Innehållsförteckning för May 15, 2023 från Kovels Antique Trader

from the editor Recently, I wrote about growing up in a small town and surviving – barely – eight years of Catholic grade school. It turns out, my Holy Water Wonder Years were a lot like those of an astute reader in North Carolina named Mark. Astute, you say? That's right. Very. It's possible that Mark in North Carolina might be one of the brightest and most insightful readers we have. There's no way of knowing for certain, of course, but there are signs. Such as? Well, he says right here in an email to me that he enjoys my writing. Do all residents of the Tar Heel State have such good taste? And since flattery is a sign of intelligence – it is, right? – I'm tempted to state…

Weathervanes are authentic American art and have long been popular with collectors. Antique weathervanes are seen as folk art sculptures with great historic and aesthetic value. Even those in imperfect condition can sell for thousands of dollars, depending on the detailing, metal patina and rarity of the figural form. A recent Pook & Pook auction sold multiple rare and collectible 19th-century weathervanes, and they brought in some big prices. Several of the most in-demand copper weathervanes were swell-bodied. This means the figures are hollow, comprising two complementary molded parts that are then soldered together. A prancing horse and regal rider with sturdy posture dating to the 19th century, most likely produced in Massachusetts, cut an elegant figure. The weathervane also boasted a sheet (or flat) figure and tail. In very…

During the last decades of the 19th century, glassmakers were experimenting with shaping and decorating glass in new ways. Glass with silver overlay became popular when a process was developed that electroplated sterling silver on glass. A sparkling silver overlay on glass and pottery adds value to any piece. A limited number of companies did this mostly from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The overlay process was difficult, so the pieces are rare. Some silver overlay glass is still being made, but collectors favor glass from the early 20th century. A recent Treadway auction in Cincinnati included silver overlay glass and pottery by notable companies. Most of the silver overlay glass was by Loetz. Loetz was founded in Austria in 1840 by Johann Lötz. The company is known…

You would likely guess that nothing positive, let alone beautiful, could come from the horror of being kidnapped and enslaved. But from those dire circumstances came Satsuma, the dazzling Japanese pottery that abducted Korean potters initially made. These Korean artisans were so renowned for their work that a single piece could fetch hundreds, even thousands, of gold pieces on the Japanese market in the sixteenth century. With its popular motifs of noble warriors, mysterious geishas, captivating landscapes, and fantastical gods and dragons, Satsuma pottery is still prized by collectors today for its exceptionally well-executed forms and refined designs. A Brief History of Satsuma When Japan's military leader, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, invaded the Korean Peninsula in the 1590s, he abducted the potters, farmers, blacksmiths, and Confucian scholars and brought them back to…

Collectors had a gas at Morphy's Automobilia, Petroliana & Railroadiana Auction March 21-23 featuring Part II of the Bobby Knudsen Jr. collection, with the four top sellers going for nearly $1.1 million. The event, containing 1,600 lots from the Knudsen collection, plus other select items, realized more than $8.1 million (including buyer's premiums). Native American iconography dominated the top 10 sellers, with an extremely rare and visually compelling Wasatch Gasoline (Salt Lake City, Utah) doublesided porcelain service station sign (at right) selling for $324,000, a record for this sign. Pre-sale estimate for the 48-inch diameter sign was $75,000-$150,000. Following closely behind the blue-ribbon Wasatch sign was a pre-1925 production Mohawk Gasoline “down feather” double-sided porcelain service station sign, which sold for $312,000. One of only four known examples of the…

A recent auction featured more than 500 of the world's most valuable 19th-century dolls. Prices ranged from $115 for antique doll accessories to a whopping $184,000 for a pair of French bisque dolls. These types of dolls were coveted and commanded high prices at the Theriault's auction, which took place in Arizona. Bisque is a type of unglazed porcelain that was used to craft dolls' heads, shoulders and, sometimes, limbs. Bisque gave the dolls a matte, skin-like texture in contrast to china dolls that were made of glazed porcelain. Bisque dolls were first made in Germany, but French bisque dolls rose in popularity with 19th-century buyers and today's collectors. There are three categories of bisque dolls: adult fashion dolls called poupées, bébés (toddler dolls) and character dolls that were dressed…

ARIZONA May 26-27, 2023, Prescott Valley. Prescott Antique Show & Vintage Market, Findlay Toyota Center, 3201 Main St., Prescott Valley, AZ. Fine antiques and collectibles, vintage, western, architectural, repurposed all displayed in a 33,000 square-foot, air-condition building with easy access to free parking. SH: 2pm-6pm Friday early bird; 9am-4pm Saturday. ADM: $5 general; $15 early bird. For more info contact Arlene Bright, 928-443-1862 or visit prescottantiqueshow.com CALIFORNIA Every first Sunday of the month, Alameda. Alameda Point Antiques Faire, 3900 Maine St., Alameda, CA. The Alameda Point Antiques Faire is the largest antiques show in Northern California, boasting 800 dealer booths. All items 20 years old or older. For more info, visit alamedapointantiquesfaire.com Every first Sunday of the month through May, Palm Springs. Palm Springs Vintage Market, PS Cultural Center at…