Folk portraits, coral earrings and Flemish tapestries caught fire in our November 12 issue’s Across The Block column. Good thing the fire chief is on duty. Japanese vases, a Hopi dish and a very special lot of fishing reels all caught new buyers!

Pre-Civil War Medicine Bottle Tops Off Glass Works Auction

EAST GREENVILLE, PENN. – Glass Works Auction October 25-26 offered 231 lots, of which all but four changed hands successfully and the sale grossed just over $391,000. “It was one of our best sales of the year,” said Jim Hagenbuch, the company’s owner. Dr. Phelp’s Genuine Arcanum pre-Civil War period medicine bottle was the top lot, easily beating its $20/30,000 estimate and selling for $40,950. “It’s one of only four known examples,” said Hagenbuch, “and the first one to come to auction in 17 years.” For information, 215-679-5840 or www.glassworksauctions.com.

Tapestry Tops At Tom Bruhns’ Keenan Collection

DENVER, COLO – Leading Tom Bruhns’ two-day sale of the Jack and Linda Keenan collection was a late Seventeenth Century Flemish wool and silk tapestry that measured 96 by 86 inches and sold for $23,600. It had been acquired at Sotheby’s in 2007 and was one of three Flemish tapestries in the sale; the other two realized $17,700 and $11,800. For more information, 303-744-6505 or www.bruhnsauction.com.

Hopi Sikyatki Dish Leads Native American Art For Pook & Pook

DOWNINGTOWN, PENN. – Nearly 850 lots crossed the block in Pook & Pook’s Native American Indian sale on October 27, led by an 11-inch diameter Hopi Indian Sikyatki revival pollaca polychrome dish. Decorated in a style that resembles the work of Nampeyo, the dish bore an old label from B. Altman & Co. An American buyer took it to $9,072 from an estimate of $1,5/2,000. For more information, 610-269-4040 or www.pookandpook.com.

Millicent Melaver Estate Leads Everard’s Estate Collections

SAVANNAH, GA. – Everard Auctions and Appraisal’s Fall Southern Estates and Collections sales, October 26-28, featured a total of 910 lots offering items in all collecting categories and saw an 87 percent sell-through rate. A highlight of the sale was the estate of Millicent Melaver, which saw a new record for Savannah artist Paul Stone at $4,688, $6,250 for a wrought iron table by Ivan Bailey and $8,125 for a pair of Japanese parcel-gilt bronze vases, which attracted four phone bidders and online competition. For more information, 912-231-1376 or www.everard.com.

Bascom Portrait Surfaces At Winter Associates

PLAINVILLE, CONN. – An 18-by-13¼-inch mixed media/pastel portrait by Massachusetts folk artist Ruth Henshaw Bascom (1772-1848) brought $12,300 at Winter Associates, Inc.’s October 25 sale. An inscription to the back of the work reads “Maria Denny Lincoln Bascom / Sketched at Leicester Aug. 1845 / by Mrs. Bascom” then in pencil, “mother of Alice Davis Armsby, wife of Amos Armsby” and in ink, “She was 27 years old, Born May 14, 1817.” Bascom, the daughter of Colonel William Henshaw, began painting after a ten-year career as a schoolteacher. She was a prolific creator, having painted more than 1,400 portraits. The present portrait came from the estate of Warren C. Lane. For information, www.auctionsappraisers.com or 860-793-0288.

Fishing Lot Reels Record In Litchfield

LITCHFIELD, CONN.- A group lot of fishing reels from various makers sold for $27,300 at Litchfield County Auctions on October 20. The reels came from the personal collection of Thomas Lenk and sold to reel collector/dealer Fred Balling of Connecticut. “The centerpiece of the lot was a gold-plated presentation reel awarded to chief executive officer Thomas Lenk of Mitchell Garcia Reels in 1971 to celebrate the production of 20 million reels,” Balling said. Included in the lot was an ivory reel, which the buyer said “was an earlier commemoration of ten million.” Balling said he will leave them both unpolished. For information, www.litchfieldcountyauctions.com or 860-567-4661.

Fire Dept. Trade Sign Blows Strong At Milestone

WILLOUGHBY, OHIO- A fine 54-inch painted wood trade sign in the form of a trumpet blew to $44,850 in Milestone Auctions’ October 30 sale. The sign featured fine gold paint with stenciling and striping, the word “CHIEF” to one side of the horn’s end and the number 12 to other. All indications point to its use as a fire department trade sign, complete with two hanging hooks that would have oriented it horizontally. For more information, www.milestoneauctions.com or 440-527-8060.

Coral Blackamoor Earrings Sport Colors Of Halloween

DANIA BEACH, FLA. – A unique set of earrings garnered interest to $13,310 at Kodner Galleries Inc. on October 27. With a coral drop at their bottom, the earrings rose with a skirt of diamonds into a carved ebony Blackamoor head, rising with a crown-like flourishing feature to the clips. The setting was in 18K gold and the earrings featured 3.0 carats total weight of round brilliant cut diamonds. For information, www.kodner.com or 954-925-2550.

Orrefors Vase Tops Off Merrill’s Modern & Design Auction

WILLISTON, VT. – The top lot in the October 29 Modern and Design Auction at Merrill’s Auctioneers and Appraisers was a circa 1939 Edvin Ohrstrom (Swedish, 1906-1994) designed Orrefors art glass vase, that brought $20,700 against an estimate of $2/4,000. Cataloged as “outstanding,” the 5½-inch-tall signed vase was a scarce pattern and form, and retained its original foil label. For information, www.merrillsauction.com or 802-878-2625.