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Buffalo Bill Cody

hcst — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:56:23 +0000

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody

The year 1883 neatly divides William Cody’s former life as a hunter, scout and guide from his later career as a showman. He was 37 in this year of transition.

The early life of William Frederick Cody (1846 to 1917) was colorful, adventurous and, thanks to Dime novels, exaggerated. He fought for the Union Army in the Civil War at 18. By 21, he earned his lifelong nickname by hunting buffalo and supplying the meat to the Kansas Pacific Railroad. At 22, he helped locate Tall Bull’s camp at Summit Creek, Colorado, and killed a number of Cheyenne in the battle. Eight years later he killed and scalped Yellow Hair (mistranslated as Yellow Hand even in a document in this data base), a Cheyenne chief at the battle of War Bonnet Creek, Colorado. He later regretted the murder and campaigned for Indian rights. He probably also rode for the Pony Express for a few months. He was an accomplished Indian scout, buffalo hunter, guide and marksman.

Cabinet card photograph of Buffalo Bill Cody. (p4A item # D9877572)

In 1883, he formed Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, a show featuring living legends of the Wild West. The show toured the country and England reenacting battles and events. At various times, the show included Will Bill Hickok, Bronco Billy, Texas Jack, Sitting Bull, Tim McCoy and Annie Oakley. Wild West was a success for 30 years. Nebraska Governor John Thayer commissioned Cody an honorary colonel in 1886. Cody revered the title and used it in his show’s publicity and throughout the rest of his life.

Program from an 1891 performance of Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show. (p4A item # A079740)

Beginning in 1910, Cody began a series of Wild West farewell tours that ended in Denver, Colorado, in 1913 where the show went bankrupt. All of the tents, seats, animals, wagons and his prized phaeton coach were sold at auction. Cody followed that loss with a role in a film that recreated his exploits.

Throughout his life, Cody invested in mining, live stock, ranching, coal and oil developments, film making, tourism and publishing. In 1895, he and others developed land around Yellowstone National Park into the town of Cody, Wyoming. Although his boyhood home near LeClaire, Iowa, was moved to Cody in 1933, Buffalo Bill and his family lived primarily in North Platte, Nebraska and Rochester, New York. He is buried on Lookout Mountain, Colorado.

Reference note by p4A.com Contributing Editor Pete Prunkl.

Ormolu – non-furniture

hcst — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:56:23 +0000

Ormolu

Ormolu, an 18th-century English term, is from the French phrase or moulu, with “or” indicating gold and “moulu” being a form of an old French verb moudre, which means “to grind up.” (This French term for this technique is bronze dore.) This idea of “ground-up gold”refers to the production process of ormolu, where high-quality gold is finely powdered and added to a mercury mixture and applied to a bronze object. Modern usage often uses “ormolu” to describe any gilded object.

In reality, true ormolu pieces produced by this process are very rare. Production of ormolu declined dramatically after the first quarter of the 19th century, partly because of the great expense of the gold, but also because of the terrible health risks involved. “Mercury gilding,” the process of manufacturing ormolu, requires the application of a solution of mercury nitrate to the object (which is normally of copper, brass or bronze), and then the application of the gold/mercury amalgam, that was usually 6 to 8 parts of mercury to one part gold. In order for the gold to adhere to the surface, the coated object is placed in a kiln and exposed to extreme temperatures, which burns away the mercury. (This is similar to the technique used to produce vermeil, a form of silver-gilt.) As a result of the intense and prolonged exposure to mercury, it has been estimated that most mercury gilders died before the age of 40, and the process was banned in many countries in the mid-1800s.

True ormolu chenets (French andirons) from the Empire period attributed to Claude Galle. (p4A item # D9819758)

As fashion (and economics) dictated, gilding shifted in and out of popularity. Various methods to achieve the appearance of gilt were experimented with, including a process known as pomponne, which involves a mixture of copper and zinc (occasionally with the addition of tin), but the result here is technically a brass gilding rather than gold. Mechanical or chemical gilding techniques were largely replaced by electroplating by the mid-19th century.

Evaluating Age and Authenticity of Ormolu

Evaluating the age and authenticity of ormolu mounts is one of the most difficult aspects of furniture appraisals because metal does not age in the same way as wood and because the mount’s patina has often been “enhanced” or damaged by inappropriate cleaning. Close inspection of the mounts can reveal much of their history however.

