An 1864 autograph endorsement signed by President Abraham Lincoln celebrating hard work; a 1981 speech draft extensively annotated by President Ronald Reagan relating to Reaganomics; and a Type 3 Apollo XI insurance cover boldly signed by all three crew members of the first moon-walking NASA mission postmarked July 16, 1969 are just a few of the expected top lots in University Archives’ online-only auction slated for Wednesday, May 15.

The Rare Signed Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Memorabilia auction will start at 10:30 am Eastern time. All 433 lots in the catalog are up for viewing and bidding now – on the University Archives website – www.UniversityArchives.com – as well as the platforms Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

“Our May auction contains over 430 lots of unique and outstanding historical items, including many from U.S. Presidents and First Ladies – from James Madison to Joe Biden and Frances Cleveland to Laura Bush,” said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives.

He added, “Many of the presidential lots relate to Ronald Reagan and range from hand-inscribed speech drafts, autograph notes signed, and endorsements, to signed photos and personally owned books, tableware, silverware, and decorative arts. Other collecting categories include Aviation, Space & Exploration, Science, Civil Rights, Early America, Entertainment, Sports and Military.”

Lot 81 is the autograph endorsement signed by Abraham Lincoln dated August 15, 1864, in part: “I am always for the man who wishes to work.” The endorsement is believed to be associated with a now-missing recommendation letter addressed to military authorities at a Washington, D.C. cavalry depot. Since many horse-wranglers at Giesboro Point were freedmen, it’s possible the unknown jobseeker was a freed slave (est. $18,000-$24,000).

Lot 112 is the 10-page, partly typed speech draft extensively annotated by Ronald Reagan, with over 450 words in his hand, plus edits, cross-outs and arrows. Many of Reagan’s handwritten additions went directly into the final draft of his “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery,” presented on April 28, 1981, in which Reagan outlined his ambitious plans to reduce taxes as part of Reaganomics (est. $12,000-$15,000).

Lot 180 is the Type 3 Apollo XI insurance cover signed by all three crew members of the first moon-walking NASA mission: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, postmarked July 16, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center. It was the first time NASA introduced signed insurance covers to protect astronauts’ families against death or injury (est. $9,000-$12,000).

Lot 397 is a one-page autograph letter in German signed by Albert Einstein, dated September 29, 1937, and addressed to fellow physicist Cornelius Lanczos. The letter features about 200 words in Einstein’s hand as well as around six mathematical formulae including Rik = 0, Einstein’s second-most famous equation after his groundbreaking E = MC2. The letter underscores Einstein’s continued quest to crack the theory of general relativity (est. $25,000-$35,000).

Lot 414 is a rare color photogravure after Henry Sandham by Boussod, Valadon & Cie., circa 1896, depicting the 1894 Temple Cup baseball playoff game. The panoramic print gives people a view of the baseball diamond dotted with Baltimore Orioles and New York Giants, as well as the elegantly dressed spectators gathered at the New York Polo grounds (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Lot 237 is a two-page typed letter signed by Martin Luther King, Jr. on Dexter Avenue Baptist Church stationery dated November 13, 1958, following his near assassination. At the time, MLK, Jr. was trying to plan and budget for a 10-day side trip to the Soviet Union in order to observe firsthand Soviet attitudes towards people of color (est. $20,000-$30,000).

Lot 304 is a collection of 45 antique Japanese tsubas (or decorative sword guards), collected by a lifetime connoisseur. The tsubas vary in age, material and subject matter, providing a nice cross-section of wonderful examples. Lovely artistic representations in applied gold and silver include monkeys, cranes, and other characters from Japanese myths and legends (est. $20,000-$30,000).

Lot 282 is a hotel restaurant table decoration / promotional card for the Palm Terrace, Beverly Hills Hotel, boldly signed by Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio, circa summer 1952. The couple would wed two years later, in 1954. The autographed piece of ephemera is accompanied by a letter of provenance from the original collector, an 11-year-old boy (est. $15,000-$25,000).

