Happy Endings Antiques contents to be auctioned 8/15 The entire contents of Happy Endings Antiques -- an upscale antiques and collectibles shop in Amenia, N.Y. -- will be sold at an on-site auction slated for Saturday, Aug. 15, by Tim's, Inc., at 6 p.m.
News-Antique.com - Jul 20,2009 - (AMENIA, N.Y.) - The entire contents of Happy Endings Antiques – an upscale antiques and collectibles shop in Amenia, N.Y. -- will be sold at an on-site auction slated for Saturday, Aug. 15, by Tim's, Inc., of Bristol, Conn. The shop is located at 3330 Route 343 in Amenia, on the New York-Connecticut line in Duchess County, N.Y., just west of Sharon, Conn., and not far from Poughkeepsie.
The sale will be a total liquidation of about 500 lots in a broad array of categories, to include country pieces, painted furniture, 20th Century modern (1900-1950), vintage toys, lighting, architectural antiques, advertising items and more. The items – all of which will have their price tags still attached – comprise the single-owner collection of the shop's owner, Pamela Haft, a resident of Sharon, Conn.
“It looks like there won't be a happy ending for Happy Endings Antiques,” Mrs. Haft said sadly. She opened the shop in February, but a combination of factors – chief among them the poor economy – are forcing her to close the business after less than six months of operation. But, she added, “Interior decorators, dealers and collectors who attend the sale can expect to get some truly wonderful bargains.”
Tim Chapulis of Tim's, Inc., echoed that sentiment. “Bidders might want to plan on driving their trucks to this event,” he said. “This is not your average auction. Mrs. Haft is a discerning collector, and her shop reflects that good taste. There are three rooms, all beautifully decorated with hundreds of fine antique items and collectibles. It will all go to the highest bidder in one day. Good deals are assured.”
Some of those good deals, in the furniture category, include a gorgeous drop-leaf Chippendale desk with four graduated drawers (circa 1780-1820); an old 12-drawer seed chest, rimmed in brass and with a rich patina; a mid-to-late 19th century cherry English high-back bench; and an English bookcase (circa 1880, from the Arts & Crafts period), with beveled glass doors, about 7 feet tall by 5 feet wide.
Other furniture pieces include an early 20th century five-drawer tiger mahogany chest, designed by Donald Deskey, the interior designer of Radio City Music Hall (circa 1920-1940); a beautiful black lacquered table designed by Alvar Allto, the renowned Finnish furniture designer of the 1930s; and a pair of Tibetan benches from the early 20th century, both meticulously painted with ornate decorations.
One piece of folk art certain to pique bidder interest is an unsigned scale model of a wooden red barn, tremendously detailed and crafted with wit and care in the early 20th century. Advertising items include a double-sided trade sign for a shoe repair shop (circa 1920) with only minor wear; and a three-piece figural advertisement for Blatz beer (circa 1910-1930), one figure each for cans, bottles and kegs.
Decorative accessories include a mid-19th century French sewing box with all the pieces intact, made of burled walnut and with stunning and restored figural oil paintings on the box cover and
