Mahogany Hepplewhite sideboard, $9,900.
Stoneware crock by H.C. Smith, $3,375.
York Town Auction, Inc concluded 2003 with an eclectic sale of 1,300 lots on December 12-13 at the York Expo Center.
More than 250 bidders competed to win rdf_Descriptions from a wide range of categories. Friday afternoon’s session included 100 tobacco humidors with top honors of $1,237 going to a large Johann Maresch Black Americana figure in top hat Another Maresch black Americana figural brought $618; a Nippon hunt scene jar at $590, figural owl, $442, Dickens Weller jar, $421 and a Majolica dog at $405.
Sewing rdf_Descriptions from a Harrisburg estate were the next grouping of rdf_Descriptions to cross the block. Starting with a large group of lace bobbins selling over estimate at $534, and continuing through figural tape measures, pincushions, needle cases and other various sewing rdf_Descriptions.
More than 120 lots of pocket watches from a local collection were then sold with numerous Hamilton timepieces anchoring the group. A gold Swiss pocket watch with the movement marked Justin & Arminger, Baltimore, Md., leading the way at $843 and a Waltham Vanguard model 1908 ticked away at $675. Hamilton railroad watches stayed consistently around $281 each.
Saturday’s sale started with country and sporting rdf_Descriptions with an H. Conklin merganser decoy bringing a surprising $618 and a signed Madison Mitchell goose decoy swimming away at $506. A polychrome iron pear tree ripened at $442, only to be topped by a similar bird tree at $506.
Stoneware continues to command interest. Proving that was a Benedict Milburn two-gallon crock with floral decoration, stamped H.C. Smith, Alex. D.C., which soared to $3,375 as the floor left the phone bids in their wake, all despite some small handle chips and a hairline. Cowden & Wilcox showed well with a three-gallon jug with nice bird decoration selling at $2,362 and a two-gallon jug with a three-leaf branch at $787.
Not to be outdone, Pfaltzgraff left eyebrows raised when a miniature stenciled crock made $1,096 against a $200 high estimate. Bidders also battled over a York crock stenciled H.G.B.P. with small flower, making $787. A John Bell redware bowl, despite a crack, followed to $1,181.
A mahogany Hepplewhite sideboard made $9,900, while a cherry Dutch cupboard brought $6,862. A nice maple and pine New England tavern table ex-ceeded high estimate, bringing $2,700. A paint-decorated chest of drawers, also of New England origin, brought $3,375. Two different Philadelphia side chairs were purchased by the same buyer, each at $1,912. Painted furniture continued to shine as a feed bin in original blue green paint fetched $2,362, more than doubling high estimate; a softwood cupboard with yellow feathered decoration managed $1,575 against $900 high estimate.
Some country accessories of note were a nice Delaware Valley sampler which went to the phone at $2,812; a terrific child’s plank bottom chair, in original paint, at $1,350; a nice miniature dry sink attracted active bidders to reach $2,025; flintlock rifle signed N. Beyer made $2,475 despite some damage; and a John Adams signed land grant was hammered down at $3,825.
All prices reflect a 121/2 percent buyer’s premium.
