: Good pottery heated up the salesroom at Garth's July 30-31, when
a rare New York stoneware cooler with a mermaid decoration
realized $63,250 from a New Jersey collector. Another New York
stoneware cooler marked "Spencer" and decorated with blue vines
and applied grapes fetched $18,975.
Ohio pottery was also deemed desirable by bidders, who drove a
dog with a glaze that auctioneer Tom Porter described as "a
marvelous green-blue, like Bennington flint" to sell for $8,115.
Porter said it helped that the dog had a smiling countenance,
"people like animals, but they need to be smiling," he noted. A
brown Anna Pottery pig was $6,610.
Ohio pottery dog in unusual blue, brown and green glaze,
$7,130; tole match safe, $2,137; heart-shaped tin colander,
$546.
Another Ohio dog in a blue glaze realized $920, while an
unglazed whippet reaped an impressive $3,220.
Ohio sewer tile pieces were of interest as well, and bought
strong prices. A 22-inch sewer tile planter in brown went for
$661, and a sewer tile lion and a figural group of two rabbits
and a tree trunk each realized $632.50.
The variety of stoneware across the block interested bidders
also: a stoneware crock fetched $949, a jug stamped "Boston"
realized $719 and a bottle went for $460.
Choice redware was also desirable, as a loaf pan brought $1,150
and a pie plate was $633.
New York State stoneware cooler marked "Spencer," $18,975.
Porter said the 911-lot sale was an old-fashioned event with
lots of energy. Of the slightly more than one percent of the
objects with reserves, more than half of those failed to sell.
Reserves do not help anyone, he added; the piece suffers along with
the consignor and the auction house.
Several country furniture pieces attracted strong money, as a
cupboard in curly cherry and maple brought $3,450 and a poplar
server elicited $920. A Windsor chair in birch and pine realized
$1,495 while a miniature blanket chest in red wash went for
$1,150. Six decorated side chairs were $1,150 and a two-drawer
stand in birch with curly maple drawers sold for $973.
A pair of Satsuma vases went for $3,565, and a decorated pantry
box realized $2,013, while a tole match safe was $2,138 and a
heart-shaped tin colander garnered $546.
All prices quoted reflect the flat 15 percent buyer's premium.