Lot 251 is a splendid copperplate engraved broadside of the Declaration of Independence drawn by Benjamin Owen Tyler and printed by Peter Maverick, circa 1818. Tyler’s version is often considered “the first correct copy” of the Declaration of Independence, because previous printed versions featured a different title and often omitted the Signers’ names (est. $8,000-$10,000).

Lot 239 is a one-page typed letter signed by Malcolm X, dated August 27, 1958 and addressed to his wife, Betty, who was visiting Boston. Malcolm X urges his wife to socialize with “Sister Muhammad” (Clara Muhammad, the wife of Elijah Muhammad) and “Minister Louis” (Louis Farrakhan, who was then the head of the Boston Nation of Islam mosque) (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Lot 58 is a lovely assortment of women’s accessories personally worn by Jackie Kennedy during a 1960 presidential campaign “Time” magazine photo shoot. The lot consists of a pair of pale pink satin elbow-length gloves, along with a matching evening clutch and coin purse. The items were gifted by Ms. Kennedy to her personal secretary, Mary B. Gallagher (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Lot 267 is a display case featuring a coin silver teaspoon hand-crafted by celebrated colonial silversmith Paul Revere, and possibly presented to Alexander Hamilton. The teaspoon is suspended in a floating mount within a mirrored shadowbox that enables the viewer to see Revere’s maker’s mark and the monogram “A.H.” on the handle terminal (est. $3,500-$4,500).

University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111, or email him at john@universityarchives.com.

University Archives’ offices are located at 88 Danbury Rd. (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information about University Archives and the 433-lot Rare Signed Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Memorabilia auction scheduled for Wednesday, May 15th at 10:30 am Eastern time, please visit www.universityarchives.com. Updates are posted frequently.

About University Archives:
University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by John Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies. University Archives’ offices are located at 88 Danbury Rd. (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information about University Archives please visit www.universityarchives.com.

Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. will spring into May with three online-only auctions totaling more than 1,100 diverse and highly collectible lots. These will include a Toys & Historic Ephemera auction featuring Part 2 of the late Howie Meyer Legacy collection on Friday, May 10th; a Toys, Advertising & Coin-Op auction on Saturday, May 11th; and a Petroliana & Advertising auction featuring the late Syl Rumas collection on May 12th.

Bidders please take note: the May 10th sale is different from Miller & Miller’s normal process.
It is an online-only sale with no live webcast portion. All lots are open for bidding now and will automatically close in sequential order starting at 5pm Eastern time on Friday, May 10th.

Taking the auctions in order, May 10th contains 340 lots of toys and militaria, with Howie Meyer the undisputed headliner. “If one word describes Howie Meyer and his toy collecting, that word would be ‘fun’, said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “His interests ranged from the mid-to-late 20th century and he had a great collection of pressed steel and tinplate toys.”

Condition was a foremost factor for anything Mr. Meyer collected. Themes include Disney and comic characters, ice cream, construction, space, Western and Americana. His interests also included World War and anti-Axis propaganda posters and ephemera, figural sewing tapes and other oddities. Whatever Howie collected, it had pizzazz and distinction,” Mr. Miller remarked.

Lot 198 is a complete, new in box Shell oil tanker truck from Smith-Miller (aka Smitty Toys), made in America in the 1980s. The die-cast steel truck, 35 inches in length and number 209 of just 250 produced, includes the original foam-lined shipping container. These high-quality trucks were crafted by Fred Thompson, who resumed ownership of the firm in 1979 (est. $600-$900).

All estimates quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars.

Lot 211 is an interesting collection of Tijuana Bibles and erotic ephemera from the 1920s to the 1940s. Subjects include popular comic strip characters and movie stars of the period. Most are 3 inches by 4 inches, while the largest is 8 ½ inches by 5 ¾ inches. Other erotic ephemera includes booklets and postcards. The collection, in overall good condition, should command $600-$900.

