Hairpin tray in the shape
of a peacock, $9,750.
MOUNT CRAWFORD, VA. - Green Valley Auctions, Inc, held its annual
Fall Auction of Early American Glass, Oil and Fluid Lamps
September 27-29. More than 350 bid numbers were assigned.
Reflecting the increased size of this year's catalog, the number
of absentee and phone bids were up as well, making for a
competitive auction.
Along with other significant collections, the auction featured
the collection of John and the late Elizabeth Welker, authors of
the Pressed Glass in America: An Encyclopedia of the First
Hundred Years, 1825-1925.
This year, lacy glass proved to be the category that elicited the
highest bids. The top sale during Saturday's cataloged session
was a hairpin tray in the shape of a peacock, which reached
$9,750 despite a rim chip with a 1/4-inch line. This rare piece
sold on the phone to an advanced collector from the Mid-west
after heated bidding with a member of the crowd.
A Princess Feather Medallion and Basket of Flowers covered dish
also found two bidders who were willing to take the piece to
$6,500. The piece did have minor roughness and chips, but the
overall exceptional quality overcame these detractions.
Two rare Waffle and Thumbprint blown molded decanters in canary
also enticed bidders. While this rare color was unrecorded until
1993, Green Valley offered two examples, with one reaching $6,250
before it was sold to the Corning Museum of Glass. The second
example brought less, undoubtedly because of a few flakes, but
still managed to bring $4,250.
Other rare pieces continue to hold their value as evidenced by
the $6,000 price achieved by a Frosted Lion 7-inch milk pitcher,
which sold to an advanced California collector who flew in for
this piece.
Three Face hollow stem champagnes also appear to be maintaining
their value at $5,000. The Corning Museum of Glass purchased this
year's example.
At the other end of the spectrum, Green Valley' string of setting
records with the Sandwich Vine goblet came to an end. The two
examples in this year's auction sold for $1,700 and $2,400
respectively, despite one being a previously unrecorded
variation.
Other pieces that sold well in Saturday's session included the
Early Thumbprint ball form covered compote, which realized $3,700
despite chips and roughness, and a Heart in Sand-Ruby Stained
five- piece water set that fetched $3,200.
Before the sale of this set auctioneer Jeffrey Evans announced
that the consignor of the lot had expressed her wishes that the
proceeds from this sale be donated to the United Way September
11th Fund.
Saturday's sale of oil and fluid lamps included a Boston &
Sandwich Glass Co. opaque blue Star and Punty three-light center
girandole with matching single-light side sticks that reached
$3,500 despite damage to two fonts and the absence of 12 prisms.
Princess Feather Medallion and Basket of Flowers covered dish,
$6,500.
A pair of cased red to pink satin peg lamps with original shades
ended at $1,800, while a fine example of a cornstarch blue Ripley
Marriage lamp with clambroth fonts showing only minor chips and
flakes realized $1,700.
Other lamp lots included a cut double overlay bellflower, rose to
white to clear with only a small flake, $1,550, and an elongated
loop finger lamp missing its handle curl in medium emerald green,
$850.
Thursday witnessed the sale of more than 3,000 block lot goblets,
the largest number ever sold by Green Valley Auctions, bringing
prices ranging from $10 to $240. Friday's offering included more
than 2,500 pieces of glass that sold as table and tray lots and
the voluminous library of reference books from the Welkers'
library.
The annual auction, which has become a yearly pilgrimage for
many, topped $400,000 in sales. Evans reflected, "This sale
produced numerous record highs for items in the upper three and
lower four figure ranges. It's good to see that scarce pieces in
the middle market are finally gaining the respect that they
deserve."
