Mebane Antique Auction Gallery’s annual Americana event on December 14 drew bidders from all over the country and across the pond.
International bidders from London were particularly interested in paintings in the sale that featured several fine estates from the South, Midwest and Northeast, auctioneer Jon Lambert said, noting the sale drew a crowd of 600‸00 bidders, a little above average.
“I was happy with 70 percent of the sale overall,” he said, noting North Carolina pottery and Thomas Day furniture were a tad softer than recent years, but there were standouts throughout the day.
“The decoy session was incredible, we sold $60,000 worth of ducks in nine lots,” Lambert said. The decoys were all fresh to the market and made by Ward Brothers, circa 1940s.
A South Carolina face jug, an Edgefield District African American jug with ten pottery teeth, was the best Lambert had seen and a buyer snapped it up for $16,000.
Another highlight was a 4½-inch Shelton oak split woven basket with fine original patina that a private collector outbid a museum for, acquiring the museum-quality folk basket for $6,100.
An important Maggie-Bessie Moravian doll with bonnet, dress and shoes, a fresh discovery from an estate in Burlington, N.C., achieved $9,500.
Leading a small group of bronze offerings was a baseball player figure, 1910, signed P. Testi New York, which drew much interest and sold for more than $2,000.
A circa 1820 Mecklenburg County, Va., five-drawer solid end Chippendale chest of drawers fetched $7,000-plus, Lambert said.
Rounding out the auction were a Susan J. Butler sampler with great provenance wrought June 12, 1834, Caswell County, N.C., depicting an urn of flowers that brought around $10,000, and an important Limbert Mission octagon top conference table for $6,000.
Mebane Auction Gallery is at 7607 Highway 70 West. For information, 919-563-2424 or www.mebaneauction.com .
