Red Baron's next big auction in Atlanta will be a three-day mega-event -- November 6-7-8

Sept. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- (ATLANTA, Ga.) – Red Baron, already the Southeast’s premier auction house, is preparing for what promises to be its biggest sale ever -- a three-day weekend event (not the customary two days) slated for Nov. 6th, 7th and 8th at Red Baron’s gallery facility, located at 6450 Roswell Road in Atlanta. Previews will be held Nov. 2-5 from 9 am-6 pm, and a preview party will be held Nov. 5 from 7-10 pm.

   “This fall auction is going to be the biggest auction event at Red Baron to date,” said Bob Brown of Red Baron. “We are back and better than ever with the greatest gathering of antiques and collectibles ever offered for sale by anyone, anywhere.” Mr. Brown invited interested bidders to log on to the Red Baron website to learn more, at www.rbantiques.com, or call for a free color catalog, at (404) 252-3770.

   The auction will feature hundreds of antiques, artifacts, furnishings, vehicles and more (all Red Baron sales do), but three lots in particular are expected to draw intense bidder interest. They are the first computer ever displayed to the public, at the 1964 World’s Fair; three Lamb Studios arched, layered and plated stained glass windows; and a beautifully restored 1926 Rolls Royce Phantom I vintage car.

   The computer – a 1,700-pound handwriting analysis machine – was produced in the early 1960s as enormous mainframe machines in air-conditioned rooms, operated by technicians in white lab coats. At that time, computers didn’t “think” as they do now, but were useful for producing lists by shuffling through stored information. This unit gave the public its first taste of what computers were capable of.

   In reality, that computer is little more than a glorified punch card reader. Today’s calculators can do far more. But for the time it was cutting-edge. By inserting a card with a signature on it, the computer could identify patterns that would produce a read-out of the person’s personality. Famous people who tried it included Fidel Castro, Nikita Khrushchev, Ronald Reagan and Charles De Gaulle, to name a few.

   The windows by Lamb Studios are in keeping with Red Baron’s tradition of offering the finest treasures on earth. The three exquisite arched, layered and plated stained glass windows were produced by America’s oldest continuously working glass artisans at Lamb Studios (1850s to present). All three of the windows depict landscapes, incorporating amazing craftsmanship, vivid colors and sharp detail.

   Two of the windows measure 16 ½ feet high by 6 feet wide. One portrays a coastal scene of the sea meeting a rocky shore. The other depicts a wooded mountain scene with rolling hills in the foreground. The third (and largest) window, measures 18 ½ feet high by 9 ½ feet wide. It depicts a mountain scene with a forest, surrounded by palms and gorgeous flowers. All three are masterpieces.

   Lamb Studios was founded in New York City in 1857, by brothers Joseph and Richard Lamb. The firm has transcended its credo of “beautifying churches” to create works for a variety of major religious entities, public and private facilities and domestic dwellings throughout the U.S. and the world. “And now you can become one of the elite collectors who has the honor to own one,” Mr. Brown said.

   The restored Rolls Royce Phantom I is a rare vintage automobile that once belonged to the heir to the Phillips Petroleum fortune. It is a right hand drive convertible, with a 7.7-litre pushrod-OHV straight-6 engine, housing three groups of two cylinders with detachable heads, making it the largest engine produced for its time and an excellent motor for powering such a large and heavy luxury car.

   The body on the car is made from aluminum and it has white wall tires with a long wheelbase (150 ½ inches, or 3,822.7 mm). It is just one of around 40 rare and vintage autos that will cross the block Nov. 6-8. At Red Baron’s last auction, held June 20-21, vehicles included a 1958 Plymouth Tornado concept car, a Heli-Bout combination helicopter and boat, and a grey 1961 Porsche 356B convertible.

   The auction dates times will be Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 am-7 pm; Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 am-9 pm; and Sunday, Nov. 8, from 9 am-9 pm. The Nov. 5 preview party (7-10 pm) will be for registered bidders only. To register, log on to the Red Baron website at www.rbantiques.com. More details on the Nov. 6-8 auction, as well as photos of many of the items to be offered, are also posted on the website.

   Red Baron Antiques is one of the oldest, largest and widely-known fine antiques sources in the Southeastern United States. The firm is celebrating over 35 years of providing its customers with world-class service and one-of-a-kind inventory, displayed at its landmark gallery facility, located at 6450 Roswell Road in Atlanta (open to the public Monday-Friday, 9-6, and Saturday 9-4; closed on Sunday).

   Red Baron also has several affiliate operations, such as The Baron Collection, Gallery 63, Great Gallery, King Galleries and Queen’s Garden. These are profiled in the ‘Affiliates’ tool bar of the Red Baron Antiques website (www.rbantiques.com). Red Baron also owns Southern Seasons Magazine, a high-society lifestyle publication dedicated to promoting arts, culture, entertainment, style and class.

   Red Baron is always in the hunt for quality items for future sales. If you have an item, estate or collection to be considered, you may call them directly, at (404) 252-3770. The e-mail address is info@rbantiques.com. To learn more about Red Baron Antiques and the Nov. 6-8 auction, log on to www.rbantiques.com. A free color catalog for the Nov. 6-8 auction is free and available upon request.

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Ken Hall writes pre-sale and post-sale press releases for auction houses, for a fee. He writes, submits and tracks stories for clients. Submissions are published in trade magazines, posted on industry websites and appear in local newspapers.