The May 11th Toys, Advertising & Coin-Op auction will feature 390 lots of advertising signs, soda advertising, toys, automobilia, petroliana, breweriana, pinball machines and coin-op machines. Included are the lifetime collections of the late Robert Spittel, the late John (Don) Ferguson and the late John D. Anderson. “It’s a fresh-to-the-market jolt of nostalgia, ranging from coin-op and pinballs to advertising, toys and historical finger food,” Mr. Miller said.

Lot 622 is a Genco Motorama coin-op driving game, made around 1957 by Genco Corp., a U.S.-based company that released approximately 238 machines under the Genco name. The machine, with dimensions of 59 inches by 44 inches by 28 inches, is in good condition, with the original playfield showing some fading. It’s marked “Genco” and carries an estimate of $9,000-$12,000.

Lot 684 is an early and exquisite John H.R. Molson and brothers single-sided porcelain Montreal India Pale Ale corner sign (Canadian, 20th century), 24 inches by 16 ½ inches. “IPA” is scripted beneath the profusely illustrated crown and anchor logo that’s central to the sign. The sign is in very good condition, with good color and gloss and outstanding graphics (est. $9,000-$12,000).

Lot 621 is a Bally Gilligan’s Island pinball machine made in America in 1991 and fully restored. The early and sought-after DMD display machine is a fun, family-friendly game that even plays the theme song from TV’s Gilligan’s Island. The goal of the multi-ball game is to collect the ingredients and save the island from Kona, the volcano. The pre-sale estimate is $6,500-$8,000.

The Petroliana & Advertising auction on May 12th is a three-part event that puts the spotlight on the Supertest petroliana collection of the late Syl Rumas of London, Ontario (signs, Canadian gas pumps, cans and ephemera, much of it unused), plus petroliana selections from the collection of the late Ken Hatt of Inverness, British Columbia (signs, Red Indian ephemera, Red Head tins).

Lot 995 is a White Rose Gasoline “Slate Boy” double-sided porcelain service station sign, made in Canada in the 1940s, 48 inches in diameter, marked “Vilas Enamel Products Ltd, Cowansville, Que” lower edge. This sign isn’t chalky and has great color and gloss (est. CA$9,000-$12,000).

Lot 1067 is a round Supertest Gasoline double-sided porcelain sign, five feet in diameter and contained in the aluminum frame and hardware, made in Canada in the 1940s. The sign is in excellent condition save for small patches of porcelain loss on each side (est. $8,000-$12,000).

Lot 982 is a Canadian 1930s Wayne Model 65 B-A gasoline pump, painted steel with applied decals. It has the original reverse painted ad glass and an attractive Art Deco “skyscraper” design. The globe is reproduction. The pump stands 77 inches tall by 27 inches wide and has been restored to British American colors. It is expected to change hands for $5,000-$7,000.

While these are online-only auctions with no live gallery bidding, bidders can tune in to the live webcast on auction days, to watch lots close in real time. Here’s a link to all three auctions:

https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-DG6789/toys-ephemera-part-ii-howie-meyer-collection

https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-DG64NM/toys-advertising-coin-op

https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-D92YOF/petroliana-advertising-featuring-the-late-syl-rumas-collection

Bidding is also available via LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids will be accepted.

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the May 10th-12th auctions, please visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.

About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in luxury watches, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to always provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., please visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.

Three vibrant and colorful paintings by the legendary Nova Scotia folk artist Maud Lewis (1901-1970) sold for a combined $79,060, and a 19th century French Bontems caged singing bird automaton played a sweet tune for $10,030 in Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd’s online Advertising, Canadiana & Historic Objects auction held April 13th.

All prices quoted are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.

Maud Lewis has been featured in numerous Miller & Miller auctions in recent months, always with positive results. Of the three of her paintings in this auction, the top performer was a late 1965 or early 1966 mixed media on pulpboard (beaverboard) titled Cow in Spring Meadow. It was signed “Maud Lewis” lower right and bested the $25,000 high estimate by bringing $30,680.

