacious leopard skin coat very early on, and for decorating her apartment with spectacular panther skins,” says Francesca Cartier Brickell in her book Les Cartier. Louis Cartier, who made the elegant beauty his mistress and then his collaborator, soon nicknamed her “the Panther”. It was a sobriquet that followed her throughout her career with the company run by the three Cartier brothers, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, which she joined in the early 1920s. She started out in the handbag department, and was then introduced to jewelry by her lover, who quickly spotted her sense of style and discerning taste, and appointed her creative director of the haute joaillerie department in 1933. Establishing herself in a man’s world, she held this position until 1970. It was Toussaint who brought her favorite animal to life in volume and color on some remarkable pieces, and made it an emblem of the company.

Bracelet (2014) in white gold, onyx, emerald and diamonds. PHOTO: Vincent Wulveryck © Cartier
Bracelet (2014) in white gold, onyx, emerald and diamonds.
PHOTO: Vincent Wulveryck © Cartier

The Panther Conquers New Territories

In the 1980s, the panther clawed its way into new spheres. A watch bearing its name was introduced. Inspired by the “Santos” model and featuring a flexible bracelet whose links suggested the animal’s undulating movement, it was an out-and-out success in its versions for men and women alike. The feline also moved into olfactory territory, with the launch of a fragrance named after it in 1987. Constantly adapting to the times, the panther entered the 21st century with a new, more graphic and geometric design. In 2014, the year of the panther’s centenary in the company, it sported a coat inspired by digital pixels: a brilliant idea evoking both contemporary technologies and its first abstract appearance in 1914. The designs include an onyx and diamond bracelet with the feline running at full speed, evoking this twofold reference. Between innovation and heritage, the panther constantly reinvents itself. In 2023, the Haute Joaillerie Collection featured the panther in a necklace, captured in a world of ice with a body fragmented into shards of diamonds and aquamarines. In 2024, after some 3,000 hours of work, another necklace, in diamonds, onyx and sapphires, was presented on a bed of shattered ice. These various pieces one day found their way into the auction market, where the animal makes regular appearances. Some even made the headlines. In 1987, for example, at the memorable sale of the Duchess of Windsor’s jewelry at Sotheby’s, the iconic 1949 diamond and sapphire pin brooch fetched $1.4 M, bought by Cartier for its collection, after a ferocious battle. In 2010, an articulated onyx and diamond bracelet created for the same Duchess fetched £4.5 M (€6.3 M at today’s value), setting a new record for a Cartier jewelry piece. Less exceptional but more recent, a 1960s brooch in onyx, diamonds and emeralds fetched CHF554,400 (€566,500) — well above its estimate — at Christie’s in Geneva last May. Clearly, the Cartier panther is still the cat’s whiskers!

First appearance of the panther motif (1914): wristwatch in platinum, rose gold, onyx, diamonds, iridescent bracelet. PHOTO: Nils Hermann, Cartier Collection © Cartier
First appearance of the panther motif (1914): wristwatch in platinum, rose gold, onyx, diamonds, iridescent bracelet.
PHOTO: Nils Hermann, Cartier Collection © Cartier

The Cartier Panther
in 5 key dates
1914
First appearance on a watch
1933
Jeanne Toussaint becomes Creative Director
1948
First three-dimensional representation
1983
Launch of a watch named after the big cat
2010
Auction record for a piece of Cartier jewelry

Worth Reading
Stéphanie Des Horts
La Panthère, pub. by Le Livre de poche
Cartier Panthère, pub. by Assouline (in English)

Morphy’s $1.9M Old West Auction was a bidders’ battleground where White Bull’s historic Lakota storybook charged to $270,600

Other noteworthy highlights: spectacular 1930s Bohlin silver and gold parade saddle, $233,700; Henry Model 1860 rifle with Rideout provenance, $41,820; massive Qualey Bros. silver spurs, $29,520

Breathtaking Edward H. Bohlin "Machris" Parade Saddle
Breathtaking Edward H. Bohlin “Machris” Parade Saddle

LAS VEGAS – Morphy’s January 24 auction of Western and Native American art, relics and memorabilia held at the Westgate Casino & Resort in Las Vegas drew an engaged roomful of bidders, each intent on claiming a piece of authentic cowboy history. In the end, the annual specialty event rounded up a robust $1.9 million, with top-lot honors going to a unique and historically important book documenting Lakota Sioux tribal history.

Created and maintained by Chief Sitting Bull’s nephew White Bull (1849-1947), the 162-page historical ledger and storybook was specifically intended to document Indian battles in the West. Consisting of 120 narrative pages, 33 illustrated color pages, and 28 additional pages that were either blank or faced drawings, the ledger was both visual and informative. “What made it especially unique was that it was a personal and original biographical account of battles, coups, combats and even included winter population counts of the Sioux,” said Dan Morphy, president of Morphy Auctions. “White Bull claimed to have killed General Custer – which may or may not have been true – but the book does record what appears to be his fight with Custer, in addition to many other battles in which he was personally involved.” 

Mike Cowdrey, a respected author of books on Native American topics, observed that, in terms of Lakota historiography, White Bull’s ledger/storybook is “comparable in importance to the diaries of Thomas Jefferson – a unique and irreplaceable resource.” Its importance certainly did not go unnoticed, as it was bid competitively to $270,600, more than twice its high estimate. 

A sensational showpiece, an Edward H. Bohlin sterling silver and gold parade saddle in 100% original condition had been custom-made in the late 1930s for a noted equestrienne, Louise Cottam of Santa Barbara, California. Ms Cottam chose the saddle for her appearances at numerous horse shows, parades and other events. Morphy’s catalog noted that its design was actually a slight variation on the Machris model, which Bohlin debuted in their 1937 catalog. The saddle was also featured in James Nottage’s reference book titled Saddlemaker to the Stars. Together with a matching bridle, second breast collar, and saddle set, and with provenance from the celebrated George Pitman collection of Rancho Santa Fe, California, it sold for $233,700 against an estimate of $100,000-$150,000. 

