Page 10 - Antiques and Collectibles September 2019 Historic Hudson Valley
P. 10
eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON
by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$9,960 (60 bids, 25 bidders): 17th c. Antique
$4,450 (20 bids, 5 bidders): Automaton Turkish Tea Drinker Leopold
Lambert Smoker. This is an extremely rare and exquisite piece! Never have I seen Hallmarked Silver Parcel Gilt Tankard Stein,
another hit the market. Antique French Leopold Lambert Tea Drinker Polish Royal Wedding. Measuring 7 7/8 inches in
Automaton. Never do you see these come to market. The unfortunate part is this diameter at the base, the overall height to the top of
automaton was in excellent condition prior to shipping. the thumb latch is 10 5/8 inches. On the cover and the
edge of the foot are two hallmarks. I have tried, but
He was shipped and arrived in this condition. I’ve had several people tell
I have not been able to identify them. There is a
me he is very much repairable; however, I do not have the knowledge or skill
or time to do so. So I am selling him as is. I have taken very detailed photos of 7-centimeter diameter medallion set into the cover
this beautiful piece for your viewing. Please take this into consideration when commemorating the 1637 marriage between the King
bidding as he will be your responsibility to repair the damages and get him back of Poland Wladyshaw IV and the Archduchess Cecilia
in working order. Renata of Austria.
I will have him professionally packaged. He is a lovely piece and I hope he The body of this 17th century tankard depicts the
goes to a home that will restore him properly. (photos courtesy of eBay seller king on horseback. He is leading his army into the
pariscoutureantiques) castle where soldiers are waiting, and several women are
playing drums and tambourines.
This early tankard was given as a trophy by the New
York Yacht Club in 1924. The Sloop Iroquois II won the
Vice Commodores Cup, and this 17th century tankard
was given as a trophy since the cup stays at the
Yacht Club. Using antique silver for presentations
was not uncommon.
There is some wear to the partial gilt surface,
but the tankard itself is in excellent, original
condition, and there are no restorations. (photos
courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12)
DBA: These marks are very hard to identify. Most silver books will identify marks
DBA: Leopold Lambert (French, 1854-1935) began his career in a clockmaker/ of countries, but this particular piece has been in several different countries over
jeweler’s shop in Paris. He became interested in automata and opened his shop in the years. I believe that the mark is Matthaus Bock of Koenigsberg. Not because
1886. Lambert’s wife Eugenie Maria Bourgeois was a seamstress and made the I had access to books on the marks of this type of early silver, but because I poured
clothing for his works. through auction catalogs of this type of silver being auctioned (and the marks were
Lambert’s objects are among the finest made for automata. The golden age for not shown).
automata was the period from 1860-1910; the Paris workshops were the best. Matthaus Bock also did another tankard for this wedding, and it was engraved
This is a low price for such a piece and must be due to the damage showing on as such. However, the photos did not show the wording at the base of the tankard
this object. The seated smoker, rather than the tea drinker, comes to market more to see if this was also engraved to the wedding. The top engraving did show
often. Skinner sold one of these for $17,650 in 2005. the New York Yacht Club, and I cannot believe it had the audacity to deface such
an object.
I have no idea of the cost of restoring this object or the exact extent of
the damage. Most silver of this period and this quality would sell for similar amounts
of money.
$5,100 (40 bids, 12 bidders):
1879 W G McComas Antique $3,800 (34 bids, 18 bidders): N. B. Jacob’s San Francisco, California, Antique
Wood Beam Hay Barn Carrier Western Bitters Bottle. Rare! Super condition. Applied, tapered collar. Clear,
Trolley, Rare. Condition is clean and shiny. Very rare and desirable. This is similar to Jacob’s Rosenbaum’s
used. (photos courtesy of eBay bitters without the “Rosenbaum’s Bitters” embossing. Couple of minor scratches
seller countrygal70) on the shoulder of one blank side. That’s about it. No other notable marks, dings,
abrasions, case wear or other damage of any kind. Amazing near-mint condition.
DBA: This device made the The color would best be described as medium yellow/green. No olive tones.
work of getting hay into the (photos courtesy of eBay seller 2010sgreenberger)
barn much easier, and it
changed the total scope of work DBA: Of all types of bottles collected, bitters tend to be of the
for the farmer. The hay trolley highest value. You would have to be a serious collector to
was invented in 1867, and this recognize all of the different names of the bitters companies.
model is one of the early ones. There are a few points to consider: this bottle is made of glass
The way you can tell that is the with lots of imperfections and has an applied rim. Given the
top is wide so it fits on a center impressed writing, it was mold form and not mouth-blown.
wooden beam in the barn for the (This bottle would not have had a pontil mark.) All of this point
trolley to travel along. The to this bottle being a period bottle, not a reproduction.
“newer” ones were smaller at the Western bottles are rare and do bring higher prices when
top and made to fit on a steel sold. This bottle is so rare that I have not been able to find
rod. another one that has sold in recent times.
