For nearly three decades, knowledgeable bidders have headed to Bellingham, Mass., where the Coyle family has run auctions. Since a devastating fire destroyed their gallery five years ago, the Coyles have run sales in Medway and some surrounding towns.
Savvy bidders know it is a good idea to follow them anywhere. The May 15 sale, like most Coyle sales, packed the VFW hall with a loyal core of dealers and collectors who know they will be rewarded. The draw was the fresh material from Massachusetts and Maine collections and estates the Coyles are known for. It is still a family affair, with all hands on deck: Michael Coyle and his sister, Nancy Wyman, her husband, Robert, and their sons, Stephen and Kevin. Michael and Nancy’s mother Betty Coyle, were unable to attend the event, but will be on hand to work the next sale.
Bidders liked the range of sterling silver that went under the hammer. One highlight was a box lot of miscellaneous sterling flatware that brought $3,795 from a buyer who also paid $1,495 for a heavy, hand hammered sterling tray marked by Chicago maker Julius O. Randahl.
The same buyer also got a set of Austrian or Russian silver gilt flatware for $1,035 and a lot of Russian silver spoons for $719.
A cased Georgian plated silver flatware service elicited $1,395, while two pairs of sterling silver candlesticks from the 1920s were rare and fetched $575. A lot of silver serving pieces went for $1,064, and two sterling pitchers, each with a wood handle, were $1,150.
Nice desk sets were well received. A pair of inkwells with silver caps on a silver stand, along with a pair of scissors and a pen tray, fetched $431. A bronze inkwell in the form of a dog realized $460. A Tiffany blotter frame in the spider web pattern with two other accessories took $575.
Bidders also appreciated the two gold hunter case pocket watches that crossed the block. One realized $1,898, and the other fetched $1,438.
Furniture included a large Victorian carved breakfront bookcase with three glazed doors and a carved crest that sold for $2,645 and two mahogany bookcases, each with three sliding glass doors, that brought $719. A round mahogany table on a heavily carved and split base with paw feet had 12 leaves, had been retailed by Paine Furniture and realized $1,495. A 66-inch mahogany center table with a crotch mahogany veneer top and sitting on gilt paw feet brought $748. An oak china cabinet with a curved glass front and barley twist carving realized $604.
An English mahogany writing desk with a leather top went to a phone bidder for $1,180, a mahogany dressing mirror with beveled glass sold for $403, and a mahogany étagère sold for $230. Two Georgian mahogany chairs sold for $661. Another carved chair sold for $253. Then there was the mahogany sideboard with inlay that represented a good buy when someone took it for $178, and a walnut burl work table fetched $178. A good looking Georgian footstool sold for $138, and a blanket chest with iron hinges, dated 1774, and decorated with tulips, sold for $115.
From the other side of the globe, a group of three pierced and carved Chinese tables came from an oceanfront home on the South Shore and sold for $1,668.
A Meissen tea set on tray with floral decoration brought $1,006, while a Meissen tureen fetched $575. A porcelain dinner service for eight made in Limoges and with a floral decoration went for $518. A Palissy plate decorated with turtles and marine reptiles was quite desirable and garnered $345.
A Heriz carpet sold for $1,395, while a silk scatter rug with Persian figures elicited $863. An Apache olla attracted some notice and went for $1,668.
A pair of faience vases decorated with flowers and butterflies by Jules Vieillard & Cie of Bordeaux sold for $1,035, while a dainty figural boudoir lamp with a shade signed “Daum Nancy” brought $719.
A pair of Chinese porcelain vases in the form of birds had been drilled as lamps. The vases sold for $403, while a pair of Mary Gregory lamps went for $201. One lamp with a cameo glass base and an etched cannonball glass globe fetched $431. A pair of lustre lamps with nicely etched shades had been electrified and went to $173, and a pretty vase hung with prisms sold for $403.
A brass chandelier with multicolored enamel decoration sold for $460. Other brass lots of interest were the two pair of brass andirons that realized $259 and the set of brass fireplace tools that elicited $144. A brass kettle on stand was a very good buy when it sold for $28.
A Quezel glass footed bowl brought $230, and a Moser decorated glass pitcher from a Cape Cod collection was $144.
An imposing painting of Moses brought $575, and two portrait miniatures on ivory and framed in ivory brought $288. Other paintings of interest included an oil on board of figures in a sunset that went to the phone for $489 and a smaller oil on board of fishermen at sunset went to the same phone buyer for $374.
A jolly little riding horse brought $288, and a marble bust went for $173.
All prices reported include the buyer’s premium. For information, 508-883-1659 or www.coylesauction.com .