Steeped in Old West lore, a Henry Model 1860 lever-action rifle was identified through its serial number as having been from a 90-gun shipment sent to Ft Knox, Maine, in 1864. It was actually stamped with the name of its New England destination, where it was issued to Lt Ezra Rideout of the 15th Maine. In 1869, Ezra gifted the rifle to his brother, Jacob Rideout, a traveling preacher whose documented Kansas acquaintances included Wild Bill Hickok, John Wesley Hardin, the infamous sheriff William “Buffalo Bully” Brooks, and quite likely the Earp brothers. Engraved Jacob Rideout / Contention Arizona Ter., the fabled longarm is shown in two classic reference books: Wiley Sword’s The Historic Henry Rifle, and George Madis’ The Winchester Book. At auction, it landed above its high estimate, at $41,820. 

Another item with Western celebrity status was an inscribed sword-stick cane presented to Buffalo Bill Cody on his 45th birthday (Feb. 26, 1891) by his business partner and vice-president Nate Salsbury. Its silver-plated handle was engraved with images from Cody’s life and topped with a color inset image on ivory of Buffalo Bill wearing a suit and Stetson hat. Bearing silver hallmarks for the year 1891 and the maker’s name “George Fox of London,” the one-of-a-kind memento sold for $15,600 against an estimate of $7,000-$10,000.

The auction gave collectors of silver spurs ample choice with a 55-lot selection that showcased many of the greatest names in Western silverwork. A pair of massive double-mounted shield and dome-mounted sterling silver spurs by Qualey Bros boasted 2¾-inch shanks, each with the classic Qualey split-tip detail, and 2½-inch rowels. Both had basket-stamped straps adorned with proportional 2¾-inch conchos and were marked Qualey Bros. Joseph Ida on their interiors. With a line of provenance that included the famed Ron and Linda Gillett collection, the duo sold just shy of their high estimate, for $29,520.

Made in the early 1900s at the Southern California workshop of J Tapia, a filigreed, overlaid and underlaid coin-silver ring-bit on bridle displayed the maker’s characteristic stylized cheeks and a slobber-bar adorned with raised, domed, multi-petal floral spots. It had a period split-ear California leather headstall attached to a later set of braided, closed-leather reins with a romel and popper, and sold for $23,370 against an estimate of $15,000-$20,000.

Antique horsehair bridles made by inmates in Western penitentiaries comprise a popular collecting category of their own. An especially-nice example offered by Morphy’s was painstakingly crafted at Deer Lodge Montana State Penitentiary, with a hitched round slider on the reins; hot pink, blue and red “diamond” patterns on a yellow ground, and multicolored horsehair tassels. It attracted 13 bids before settling near its high estimate at $14,400.

The revered Bohlin name also lent its magic to a handsome gold filigreed and sterling silver buckle and belt set with a bas-relief “chief” or ‘Indian-head” design. The belt, which made a proud artistic statement with its eight mounted, two-color gold Indian heads, was created by Cody, Wyoming, saddle maker and Bohlin tooler Keith Seidel. The set rose to $7,380 against a $3,000-$4,000 estimate.

Nearly 100 pieces of fine art crossed the auction block. An oil-on-canvas painting by WHD Koerner (1878-1938), titled Jubilo Where Did You Sleep Last Night, measured 24 by 36 inches (sight) and was artist-signed and dated 1919 in the lower right-hand corner. It realized $19,200. A Harry Jackson mixed-media and bronze sculpture on a marble base, titled Pony Express II, was double-signed and dated in bronze ©Harry Jackson 1980, with a PE II 46F mark and WFS Italia stamp. This well-executed artwork sold for $17,220 against an estimate of $8,000-$10,000.

Consignments are currently being accepted for Morphy’s next Old West Auction in Las Vegas. To discuss consigning a collection or individual item, call Dan Morphy tollfree at 877-968-8880 or email [email protected]. There is never an obligation to consign, and all enquiries are kept strictly confidential. Visit Morphy’s online at www.morphyauctions.com.

Murillo: A Spanish Painting Owned by an English Lord

The recent history of this Ecce Homo is worthy of a British-style detective story, but it also reveals much about the mysteries still in store for the Seville painter.

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682), Ecce Homo, oil on canvas, 99 x 73 cm/38.9 x 28.74 in, on the back, on the stretcher, handwritten annotation in black pencil: “Murillo”; two printed labels, one relating to the Leeds exhibition of 1868. Estimate: €200,000/300,000
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682), Ecce Homo, oil on canvas, 99 x 73 cm/38.9 x 28.74 in, on the back, on the stretcher, handwritten annotation in black pencil: “Murillo”; two printed labels, one relating to the Leeds exhibition of 1868.
Estimate: €200,000/300,000

Among the most eloquent pages of Francis Haskell’s art-historical bible, Rediscoveries in Art, those devoted to the reception of Spanish painting in English collections are extremely instructive. The author recalls that general opinion remained hostile to what a member of the National Gallery’s acquisition committee called, in 1853, “more or less a corruption of the inferior Italian schools”! At the time of the dispersal of King Louis-Philippe’s extraordinary collection in London that same year, the Art Journal evoked the underlying reasons for this lack of interest: how could English good society take pleasure in hanging spectral-looking saints and martyrs, monks and nuns in their homes? Only an erudite audience could grasp the power of these works. Lawrence Dundas, first Baronet of Kerse, the owner of Aske Hall, was one of them, and almost a century earlier! Documented as early as 1765 in his collections, the Ecce Homo by “ditto (Murillo)” was also mentioned in 1833 in a guide to local curiosities as “an Ecce Homo believed to be by Murillo”. Thirty-five years later, it was exhibited in Leeds, alongside Titian’s Ecce Homo belonging to the Duc d’Aumale (Chantilly, Musée Condé), to demonstrate Murillo’s debt to the Venetian master… In 1981, however, the painting was listed as a “work in debate” in the catalog raisonné by Diego Angulo Íñiguez. It was then somewhat forgotten by specialists.

