Can you find the $154,000
salamander hidden within?
Salamander
Paperweight Scurries to $154,000 in Santa Cruz
SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. -An extremely rare, French salamander glass
paperweight sold for $154,000 at the L.H. Selman Ltd. fall 2000
auction. In addition, an important Russian floral plaque - a
rarity for both its uncommon heritage and "plaque" style - went
for $52,800. With final sales reaching well over $500,000, the
auction made the argument that what is often maligned as desk
decoration is revered by many as artwork.
Other antique paperweights exceeded their anticipated prices by
thousands of dollars. A multi-faceted Clichy paperweight rocketed
to $16,500. A Saint Louis carpet ground paperweight topped-out at
$14,300. And contemporary fine glass artists made their marks as
well: A Paul Stankard bouquet paperweight weighed in at $5,255,
while a Whitefriars Christmas paperweight rang the bells at
$1,760.
On-site viewing began in October. Bidding for all the 338 lots
was competitive. Both online and phone bidders fought for the
Salamander, which easily broke it's $100,000 mark. The Pantin
Salamander is one of only 12 known in the world.
