by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$123.50 (18 bids, 7 bidders): 2 Original Life Cast, Signed Linda Blair, Plaster Heads, Exorcist Movie Makeup.
If you search the internet, you can find other plaster castings of Linda Blair face from the movie The Exorcist. One of the best parts of the movie was the transformation of Linda Blair from a young pretty girl into a monster. This makeup was done by award-winning Hollywood master of film make-up Dick Smith. He was known for using plaster castings to create and practice the makeup before adding it to the star’s face.
Each of these castings is from a different part of the movie. The first face depicts Linda’s face just before it transforms and spins around on the bed. This 5 by 9 1/2 inches cast is hand signed on the right, “Sweet Dreams, Linda Blair.”
There are some tiny marks to the soft plaster head with a bruise to the chin and an old chip to the bottom edge. The second Linda Blair face casting measures 5 inches wide by 10 5/8 inches long. This face has hand applied and accented scars and marks. There also is chipping down the right side and a chip to the chin and at the bottom of the neck.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12.)

DBA: Several websites sell recasts like these. This, although signed, is not the one used in the movie. Prices for cast character masks range from $25 to $100 for each mask, and those are not signed. The buyer here got a deal based on those prices and for the signature. There are places which authenticate signatures, and these vary in cost.
Some states have started regulating sales of autographs due to the high rate of fakes. I would expect this trend to continue.
$3,200 (29 bids, 12 bidders): Antique 1800s Half-Plate Daguerreotype Photograph Rutgers Women Students.
Antique 1800s half-plate Daguerreotype photograph depicting “Carrie Hubbell’s Graduating Class at Rutgers,” 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. Picture is in overall good condition; the leather case has wear, and the hinge is broken.
(Photo courtesy of eBay seller jandml-sf.)

DBA: Plate sizes are still the standard method for referring to the dimensions of these 19th century images. A half plate is 4.25 x 5.5 inches. Another very popular size is the 6th plate: 2.75 x 3.25 inches.
This price is on the high side but not a record-breaker. It’s a lovely group of young women and should be in that high-value group.
$3,920 (13 bids, 5 bidders): Antique Westinghouse gyro fan.
Rare antique Westinghouse gyro ceiling fan. This is a fairly complete fan, missing only a brush and cap (as shown in photos) and a small bracket with a pulley on the inside. The cast iron is all good, no cracks or chips missing. The fan blades have been polished. A few blades must have had slight bends and were straightened, but that is not very noticeable. Includes the original brass canopy, pole, and ceiling bracket; one bolt is not correct.
These normally do not come with fan cages, but I have one with the fan. Looks better with cages, in my opinion. The fan has not been tested. Here is an opportunity to get a rare, unusual item. What you see is what you will receive.
(Photos are courtesy of eBay seller aviper10.)

DBA: This fan is iconic. It rotates as the brass blades spin, making it a showy fan as well as being an effective cooling source. So it’s “cool” and “cool.” I did find one selling on 1stdibs.com for $3,200 in 2017.
$3,998 (24 bids, 15 bidders): Antique Philbrook & Paine Marbelized Fly Reel.
It was found in an old beat-up tackle box in an estate. My search on the internet shows this to be a very rare item, and no others were found on eBay. It seems to be in good working order, except that the winding knob is missing, and the crank arm is bent where the knob attaches. I don’t know if the bend is by design or damage sustained when the knob was removed. Judging from the strength of the crank arm, it looks nearly impossible to bend it, but only an expert would know.
The reel turns in both directions with a clicking noise and provides about 8 ounces of drag. The reel has some old stiff line and a catfish hook attached, which may or may not have some collector value; I leave that to the bidders.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller salgeo.)

DBA: This is called a salmon reel, and it is circa 1880. The knob is missing. I found two of these for sale at auction: one for $7,500 and the other for $10,000. Although this one is not in perfect condition, the buyer got a deal. Most dealers would call this an investment piece.