For some specialists, it is the prototype, but above all the original painted for Guadix Cathedral in Andalusia.

Man and His Destiny

All this, not to mention a tragedy, which a descendant of Sir Lawrence Dundas decided to turn into an opportunity for the painting. Stolen in 1992 from the chapel at Aske Hall, it went on sale the following year in London, then in Paris in November 2023, at Rossini, where it was presented as “School of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo” from the “former collection of the Earl of (“comte de”) Zetland”, estimated at €4,000/6,000. The work was then bought for €8,000 by Robin Dundas, Earl of Ronaldshay, on the advice of Parisian dealer Guillermo Pinilla. Nearly a year later, expert Pierre-Antoine Martenet exhibited Ecce Homo as an original work by Murillo, for his “first legitimate sale since the mid-18th century”. In the meantime, it has been restored — by Cinzia Pasquali (Arca-nes Restorations) — hung and “unhooked” from Aske Hall. Hung in majesty in the entrance of Drouot, in December, on the occasion of “Red Week”, Jesus crowned with thorns answered with panache to the plunderers of the English castles! To date, the attribution to Murillo has been confirmed by Enrique Valdivieso González “after examination of high-definition photographs, in a letter dated February 15, 2024”. Other specialists will have to judge the work in person, in particular to better debate its place in the chronology — Professor Valdivieso suggests dating it to 1665 — and its role within the studio. Ideally, this oil on canvas should be compared with the studio copy at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, New York, or with the version created for the church of St. Anne, on deposit since 2012 at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. For some specialists, this is the prototype, but above all the original painted for Guadix Cathedral in Andalusia. These discussions are virtuous, since the other Ecce Homo composition, admired by all, star of the July sales in London in 2017, had been auctioned for nearly £2.8M.

COLLECTIONS IV

Friday 07 February 2025 – 14:00 (CET) – Live

Salle 4 – Hôtel Drouot – 75009 Paris

Leducq Maison de ventes aux enchères

Info and sales conditions

Catalogue

Neon signs will light up a first-class selection of automobilia and petroliana at Morphy’s Las Vegas auction, Feb. 21-22

Also featured: Rare vintage gas and oil signs, pumps, globes, product cans, thermometers, service station product display and point-of-purchase racks, much more

Ok Used Cars Complete Porcelain Dealership Neon Sign.
Ok Used Cars Complete Porcelain Dealership Neon Sign.

LAS VEGAS – Collectors have come to expect next-level quality and service at all of Morphy’s Automobilia & Petroliana auctions, events that consistently attract enthusiasts from all over the Western United States. Motorheads certainly won’t be disappointed at the February 21-22 edition of this popular series, which will be held at the company’s Las Vegas gallery. The 830-lot selection of high-condition rarities will leave them wondering whose elite garage or man cave Dan Morphy and his team have visited lately. Let’s lift the hood and take a look at some of the top entries in Morphy’s first gas- and oil-related advertising sale of the new year.

Colorful neon signs will be casting a warm glow over the proceedings. This super-popular category is growing by leaps and bounds, and as always, collectors want rarity and condition. They’ll find both in a massive circa-1950s double-sided porcelain neon sign for “OK Used Cars Authorized Dealer.” It would be difficult to fault this fine example, which retains its original bullnose edges and shines brilliantly on both sides. In 9.0 condition, the 111-inch-wide sign is expected to sell for $20,000-$40,000.

Another coveted beauty is a circa-1930s double-sided porcelain neon sign advertising a Pontiac dealership. The focal point is the car manufacturer’s iconic company logo, which shows the legendary 18th-century Ottawa tribe’s war chief Pontiac in profile. The sign illuminates nicely and has its original bullnose. Both sides display excellent condition – 8.25+ on side 1 and 8.0 on side 2. Its crated size is 83 by 29 by 51 inches, and its pre-sale estimate is $12,000-$20,000.

Andy Warhol might have described a striking circa-1930s single-sided porcelain Shell Service neon sign as “pop art.” It really makes a statement with its extra-vivid color, high gloss and strong 9.0 condition. The sign has a newly-added transformer and electrical componentry, so it’s ready to light up its new owner’s collection brightly and flawlessly. The crated size is 58 by 13 by 58.5 inches, and it’s expected to land in the $10,000-$20,000 range on auction day.

Vintage gas pumps and globes are at the center of any serious petroliana collection, and the February 21-22 sale has some excellent suggestions for collectors looking for either. A highlight amongst the 53 pumps to be offered is a restored circa-1910s American brand five-gallon visible Model #201. Displaying brilliant color throughout, it has hand-painted lettering, brass fixtures, and an attractive glass cylinder that presents in excellent condition. It stands 105 inches tall and could command a winning bid of $15,000-$25,000.

A selection of 91 gas pump globes and lenses includes many favorites in outstanding condition. Watch the crowd react with approval when a circa-1920s Gilmore (Los Angeles) Blu-Green Gasoline lens is introduced. With its spectacular roaring-lion image, this rare 15-inch-diameter example is glossy and colorful, and is rated a condition 8.75+. Its auction target is $15,000-$20,000.

