Living estate of Ted Williams' third wife held Nov. 23rd Part I of the living estate of Dolores Wettach Williams -- the former fashion model, actress and third wife of baseball legend Ted Williams -- was held November 23rd by Knotty Pine Auction Service.
News-Antique.com - Dec 05,2008 - (West Swanzey, N.H.) – A gorgeous paint decorated 4-drawer Sheraton chest in the original old mustard paint with stencil decorations (circa 1830’s-1840’s), from the living estate of Dolores Wettach Williams – the former fashion model, actress & third wife of baseball legend Ted Williams – sold for $11,500 at an auction held Nov. 23 by Knotty Pine Auction Service. About 250 people packed Knotty Pine’s spacious gallery.
The sale comprised of Part I of Ms. Williams’ estate & included an eclectic mix of period antique country furniture, decorative accessories, original works of art by various artists, automobiles and more. Part II, scheduled from sometime in May 2009 (the time & dated are still to be determined) will feature personal effects, ephemera, photos & memorabilia relating to the couple, their family life and the storied careers of both Dolores and Ted Williams.
Ted & Dolores were married for six years, from 1967-1973. They first met in 1967, on a plane flight back to the United States from New Zealand. Dolores had just completed a modeling assignment; Ted had been on a fishing trip, a guest of the New Zealand tourism board. The couple married that year after a whirlwind courtship. The union produced two children, John Henry (1968-2004), and Claudia.
The Sheraton chest, as well as the other 350+ lots sold, came out of Dolores' family home in Putney, Vt., the home that the Williamses shared during their marriage. Many friends and neighbors attended the auction, with some submitting bids. Every item that crossed the block was offered without reserve, and all lots came with a certificate of origin, attesting to their provenance. Phone, absentee and online bidding were all offered and active throughout the sale.
“This was a very successful auction, despite the press’ attempts to turn it into a Ted Williams estate sale, which it was not,” said John Pappas of Knotty Pine Auction Service. “These were items from Dolores and her family; only a few items really had a Ted Williams connection, and we feel most of those items fared very well. As for the other items in the sale, the connection helped those items achieve much higher prices than they would have without the association, especially in today's economy. Ted will be more of a factor in Part II in May. But Part I was mostly about Dolores, and the country home she & Ted shared in Vermont. It was furnished accordingly. Some lucky bidders went away with many truly fine items.”
The Sheraton chest was pine, with a shaped backsplash, stepback drawers & spooled columns in mustard yellow paint. The freehand & stenciled decorations depicted foliage & fruit. Some minor imperfections didn’t deter bidders, who drove the final price way above the pre-sale high estimate of $4,000. The auction’s top lot was a 1999 BMW M3 convertible, with 76,399 miles. It brought $13,225.
Following are additional highlights. All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Furniture dominated the day’s offerings. An oversized custom butcher block