The design of eighteenth century mounts often suggests a certain exuberance and spontaneity; later nineteenth century artisans produced works more perfect in detail but with a more studied air about them. An experienced eye can also detect differences in eras or even between countries from the mount’s coloring, provided the original surface has not been disturbed. One should also take note of the size of each individual mount or sub-component. Bronze mounts of the eighteenth century, particularly furniture mountings, were cast in relatively smaller sections (usually no longer than 10 inches) and then pieced together to obtain the desired overall effect. Mounts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries tend to be much longer.

Removing a mount from the piece in question (carefully!) can give one the most unambiguous information about its age and authenticity. First consider the casting…the more irregularities present on the underside, the earlier it is likely to be. Nineteenth and twentieth century castings most often have a “cleaner” and “smoother” appearance. More clues are revealed by the mount’s gilding. Early mounts treated with the mercury gilding technique discussed above were gilded on one side only, later mounts gilded with the electrolysis method are gilded on both sides.

As with all elements of an antique item of furniture, the condition of the ormolu mounts can effect the value of the piece itself. Entirely original mounts with original surfaces will increase the piece’s value. Replacement of all or a significant proportion of the mounts may significantly reduce its value, as will inappropriate cleaning of the mounts. The loss or replacement of one or two minor elements, however, may not have much effect at all on the piece’s value, particularly if the original surface remains. Cleaning ormolu mounts is best left to experts; at the most, use no more than mild soap and water with a very soft brush.

p4A.com acknowledges the International Auctioneers Magazine, Autumn 2003, as the source for much of the information in this reference note.

Bakelite

hcst — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:56:23 +0000

Bakelite

Scandal & the Story of Bakelite

Bakelite hit the market in 1907, heralding the arrival of the modern plastics industry. Bakelite was the first completely man made plastic, as until then, plastics such as celluloid, casein, and Gutta-Percha all had as a base a natural material. It was developed by Belgian-born chemist Dr. Leo Hendrick Baekeland who started his firm General Bakelite Company to produce the phenolic resin type plastic. Bakelite was inexpensive to manufacture and extremely durable, and made its inventor a wealthy man. In subsequent generations, however, the Baekeland’s family story was one of tragedy rather than triumph. In 1972 the schizophrenic great grandson of Dr. Baekeland stabbed his mother to death. Savage Grace, by Natalie Robbins and Steven M.L. Aronson, a book about the family and the murder, was a best seller when it was published in 1985.

Bakelite for Appliances & Jewelry

Early Bakelite was used almost exclusively in the manufacture of radios, appliances and electrical components because it was lightweight, inexpensive, durable, moisture-resistant and non-flammable. The limited color range of black, brown, and the occasional burgundy and dark green was appropriate for use as radio cabinets, vacuum cleaner parts, and electrical elements, but eventually, formulas were developed to produce the plastic in a range of appealing colors. Its ability to be carved and molded made it ideal for inexpensive jewelry. Early jewelry attempts to mimic more expensive materials like ivory amber, onyx, and jade, but by the 1930s, consumers began to appreciate the plastic for own qualities and Bakelite jewelry made its appearance everywhere from Sears Roebuck to Sacks 5th Avenue.

Colorful Art Deco Bakelite Gems

Artists and designers discovered the beauty and workability of Bakelite (and Catalin, a competitor who also produced a phenolic resin plastic). New technology created additional colors, and the plastic became available in scarlet, green, amber, brown burgundy, red-orange, and Kelly green and black and marbled. By 1934, yet another plastics company had produced a formula for Bakelite in pastel colors including willow green, light blue, pink and yellow. Due to the unstable nature of the chemicals used in the pastel colors formula, these pieces are hard to find, and as such, are among the most costly of Bakelite jewelry.

Bakelite Jewelry & Values

Bakelite could be molded, carved, or laminated, and designers and turned to the material for brightly colored, inexpensive flights of fancy to adorn everything from wrists to waists. Necklaces featured beads in a variety of sizes and colors, sometimes terminating in carved or laminated pendants. A popular choker style necklace consisted of pairs of bright red cherries on celluloid stems and leaves dangling from a celluloid chain (today $150-300.)