The other two paintings signed by Ms. Lewis were a mixed media on artist board titled Covered Bridge in Winter, which featured blue loops that almost certainly dated it to the second half of 1965 ($25,960, beating the $23,000 high estimate); and a mixed media on Masonite titled Two Deer in Winter, a serial image found only in the 1960s, that sold within estimate for $22,420.

Also sold was a group of six handwritten letters from Maud Lewis to John Kinnear, all from 1966-1967 ($9,440). Kinnear was a London, Ontario artist and friend who worked as an agent for Ms. Lewis in the late 1960s. Ms. Lewis stated in one of the letters that she had finished decorating some dustpans supplied by Mr. Kinnear. It was signed, "Maud Lewis" ($9,440).

In a related lot, a framed working pencil sketch on paper titled Alberta by A.Y. Jackson (Canadian, 1882-1974), depicting a small village with a church and low hills in the background, supplied by Jackson to John Kinnear, as suggested by Jackson's 1967 letter to Mr. Kinnear (also offered in this sale), artist signed lower left but undated, rose to $4,425.

The circa 1885 French Bontems caged singing bird automaton was housed in a bronze cage and stood 18 ½ inches tall, with applied scenic Sevres plaques surrounding the base panels. Included was a crank-style winding key. It was mechanically functioning and made $10,030.

The auction overall was packed with 414 lots of general store items, art glass, Canadiana, advertising signs, Western collectibles, pottery and stoneware, art, and lamps and lighting. Headlining the event was the Greg Hisey Collection. Mr. Hisey’s “Ghost Town Blues” in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan was a bed and breakfast where travelers immersed themselves in the past.

Working with themes of early Western transportation, veterinary and general store, Mr. Hisey collected advertising and furnishings right out of a ghost town. Additions to the catalog were remarkable, too, including late 19th century automata, rare Canadian political posters and folk art, decorative art glass, silver, bronzes, and early lighting. East met West in this very diverse sale.

“This was an eclectic auction and performance varied by category,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “Petroliana and soda advertising performed well, while niche markets such as veterinary medicine advertising were variable. We found that uncirculated, fresh to the market material performed the best. Collectors are energized by things they haven’t seen before, and their memories are sharp and long. The goat wagons and historic objects relating to early transportation languished, while key advertising soared past our expectations.”

Following are additional highlights from the auction, in which a total of 464 online bidders placed a combined total of 7,402 bids, for a gross of $478,785. Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and the Miller & Miller Auctions website. Of the 414 total lots up for bid, 99 percent of them were sold and 48 percent of the top 50 lots exceeded estimate.

A Canadian Gilson, Guelph Dixie "Ace" Tractors sign from the 1910s, an embossed lithographed single-sided tin sign, 13 ¾ inches by 20 inches, blew past its $5,000 high estimate to sell for $7,670. Gilson Manufacturing was a Wisconsin company that opened a plant in Guelph, Ontario in 1907. The Dixie Ace tractor was made in Guelph in 1919-1920.

A circa 1891 Conservative Party of Canada poster lithograph, encouraging voters to embrace tradition and protectionism by reelecting Sir John A. Macdonald (1815-1891) Prime Minister, 39 ¾ inches by 26 ¼ inches (paper, less frame), featuring his official campaign slogan (“The Old Flag, The Old Policy, The Old Leader”), gaveled for $4,720, which was within estimate.

A wooden veterinary remedies store display cabinet from the 1900s for Dr. Lesure's Famous Remedies (Keene, New Hampshire), the tin lithograph panel depicting a horse in profuse detail peering out of an oval stone opening, one of the "holy grails" in veterinary patent medicine collecting that came with the original advertising booklet, achieved $4,130.

