Date: Fri 27-Mar-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Fallon

Full Text:

America at Copake

w/2 cuts

COPAKE, N.Y. -- Michael and Seth Fallon of Copake Auction conducted another

catalogued Americana auction on Saturday, February 28.

"We had four collections to disperse and sold over 800 lots in six hours.

One-hundred sixty bidding numbers and 97 absentee and phone bidders

participated," said auctioneer Michael Fallon.

The sale started with Oriental rugs. The top selling rug was a roomsize Heriz,

which sold to a local homeowner for $1,650.

In Americana, country and formal furniture and folk art included an Empire

Pennsylvania paint-decorated slant-lid desk, which sold to a New Jersey dealer

for $1,200. An architectural medicine cabinet soared to $2,200 with bidding

coming from all over the country. A Nineteenth Century gilt cow weathervane

brought $4,675 to a collector from New Jersey. A rare pair of samplers by two

sisters sold for $1,200.

On the phone, a dealer purchased a Hohner Co marble-top curio server for

$2,800 and a Renaissance Revival inlaid center table for $1,320. A Victorian

corner shelf drew $990.

Period furniture included a circa 1800 bowfront bracket base mahogany four

drawer chest, which made $2,200. A Nineteenth Century New York mahogany

classical dropleaf breakfast table also fetched $2,200. A Southern huntboard

realized $3,050. A Nineteenth Century sideboard went to an absentee bid for

$1,760. A Continental Dutch Queen Anne inlaid settee sold to a phone bidder

for $3,300.

The top lot in the auction was a vibrant gameboard consigned from a private

collector. "The gameboard was pictured in our ads, and we fielded many calls.

We must have sent out over 25 photos," said Seth Fallon, general manager.

Selling for $5,500, the gameboard went to a Massachusetts collector on the

phone.

The first of four "mini" collectibles auctions featured a collection of

approximately 40 lots of Eskimo artifacts, mostly Inuit stone carvings and

tupilaks, from a local estate. Bidding was strong on these items with gallery,

absentee and three phone lines participating. Prices realized ranged from $60

for a bone letter opener to $525 for a walrus "oozuk puk" or club, found on

the Bering Sea inland of St Lawrence.

The next collection featured 51 examples of tramp art. Some lots were

illustrated in the new book Tramp Art One Notch At A Time by Clifford Wallach

and Dave Irons. Complex and fine boxes and frames sold in the $500 to $1,100

range, while average pieces went for $100 to $300 each. The Fallons are trying

to organize a tramp art and "funk" auction for the summer season.

Midway through the sale, a collection of mesh and beaded bags and purses were

offered, along with some compacts. The top selling bag was a scenic depicting

a villa and gardens. It sold for $935. Other bags and purses ranged from $50

to $250. Compacts ranged from $25 to $225.

At the end of the sale, a small group of motorcycle collectibles was offered.

A FAM pin sold for $60; a 1938 Gypsy Tour belt buckle sold for $135; a 1941

Gypsy Tour pin sold for $60; a Flying Merkel pin sold for $110; an AMA ring

sold for $55; a 1950s hill climb poster sold for $80; and a watercolor of a

WWI English Sunbeam motorcycle sold for $225.

Copake Auction's next sale will be an Americana auction on March 28, featuring

a folk art collection. The Seventh annual Bicycle Auction will be April 18.

For information, 518/329-1142.