For the many collectors who actively pursue aviation-fuel items, there’s a circa-1930s one-piece baked globe advertising Sinclair Aircraft petroleum. With rich red coloration on both sides and a graphic of a vintage single-prop airplane, this handsome globe is graded a solid 8.5. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000 

An impressive selection of signs, 567 in all, includes a number of desirable items, like a seldom-encountered circa-1930s Flying A die-cut single-sided porcelain truck-door sign. In 8.0 condition, a high grade bolstered by its deep scarlet coloration and lustrous surface, this 66-inch-wide by 28-inch-high rarity is entered with a $15,000-$30,000 estimate.

A circa-1920s Wyeth Tires (St. Joseph, Mo.) single-sided porcelain corner sign features an appealing graphic of a young boy in motoring attire, with goggles pushed back on a visored cap, sitting inside a stack of tires. It measures 16 by 22inches and bears a maker’s mark that reads Consumers BLDG CHI. With condition assessed at a confident 8.75 out of 10, its pre-sale estimate is $12,000-$24,000.

It’s not every day that a collector runs across a circa-1930s “Use Associated Gasoline” four-color porcelain sign. Single-sided and measuring 24 inches in diameter, with a nice orange-peel texture and “More Miles To The Gallon” pouring-can logo, this rare advertising treasure in 8.75 condition carries a $10,000-$20,000 estimate.

Nearly two dozen gas- and oil-related advertising thermometers will cross the auction block. The star of the group is a circa-1930s Approved Red Hat Motor Oil single-sided porcelain example with bold and colorful advertising and Red Hat company-logo imagery on the face. The outer glass on this round thermometer is excellent, and the overall condition is graded 9.0. Estimate: $7,500-$15,000

The auction list is rounded out by point-of-purchase display racks and cabinets; 43 motor oil and other product cans; and a wide variety of miscellanea, including advertising clocks, a good-looking pair of Gilmore Gasoline Red Lion license plate toppers, fare boxes and other railroad items. A unique, all-original circa-1930s Mobil Pegasus weather vane in 8.9+ condition on both sides is 84 inches tall on its custom stand and comes to auction with a $6,000-$12,000 estimate.

The Feb. 21-22, 2025 auction will be held live at Morphy’s satellite venue located at 4520 Arville St., #1, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103. Start time is 9am Pacific time (12 noon Eastern time). Preview Monday through Thursday, Feb. 17-20 from 9am-4pm local time; or on auction days from 8-9am. All forms of remote bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone (please reserve line in advance), or live via the Internet through Morphy Live. For condition reports or other questions, call tollfree 877-968-8880 or email [email protected]. Online: https://www.morphyauctions.com. 

P for Soft-Paste Porcelain

In seeking the secret of Chinese porcelain, France made its mark by creating a remarkable ceramic paste called soft-paste, though it did not contain the vital kaolin.

Manufacture de Vincennes, soft-paste porcelain milk jug decorated with two cherubs in clouds eating grapes, after François Boucher (1703-1770), in a reserve of flowers and foliage against a green background, chased gold mounting, date letter for 1754, h. 12 cm/4.7 in. Paris, Hôtel Drouot, January 22, 2021, Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés auction house. Result: €133,350
Manufacture de Vincennes, soft-paste porcelain milk jug decorated with two cherubs in clouds eating grapes, after François Boucher (1703-1770), in a reserve of flowers and foliage against a green background, chased gold mounting, date letter for 1754, h. 12 cm/4.7 in. Paris, Hôtel Drouot, January 22, 2021, Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés auction house.
Result: €133,350

European admiration for Chinese porcelain led to what soon became a specifically Western product: a ceramic much in vogue for its whiteness and translucency. To achieve this, two types of raw ceramic paste were developed: “hard-paste” — the closest to Chinese porcelain as it contained a high percentage of kaolin — and “soft-paste”, containing no kaolin and consisting of frit (a glassy mixture) or a phosphatic mixture based on bone ash. Both pastes were shaped on a wheel or in a mold, and the resulting forms were left to dry. They then underwent an initial “biscuit” firing at 950-980°C to eliminate the excess water still present in the paste. When they came out of the kiln, the pieces had shrunk slightly, and were white with a porous surface. These porcelain biscuit pieces were now strong enough to be handled and decorated. Here, the two techniques differed in the type of decoration and the firing temperature. As the chemical composition of soft-paste cannot withstand the same temperatures as hard-paste (fired between 1380 and 1460°C) without breaking, soft-paste biscuit was covered with a lead glaze: a melting, glassy material enriched with lead oxide to make it transparent or slightly opaque, with pale yellow highlights. This glaze was fixed with a firing at between 1100 and 1350°C. After this stage, the piece had an impermeable, glossy, warm creamy white surface, ready to receive the painted decoration.

If the needle leaves no trace, the porcelain is hard-paste; if the surface is scratched, it is soft-paste.

Soft Palette

Like glaze, colors were created using vitreous enamels tinted with metal oxides. Similar in nature on soft-paste, background and decoration were amalgamated during a final firing at less than 900°C. This temperature softened the glaze without melting it — so that it remained the background of the decoration — and solidified the fragile metal oxides without burning them. These precautions were the key to the delicacy of soft porcelain, whose subtle colors had long been unachievable with hard porcelain, limited to a restricted palette that could withstand a high firing temperature. Colors thus provide an initial clue for distinguishing hard from soft porcelain. But in fact, all you need do is take a needle and lightly scratch the surface of a piece on the underside to find out the type of porcelain. If the needle leaves no trace, the porcelain is hard-paste; if the surface is scratched, it is soft-paste.

The French court was so taken with soft-paste porcelain that all the leading painters of the time were commissioned to decorate it.

