Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates concludes 2011 with back-to-back-to-back successful auctions

Jan. 20, 2012 - PRLog -- (MT. CRAWFORD, Va.) – Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates concluded 2011 on a high note, recording back-to-back-to-back successful auctions in October, November and December, and looks forward to continued success in 2012. The firm will conduct auctions at the rate of one per month, in its gallery at 2177 Green Valley Lane in Mt. Crawford. Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates specializes in 18th - 20th century glass and lighting, Virginia and Southern decorative arts, and all types of Americana, antiques and fine art.

   “The year ended on a very positive note,” Jeffrey Evans, president of the firm that bears his name, said of the fourth quarter 2011 auctions. “Prices have stabilized, and the number of bidders and interest overall continues to increase. Collectors are recognizing the great values that are available in today’s market, and that certainly bodes well as we push forward into the future.”

   Mr. Evans said 2012 “promises to be a record year for us,” adding, “We already have three important lighting collections in house – possibly the best we’ve ever handled – plus we have some fabulous Americana lined up for the summer and enough early American glass to fill most of the year. On top of all that we will be hosting three national and two regional seminars.”

   Mr. Evans observed that regional material, especially Southern, continues to draw strong interest and high prices. “Collectors are looking for objects that are relevant and have a story to tell, and are part of a larger narrative within their region,” he said, adding that high-end art glass, American free-blown glass, early bottles, firearms, coins and vintage comic books were all hot.

   Following are some highlights from the October, November and December auctions. All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

   The Oct. 29 auction was a catalogued sale of 18th and 19th century lighting and glass. “The first half of the Meyer collection of early kerosene lighting was enthusiastically received,” Mr. Evans said (the second half will be sold in the April 12 lighting auction). “The Meyers were very particular about having each lamp set up with the proper burner, chimney and lamp shade.”

   A cut overlay bear paw stand lamp, opaque with cut to cranberry pyriform font with white spiraling threads and a burner marked “Holmes, Booth & Haydens patented January 24, 1860,” went for $9,200 (Lot 1); and a mid-19th century tulip and star stand lamp in a fiery opalescent and cobalt blue font with a fiery opalescent No. 40 variant base, patented in June 1862, made $5,462 (Lot 9).

   A Reed pyriform font stand lamp, opal cased colorless with cobalt blue spiraling threads and a brass stem, sporting a No. 1 fine line collar and fitted with an E. Miller No. 1 hinged lip burner, rose to $4,600 (Lot 5); while a porcelain lithophane American Views lamp shade, cone form and displaying eight panels (four with cartouche patterns and four depicting genres) also hit $4,600 (Lot 139).

   A blown-molded, reverse colonial molasses can (or jug), sage green, with a tall tapered hexagonal body and applied hollow handle with a crude compressed lower curl, on a plain base, breezed to $2,685 (lot 292); and an Americo-Bohemian ruby stained beaker with American views, circular form, with panels showing the U.S. Capitol, Niagara Falls and Lake George, commanded $2,070 (Lot 218).

   The Nov. 12 event was Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates’ 21st annual fall catalogued auction of Americana and fine antiques, spotlighting Virginia and the South. Featured was deaccessioned material from the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. “Great Southern material continues to bring strong prices, especially when it retains a strong provenance and is fresh to the market,” Mr. Evans said. “Just four lots in the sale carried reserves, and 100 percent of lots sold.”

   A late 18th century fine Virginia Chippendale walnut corner (or smoking) chair, attributed to the Isle of Wright Co. and having a yellow pine seat frame incised with “XII,” in excellent condition, realized $27,600 (lot 536); and a rare and important Augusta County, Va., cast-iron stove plate, from the ironworks of Mark Bird and Henry Miller, 23 ½ inches by 26 ½ inches, rose to $12,650 (Lot 318).

   An Elizabeth Koch (Cook) fraktur by Peter Bernhart (Rockingham County, Va.), dated Dec. 31, 1801 and with four birds, floral vines and tulips flanking an eight-point star, garnered $11,500 (Lot 420); and a Winchester, Va., Kentucky-style flintlock long rifle, signed “J. Lauck,” with tiger maple stock, pierced brass patch box, silver thumb plate and eight-point star, rang out at $10,350 (Lot 129).

   A Northern Shenandoah Valley (Va.) Federal walnut block-front bureau, made of pine and poplar secondary woods in the late 18th /early 19th century, 40 inches tall by 40 inches wide, fetched $9,200 (Lot 562); and an 1829 needlework sampler by Elizabeth Ann Dyer (Franklin, Va.), silk on linen, with eight lines of letters and a line of numerals flanked by baskets and a tree, hit $4,888 (Lot 179).

   The year ended on a light note with a Dec. 3 catalogued auction dedicated to vintage toys, Black Americana, country store and related items, featuring material from the Dorothy and Marshall Jenkins estate (Culpeper, Va.). “This was a really fun sale that drew keen interest from across the country,” Mr. Evans said. “Prices were strong, and toys especially drew a lot of bids.”

   A lithograph on tin Prince Albert tobacco advertising sign, depicting “Chief Joseph, Nez Perce” in full headdress (circa 1913-14), with a related 1914 magazine ad featuring Chief Joseph, coasted to $8,050 (Lot 218); and an I.W. Harper Whiskey reverse-painted glass advertising sign (1904), depicting a grandfather and his three grandchildren, in the original oak frame, peaked at $2,760 (Lot 220).

   A Reed Capitol Building panorama toy, lithographed paper on wood, in good shape and honoring all the presidents from Washington to Chester A. Arthur (who served from 1881-85, around the time the toy was made), went for $3,335 (Lot 71); and a set of Black Americana Marx “Amos ‘n’ Andy In Person” wind-up toys in the original box, each a walker-style figure, made $1,840 (Lot 138).

   A Black Americana Marx “Spic Coon Drummer” wind-up tin toy, with a figure seated on a base drum with cymbals, red hat, red jacket and striped blue pants, in good working condition, went to a determined bidder for $1,495 (Lot 144); and a late 19th/early 20th century Capital Coffee painted-wood bin with a slant top and hinged lid, made for the Ohio Coffee Company, fetched $1,380 (Lot 300).

   Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates conducts monthly catalogued auctions in a wide range of categories, all of which are available for in-house, absentee and live Internet bidding (facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com). Live telephone bidding is also available. Within two business days of each auction, the past-sale catalogue is available on the firm's website, with prices realized.

   Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign an item, an estate or collection, you may call them at (540) 434-3939; or, you can e-mail them at info@jeffreysevans.com. For more information on the company, and its schedule of upcoming auction events and seminars, please log on to www.jeffreysevans.com.

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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.