Bakelite Bracelets

Bracelets were stretchy, cuff, charm, wrap or tank-track styles. Stretchy bracelets consisted of beads or lozenges strung on elastic. Cuff styles could be wide and deeply carved, or narrower bands intended to be stacked together. The band could be smooth, molded (usually in a geometric pattern), carved, or pierced. Wrap bracelets were beads strung on wire, and tank-track bracelets featured overlapping semi-circular links. A quick check on eBay turned up bracelets on offer in prices ranging from $50-300. Deeply carved, wide red cuffs seem to fetch the highest prices, followed by amber, then green.

Bakelite Pins

A variety of pins were produced, either whimsical figurals or geometrics. The Art Deco love affair with the Scottie Dog was evident in the jewelry on offer. Horses also had a strong presence, but pins of elephants, penguins, marlins, and cherries are also available. Pins range in price from $118 for a lovely carved leaf, $130 for a carrot, $102 for a red horse head, and an almost shockingly low $18 for a classic Scottie in red.

Bakelite Jewelry Affordable (Again)!

Prices reached almost ludicrous levels in the early 1990s, and the jewelry became so popular that other Bakelite pieces such as poker chips, Tootsie Toys and Mah Jong tiles were frequently fashioned into jewelry. The market seems to have cooled, meaning that it’s once again possible to buy a fine Bakelite cuff bracelet for less than a gold one.

Reference note by p4A Contributing Editor Susan Cramer, August, 2011

Bakelite

Bakelite is named after its inventor, Belgian-born chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland (1863-1944). After emigrating to the United States in 1889, Baekeland dabbled in photography. In the late nineteenth century, photographic paper was so insensitive to light that prints had to be exposed outdoors in sunlight. Baekeland invented a more sensitive paper that he called Velox. He sold the rights to George Eastman in 1899 for a million dollars.

Now independently wealthy, Baekeland bought a farm near Yonkers, New York and set up a laboratory in the barn. He wanted to develop an insulating coating for copper wire, the kind of wire used to wind solenoids and motors. In those days wire was coated with shellac, which was laboriously made from the shells of the lacca beetle that inhabited southeast Asia. Shellac was expensive and in short supply. Could Baekeland develop a synthetic substitute?

In 1907, he prepared a mixture of phenol, formaldehyde and lye which had the color and the consistency of honey. Unexpectedly, the mixture hardened in its container, producing a solid whose surface faithfully duplicated the shape and the texture of its container.

It occurred to Baekeland that his mixture could be heated in molds to create objects of any desired shape. Thus was born Bakelite, the world’s first synthetic plastic. Baekeland founded The Bakelite Corporation to manufacture his material.

Bakelite is known by several generic names. It is referred to as phenolic because phenol (C6H5OH) is the main ingredient. Phenol is the preservative that is responsible for the “mediciney” smell of preschoolers’ paste and is the “mediciney” ingredient in antiseptic mouthwash.

It is also known as thermosetting because the chemical reaction that creates the solid actually occurs while the molding compound is being heated in the mold. Once the solid object has been formed, it cannot be softened again, unlike thermoplastics such as polystyrene that can be melted and re-used. This property makes thermosets useful for objects that might become warm, such as housings for electrical devices or even handles for kitchen pots and pans.

A Manning-Bowman coffee pot with bakelite handle, base and spigot handle. (p4A item # D9810832)

Baekeland’s competitors also made thermosets, and the word “bakelite” (small b) became a generic term denoting phenolic from any manufacturer. To further complicate things, The Bakelite Corporation later became a distributor of polystyrene, which was sold under the trade name Bakelite.

The original lump of Bakelite was a transparent amber-colored solid whose appearance Baekeland described as “frozen beer”. A few products were actually molded that color, notably ladies’ combs that were meant to simulate hand-carved tortoise shell.

Most Bakelite was made with additives that altered its appearance or mechanical properties.

Flock (short cotton threads) was often mixed with molding compound so that the threads would become embedded in the finished product. The fibers improved Bakelite’s mechanical strength, much as steel reinforcing rods strengthen concrete.

