Date: Fri 09-Jul-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: GWARD

Quick Words:

Easton-Heckler's

Full Text:

Kerr And Baxter Glass Collections Offered At Heckler's

By Rita Easton

WOODSTOCK VALLEY, CONN.-- Approximately 350 lots were offered at an absentee

auction by Heckler's, with a June 9 closing date. One hundred forty seven

bidders from across the United States competed for lots from the Alex Kerr

collection of fruit jars, and the Thomas Baxter collection, featuring bottles,

early glass, historical flasks, bitters and fine glass, parade canes, rolling

pins, pipes, stocking darners and other whimsies, and fine colored pressed

glass cup plates.

The Kerr collection numbers 1,900 items, which are being offered at several

Heckler's auctions, with 350 sold at the June 9 sale. "Most people call them

canning jars," noted Norman Heckler, "but fruit jar collectors call them

`fruit jars.' The highest price for a fruit jar that we've received from his

collection up to now, in 4 or 5 years, has been $24,200, realized in this

sale... so that's a pretty good canning jar."

Kerr, a North Hollywood resident, now deceased, was a member of the Kerr

Manufacturing Company family which produced fruit jars; was a Lieutenant

Commander in the navy during World War II; and together with his wife was

nationally known as a skeet shooter. Heckler is also offering a total of 3,000

items from the Baxter collection over a period of time.

Reaching the highest bid of the auction, a Millville Atmospheric Fruit Jar,

made in America 1860-1870, escalated to $22,000. The extremely rare

cylindrical lot was cobalt blue, with applied collar with glass lid and iron

clamp, on a smooth base, and held a quart. The applied mouth had two chips,

both to the right side of the main lettering and on top of the applied mouth.

The raised lettering read "Wm. Pogue/Bridgeton,/ N.J." and

"For/Preserving/Fruit" on a fruit jar bringing $11,000. The American made lot,

circa 1845-1860, was in squat cylindrical form, in greenish aquamarine with a

distinct gray tone, tooled wax seal mouth, and was one of the earliest fruit

jars with embossing. Following closely with a $10,000 hammer price was a

"Millville/Atmospheric/Fruit Jar," American made circa 1860-1870, cylindrical

in shape, with golden amber coloring, applied mouth with glass lid, and iron

clamp. Standing on a smooth base, the lot held a half gallon.

An hourglass Masonic flask, individually consigned by New Hampshire residents

who found the item in the wall of a house, realized $8,000. Made circa

1814-1830 at the Coventry Glass Works in Coventry, Conn., the brilliant medium

yellow olive held a half pint. A fruit jar monogrammed "BBGB Co" which was

made in America circa 1880-1890 garnered $7,500. In yellow amber with milk

glass lid, the lot had two small chips, one on the lid and one on the mouth,

covered by the closure, and some light interior haze and an interior burst

bubble.

A "Favorite" fruit jar, American, circa 1870-1880, holding a half gallon,

cylindrical in shape, pale green, with ground mouth with cast iron and wire

bale closure, standing on a smooth base, made $7,000; and an "R. M.

Dalbey's/Fruit Jar/Pat Nov 16 1858" fruit jar, made in America circa

1858-1870, in pale cornflower blue, cylindrical in shape, with ground mouth

with metal lid and collar with thumb screws, standing on a smooth base,

holding a quart plus, also reached $7,000.

Prices quoted above do not reflect a required 10% buyer's premium.

Art Makes Strong Showing at Neal Auction

By Rita Easton

NEW ORLEANS, LA.-- Neal Auction Company held a Summer Estates Auction on

June 5 and 6, offering a total of 1,100 lots.

The local estate of Robert Udick included an oil on canvas by Ruben Santoro

(Italian, 1859-1942), a 19 by 14 inch view of a Venetian canal, which went to

the trade at $63,250, the starring lot of the event.

From the same estate, a Jean Carolus (Belgian, 1814-1897), "Inspecting the

Artist's Work," measuring 30 by 40 inches, an interior scene featuring an

artist with his palette and a painting on an easel with two ladies and a

gentleman viewing the work, brought $24,200 from the trade; a large Newcomb

College high glaze vase, 12 inches high, in blue gray with a large green

banana leaf and a deep blue rim, sold at $49,500, a local record for Newcomb.

Bought by a local collector, the winner of the lot was a first time auction

buyer. "The auction house in Cincinnatti has sold Newcomb higher, over

$55,000," said Katy Hovas of the gallery.

A suite of four allegorical Italian School paintings painted circa 1868, with

dimensions of 51 by 37 inches each, went out at $49,500 for the group,

purchased by the trade; an Antonion Jacobsen (American, 1850-1921), "The

Aguan," an oil on canvas, signed and dated "1890," and inscribed "705 Plisades

Av. West Hoboken, N.J." on the lower right, 22 by 36 inches, reached $15,400;

and a 30 by 50 inch landscape by Edmond Darch Lewis consigned from historical

Twin Oaks in Nachez made $11,000.

American Renaissance furniture in walnut, sold at the Sunday session, was

surprisingly strong, according to Ms. Hovas. "Prices in relationship to the

estimates were striking," she said. A "near pair" of bookcases sold as one lot

estimated at $4/6,000, reached $11,550; an extension dining table estimated at

$1,000/$1,500 reached $5,220; ten dining chairs estimated at $1,200/$1,800

brought $4,400; and a sideboard, estimated at $1,500/$2,500 went out at

$4,950.

A Queen Anne walnut slant front secretary, circa 1710 and later, the married

piece having an older bottom with a top thought to have been made for it, rang

up $17,600. Height of the piece was 93 inches, width 45 inch, and depth 22

inches, with intricately fitted interiors and three finials decorating the

top. A sterling Kentucky coin silver soup ladle estimated at $5/700 sold at

$2,090; a large Aesthetic Movement flycatcher reached $1,870; and a diamond

brooch with a 3.75 mine cut diamond, estimated at $4/6,000, garnered $8,800,

going to a dealer who was thought to be buying a gift for his wife.

Prices quoted above reflect a required 10 percent buyer's premium.