A circa 1906 self-framed single-sided tin lithograph sign for the Hickman-Ebert Wagon Company (Owensboro, Ky.), one of the great self-framed tin signs, titled “In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree”, a stunning lithographic image from the golden age of advertising, marked, “Chas. W. Shonk Co. Litho, Chicago”, 25 ½ inches by 37 ½ inches, commanded $5,900.

A 1911 bronze yacht racing trophy from the Motor Yacht Club of Germany & Austria, in the form of a dish displaying a mermaid clutching a skiff, signed “Gustav Gurschner (1873-1970) and measuring 7 inches tall by 8 inches wide, fetched triple the high estimate for $4,730.

To watch a brief YouTube video wrap-up of the auction, please click this link: https://youtu.be/J5T4Qv6Ecq8

Next up for Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is a Toys auction featuring the Late Howard Meyer Legacy Collection on Friday, May 10th, followed by a Toys, Advertising & Coin-Op auction on Saturday, May 11th; then a Petroliana & Advertising Auction on Sunday, May 12th.

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the auctions slated for May 10th-12th, visit: http://www.millerandmillerauctions.com

About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in luxury watches, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to always provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.

Reno, NV, USA, April 24, 2024 -- A large California Gold Rush-era gold and quartz nugget sold for $25,000; an original 1881 photograph of a 13-man posse in Arizona brought $8,750; and a trove of letters from 1883-1886 pertaining to the “Bisbee Massacre” and Apache attacks in Arizona brought $12,187 in Holabird Western Americana Collections’ Wild West Relics Auction split between two weekends – April 6th-7th and April 13th-14th – online and live at the gallery in Reno, Nev.

It was a massive event, one that required a break between Sessions 1-2 and 3-4 it was so sprawling. Fully 2,300 lots came up for bid in over 60 collecting categories over the four days. Hundreds of lots went up for grabs, featuring many one-of-a-kind discoveries and great rarities. The sale came on the heels of a timed auction held two weeks earlier that also saw a lot of action.

Day 1, on Saturday, April 6th, contained 563 lots of art, jewelry, Native Americana, maps, World’s Fair/Expositions, books, autographs, photographs, tools and the Wilcox photo archive.

The Wilcox archive comprised hundreds of photographs taken circa 1860-1864 by Dr. Timothy Wilcox, an Army physician assigned to many of the Western forts, especially Fort Huachuca in Arizona. It changed hands for $2,625. But the top lot of the day was the 1881 mounted original albumen photograph of the 13-man posse that was sent from Tucson to Yuma, Arizona to arrest one of the Goldwater brothers for fraud in a suspected major retail goods swindle ($8,750).

A circa 1660, full edition copy of Il Capitolo dei Frati, handwritten in ink by Jesuit monk Sebastiano Chiesa, controversial for its time and banned by the Catholic Church (just owning a copy was punishable by death) fetched $5,000. Also sold was an archive of photos and personal papers from Oliver Parker Fritchie, a visionary who owned electrical vehicle and wind power businesses in the early 20th century. He was awarded his initial battery patent in 1903 ($3,125).

There were several stunning squash blossom necklaces in the auction. Chief among them was a stunning example with dark blue turquoise in a dark brown to black matrix, crafted circa 1960 by Jimmy Long, the spouse of Navajo silversmith Helen Long ($3,250); and an equally beautiful vintage Navajo necklace set in sterling silver, 24 inches in length, with ten turquoise nuggets up the necklace portion and another seven set in the naja at the base of the gorgeous piece ($2,875).

An early 1732 copy of Italian Renaissance artist Raphael’s masterpiece from circa 1815-1816 masterpiece, The Madonna of the Chair (or “Madonna della Seggiola / Sedia”), went for $3,875. The original is housed at the Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy. Also, a circa 1908-1911 Russian icon of Our Lady of Kazan, with three colors of gold plate over .875 silver oklad, a rose gold halo and yellow gold robes, the icon and frame seated inside a custom glass-top box, achieved $2,000.

