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THBPair of Concrete Swan Planters by the Concrete Machinery Company
About Seller
522 South Pineapple Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
United States
Sarasota Estate Auction specializes in a wide variety of furniture, antiques, fine art, lighting, sculptures, and collectibles. Andrew Ford, owner and operator of the company, has a passion for finding the best pieces of art and antiques and sharing those finds with the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
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Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
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| $0 | $10 |
| $100 | $25 |
| $250 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
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| $7,500 | $500 |
| $20,000 | $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $2,500 |
| $100,000 | $5,000 |
| $250,000 | $10,000 |
About Auction
LiveJan 18, 2025
Over 800 lots will be offered in day 1 of our 2 day weekend. There are multiple lots of fine art from mixed medias and abstracts to landscapes and lithographs. We have a Todd Warner Rhino Sculpture, a collection of art glass sculptures, modern furniture, Lalique, Kosta Boda, Parkwest Gallery artworks, and Coca-Cola collectibles. Sarasota Estate Auction sarasotaestateauction@gmail.com
View Full Catalog (958)
- Lot Description
Pair of Concrete Swan Planters by the Concrete Machinery Company. Cast shapes painted to look like swans, with copyright information written on the side near bottom.
Condition: Commensurate with use and the elements.
Size (each): 26 x 10 x 18 in.
#7003 .
In 1954 twenty-four year old Vernon Sherrill Flowers returned to his hometown of Hickory, North Carolina after completing his service with the Air Force in the Korean War. A graduate of Columbia University, he had fought as a pilot but became fascinated by construction and concrete casting after observing the work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After studying and researching techniques he convinced his father, a World War II veteran and dentist named Dr. Ralph Conrad Flowers (1900-1988), to join him in creating the Concrete Machinery Company, Inc. The two acted as co-presidents of the company until Ralph’s death, and they specialized in supplying construction companies with materials as well as crafting cast concrete statues, garden ornaments, and other home furnishings. Their high-quality urns, finials, and especially animal figures (particularly swans, deer, hedgehogs, and other wild animals) were very popular, and were crafted both as solid pieces and in a hollow form to be used as planters and lawn decorations. The company and their designs were part of a landmark copyright infringement case in the 1980s that was settled by the North Carolina Supreme Court, determining that no company could claim copyright of all possible designs based on a handful of forms, and that the court “cannot recognize copyright as a game of chess in which the public can be checkmated.” After both of Vernon’s brothers passed away in the 1990s and his son (also named Vernon) declined to join the company as the new president, the stress of running it by himself began to take its toll, and Concrete Machinery Company was closed down in 2011. Vernon passed away in 2022, and his original designs can be seen in a book he published in 1959, “How to Turn Concrete Into Gold,” with many variants of them made by companies throughout North Carolina since the turn of the century.
Condition
Commensurate with use and the elements.
- Shipping Info
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SHIPPING INFORMATION·
Sarasota Estate Auction IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING! BUYER MUST ARRANGE SHIPPING. All shipping will be handled by the winning bidder. Sarasota Estate Auction recommends obtaining shipping quotes before bidding on any items in our auctions. To obtain a quote, please email info@premiershipment.com. Be sure to include the lot you are interested in and address you would like the quote for. Refunds are not offered under any circumstances base on shipping issues, this is up to the buyer to arrange this beforehand.
BIDDER MUST ARRANGE THEIR OWN SHIPPING. Although SEA will NOT arrange shipping for you, we do recommend our preferred shipper Premier Shipping & Crating at info@premiershipment.com You MUST email them, please DO NOT CALLl. If you'd like to compare shipping quotes or need more options, feel free to contact any local Sarasota shippers. You can email any one of the shippers below as well. Be sure to include the lot(s) you won and address you would like it shipped to. Brennan with The UPS Store #0089 - 941-413-5998 - Store0089@theupsstore.com AK with The UPS Store #2689 - 941-954-4575 - Store2689@theupsstore.com Steve with The UPS Store #4074 - 941-358-7022 - Store4074@theupsstore.com Everett with PakMail - 941-751-2070 - paktara266@gmail.com
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- Payment & Auction Policies
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Available payment options
We accept all major credit cards, wire transfers, money orders, checks and PayPal. Please give us a call at (941) 359-8700 or email us at SarasotaEstateAuction@gmail.com to take care of your payments.
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- Size
26 x 10 x 18 in.
