Bidders at auctions around the United States had shiny-object syndrome this week – going after things that glittered or shone brightly. Diamonds were the top lots in sales from Florida – where an old mine cut diamond in a platinum setting realized nearly $8,000 for Burchard – to an unmounted nearly 3-carat pear-cut stone in California achieved $32,500 for Michaan’s. Sterling flatware set an attractive table – and the high bar – for Eldred’s and Clars bidders played a Harry Bertoia sound sculpture to $53,550.

Magic The Gathering Arabian Nights Card Charms Heritage Bidders

DALLAS — A Magic: The Gathering Arabian Nights sealed booster box (Wizards of the Coast, 1993) sold for $212,500 to lead Heritage’s February 16-17 Trading Card Games Signature auction. This auction marked the first time the Arabian Nights box has been offered by Heritage. It is the game’s first expansion set, based on The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. For information, www.ha.com or 214-528-3500.

Bling’s The Thing At Burchard Galleries

ST PETERSBURG, FLA. — The estate antiques, fine art and jewelry auction conducted by Burchard Galleries on February 18 realized more than $201,000 from 461 offered lots. The top lot of the sale was a platinum diamond ring. The central Old European cut diamond was accented with a halo of multi-shaped diamonds and sold for $7,688 ($8,5/10,000). According to Adam Shown, Burchard auction coordinator, “This ring came from a dealer’s collection along with several other standout jewelry pieces in this sale, including an 18K gold bracelet and an Art Deco sapphire ring. The piece came with an appraisal from the American Jewelry Institute for almost $18,000, so the winning bidder got a fantastic deal…The ring will be headed overseas in the next week into the hands of a private buyer in Switzerland.” For information, www.burchardgalleries.com or 727-821-1167.

Hungarian Art Deco Bud Vase Blooms At Woody Auction

DOUGLASS, KAN. — Woody’s automated online-only auction conducted on February 17 featured the largest collection of Orient and Flume contemporary art glass that the firm has ever sold, as well as its staple offering of Limoges, Durand, Millefiori and more. A Hungarian cameo glass bud vase signed Sovanka, 11 by 3½ inches, was the sale’s top lot, selling for $800. It had a yellow ground with blue and pink cameo carved floral cutback overlay. Sovanka was the only Hungarian glass company to produce Art Deco glass that achieved international acclaim. The circa 1915 bud vase came out of the Rodger Shinn collection, Kansas. For information, 316-747-2694 or www.woodyauction.com.

Jewelry Department Leads Michaan’s Gallery Auction

ALAMEDA, CALIF. — Michaan’s Auctions’ February 16 gallery auction was headlined by an unmounted pear-cut 2.96-carat “D” colorless diamond (shown), which inspired intense competition from six phone bidders, in addition to absentee and floor bidding, driving the price to $32,500, while an unmounted pear-cut 2.45-carat “D” colorless diamond far exceeded its estimate, reaching $24,700. For information, 510-227-2505 or www.michaans.com.

Horse Weathervane & Civil War Era Pistol Lead Hudson Valley’s White Glove Sale

BEACON, N.Y. — On February 12, Hudson Valley Auctioneers’ midwinter multi-estate auction closed with all 600 lots sold and saw participation from more than 1,000 bidders both online and in house. Two lots tied to claim the top spot in the sale. One, an early iron horse weathervane with a zinc head, similar to J. Howard or A.L. Jewell, came from a Poughkeepsie, N.Y., home and was sold to a local dealer. The weathervane (pictured) was 24 inches long by 22½ inches tall. An internet bidder from Texas put up a successful bid for a lot that included a US Model 1842 pistol by Henry Aston and two powder flasks. The single-shot percussion pistol was marked “US SK P” for Springfield Armory sub-inspector Samuel Knou and was dated 1849. Both lots achieved $3,438. For information, www.hudsonvalleyauctioneers.com or 845-831-6800.

First Was First For Eldred’s Vintage Goods

EAST DENNIS, MASS. — Eldred’s vintage goods sale on February 16 gave bidders 326 lots of fine and decorative art, collectibles and various household furnishings to chase. The first lot of the day — a Reed & Barton 156-piece flatware service for 12 in the French Renaissance pattern, that included knives, forks, spoons and various serving implements and had an estimate of $2,5/4,000 estimate, set the bar so high at $3,840 that it was never surpassed. For information, 508-385-3116 or www.eldreds.com.

Tiffany Vase Blossoms For Flying Pig

WESTMORELAND, N.H. — In its second sale of the year, Flying Pig Auctions presented a specialty auction of ceramics, glass and metalworks on February 19. The 244-lot sale featured pieces from many of the most popular makers of such works and was led at $3,125 by a signed Tiffany Studios favrile pulled feather calyx floriform vase that was signed, numbered “Y6537” and stood 12¾ inches tall. According to co-owner Roxanne Reuling, the vase sold to a first-time buyer from the Midwest. For information, 603-543-7490 or www.flyingpigantiques.com.

Thomas Best Clock Was Best For Blackstone Valley

SUTTON, MASS. — A George III brass mounted bracket clock from the Woodard Collection that was engraved “Thomas Best / London” on its brass dial achieved $3,382 in Blackstone Valley Auctions & Estates’ February 18 auction. The buyer was a longtime client, living in New England, who was bidding online. It was the top price in a 461-lot sale that featured fine art, antiques, historic, American and European silver, collectibles and military items. For information, 508-434-7223 or www.bvauctionsandestates.com.

Clars Bidders Sound Off For Harry Bertoia Sculpture

OAKLAND, CALIF. — Leading Clars Auction Gallery’s February 16 furniture, art, jewelry and Asian auction was a brass and beryllium copper sculpture by Harry Bertoia (Italian/American, 1915-1978). The 1978 work, “Sounds Sculpture #15–10,” stood 55½ inches tall and, accompanied by an original sketch, it earned $53,550 ($40/60,000). Clars chief executive officer and president Rick Unruh said, “2024 seems to have brought some buying confidence back to the art market, which was definitely lackluster in 2023. The sell-through rate for this sale jumped to 91 percent, which is very good. Classic, well-known, postwar, national and international artists were getting excellent prices either at or above estimate.” For information, www.clars.com or 888-339-7600.