Day 2, on Sunday, April 7th, featured 580 lots of 3D collectibles, clocks, musical items, furnishings, clothing, collectibles and flatware, advertising, general store, bottles, saloon, gaming, tobacciana, cowboy, entertainment, circus, toys, sports, transportation and railroad, political, military, firearms and weaponry (subject to federal regulations) and general ephemera.

One of the day’s top earners was an archive of hardware and library material from the private collection of a Spy Craft OSS (Office of Strategic Service, which later became the CIA) member during World War II, commanded $8,750. Also, a near-mint example of a marked Virginia & Truckee Nevada railroad lantern from around 1915, the globe etched, “V. & T. Ry” and the very top marked with embossing, garnered $2,375. It was one of about 50 railroad lanterns in the sale.

An extremely rare late 1850s/early 1860s Barry & Patten quart-size whiskey bottle, olive-amber in color and 11 inches tall, finished at $3,625. Barry & Patten was the first Western whiskey merchant to place his product in an embossed bottle. Also, a Frank Abadie pint-size, knife edge coffin Nevada whiskey bottle with the original paper nearly intact, clear and made circa 1884-1886, unquestionably one of the top Nevada whiskeys, went to a determined bidder for $2,875.

A circa 1893, first generation Colt single action Army revolver, .38-.40 caliber, nickel plated, with a 7 ½ inch barrel and built on a black powder frame, hit the mark for $3,875. The gun came with a large scabbard holster. Also, a circa 1886-1895 purple half-pint pumpkinseed whiskey flask bottle, from Wine House / Liquors & Cigars / Reno, Nev., the older variant, hammered for $2,625. Owner Spiro Francovich probably bottled his own brand of whiskey in the back room.

Day 3, on Saturday, April 13th, showcased 517 lots of antique and vintage stocks and bonds, banking, mining, collectibles, industry and oil, railroad and transportation, and miscellaneous.

Day 4, on Sunday, April 14th, contained over 650 lots of minerals, mining, artifacts, ephemera, scales, numismatics, tokens, philatelic, stamps, covers, Wells Fargo/Express, and postcards.

The California Gold Rush-era gold and quartz nugget, discovered in the Shasta area, was so large (2 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches and weighing 1.75 pounds) it almost looked like a small boulder. It was found decades ago by metal detecting in old sluice or dredge tailings. The Robert Matheson letters from 1883-1886, meanwhile, comprised 23 handwritten letters (about 100 pages) and ephemeral pieces, pertaining to the “Bisbee Massacre” and Apache attacks in Tombstone, Ariz.

An American Gold Eagle pendant consisting of a 2014 $50 one-ounce gold piece in a reeded bezel with a 30-inch 14 carat chain weighing 27.7 grams (the coin weighing 33.931 grams), with a barrel clasp and contained in a hard fabric case, realized $4,500. Also, a complete set of Heroes of God silver medal collection, made by the American Mint in 1972, by the Catholic Digest, sold for $2,750. The 60 medals were devoted to saints and popes and totaled 67 ounces of pure silver.

A large collection of U.S. star notes (replacement banknotes, printed to replace a faulty one and are a control mechanism for the monetary authorities to know the exact number of banknotes being printed), dating from 1977-2017 and having a total face value of $2,170, earned $2,750; while an interesting #71 cancel study group of 61 stamps with cancel color variations, to include black and blue, primarily collected for cancel varieties, most well-centered, went for $2,500.

Online bidding was facilitated by iCollector.com, LiveAuctrioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Anyone owning a collection that might fit into a Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC auction is encouraged to get in touch. The firm travels throughout the U.S., to see and pick up collections. The company has agents all over America and will travel to inspect most collections.

To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, visit www.holabirdamericana.com. Updates are posted often.

About Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC:
Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC is always seeking new and major collections to bring to market. It prides itself as being a major source for selling Americana at the best prices obtainable, having sold more than any other similar company in the past decade alone. The firm will have its entire sales database online soon, at no cost – nearly 200,000 lots sold since 2014. To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, visit www.holabirdamericana.com. Updates are posted often.