This model has sold for far
more than the retail sites show, but also, those offered for sale were not as early as Deborah Abernethy is a certified appraiser with the International
this one. Most of these sell in the under $500 category. This one is just rare. Association of Appraisers. She can be contacted at 404-262-2131 or
Deborah@expert-appraisers.com. Her website is www.expert-appraisers.com.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
8
WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON
by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$9,960 (60 bids, 25 bidders): 17th c. Antique
$4,450 (20 bids, 5 bidders): Automaton Turkish Tea Drinker Leopold
Lambert Smoker. This is an extremely rare and exquisite piece! Never have I seen Hallmarked Silver Parcel Gilt Tankard Stein,
another hit the market. Antique French Leopold Lambert Tea Drinker Polish Royal Wedding. Measuring 7 7/8 inches in
Automaton. Never do you see these come to market. The unfortunate part is this diameter at the base, the overall height to the top of
automaton was in excellent condition prior to shipping. the thumb latch is 10 5/8 inches. On the cover and the
edge of the foot are two hallmarks. I have tried, but
He was shipped and arrived in this condition. I’ve had several people tell
I have not been able to identify them. There is a
me he is very much repairable; however, I do not have the knowledge or skill
or time to do so. So I am selling him as is. I have taken very detailed photos of 7-centimeter diameter medallion set into the cover
this beautiful piece for your viewing. Please take this into consideration when commemorating the 1637 marriage between the King
bidding as he will be your responsibility to repair the damages and get him back of Poland Wladyshaw IV and the Archduchess Cecilia
in working order. Renata of Austria.
I will have him professionally packaged. He is a lovely piece and I hope he The body of this 17th century tankard depicts the
goes to a home that will restore him properly. (photos courtesy of eBay seller king on horseback. He is leading his army into the
pariscoutureantiques) castle where soldiers are waiting, and several women are
playing drums and tambourines.
This early tankard was given as a trophy by the New
York Yacht Club in 1924. The Sloop Iroquois II won the
Vice Commodores Cup, and this 17th century tankard
was given as a trophy since the cup stays at the
Yacht Club. Using antique silver for presentations
was not uncommon.
There is some wear to the partial gilt surface,
but the tankard itself is in excellent, original
condition, and there are no restorations. (photos
courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12)
DBA: These marks are very hard to identify. Most silver books will identify marks
DBA: Leopold Lambert (French, 1854-1935) began his career in a clockmaker/ of countries, but this particular piece has been in several different countries over
jeweler’s shop in Paris. He became interested in automata and opened his shop in the years. I believe that the mark is Matthaus Bock of Koenigsberg. Not because
1886. Lambert’s wife Eugenie Maria Bourgeois was a seamstress and made the I had access to books on the marks of this type of early silver, but because I poured
clothing for his works. through auction catalogs of this type of silver being auctioned (and the marks were
Lambert’s objects are among the finest made for automata. The golden age for not shown).
automata was the period from 1860-1910; the Paris workshops were the best. Matthaus Bock also did another tankard for this wedding, and it was engraved
This is a low price for such a piece and must be due to the damage showing on as such. However, the photos did not show the wording at the base of the tankard
this object. The seated smoker, rather than the tea drinker, comes to market more to see if this was also engraved to the wedding. The top engraving did show
often. Skinner sold one of these for $17,650 in 2005. the New York Yacht Club, and I cannot believe it had the audacity to deface such
an object.
I have no idea of the cost of restoring this object or the exact extent of
the damage. Most silver of this period and this quality would sell for similar amounts
of money.
$5,100 (40 bids, 12 bidders):
1879 W G McComas Antique $3,800 (34 bids, 18 bidders): N. B. Jacob’s San Francisco, California, Antique
Wood Beam Hay Barn Carrier Western Bitters Bottle. Rare! Super condition. Applied, tapered collar. Clear,
Trolley, Rare. Condition is clean and shiny. Very rare and desirable. This is similar to Jacob’s Rosenbaum’s
used. (photos courtesy of eBay bitters without the “Rosenbaum’s Bitters” embossing. Couple of minor scratches
seller countrygal70) on the shoulder of one blank side. That’s about it. No other notable marks, dings,
abrasions, case wear or other damage of any kind. Amazing near-mint condition.
DBA: This device made the The color would best be described as medium yellow/green. No olive tones.
work of getting hay into the (photos courtesy of eBay seller 2010sgreenberger)
barn much easier, and it
changed the total scope of work DBA: Of all types of bottles collected, bitters tend to be of the
for the farmer. The hay trolley highest value. You would have to be a serious collector to
was invented in 1867, and this recognize all of the different names of the bitters companies.
model is one of the early ones. There are a few points to consider: this bottle is made of glass
The way you can tell that is the with lots of imperfections and has an applied rim. Given the
top is wide so it fits on a center impressed writing, it was mold form and not mouth-blown.
wooden beam in the barn for the (This bottle would not have had a pontil mark.) All of this point
trolley to travel along. The to this bottle being a period bottle, not a reproduction.
“newer” ones were smaller at the Western bottles are rare and do bring higher prices when
top and made to fit on a steel sold. This bottle is so rare that I have not been able to find
rod. another one that has sold in recent times.
This model has sold for far
more than the retail sites show, but also, those offered for sale were not as early as Deborah Abernethy is a certified appraiser with the International
this one. Most of these sell in the under $500 category. This one is just rare. Association of Appraisers. She can be contacted at 404-262-2131 or
Deborah@expert-appraisers.com. Her website is www.expert-appraisers.com.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
8