The most common appearance for a Bakelite object was opaque black, which was produced by incorporating carbon black into the molding compound. The ubiquitous black rotary-dial telephone was manufactured of black Bakelite.

A Henry Dreyfuss bakelite telephone. (p4A item # B126428)

In the 1930s it became possible to make Bakelite in colors other than black by adding suitable pigments before molding. This led to the use of phenolic for costume jewelry and other decorative items.

A bakelite “bow tie” pattern bangle bracelet. (p4A item # D9769092)

Bakelite objects are manufactured by a process known as compression molding. A pre-measured amount of molding compound is placed between two halves of a mold, which are then closed together. Initial heating softens the compound to the consistency of putty. High pressure forces the compound into every nook and cranny of the mold. Continued heating promotes the chemical reaction that produces the solid object. Automated molding presses could operate unattended, producing a finished object every 1-2 minutes.

Bakelite’s popularity began to decline in the 1940s as thermoplastics became more readily available. The first major thermoplastic was cellulose acetate, which was made from a byproduct of the cotton gin. Intricately-shaped objects can be fabricated by injection molding. Molten plastic is forced into a mold under high pressure, where it cools and solidifies. Since cellulose acetate was derived from an agricultural product, supply could not keep pace with the growth of demand. After World War II, polystyrene (made from petroleum) quickly became the most popular thermoplastic.

The days of manufacturing collectible jewelry from Bakelite are over, but phenolics continue to be used for applications where heat resistance is required, such as electrical equipment or cookware.

Reference note by p4A Contributing Editor Joseph H. Lechner, Ph.D.

McDonald’s Corporation

hcst — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:56:23 +0000

McDonald’s Corporation

Maurice and Richard (Mac and Dick) McDonald opened a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1937. In 1948, the brothers moved away from the traditional carhop operation of that era, going to a model that resembles today’s fast food restaurants, complete with a limited menu and premiums for children. The key to their success was the implementation of the assembly line-style operation that fast food restaurants are known for – a carefully-designed kitchen with a detailed production process. By 1950, they were advertised “Over 1 Million Sold,” and when Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine vendor, learned that eight of his Multimixer machines were at use in the restaurant, he decided to pay them a visit.

All three of the men must have been impressed, because Kroc convinced Mac and Dick to start selling franchises, and they hired Ray Kroc to work as their franchise agent. The following year, 1954, the business was incorporated – it would become McDonald’s Corporation in 1960 – and the franchise machine kicked into gear, with the first restaurant opening in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955. By 1958, there were 34 restaurants, and in 1959, another 67 opened. (As of 2009, there are more than 31,000 McDonald’s restaurants in more than 119 countries around the world.)

In 1961, the McDonald brothers sold all rights to Ray Kroc for $2.7 million. Ray Kroc remain in charge until he retired as CEO in 1973. Kroc died in 1984, and the following year, McDonald’s became one of the 30 companies that form the Dow Jones Industrial Average

Speedee was McDonald’s first advertising symbol, until replaced by the Golden Arches campaign in 1962. The following year, 1963, Ronald McDonald made his first appearance, played by a young Willard Scott.

A Ronald McDonald wall sign. (p4A item # D9984862)

Further Recommended Reading:

Collectibles 101: McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys by Joyce and Terry Losonsky

McDonald’s Collectibles: Identification and Value Guide by Gary A. Henriques and Audre DuVall

McDonald’s Glassware by Joyce and Terry Losonsky

Wild Bill Hickok (James Butler Hickock)

hcst — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:56:23 +0000

James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok

Unlike the Hollywood nice guy from 1950′s television, the real Wild Bill Hickok was a born killer and compulsive gambler.

Between his birth as James Butler Hickok in 1837 and his 1876 death, Hickok defined the fiercely independent Wild West peacekeeper that never stayed long in one place. Raised to anti-slavery parents in Illinois, Hickok developed a strong sense of loyalty and duty that lasted his entire life. His first job came in 1855 at age 21 when he was elected constable of Monticello, Kansas.

A Gurney carte de visite of Wild Bill Hickok. (p4A item # D9925279)

During his short life he was a scout and spy for the Union Army, an Indian scout for George Custer’s 7th Cavalry and an expert wagon master on the Sante Fe Trail. In 1856, Hickok met and befriended William Cody, later known as Buffalo Bill, but then just a boy of 10.

