Crush of Internet bidding pushes Morphy's Winter sale total to $2 million The biggest crowd ever to attend a Morphy Auctions event, coupled with incredibly strong Internet bidding, led to a $2 million total for the Pennsylvania company's Winter Sale held Dec. 6-8.
best. Their collection drew around 40 people who came just for the marbles. There were some who drove from as far away as Indiana, Texas, Florida and Ohio - many had never been to the gallery before. It was great - like a mini convention.” Fulfilling Morphy's prediction that it would lead the glass novelties, an extremely rare “naked corkscrew ribbon swirl” marble with white bands and red, pink, blue, turquoise, yellow and burnt orange swirls rose to $14,950, only a few dollars short of its high estimate.
A fine selection of silver figural napkin rings was offered, with more than one entry setting a record price. A Victorian Baseball Player napkin ring marked Pairpoint Manufacturing Co. was among them, scoring an above-estimate $5,175.
In the fine art section, a Guy Wiggins oil-on-canvas Manhattan snow scene fared best, selling to an online bidder for $17,250. Titled The Public Library, the painting once belonged to famous American tenor Richard Tucker, through whose family it subsequently descended.
The Morphy Auctions team will step up its presence at shows this year, Dan Morphy confirmed. “We'll double the number of antique and collector shows we attend, including the Portland Expo, Toymania in Paris, and other European events.”
A division of Geppi's Entertainment Auctions & Publications, Morphy's will host an April 4-5 toy auction, its first-ever doll and teddy bear auction on May 17-18, and its annual Spring Auction on May 29-31. Sales are held at the Adamstown Antique Gallery in Denver, Pa., with Internet bidding through eBay Live Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.com. For additional information, call 717-335-3435, visit Morphy's Web site at www.morphyauctions.com or e-mail danmorphy@dejazzd.com.
