Date: Fri 05-Feb-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Robillard-Easton

Full Text:

Toys For Boys

(with cuts)

By Rita Easton

NEW HOPE, PENN. -- A pre-Christmas audience of 150 attended a major marine and

"Toys for Boys" holiday auction on December 12, hosted by Jack Robillard

Auctioneers & Appraisers at the Eagle Fire Company following two preview

sessions. Two hundred fifty lots crossed the block, consigned by many

different collectors. A Naval Academy appraiser designed the catalogue for the

auction.

Reaching the highest bid of the day at $7,200 was a typical rendering of a

ship in full sail by Antonio Jacobsen. The work went to a New York collector.

A 6¬ inch high by 2¬ inch engraver's tooth by an unknown Cape Cod artist, the

scrimshaw depicting a couple on one side and a three-quarter view of a woman

within an oval on the other, garnered $3,500; a five foot high by 38 inch long

pond model sailboat, circa 1930s, went to a collector for $2,000 and a Chinese

School marine painting of the HMS Petersfield 1910, sold at $1,000.

A highly detailed model of the US Coast Guard cutter Cayuga , 30 inches long,

was purchased at $900; a plank on frame of the famous Cousteau vessel Calypso,

28 inches long, fetched $725; a large oil on canvas of a sea battle between

the Wasp and the Frolic , by B. Ducey, reached $950; and an oil on canvas of a

fishing boat in Rockford, Mass., painted in 1948 by Anthony Thieme, achieved

$2,500.

A Lionel dual motor standard gauge locomotive reached $1,500; a large museum

quality model of a 27 foot Chris Craft triple cockpit 1929 runabout measuring

48 by 17 by 15 inches, brought $2,750; a 6« inch scrimshaw shale's tooth by

Frank Barcelos depicting a fully rigged whaling ship went out at $525; a large

scale model of the JP Morgan yacht Corsair , 50 by 20 by 10 inches, sold at

$3,500; and a pair of matched scrimshaw whale's teeth, with pinpricked images

of bulls and bullfighters, circa 1850, was purchased at $1,100.

A steam-operated launch working model similar to the African Queen, 30 inches

long, coal driven, circa 1920s, realized $350; an official set of 28 US Navy

World War II recognition models, approximately six to seven inches long, used

as teaching aids to familiarize naval officers with the lines of allied ships,

sold at $1,100; an English oil on canvas of the ship Constantine , signed and

dated "1894, JP Allston, 1870-1900," was purchased at $2,700; and a plank on

frame ship model of the HMS Bounty, quarter scale, went out at $1,500.

A Paget angle sextant, #593, garnered $300; a patriotic scrimshaw whale's

tooth, 5« inches high, depicting a gentleman raising his hat to a flag and the

words "Free trade and sailor's rights," made $850; and a plaque inscribed

"Remember the Maine," with a shield and American eagle, sold at $2,700 to a

gentleman who had had relatives on the Maine .

"What happened was, when the Maine was sunk in the Spanish American War and

later they raised it up," related Robillard, "they took the propeller and they

melted it down. Then, every person who survived the sinking of the Maine

received a copy of this plaque."

"She was raised in 1911," he continued, "and the hull was pulled to sea and

resunk in 1912 with full military honors. The plaque was authorized by

Congress in 1911 and was executed by Charles Keck. The memorial plaques were

never offered for sale to the public, but by an act of Congress were donated

first to the surviving members of the Maine crew and officers, and to the

heirs and representatives of the officers killed in the explosion.

An application had to be made to the naval department before any were donated

to municipalities, naval associations or societies. One is in the White House,

and one is on the USS Olympia. Each one weighs about 12 pounds and is 13

inches high by 18 inches long.

Prices quoted do not reflect a required ten percent buyers premium.