His quick draw, deadly accuracy and fearlessness led to his election as sheriff in Hays City, Kansas in 1870. He arrested ruffians no one else would or shot them in “self defense.” He failed to be reelected, perhaps due in part to a shootout with some members of the 7th Cavalry that resulted in the death of one of the soldiers. After a couple of months, he moved on to Abilene, Kansas in 1871, where he was hired as city marshal. In his short tenure, he selectively cleaned up Abilene: tough guys were shot or arrested while brothels and saloons were left wide open. Hickok’s favorite pistols were twin Navy Colt .36-caliber cap and ball six-shooters that he wore with the butt ends forward. He had perfected the Plains or twist draw, cocking the pistols as he drew them from their holsters or from a sash tied around his waist.

In 1873, Hickok was lured into show business by his friend Buffalo Bill Cody. A series of articles in Harpers New Monthly Magazine brought Hickok’s exploits to a larger audience. Although crowds enjoyed seeing the tall, steely eyed gunfighter with shoulder length auburn hair, Hickok thought he was making a fool of himself and left Cody’s troupe after four months.

In 1876, Hickok was murdered while playing poker in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. He was 39. His cards, two aces and two eights, are now called the “Dead Man’s hand” in his memory. Hickok’s death made former circus owner Agnes Lake Thatcher a widow; the couple had married earlier that year.

Reference note by p4A.com Contributing Editor Pete Prunkl.

Viktor Schreckengost

hcst — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:56:23 +0000

Viktor Schreckengost (1906-2008)

Creator of Groundbreaking Designs for Everything from Bikes to Bowls.

Artist and industrial design giant Viktor Schreckengot’s contributions to American product design was on par with the likes of Raymond Lowey and Walter Teague. Schrekengost was a major force on the American Industrial design scene since the early 1930s.

Schrekengost Attended Cleveland School of Art
Born into a family of Ohio potters, Schrekengost entered the Cleveland School of art in 1924. When he wasn’t working on his art, he was playing saxophone or clarinet with any band that would let him sit in. His love of Jazz impacted his artistic vision influencing perhaps his most famous work as a ceramicist, the Jazz Bowl. While attending art school, Schrekengost visited a traveling ceramics exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1929. The exhibit featured a collection of pottery by Michael Powolny which Schrekengost considered the freshest and most innovative design produced in the U.S. at that time.

Pottery at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna
Impressed with Powolny’s work, Schreckengost applied for, and won a scholarship to study with him at the Kunstgewerbeschule (Arts & Crafts School of the Imperial Austrian Museum of Art & Industry, founded in 1867) in Vienna. Schreckengost was enthralled by the gaiety and bustling nightlife he found in Vienna’s numerous cafes and cabarets and it informed his work. Upon completion of his studies in Vienna, he headed home to Cleveland to make his own mark in industrial design.

Schrekengost’s Work for Cowan Pottery
Viktor returned to the U.S. full of excitement and new ideas which he was able to translate into product for the Cowan Pottery Studio. While he had been enjoying the nightlife in Vienna, Cowan had been fighting for its life. Reginald “Gus” Cowan opened his acclaimed pottery in 1921, and after some years of success, the firm went into receivership in ’30. For the first ten years, Cowan had been in the forefront of American ceramic design, and his early success was due in part to his willingness to embrace the then newly popular modernistic style, a style Schreckengost grew to love in Vienna.

Viktor Schreckengost Cowan Pottery Jazz bowl
p4A item A024961

The Jazz Bowl by Viktor Schrekengost
Schrekengost joined Cowan to help bring the pottery back to life. The story goes that during his first week, Cowan handed him a letter from a gallery in New York. They had a client-a lady in Albany who wanted a large punch bowl in a “New Yorkish” style. Schreckengost thought back to an evening he had spent watching Cab Calloway perform at the Cotton Club. He remembered the rhythm, the excitement, and “the funny blue light over everything.” He used these inspirations to produce a glazed bowl in Egyptian blue and black that came to be known as The Jazz Bowl. Etched on the bowl are the iconic images and designs that have come to represent the Art Deco period. The lady in Albany liked the bowl so much she ordered two more–one for her house in Hyde Park, and one for a house she was soon to occupy. She was, of course, Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of then New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt and felt certain that they would soon be moving to Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Poor Man’s Jazz Bowl
Only fifty of the Jazz bowls were made, and they sold for $50, which was considered pricey in those days, but based upon the enthusiastic reception of the design, Schreckengost produced another version which he called the “Poor man’s Bowl” a production piece on which the designs were painted, not etched.

