Noel Barrett has Record Breaking Start with Artfact Live! Noel Barrett Antiques and Auctions has successful start with its first sale on Artfact Live! on June 19-20, 2009.
News-Antique.com - Jul 17,2009 - (Carversville, PA) Noel Barrett Antiques and Auctions generated considerable interest with its first sale on Artfact Live! on June 19-20, 2009. Included in the “Toys of Summer” sale were clockwork toys from the European Tin Toy Collection of George Seidman, optical toys from the Collection of Larry Seidman, Marklin boats and toy soldiers from the Estate of Henry Sigourney as well as The European Train Collection of Peter & Marcia Miller.
Among the top lots was a Marklin 1st Series Battleship Baltimore. Founded in 1859, Marklin originally specialized in tinplate dollhouse accessories, eventually moving toward ship and model train production in the 1920’s. With that move came what toy historian Gustav Reder has called the "Märklin Awakening"— a conscious move toward producing more accurate, true-to-life models. This movement is clearly evident in the Baltimore’s hand enameled tinplate and thirteen original brass cannons. Selling to an Artfact Live! bidder for $43,125 (including buyers premium), the Baltimore achieved the second highest price result on record for a Marklin ship at auction— the top spot belonging to another Barrett lot; a Marklin Iowa Battleship that sold for $46,000 (including buyers premium) in the same sale.
In another record-breaking sale, a Hot Air Powered Praxinoscope by renowned German steam toy builder Ernst Plank sold to an Artfact Live! Bidder for $8,050 (including buyers premium). Invented by Emile Reynaud (French, 1844-1918), the praxinoscope was a precursor to moving pictures. Plank’s version runs on a spirit filled hot air engine that turns a painted tin drum in which animation strips are inserted. A succession of narrow mirrors allows the images to be viewed in succession, creating the illusion of motion. Described as one of the “scarcest pre-cinema toys,” this rare toy achieved the second highest price for a praxinoscope on record and is the top selling example of Plank’s work at auction.
Note: Complete results for “Toys of Summer” available at http://www.artfact.com with free registration.
About Artfact:
Founded in 1989, Artfact is the largest global marketplace of fine and decorative arts, antiques, collectibles, and estate auctions. On January 1, 2009, Artfact launched Artfact Live!, its proprietary live auction bidding platform, enabling users to bid real time on auctions being held around the world by its prestigious auction house partners. Currently, over 1,000 fine auctioneers actively list their catalogues with Artfact.com and its U.K. sister site Invaluable.com, reaching the Artfact community of more than 10 million knowledgeable collectors and dealers worldwide. Artfact's industry leading database includes more than 50 million complete auction results totaling more than $190 billion in value, including information on more than 500,000 international artists. In 2006, Artfact merged with RFC Systems, the leading provider of enterprise software developed specifically for the fine art and antique auction house industry. RFC helps prestigious auction houses around the world manage their businesses by automating their day-to-day operations.