Historical Porcelain

What posterity acclaimed above all was French soft-paste porcelain, even if Italy produced the first wares. The very rare Medici porcelain on a blue and white ground dates from between 1575 and 1587, and the 60-odd pieces listed today are now in museums. Nearly a century later, soft-paste porcelain was born again in Rouen, in the same colors, under Louis Poterat, who obtained a royal manufacturing privilege that expired with his death in 1696. However, the jealously-guarded recipe was discovered at Saint-Cloud, which produced creamy, ivory-toned pieces studded with metallic black dots. The factory was granted a royal privilege in 1702. Though soft-paste was not suitable for large-scale pieces, its malleability made it easy to produce scalloped or gadrooned shapes. At the time, France was the only European country making white, translucent porcelain, before the Meissen factory riposted in 1708 with the very first pieces of true hard-paste porcelain. By the middle of the century, six or seven Paris factories were producing small soft-paste objects like knife handles and cane knobs. In 1725, the Prince de Condé became the patron of a factory in Chantilly. Its products were characterized by mediocre translucency and a creamy hue, both due to the addition of tin oxide to the lead glaze. The factory was set up in the former Château de Vincennes in 1738, granted a royal privilege in 1745, and moved to Sèvres in 1756. Its naturalistic soft-paste flowers brought it considerable commercial success. They were sold mounted in garlands or arranged in bouquets on metal stems. They adorned all kinds of objects and were illegally copied by Parisian factories, while the factory licensed by the King imitated Meissen statuettes. In 1752, the first soft-paste biscuit figurines were invented in France, and this new white gold was used for diplomatic gifts. The court was so taken with soft-paste porcelain that all the leading painters of the time were commissioned to decorate it. By 1760, it was resplendent with its first gold decorations, but the honeymoon was not to last. Its rich palette did not prevent Sèvres from stopping its production between 1804 and 1887 in favor of hard-paste alone. It enjoyed a brilliant renaissance thanks to Art Deco between 1925 and 1930. However, other factories remained loyal to soft-paste, particularly in England with its bone china, whose phosphatic composition is still considered an essential aspect. But the Sèvres factory is soft-hearted, and still produces this very first French porcelain pieces, using a phosphate recipe inspired by the one created in the 18th century.

Also read P is for Hard-Paste Porcelain

Worth Seeing
Soft-paste pieces
from the collections of the Musée de Sèvres
and the Musée des Avelines in Saint-Cloud

DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS – CERAMICS – ART OBJECTS AND BEAUTIFUL FURNISHINGS – TAPESTRIES AND CARPETS

Friday 22 January 2021 – 13:00 (CET) – Live

Salle 5-6 – Hôtel Drouot – 75009 Paris

Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés

Info and sales conditions

Catalogue

Results

Hake’s $1.45M debut sale of Jeff Jacob collection makes history as first action-figure-specific auction to break million-dollar mark

Auction records tumbled, with tantalizing Star Wars rarities that included a 1978 Double-Telescoping Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back A figure, $105,182; and 1984 The Power Of The Force base coin set, $42,536

Star Wars (1978) - Ben (Obi-wan) Kenobi 12 Back-a Afa 85 Nm+ (Double-telescopingSku On Footer, Pop 2Highest Graded Example).
Star Wars (1978) – Ben (Obi-wan) Kenobi 12 Back-a Afa 85 Nm+ (Double-telescopingSku On Footer, Pop 2Highest Graded Example).

YORK, Pa. – Hake’s debut sale of Star Wars and other action figures and prototypes from the celebrated Jeff Jacob collection crushed all expectations on January 22 as it soared to a $1.45 million finish. The initial offering of 435 lots from Jacob’s 33-year collection launched a multi-part series of online sales scheduled for 2025, and in so doing, achieved a significant milestone. It marked the first time an auction devoted exclusively to action figures broke the million-dollar mark.

A jubilant Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions, commented: “When we landed Jeff’s collection, we knew we definitely had something special, but we also sensed it could end up being legendary. Early on, there was so much excitement about the auction that we actually went live with the catalog a week earlier than planned. From the get-go, bidders ‘showed up’ and bid early and often. We had hopes of cracking one million but went well beyond that. And as we’ve seen so many times before, it was the collectors who had the final say about market value. Scores of new world auction records were set.”

Nearly all figures, playsets, vehicles and other items in the collection were AFA-graded and served as a shining testament to Jacob’s decades-long mission to upgrade his holdings to the maximum possible level. Most pieces were high grade, and some were the absolute highest-graded specimens of their type, per the AFA Population Report. In the January 22 opening session, 47 pieces were identified as being in the single highest grade known, with none graded higher. 

As predicted, the auction’s top-selling lot was a Star Wars (1978) Double-Telescoping Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A action figure, AFA-graded 85 NM+, with a SKU on its footer. Only two carded Double-Telescoping examples of this figure are known to exist in such a high grade, and of those two, the one offered by Hake’s was the first to appear at auction. Entered with no specified estimate and requiring an opening bid of $50,000, the coveted figure was aggressively chased to $105,182, a world auction record for any Double-Telescoping Ben Kenobi.

Another top prize was a Star Wars (1978) Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) 12 Back-A Kenner action figure, AFA-graded 85 NM+. Distinctive for its dark-blue dome and SKU on the card’s footer, this figure is one of only six examples known in its grade, with no other graded higher in the current AFA Population Report. It sold for $38,940 against an estimate of $5,000-$10,000, a world auction record for any R2-D2 figure.

There were great expectations for a Star Wars: The Power Of The Force (1984) complete base set of 62 pressed aluminum coins, but how much it might sell for was subject to speculation, since its auction appearance was quite possibly the first time a complete collection of its type had ever been publicly offered as a whole. Manufactured by Kenner and initially featured in a Star Wars mail-away offer, the coins were later issued in a carded format with the toy company’s Power Of The Force action figures. Each of the 1.5-inch coins was graded AFA 85 NM+ and originally had been obtained from a former Kenner employee. Against an estimate of $20,000-$35,000, the set rang the register at $42,536, a world auction record for a graded coin set of its type.