Viktor Schreckengost pedal plane
p4A item D9880199

Schrekengost Bicycles & Pedal Cars for Murray
Schrekengost believed that mass produced items could be of high quality if they were well designed and well made. During his long career, he created designs for bicycles, lawn chairs, printing presses, truck cabs and lawn mowers, but he is most well-known today for the pedal cars he designed for the Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company. These included a Fire Chief Car, an ice cream truck, a Speedway Pace Car and an airplane. They featured realistic design scaled for children, and were affordable to both produce and purchase, and they are still delighting children of all ages.

Reference note by p4A contributing editor Susan Cramer.

The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. James Grievo – Provenance-Pook May 2012

hcst — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:51:58 +0000

The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. James Grievo, Stockon, New Jersey

It all started around 1971. Just home from college and having a difficult time finding a job, I started going to house tag sales where I would find small interesting things to sell to antique dealers. It was something I really enjoyed doing, and 1 was amazed I was making real money for the first time. I soon realized that this was what I wanted to do with my life.

I began traveling to local auctions where I became friendly with a man named Joe Bazata. For several years we bought and sold together. I gained a great amount of knowledge from Joe about redware and slipware Pennsylvania pottery, and it was that knowledge that helped launch my wonderful collection.

In the summer of 1972, I made my first big antique trip to Brimfield, Massachusetts, to what was then only Gordon Reid’s Market. I was absolutely in awe of all the dealers and great merchandise available there. I will always remember this little guy running up and down the aisles with a knapsack strapped (0 his back. Sticking out of this sack was a long stick with something hanging off of the end of it, swinging back and forth. I tracked him down, introduced myself, and asked about the strange contraption he was toting around. He replied that it was a Betty Lamp. I wondered what the hell a Betty Lamp was. And that was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Frank Gaglio, my most loyal and dear friend who has always been there for me through the good times and the bad.

Brimfield, though, was just the beginning of my travels. Over the years I continued to buy many wonderful objects in Brimfield, but knew I had to expand my search to find other amazing things. Through my journeys, my real passion, a love of weathervanes, started. I began buying and selling them in the early 70′s. To me, there was something so wonderful about the surface of a weathervane. It always amazed me that these utilitarian objects withstood the extreme and relentless pounding of their environment year after year. Every weathervane tells a different story of how time and location impacted its appearance. Weathering from the top to the bottom, some present a crusty surface while others are simply an untouched weathered surface that takes at least seventy-five years to create. As with anything you look at, when you study a good surface, it speaks for itself. As years went by, I tried to purchase objects that were very special to me in some way. Maybe it was the vibrant colors or the way it was carved that called to me. Sometimes it was just a great untouched surface on a piece of furniture. I always tried to buy the very best I could afford to buy, and sometimes way more than I could afford to buy, which reminds me of a story.

One Saturday I traveled to county sale outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was a local farm house. When I arrived, all the items were in the back yard. I walked around but did not see anything I wanted to buy. Just then, I saw two men carrying a yellow drysink from the house. When I saw it up close, I knew I had to own it. I patiently waited all day, and finally they put it up. I was nervous, but I was sure I could buy it for around seven hundred dollars. Drysinks at the time were selling for around two hundred and fifty dollars. The bidding began and stopped around three hundred. I started bidding against a farmer standing in the back of the sale. We went back and forth: $1,200, $1,500, $1,800. I had waited all day, so I didn’t want to stop. Finally, at $2,250, he backed off and I bought it. Caught up in the pursuit of this sink, I completely lost track of reality. I didn’t even know if I had that much money in my checking account. Afterwards, the farmer came up to me, congratulated me on the drysink and introduced himself. I didn’t know who he was, but I was glad I grabbed the piece from him. On my way home I stopped at my good friend Dick Machmer’s house to say hello. He asked what I bought, and I showed him the drysink. He asked who bid me up so high. I replied, “a farmer named Bill Koch.” Dick said he had never known someone to outbid Bill. Well, I had done that. And that was how I started a friendship with Bill and got the drysink that is in this sale.

