NEWARK, OHIO – More than 4,500 lots of affects from safe deposit boxes crossed the block at Apple Tree Auction Center in the seven-day sale September 28 to October 4. Represented among the offerings were men’s and women’s jewelry, watches, coins and more from a national bank that operates in seven states.

Sam Schnaidt, founder and president of the auction house, said the internet was booming for the sale, which was among the largest collections he had ever sold at one time in his 15-year experience with holding an annual safe deposit box auction.

“It was a great auction, the internet was really important,” Schnaidt said. “The increase in the internet bidding has more than offset the lack of in-person attendance. We had a lot of phone bidding, too.”

Among days with higher lot counts, Schnaidt said the sale ran 12 hours.

Highest among the lots were two necklaces by Van Cleef & Arpels, with a platinum and graduated diamond necklace selling for $124,500. At 16 inches long, the necklace was anchored by a 1.23-carat stone with approximately 50 carats total diamond weight added to it around the neck. It took 179 bids to knock it down. Also from the maker was a $50,000 result for an 18K white gold, sapphire and diamond pendant anchored by a 12.8-carat blue sapphire center stone surrounded by two rows of brilliant diamond rounds of approximately 4.56 total diamond weight. That took 117 bids to sell.

“Most of it does start low and goes up,” Schnaidt said. “On a lot of the coins and the gold, that material will start pretty close to where it sells, but the jewelry generally starts lower and runs.”

For additional information, 740-344-4282 or www.appletreeauction.com.