While on the subject of coins that captured bidders’ attention, another somewhat unpredictable entry was a Star Wars: The Power Of The Force (1984) “Star Wars – Jedi Knight” prototype 63rd mail-away coin for Kenner’s proposed 93-Back Power Of The Force cards. AFA-graded 90 NM+/Mint, its obverse design showed two hands holding a lightsaber, while the reverse described the role Jedi Knights played in the Star Wars galaxy. With a CIB LOA, the single coin sold for a world-record $13,953 against an estimate of $2,000-$5,000. 

A Star Wars (1978) Early Bird Mail-Away Kit included figures of a Double-Telescoping Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2. AFA-graded 85 NM+, its encapsulated case also contained an original white mailer box, vacuform plastic tray, baggie filled with plastic pegs for posing figures, a mini-catalog advertising a Star Wars Action Figure line and vehicles; and a mail-away offer for a stand. Only three such kits are known to have received a higher grade than the auction example, which settled near its high estimate at $32,450, a world auction record for any Star Wars kit. 

Condition was king in a Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1982) Boba Fett 3.75-inch Kenner action figure, 48 Back-C. AFA-graded 85 NM+, with none graded higher according to AFA Population Report, it promoted a “Free! Revenge Of The Jedi” action figure offer and contained more information on its card back about an Admiral Ackbar offer that was available free with proofs-of-purchase of six Revenge of the Jedi action figures. This rare toy depicting the enigmatic, armored bounty hunter commanded a winning bid of $27,258 against an estimate of $5,000-$10,000. The price represents a world auction record for a figure of its particular type. 

A great favorite with collectors, a boxed Star Wars (1978) Cantina Adventure Set contained bagged action figures of an elusive blue-version Snaggletooth, Greedo, Hammerhead, and Walrus Man, plus mailer boxes for figures, a sealed bag of pegs, a cardboard backdrop and inserts, in-package catalogs, and assembly instructions. One of only five examples graded AFA 85 NM+, and with none known in a higher grade, the lot rose to $27,258 against an estimate of $10,000-$20,000, a world auction record for a Star Wars Cantina Adventure Set.

Jeff Jacob’s pop-culture trove includes more than 3,000 pieces that span the action-figure universe. With 1970s Star Wars characters solidly at its base, the collection also incorporates the best of several other toy lines, including GI Joes, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Masters of the Universe, and other sought-after productions. 

Among the “Joes” offered on January 22 was a Hasbro GI Joe (1982) Cobra Missile Command Headquarters Series 1 playset with three 3.75in Straight-Arm action figures on red blister cards with peach file cards on the reverse. A Sears exclusive, this set was AFA-graded 75+ Q-Ex+/NM, making it the highest-graded and only-known example, according to the current AFA Population Report. Against an estimate of $5,000-$10,000, it battled to $14,673, a world-auction record for a set of its type in its grade.

Also hotly pursued, a Hasbro GI Joe (1986) Storm Shadow (Cobra Ninja) 3/36 Back, 3.75-inch action figure was AFA-graded 85 NM+ and had a “Free! Sgt. Slaughter Action Figure” mail-in offer on the back of its card. Representing the single highest-graded example of five examples in total that have been graded by AFA, it sold for an overall world-record price of $12,981 against an estimate of $2,000-$5,000.

Thundercats fans quickly zeroed in on a 1986 Lion-O & Snarf Series 2/14 Back blister card with a 7-inch-tall LJN action figure (orange-hair variety). With Battle-Matic Action, a Sword of Omens, and a “Secret Power Ring” capable of illuminating the figure’s eyes, the figure was accompanied by a companion, a 2.75-inch-tall Snarf, and encapsulated in packaging that advertised a “Free Mumm-Ra” action figure mail-in offer. AFA-graded 80 NM and one of only five in that grade, with none higher, it sold for $9,423 against an estimate of $2,000-$5,000. The price set a world auction record for this toy. 

After the auction wrapped, Alex Winter remarked: “Nothing could have prepared us for the closing night, which was nothing short of epic. Once the final bids were in and the dust had settled, we realized how many world record prices had been set across all toy lines, especially Star Wars. This sale was just the beginning, as we still have thousands of fantastic items waiting in the wings. This is going to be the ‘Year of Jeff Jacob.’ We’ll be announcing a May auction date for Part II of his collection very soon.”

To discuss consigning a collection or single item to a future Hake’s pop culture memorabilia auction, please call +1 866-404-9800 (toll-free) or +1 717-434-1600; or email [email protected]. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential. Visit Hake’s online at https://hakes.com/.

A Surreal Painting by Dominican Artist Iván Tovar

Dominican Surrealist Iván Tovar invites us to follow him through the maze of his imagination… until the point of getting lost.

Iván Tovar (1942-2020), La Serrure (The Lock), 1969, oil on canvas, 81 x 100 cm/31.88 x 39.37 in. Estimate: €60,000/80,000
Iván Tovar (1942-2020), La Serrure (The Lock), 1969, oil on canvas, 81 x 100 cm/31.88 x 39.37 in.
Estimate: €60,000/80,000

On November 15, Drouot Estimations presented a painting by Iván Tovar entitled La Pierre cachée (The Hidden Stone) 1975. The painting garnered €281,250, a nice surprise, and earned the auction house another work: La Serrure. Tovar executed La Serrure (The Lock) in 1969, six years before The Hidden Stone, and just as many years after the artist had settled in Paris for an extended period. In 1969, he had his first solo exhibition in Paris at Galerie 3 + 2, accompanied by a text by José Pierre. The poet was impressed by the sinuous shapes, perfectly drawn and colored, moving against a dark background, and wrote that “Tovar is Surrealist in his liquidation of the Oedipus complex”. 1969 was an erotic year if ever there was one, which he echoes, the figurative mingling with the erotic: here, at the heart of the composition, a breast appears, a visual transmutation facing an aggressive point; there, buttocks contort to drive the movement of an improbable machine, obviously born of a fertile Surrealist imagination. Tovar is an erudite artist, magnificently linking two artistic disciplines: painting and poetry.

