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What's Selling on eBay: June 2018

What's Selling on eBay: June 2018

by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$11,687 (76 bids, 25 bidders): Antique Stevens Painted Cast Iron Monkey Velocipede Tricycle Bell Pull Toy.
Measuring 8 1/2 inches long by 8 1/4 inches to the top of the monkey’s hat, this rare Tricycle Bell Toy is in amazing condition except for one problem. In the close-up photographs of the front forks, where they attach to the bottom of the handlebars, right at the frame is cleanly broken. This break sits nicely together, and you can’t see it till you pick the toy up. That’s it! There are no other problems or any restoration to this rare Velocipede Bell Toy.
(Photo: eBay seller, wwolst12)
DBA: This is a popular collector’s item and prices run the gamut. Factors that affect the prices realized are condition, rarity or number produced, moving parts and number of parts, size, and style or character of the object. For example, animals are very popular. Some of the smaller cast iron pull toys sell in the hundred-dollar range, but prices range all the way to $25,000. I believe that this is a special one, and the seller got a good deal.

$18,988 (58 bids, 12 bidders): Early Virginia Fraktur Dated 1806 Original Watercolor Antique Primitive Folk Art.
Original antique watercolor fraktur from Rockingham County, Virginia, from 1806. Original frame with a great grungy surface. A very colorful and graphic fraktur. A very rare piece of early American folk art. Part of a pair that I have listed. Measures 16 inches x 11 inches including the frame and 13 inches x 8 inches not including the frame. Has losses, tears and creases. The fraktur does not have any touch-ups but has been glued to the backing paper.
(Photo: eBay seller katesy7777)
DBA: This style is very typical of Pennsylvania fraktur, but this one is from Virginia. This one appears to be in original condition and has no touch-up coloring. The frame is also original. Some frakturen are signed or can be identified as to the artist, and usually, these are very artistic examples which bring high prices. I have seen some of these sell for $100,000. Generally, those works where the person is identified with something about his/her life, increase the values.
$5,100 (22 bids, 4 bidders): Antique rare Ericsson skeleton telephone No. 1884 AC100.
(No other details listed.)
(Photo, eBay seller and virtual store: Aldo Rafael Colcca Araoz from Peru)
DBA: The Model AC100 was introduced in 1884 and continued in production until 1888. This early phone was designed by Lars Ericsson who was still very much involved in the design and construction at this time. This telephone usually sells for much more money, but in looking at the photographs, there appears to be parts that are missing. I could not find the actual description of this sale on eBay to clarify this information. I would assume that the reason for the lower price is that the photographs show the parts ARE missing. The early swing-arm style gave way to the handset version in the early 1890s. Many of these swing-arm models were converted to handset models, making these very rare.
$2,021: (41 bids, 18 bidders): 4 Huge Antique Cut-Crystal, Hand-Blown Glass Banquet Candlesticks, Teardrop Bubble.
Each of the antique, cut crystal candlesticks in this auction measure 17.75 inches tall with a 5.75-inch diameter, finely cut base. Hand-blown, the octagon body has cut corners that reflect through the long teardrop bubble down the middle. Unsigned, I tried to find a similar set of candlesticks on the internet. I found Dorflinger and Libby octagon crystal candlesticks that had similar cut corners, and one smaller Dorflinger set had a teardrop center, but the bases were not as complicated as the set in this auction. These four antique cut glass candlesticks were certainly made by one of the prominent glass companies. We keep looking these candlesticks over and over, looking for chips or even tiny flecks, but there are none. These candlesticks are perfect, and there is no evidence of any restorations.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12.)
DBA: Given the size of these cut crystal candlesticks, these were an incredible find. The size of these made them very hard to make and even harder to find many years later in good condition. I did find four identical hand-blown cut crystal candlesticks for sale at $2,500, but those were half the height of these purchased on eBay. I think the buyer got a smashing deal.
Deborah Abernethy is a certified appraiser with the International Association of Appraisers. She can be contacted at 404-262-2131 or Deborah@expert-appraisers.com. Her website is www.expert-appraisers.com.

What’s Selling on eBay: June 2018