A Whale of a Time

Cast iron mermaid-form ship’s wheel bracket helm, late 19th/early 20th century, 36 1/2 in. h, 46 in. w, $69,300. Collectors had a whale of a time buying treasures from the sea offered at Eldred’s biannual marquee maritime art auction, “The Property of a Gentleman: Maritime and Decorative Art from the Estate of Peter Goldstein,” on […]

Made in Mexico

Colima-style terracotta armadillo effigy vessel, pre-Columbian, Classic period A.D. 300-900; Western Mexico, $950. John Moran Auctioneers’ “Made in Mexico” online auction on Feb. 7 lured collectors to the more than 270 lots of fine Mexican-crafted or inspired art, jewelry, and silver, including iconic pieces from Hector Aguilar, Los Castillo, Margot de Taxco, Antonio Pineda, and […]

Princess Diana’s Royal Blue and Black Dress Stuns with Record Setting Auction Price

Princess Diana, wearing the royal blue and black dress by Jacques Azagury, with then Prince Charles in 1985. Photo: Getty Images Decades after her tragic death in 1997, Princess Diana’s historic fashion remains in demand. One of the late Princess of Wales’s dresses sold for $1,148,080 recently at Julien’s Auctions, more than 11 times the […]

Artists of the New Deal

James Russell Sherman, Mural Studies for the Marion, Iowa, Post Office, $15,000. Swann Galleries kicked off its winter season on Jan. 25, setting six world auction records for selling works by Works Progress Administration artists. More than 200 works were offered in Swann’s fourth annual sale devoted to artists of the WPA, an American New […]

Railroad Collectibles Gain Steam at Auction

W&A Fletcher 1917 brass steam engine/ferry boat builders plate, $1,895. Rail & Road Auctions’ two-day sale on Jan. 4 and 5 proved that Railroadiana is still full steam ahead with collectors. Pyle National locomotive marker lamp, $1,708. Bidders were so eager to get the more than 600 lots offered in the Railroadiana and Railroad Collectibles […]

Sitting In Modern Style

1959 advertisement for Charles Eames “Soft Seating.” CHARLES AND RAY EAMES exemplified modern living in postwar America. The Eames “Lounge and Ottoman,” introduced by Herman Miller in 1956, remains a touchstone of American style. Charles and Ray Eames with lounge and ottoman. The couple’s designs were a colorful, ergonomic, and even cozy approach to modern […]

Pulp Magazines: Weird, Wild, Collectible

Weird Tales, December 1932, $18,000. Pulp magazine collectors can’t resist what this vintage ephemera offers: historic significance, lurid artwork, flamboyant stories and enough scarcities to make the chase exciting. These factors have been driving the market for pulps to new heights, especially in recent years. Collectors got a treasure trove of more than 600 pulps […]

A Slice of Americana Comes to Auction

Collectors pursue Americana artifacts for their connection to the past, and whether it’s a handcrafted piece of folk art or a campaign button from a historic election, each piece tells a story that captures the essence of a particular era. Collecting Americana is like taking a journey through time to understand and appreciate the story […]

Space Toys Rocket to Record

A Mars Explorer space car helped send a Milestone Auctions event out of this world with nearly $1.3 million in sales during the 723-lot offering of antique and vintage toys in January. The toy sale was a record for the Willoughby, Ohio, auction house. The all-original and complete Exelo (Japan) battery-operated Mars Explorer space car […]

Vintage Fashion: “Suits” Collectors

A men’s suit with a storied history that includes being at the center of riots stole the show at Augusta Auctions’ Holiday Vintage & Couture sale on Dec. 6, featuring a plethora of new-to-market treasures from The Valentine Museum, The Colonial Dames of America, Ohio State University and select private estates. The street-style American-designed suit, […]