“Tovar is Surrealist in his liquidation of the Oedipus complex”

Inspired by Wifredo Lam and Federico García Lorca

We find the cold, disquieting atmosphere that defines all Tovar’s work, created by the assembly of forms evolving between the animal and human worlds, staged in positions that are, to say the least, strange, and giving life to a sophisticated composition. The disturbingly precise lines, both curved and sharp, create a bestial universe populated by myths. Fascinated with a “poetry of silence” Tovar borrowed as much from Vermeer as from Morandi. Finally, the light emanating from these figures gives them a sculptural aspect, meticulously cut out against a dark, neutral background, a way of giving them a voice, like a new form of writing. Tovar is an erudite artist who magnificently bridges the gap between two artistic disciplines: painting and poetry. In fact, trained in the school of his compatriot Gilberto Hernández Ortega and having studied the work of Cuban artist Wifredo Lam, he is also a great lover of the poems of Vicente Huidobro and Federico García Lorca. Nothing is left to chance, and the scenes are indeed chimerical, but they are served by a perfect mastery of techniques as audacious as they are refined.

Tableaux, mobilier et objets d’art

Friday 28 March 2025 – 14:00 (CET) – Live

Salle 16 – Hôtel Drouot – 75009 Paris

Drouot Estimations

Info and sales conditions

Commercial Success: Coin-Op & Advertising at Gehman Auctions

Antique coin-operated machines and advertising continue to capture the imagination of collectors worldwide. Their period graphics and construction, history, cross-category appeal, and ability to transport us back to simpler times all contribute to their popularity. Gehman Auctions of Ephrata, PA presented its 349-lot Coin-Op & Advertising Auction on January 18, 2025. The sale featured a robust collection of vintage to antique entertainment posters, cigar-related advertising specialties, tabletop vending machines, and other materials promoting brands of yesteryear. 

Here are some highlights from this event. All prices noted include the company’s 23% buyer’s fees.

Lot #339, Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Real Wild West, was estimated at $150 to $250 and sold for $1,968. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.
Lot #339, Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Real Wild West, was estimated at $150 to $250 and sold for $1,968. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions. 

The top lot in this midwinter sale was #339, Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Real Wild West, which was estimated at USD 150 to $250 and sold for $1,968. This linen-backed poster was printed in the United States in 1929. It was vividly and colorfully illustrated with a cowboy on a horse in the center, surrounded by Western and Middle Eastern vignettes of people and animals.

Although many are familiar with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows, the Miller Brothers of Oklahoma also had a traveling Wild West show which was in business from 1908 to 1932. It was called 101 Ranch after the family’s farm and ranch, which came under their ownership in 1893. In 1905, the brothers produced a large fair on their property to promote their business, especially in the areas of equestrian and western services. The event proved so popular that it pivoted to a traveling Wild West act starting in 1907.

Lot #61, a Coca-Cola gumball machine, was estimated at $100 to $200 and made $1,353. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.
Lot #61, a Coca-Cola gumball machine, was estimated at $100 to $200 and made $1,353. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.

This sale presented a fine collection of century-spanning gumball machines, with 14 different models on offer. Lot #61, a custom example decorated with Coca-Cola themed images, branding, and a drink cup mount, was estimated at $100 to $200 and made $1,353. This 18-inch tall, square-shaped machine had a clear glass top chamber, a red and white metal lid and matching base, a small bottle of Coca-Cola in the center of its chamber, and a ten-cent tab on the top. It opened and closed with a key.

One interesting detail of this machine is that it included the company’s little-known Sprite Boy mascot. Sprite Boy was created in 1942 by artist Haddon Sundblom. Sprite Boy had blushed cheeks, dramatic white hair, and matching eyebrows. He wore either a soda jerk’s hat or a bottle cap on his head. Sprite Boy appeared in many Coca-Cola advertising programs through 1953 and was entirely retired by 1958. As such, it appears that the Coca-Cola gumball machine highlight from this sale was probably made in the 1940s to 50s timeframe.

Lot #130, a Boston Idea cigar cutter table lamp, was estimated at $200 to $400 and sold for $923. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.
Lot #130, a Boston Idea cigar cutter table lamp, was estimated at $200 to $400 and sold for $923. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.

Cigar cutters were also well represented in this coin-op and advertising sale, with 55 lots available. Lot #130, an antique restored Boston Idea cigar cutter table lamp, was estimated at $200 to $400 and realized $923. It was in the form of a silver-colored lamp base with a white glass globe, two pillars, and an oval-shaped platform with the words Smoke Boston Idea L. Brayton & Co. on it.

L. Brayton & Company was located at 217 State Street and 114 Central Street in Boston at the turn of the last century. It was known as an importer and jobber of teas, coffees, molasses, and cigars– all products produced overseas. Given Boston’s seaside location, this merchandise mix and business venue makes perfect sense. It is possible that Boston Idea was the trade name of one of the company’s higher-end cigar products, as reflected in this elegant advertising specialty.

Lot #51, a mixed nuts vending machine, was estimated at $100 to $200 and delivered $400. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.
Lot #51, a mixed nuts vending machine, was estimated at $100 to $200 and delivered $400. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions. 

Unusual vintage vending machines also took the spotlight in this coin-op and advertising sale. Lot #51, an Art Deco one- and fine-cent mixed nuts vending machine, was estimated at $100 to $200 and delivered $400. This 17-inch tall machine had a clear glass globe, red body, merchandise door, coin return door, and chrome lid. It had two coin slots, one for a penny and one for a nickel. Its square front signage, which was flush to the body, noted, “1 portion 1 cent, 5 portions for a nickel /  Wait for coin to drop, MIXED NUTS.”