On another Saturday morning, I was driving around in Bernardsville, New Jersey, looking for garage sales. There was a sign out at the end of a long driveway that read “SALE TODAY”. I drove down and saw this early stone farmhouse and out in front of the house I spotted this wonderful green two-door cupboard with a white piece of paper taped to it that said “$50.00″. I bought it immediately and then thought to myself, how in the world am I going to get this 5′ wide 6′ high cupboard home when I’m driving a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle?

I found some rope in the barn and began lacing the cupboard to the roof of the car. The entire time I was thinking this was like a grade school science project where you had an egg and you had to throw it off a roof without it breaking. Only I was trying to tie a flat cupboard on a round egg. Down the highway 1 went, stopping every ten minutes as the cupboard slid left and right and then forward so I couldn’t see where I was going. But I made it home safe and the cupboard made it to this sale. As with many of the objects I bought throughout the years, there are many wonderful and memorable stories.

All through the 80′s and 90′s, I pursued the business of antiques with relentless passion and extreme diligence. In 1990, I bought Secret Meadow Farm and sold my redware pottery collection to my very dear friend and collector, a gentleman in every sense of the word, Paul Flack. These forty years flew by and I was very fortunate through the years (0 be able (0 go out and find, with the support of my wife, several very special pieces. In search of things every day, I traveled over 40,000 miles a year in search of the best I could afford to buy. Every day there was a destination, but it was not the destination that was important to me, it was the journey, a 1,600,000 mile journey. Even though I was able to amass great treasures on my adventures, it was truly the journey itself that was priceless because it gave me the opportunity to meet wonderful people and build lasting friendships. I know I wouldn’t be where I am or have what I have without my friends and colleagues, and it was my daily treks for treasures that led me to them. It will continue to be a remarkable journey, but now my priorities have changed, and I am at a point in my life where I would like to simplify a little bit, help my children out more, and do some different things. I will always stay in the business, but not in the same way I have these past forty years. Still, I will always have my wonderful memories and friendships.

As the years go by, our lives change and so do our priorities, I have had some good things occur as well as some bad. It’s these times that make you realize what’s important, like your loved ones and the friendships you’ve made. I have to mention David Wheatcroft a brilliant man and one of my best customers. Whatever he bought and sold, we always would see with the same eye. And there is Fred Giampietro, who I’ve known forever, and I always in my eye sold him
wonderful things. He has always been way ahead of everybody else. Sam Herrup, my good friend, is the most dedicated and honest dealer I know. My good friends Susan and Sy Rappaport were the ones who introduced me to Susan and Jerry Lauren, two people with impeccable taste. James and Nancy Glazer need to be mentioned. The Glazers are two of the most gracious people anybody could possibly know. And last but not least, I can’t forget my dear friends Helen and Scudder Smith who never miss covering a great auction or show. The antique business would not be the same without them. I mention these friends because they all have had some impact on my career throughout the years. There are way more I would like to mention, but I would have to go on for an eternity.

How many people wake up every morning excited to go to work? Well, for the past four decades I have. The career path that I stumbled upon not only provided enough for me to support my family, but it also presented me with opportunities to see beautiful and wonderful objects, to appreciate extraordinary craftsmanship, and to revive the souls of artists forgotten long ago. The path that I chose gave me the chance to build lasting friendships with individuals who shared my passion for collecting antiques. I spent years building a collection of pieces that spoke to me, and now I would like to share these pieces with the world again.

It is with great sadness and great pleasure that I turn over my things to my good friends Ron and Debbie Pook to sell at auction without reserves.

Have fun, Jim

Catherine de Medici, Queen of France

hcst — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:18:22 +0000

Catherine de Medici (1519 to 1589)

Born to wealthy parents, Caterina de’ Medici (1519 to 1589) was orphaned within the first month of life. Although her father was of common origins, her mother was from an ancient French noble family, so a number of European royal families were interested in arranging a marriage with her, and the decision was up to Pope Clement VII, Giulio de’ Medici. Although James V of Scotland thought he was successful in arranging for her hand, Clement jumped at an offer from Francis I of France for his second son, Henry. Henry took little interest in Catherine, openly associating with mistresses, and even publicly acknowledging their offspring. Five years into the marriage, at the age of 19, Henry took 38-year-old Diane de Poitiers as his mistress. She would remain with him for the remainder of his life.

