Tiffany lamp, Abe Lincoln pocketwatch, Wiggins art in Morphy's June 8-9 auction Morphy’s June 8-9 Fine & Decorative Arts sale also features cool collector cars and a personally inscribed 18K gold pocket watch given by Abe Lincoln to Mary Todd.
News-Antique.com - Jun 05,2012 - DENVER, Pa. – A fine Tiffany Studios Greek key lamp, a quintessential Guy Wiggins snow scene, and an inscribed 18K gold watch that Abraham Lincoln gave as a gift to his future wife, Mary Todd, are among the top lots in Morphy Auctions’ widely varied June 8-9 Fine & Decorative Arts sale.
Friday’s session will open with a grouping of 136 colorful and nicely illustrated antique occupational shaving mugs, including a very rare example that was made for a US mailman. The mug depicts an early railroad car emblazoned with signs that read “Letters” and “U.S. Mail.” It is expected to make $600-$900.
The mugs will be followed by a small selection of fishing lures, reels and outboard motors; plus several lots of World War II items. Contents include daggers, table decorations and a German flag.
Expect a busy signal in the gallery as Morphy’s moves into an offering of more than 160 lots of antique and vintage telephones, from candlestick and pay-station models through to 1950s desk phones in popular mid-century pastel colors.
Ephemera fans are sure to find something exciting in the postcard section of the sale. More than 70 large lots have been prepared, many of them including desirable Santa and Halloween cards.
The June 8 session will conclude with figural British biscuit tins and 70 lots of black Americana. Of special note is a framed automaton picture of an African-American boy. When wound up, the boy’s head moves side to side, and his mouth and eyes open and close. It is estimated at $2,500-$4,000.
Listen for the sound of engines revving when the Saturday, June 9 session begins. It will mean that it’s time to bid on eight choice collector cars. The lineup includes a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 2-door, est. $20,000-$25,000; and a classic 1962 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, est. $80,000-$100,000. An elegant 1960 Jaguar Mark II 3.8 4-door sedan to be auctioned by Morphy’s was featured in a 1998 issue of Auto Week. This British beauty was brought to the United States in 1961 and used by a New Hampshire physician to make house calls. It is entered in Morphy’s auction with a $60,000-$80,000 estimate.
Next to cross the block will be a wonderful pottery collection featuring designs by Roseville, Rookwood, Weller and others. Additionally, the category includes spatterware – highlighted by a 5-color Rainbow spatterware set – and some chintz pottery and a collection of early alphabet plates.
Decorative art is led by several lots of exquisitely carved Asian ivory. A circa-1870 bone and wood with mother of pearl 4-panel Chinese mahogany screen is expected to make $4,000-$6,000.
A fine selection of oil paintings and prints will be auctioned, including an atmospheric Guy Carleton Wiggins (American, 1883-1962) painting of a snowy New York street scene. Titled Broad St. Winter, the framed oil on board contains all of the elements collectors look for in a Wiggins artwork: American Flags, pedestrians, vehicles on a Manhattan street, etc. It is estimated at $3,000-$5,000. A Denny Dent (American,