The Art Deco design of this machine suggests that it may have been made in the 1920s or 30s. Peanut vending machines debuted in the 1880s as fixtures in New York City mass transit stations. The Columbus Vending Co. of Columbus, Ohio was responsible for many of the earliest nut vending machines. One business development strategy the company used was to have the machine ring a bell and offer a free portion of nuts with every ninth penny purchase made.

Lot #197, a Coca-Cola advertising clock, was estimated at $100 to $200 and traded hands at $215. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.
Lot #197, a Coca-Cola advertising clock, was estimated at $100 to $200 and traded hands at $215. Image courtesy of Gehman Auctions.

Clocks, trade stimulators, product signage and packaging, and Coca-Cola-related advertising merchandise rounded out this nostalgic sale. Lot #197, a 15-inch square Coca-Cola bowtie square advertising clock, was estimated at $100 to $200 and traded hands at $215. This illuminated, distinctly mid-century style clock featured even-numbered hour markers, dots for odd-numbered hour markers, a starburst-style background, and the company’s legacy “Drink Coca-Cola” logo in red.

For more information on Gehman Auctions’ January 18, 2025 Coin-Op & Advertising Auction, visit LiveAuctioneers. 

Looking for more auction results and previews? Visit Auction Daily for the latest. 

Where Design + Flavor Meet: Fine Spirits Available at Brunk Auctions This January

For as long as humans have been distilling liquors, manufacturers have faced the accompanying challenge of how to store and distribute them. Bottles need to be functional, allowing various levels of fermentation and oxygen to be present. Storage, transportation, and ease of pouring are concerns as well. While many wine producers have settled on standardized shapes, spirit makers enjoy greater latitude in the shape, size, and style of their packaging. 

Brunk Auctions’ upcoming Wine & Spirits Auction on January 30, 2025 includes a fine selection of liquors that embrace this spirit of thoughtful, creative design without compromising on taste. Here are some of the most notable bottles in the catalog. 

Courvoisier Erté Collection No. 1 - 7 Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Courvoisier Erté Collection No. 1 – 7. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.

Courvoisier Cognac

Seven bottles of cognac from French house Courvoisier is among the top lots in this sale (lot #655; estimate: USD 3,000 – $5,000). Produced between 1989 and 1995, these 750 ml bottles come to auction with individual presentation cases. Colorful labels designed by Russian-French Art Deco artist Erté adorn each round, curved bottle. The designs offer an artistic interpretation of the cognac-making process (vines, harvest, distillation, age, tasting, spirit of cognac, the angel’s share). Gold-colored details accent the bottles. 

Considered one of the “big four” cognac producers in the world, Courvoisier is based in Jarnac, France. It is recognized for being favored by Napoleon Bonaparte, its distinctly-curved bottles, and its partnerships with notable creatives such as Erté and Vivienne Westwood. Courvoisier’s famed Erté collection includes a mix of flavors and aromas, ranging from an apricot and spice flavor in Erté N°1 to coffee, chocolate, and dried fruit flavors in Erté N°5. Some bottles contain well-aged cognac dating back to the 19th century. 

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Family Reserve 2019. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Family Reserve 2019. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions. 

Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon 

Also available in this wine and spirits sale is a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. This 15-year-old family reserve was bottled in circa 2019 (lot #647; estimate: $1,000 – $2,000). The 107-proof bourbon offers a bloom of sweet, fruity flavors and a caramel corn aroma. It is presented in a 750 ml bottle that offers a personal touch; the back label is inscribed with words from brand president Julian P. Van Winkle, III. He notes that this bourbon is a “younger expression of our famous 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve.” The style of this bottle embraces the old-fashioned with a black-and-white photo of Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle on the front label, smoking a cigar. Clean lines frame the portrait. 

Based in Kentucky, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve produces quality bourbon whiskey in small, limited batches. The relative rarity of Pappy Van Winkle bottles have made them especially valuable in the secondary market. Pappy bourbon is also known for its quality and complexity– the brand ages its bourbon longer than many of its competitors and utilizes a secret family recipe based on a higher-than-usual portion of wheat. 

Very Very Old Fitzgerald 12 Year Old Bottled in Bond 100 Proof 1979. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Very Very Old Fitzgerald 12 Year Old Bottled in Bond 100 Proof 1979. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions. 

Very Very Old Fitzgerald Bourbon 

A bottle of 1979 Very Very Old Fitzgerald bourbon will also cross the auction block this January (lot #650; estimate: $1,500 – $2,500). This 100-proof bonded 12-year-old whiskey was distilled, aged, and bottled in Louisville, Kentucky. Laced with thin yellow lines, the bottle design evokes age and craftsmanship. In accordance with the domestic tax laws of the period, the bottle is capped with a green label noting the year it was made (1967) and bottled (fall 1979).

Considered a collector’s item by both the brand and the market, this bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald belongs to a rare batch of whiskey made by Stizel Weller under the tutelage of Julian P. Van Winkle Sr. The Pappy Van Winkle brand, which purchased Old Fitzgerald during the Prohibition era, left a lingering mark on the latter brand’s bourbon recipe. Old Fitzgerald’s “whisper of wheat” gives the resulting bourbon a softer, sweeter taste. 

Rounding out the fine spirits offering in this sale are bottles of the Macallan whisky, George T. Stagg bourbon, and assorted whiskies presented in collectible bottles. 

Brunk Auctions’ Wine & Spirits Auction will begin live on January 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST. Visit Bidsquare to browse the complete catalog and register to bid. Find additional coverage of this sale on Auction Daily.