With the accidental death of Francis I, Henry became King of France as Henry II, with Catherine as his consort, the couple still childless. Henry’s older brother, Francis, died a few years earlier at the age of 18, leaving the second son as heir to the throne. But it increased pressure for Catherine to bear an heir for Henry, who would spend months away from his consort, preferring his mistresses. After some desperate moves, Catherine did eventually become pregnant, and went on to have 10 children, of whom seven survived infancy.

Henry did not allow Catherine to be involved in government, or even live near the seat of power (Diane was resident there). When Henry died in 1559, her oldest son, Francis, was only 15. He only reigned for 18 months, succeeded by Charles IX, then only 10. Catherine needed to learn how to handle the governing of the state for her young sons. Charles was succeeded by Henry III.

Catherine made mistakes, particularly regarding the Huguenots and other religious conflicts. However, the years in which her sons reigned have been called the “Age of Catherine de Medici” for the incredible influence she wielded.

Information courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc.

Star Wars Collectible Toys

hcst — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:11:18 +0000

Star Wars Items are All-Star collectibles

The Force is Strong with collectors of Star Wars Memorabilia! Star Wars is the most heavily merchandised of all movie franchises, and its enthusiastic fans collect a broad range of items from soap to sheets. Star Wars collectibles are so numerous and popular that serious collectors have devised their own nomenclature, based on age:

Vintage Star Wars-1977-1989
Prequel Star Wars-1990-2000
Modern Star Wars-1999-present.

Most Valuable Star Wars Collectibles
Collectors seeking the best Star Wars collectibles (in terms of value and rarity) should look for the original issues by Kenner (in the US) and Palitoy (UK) products. These will include action figures, board games, and puzzles. Although many other companies manufactured licensed Star Wars products, George Lucas’ strict control over his trademark rights kept quality high. Toys in mint condition in mint condition boxes and packages command the highest prices.

Vintage Kenner and Palitoy Star Wars Action Figures
Kenner received the original licensing for the movie tie-in toys, but the success of the film caught them by surprise. In order to be ready for the 1977 Christmas shopping season, Kenner sold 600,000 empty action figure boxes that contained IOU’s to be redeemed at a future date. The 1978 holiday season saw their sales climb to over 42 million units. The earliest releases included four characters, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2, but that was soon expanded to twelve. These figures came on cards in a blister pack, with pictures of the original 12 figures on the back of the cards.

No matter how many American mothers threw away their children’s Star Wars Toys after they left for college, due to the sheer number of figures produced, there are still plenty of these vintage action figures on the market, and prices for toys in played-with condition range from $2 to $18, depending on the specific character. Unopened Han Solo and the 1978 Jawa in a vinyl cape (cape made in vinyl for only a short time) seem to be the holy Grails of the Vintage Star Wars Action Figures.

Star Wars Playsets
Han and Luke needed ships to fly and weaponry to fight evil, so Kenner and Palitoy produced a series of playsets featuring vehicles and lots of tiny parts. Collectors putting together complete sets may pay $8-10 for the tiny weapons that originally came with the figures.

Star Wars Collectibles Prices Remain Strong
Although the market is down for mass produced collector items of recent vintage (think Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch Dolls), this is not true for Star Wars collectibles. While the more recent issues don’t bring as much as earlier ones, figures produced after the trilogy were made and sold in considerably lower quantities, making them a little harder to find. As with many collectibles these days, prices are down for common and/or marginal material, but high for rarities and items in mint or excellent condition.

Reference: Buy, Keep or Sell? Discover the Hidden Collectibles in Your Home (Reader’s Digest)

Hausser Elastolin Toys

hcst — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:10:24 +0000

Otto and Max Hausser Miniature Soldier & Toy Figures

German toymakers Otto and Max Hausser of Stuttgart, Germany, circa 1904 to 1983, were primarily known as makers of military composition soldiers and miniatures under the name Elastolin.