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eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON

by Philip Hawkins and Mike McLeod

$10,200 (43 bids, 10 bidders): c. 1890 Gorgeous 9 Tubes 2 Chimes $6,150 (48 bids, 12 bidders): Antique Early 18th Century European Box
Grandfather Antique Clock, Walter Durfee, 8 Ft. Walter Durfee exten- Microscope. Offered for sale is an antique French or Italian early 18th
sively carved mahogany nine-tube, tall case clock. Retailed by J.E Caldwell, century box microscope made of wood, brass, pasteboard, and shagreen. This
a high-end retailer of Philadelphia. Pattern #73 stamped on the case. It is is a rare, early 18th century (c. 1740) box-top microscope of the type that
eight feet four inches tall and has an eight-day clock with two melodies: was in use mainly in France but also to lesser numbers in Italy. Towards the
Westminster and the rare Bow Bells. Original hand-rubbed patina, swirl second half of the century, this class of microscope was in use also in the
columns on either side. The dial is in great condition in hand-engraved brass German lands, where it was made mainly by the Augsburg instrument maker
with a silvered ring. (photos, eBay seller rarityny) G.F. Brander.
The microscope offered here is unsigned, like
PH: Durfee tall/hall/grandfather clocks are truly a most of these instruments. The tube is made of paste-
collaborative effort. Walter Durfee received some board coated with green shagreen that lost part of its
training as an architect but wound up as an antiques color over the years. The drawtube is coated with
dealer in the 1870s. Initially, Durfee purchased green-painted vellum. The ocular and objective
antique English tall clocks for resale and progressed to housings are made of rosewood(?), and the only
buying contemporary English bracket and tall clocks objective is probably housed in ebony. The magnifi-
made by Jennens & Sons of London in the traditional cation ranges between an estimated 50X to 100X
Georgian style beginning in the 1880s. A song, when the drawtube is pulled or pushed.
Grandfather’s Clock, popular at the time, renewed The microscope is functioning, and the optical
interest for tall clocks that had waned in both the U.S. quality is pretty good for these instruments. Given
and England in the 1830s. its nearly 300 years of age, this microscope is of very
By the mid-1880s, Durfee developed another nice condition.
model. He began designing elaborate clock cases and
had brass works produced for him by J.J. Elliott of London that struck PH: Microscopes evolved rapidly from the 17th to
tubular chimes made for him by J. Harington (Durfee was an exclusive agent the 19th centuries. The 18th century produced many
in the U.S.). These clocks were very expensive at the time costing $500 to from makers all over Europe and England. Many are
$700, whereas a kitchen shelf clock could be bought for $5 and an E. Howard found in museums related to the sciences. The seller’s
banjo clock for about $20. Many case models were produced, and the description is quite good, though I’d probably say
demand allowed Durfee to distribute through a high-end network of retailers this is a mid- or late mid-18th century example and
including Tiffany & Co., Theodore Starr, Bailey, Banks & Biddle, J.E. probably French.
Caldwell, Spalding & Co., and others across the U.S. Faces of Durfee clocks The most often microscopes appearing at auction
often display the name of the retailer and not the Durfee name. are of the English Culpepper type which sells in the
In 1902, the patent for the tubular chimes expired allowing other $3,000-$5,000 range. Truly rare and exceptional 18th century microscopes
manufacturers to produce tubular chimes and ending Durfee’s monopoly in can bring in the five figures at auction. I’d say both buyer and seller should
the U.S. Durfee expanded into other clock designs, specifically banjo clocks, be happy with this transaction for this particular example.
and finally into a service-only company for the clocks he had sold.
Durfee grandfather clocks regularly appear at auction and sell in the
$4,000 to $10,000 range with a few exceptional examples bringing more. I $3,941 (17 bids, 6 bidders): Noritake art deco lady figural dresser box jar.
found examples with retail prices ranging from $10,000 to $33,000. This is a Noritake hand-painted piece. It is number 29812. As far as I can tell,
there are no chips, cracks, or repairs. (photos, eBay seller teoamaru)

PH: Known as the Indian Maiden Dresser jar. All indications point to this
$8,500 (18 bids, 5 bidders): Antique German Swirl Marble, Very Large being a rare item with very few references. Noritake did make a number of
1 1/2 inches or Larger, With Mica, Excellent. Superb condition, only figural dresser jars during the early to mid-20th century – the red Noritake
flaws in this marble are in the making of it; this is a super piece. (photos, eBay mark on this box dates from the 1920s.
seller leslirelle0)
I was not able to find another Indian Maiden available for sale currently.
PH: I am no marble expert, but from what I can find, values are all over the The last/only one I could locate that came up at auction was at
place. Size, material, condition, age, color, and type are all factors in the value A.H/Wilkinson’s Auctions (Canada) which featured a collection of Noritake
and appeal to collectors. The highest price reported for a glass marble on figural dresser jars. An Indian
Live Auctioneers appears to be $9,000 for an amber Maiden jar in that sale sold for
latticino swirl measuring 1.625 inches that sold in $9,300. This seems to be the gold
2011, and the same price for a blue glass mark, and this jar even had some
ribbon Lutz measuring 1.5 inches selling in minor damage. Other Noritake
2015. The vast majority of marbles sell for figural jars sold in the $2,300-
much less, but the truly rare examples seem $3,100 range. I’d say that the
to generate prices above $3,000 at auction. buyer here got a great deal on a
I’d say the buyer (and under bidders) knew rare item.
what they were seeing and bidding on – Philip Hawkins, ISA AM, AAG is an accredited member of the International
definitely a market that you better be knowledgeable Society of Appraisers and a founding member of the Appraisers Association of
in before you bid. Georgia. He can be reached via the ISA website or at 404-320-7275.

8 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles