Pook & Pook, Inc. warm up for Labor Day next week when they present their largest ever online only sale, a three-day extravaganza featuring over 2,300 lots. Set down for September 1, 2 & 3, the auction series include items from individual collectors, estates and institutions from all over the country. What a way for the company to kick off its long awaited fall auction calendar! Lot 871, Native American beadwork, including pouches, a pincushion, and two Skookum dolls The Online Americana auction on Tuesday, September 1 offers bidders a chance to own classic pieces of American decorative arts. This highly accessible sale includes strong examples of folk and fine art, furniture, stoneware, silver, metal and woodwork, Toys, Native American objects, and a variety of Pennsylvania-made pieces. Lot 1156, five assorted dresser boxes, a brass lock b...Read More

When you think Chinese sculpture, typically, you think of jade. Prized for its hardness, durability, musical qualities and beauty, jade has been the go-to stone in virtually all periods of Chinese history. By the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.) the royal family and other big wigs were so enamored of the stone they were burying each other in jade suits sewn in gold thread, with the idea that it would preserve the body and the souls attached to it. On Friday, August 28, Converse Fine Arts & Antiques Auctions offers bidders a gilt-edged opportunity to invest in jade when they hold their Important Asian Online Auction. Sprinkled among the 290 lots on offer is a great selection of jade pieces, available at a variety of price points. Lot 53 is a real eye catcher! An exquisitely carved 19th Century white jade fishing boat. The sweet smell of suc...Read More

Estate sales are a collectors dream. Not only do they provide a plethora of great pieces across a whole range of categories, but they bring with them a deep sense of immediate history. When you buy from an estate sale, you get an overwhelming sense of your place in the chain that is the auctioned piece’s history. Welcome aboard stranger…you are the newest link. On Thursday, August 27, Rago offers bidders a wonderful opportunity to take their place in history when they stage their Unreserved Estate Goods & Jewelry sale. 625 lots are set to go under the hammer, and such is the range of collectibles up from grabs that bidding is sure to be spirited. Below, weve picked out a few pieces of interest, but really, were only scratching the surface. For the full catalog, head to Bidsquares online auction page now. Just the name is enough to get your ...Read More

In pre-communist Russia there was no greater honor than to be awarded the Imperial Order of St. Andrew. Established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great (below), it was handed out for only the greatest achievements of civilian or military merit. Abolished under Lenin, it was reintroduced in 1998. On Wednesday, August 26, Kodner Galleries offers bidders the chance to snare an Order of St. Andrew for themselves when Lot 67 (above) goes under the hammer during their Estate Auction. And while competition is sure to be fierce, bidders should console themselves with the sobering thought that buying one of these medals is a heck of a lot easier than trying to win one. Those looking to bolster their jewelry collection should look beyond the medals at the Estate Auction. Sprinkled among the 324 lots on offer are some outstanding pieces of jewelry, many f...Read More

Bitters came into being as alcohol disguised as medicine. In an effort to circumvent liquor taxes, 19th Century distillers took to adding small amounts of herbal bitters to gin and sold it without taxation under the guise of medicinal liquor. Drinking bitters, the civilized man of the 1870’s could get his fill of strong drink without being condemned by the temperance union and other do-gooders. On Sunday, August 23, Rachel Davis Fine Arts will offer an outstanding collection of bitters bottles among the 592 lots of their Antique Bottles sale. Whether you’re an established collector or a new kid on the block, the tremendous depth of the sale should see all parties come away satisfied. This little piggys going to market! Lot 98, one of the real standouts in the sale, is a Berkshire Bitters bottle produced by Cincinnati’s Amann & Co. At the ti...Read More

After taking a look at Day 1 of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Marketplace sale, we’re not about to leave Day 2 sitting on the shelves neglected. 570 lots are set to go under the hammer, and bidders rest assured, the quality more than stands up to the offerings of the sales opening day. Once again weve picked out a few of our favorite pieces from the days offerings. To see the full catalog, head over to Bidsquares Auctions page and dive right in! Put yourself together with style by acquiring Lot 629, a seven piece silver dresser set, comprising a hand mirror, clothes brush, hair comb, nail buff, nail file and button hook. Why not take home a little flare from the Orient? Lot 933, one of many great offerings from the Far East in the sale, consists of two jadeite archers rings, each carved to depict bats and coins. Next stop Africa! Lot 162, a p...Read More

Day 1 of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Marketplace sale looks set to attract bidders with interests in a broad range of categories. Over 580 lots go under the hammer, with a stunning array that covers everything from glassware to porcelain to furniture and more. Below, we’ve handpicked a few of our favorites collectibles from Day 1 of the Marketplace sale. Don’t just take our word for it though – head over to Bidsquare’s Auctions page and view the full catalog. It’s sure to catch your eye! Take your entertaining to a new level and bid on Lot 80, a cobalt blue cut to clear glass drink set, comprising a decanter and seven cordials. Bring a little attitude and style to your desktop with Lot 97, two finely carved alabaster lions - lying in repose but ready to pounce! Journey back in time whenever you get seated on Lot 468, a Victorian iron bench ...Read More

By 1960 only one craftsman, Burlon Craig, was still producing pottery in North Carolinas Catawba Valley. Heir to a heritage of alkaline glazed stoneware made in the region from the early 19th Century, he had watched its decline as the food industry relied increasingly on glass and canned food storage. Its future, to say the least, looked bleak. Lot 111, by Burlon Craig But with Craig leading the way, Catawba Valley pottery survived. New artisans were attracted to the medium, relying on tourism and a building interest in handmade crafts. Innovations included decorative techniques such as swirl ware - pottery made by combining two or more different colors of clay, and unique forms such as "face jugs." Lot 145, early Jugtown pottery On Friday, August 14, Brunk Auctions offer bidders the chance to access the revitalization of Catawba Vallery po...Read More

People have been collecting weapons since men first starting throwing spears in anger. Whether captivated by their historical significance or their streamlined beauty, it is a market that continues to attract a healthy bidding public. Which brings us to Cowan’s Auctions’ two-day Firearms and Accoutrements sale, set down for Thursday, August 13, and Friday, August 14. Featuring over 1400 lots covering many of history’s most landmark confrontations, the sale includes an excellent selection of fresh-to-the-market rifles, pistols, accoutrements, collectibles and more. What better place to start than rifles? The Firearms and Accoutrements sale offers a stellar range, from Civil War Burnsides (top) to Springfields (middle) and Winchesters (bottom). When it comes to collectors it’s hard to find a more passionate bunch than those who pursue Civil W...Read More

There’s nothing really more iconic in American culture than the pool table. From landmark films like “The Hustler” to songs like “Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” the pool table has carved a special niche in the nation’s psyche – often at the edges, walking that line between friendly neighborhood bar and seedy underbelly dive. On Saturday, August 8, Ahlers & Ogletree gives bidders the chance the strut their stuff like “Fast Eddie” Felson when they offer Lot 260, a 1946 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Centennial pool table, as part of their Mid-Century Modern sale. Made of Brazilian rosewood furniture with a cast aluminum skirt and base, the table is fully restored, including green felt top, refinishing of all exposed wood, and high polishing of all aluminum. If you were ever thinking of adding a pool room, what a place to start! This is just one of t...Read More