An Auction Extravaganza featuring Part 3 of the Burbridge Foundation Collection out of Oklahoma City, plus other desirable items from prominent local estates and collections, is scheduled for Saturday, May 11th, starting promptly at 11 am Eastern time, by John McInnis Auctioneers, online and live in the Amesbury gallery located at 76 Main Street.

More than 650 lots will come up for bid in two sessions. Session 1 (lots 1-398) will feature decorative arts, paintings, bronzes, sculptures, porcelains, enamels, clocks, furniture, lamps and chandeliers. Session 2 (lots 399-658) will showcase jewelry, silver and Asian art and objects. Internet bidding will be hosted on the two platforms, LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.

The Burbridge Foundation Collection demonstrates the keen eye of Robert Burbridge (1907-1994), who began scouring the country for antiques in the 1950s. The Part 1 sale of the collection was held at Sotheby’s in New York in the fall of 1996, two years after the death of Mr. Burbridge. The remainder of the collection has been in storage for the better part of 25 years.

“Decades ago, when I first met up with Mr. Burbridge at his 15,000-square-foot warehouse in Oklahoma City, I was astounded at the quality of the items and the vast array of merchandise,”

said John McInnis of John McInnis Auctioneers. “There were scores of paintings, rows of bronzes, marble and sculptures. Exploring with a flashlight, I rediscovered one remarkable object after another.” For the auction, the collection was shipped in three moving trucks to Amesbury.

Paintings certain to attract bidder interest include an oil on canvas by the German-born French genre and portrait painter Henri-Guillaume Schlesinger (1814-1893), titled At the Mirror, signed and dated 1863 and measuring 44 inches by 35 ½ inches (canvas, less frame) (est. $10,000-$20,000); and a 17th century British School portrait of Sir Edward Sherburne (1618-1702), the English poet, translator, and royalist, 49 inches by 39 ½ inches minus frame (est. $3,000-$5,000).

A bronze sculpture by the 19th century French sculptor Duchoiselle titled Fishing Allegory / Native American Woman, 24 inches tall, signed and dated 1864, has an estimate of $10,000-$15,000; while a marble sculpture by the Italian sculptor Fortunato Galli (1850-1918), titled The Broken Plate, 36 inches tall, signed “F. Galli Firenza”, dated 1885, should bring $5,000-$10,000.

Tiffany lamps are expected to make the sale’s list of top lots. A few examples are as follows:

- An early Tiffany table lamp signed “GDT Co.” with a center post sleeved to allow the glass shade to drop, exposing the socket and bulb, 20 inches tall (est. $18,000-$24,000).

- A Tiffany Studios (N.Y.) bronze counterbalance floor lamp with alligator finish, 53 ½ inches tall, with an 8 ¼ inch shade marked “L.C.T. favrile”, #619 (est. $4,000-$8,000).

- A Tiffany Studios Arabian favrile glass boudoir lamp with conical shade, 14 ¼ inches tall, decorated with applied prunts and signed “L.C.T Favrile” (est. $3,000-$5,000).

A French Louis XVI solid gilt bronze table, heavily adorned with gilt bronze mounts, the top set with a 19-inch porcelain plaque painted with a full-length portrait of Louis XVI, signed, is estimated to realize $8,000-$18,000. Also, a French ormolu mounted ebonized credenza, the tall shaped case having two glazed ogee doors opening to three shelves that flank a center door that opens to a velvet-lined shelf, 45 ½ inches by 72 inches by 19 inches, should hit $4,000-$8,000.

Staying with furniture, a Renaissance Revival walnut and mahogany bookcase, elaborately carved with figural dragon crest, egg and dart mouldings, running acanthus leaves, scrolls and North Wind entablature, 94 inches by 50 inches, has an estimate of $5,000-$15,000; while an Adams period serpentine sideboard with floral and classical portrait scenes and decorated with bellflower and swans, one drawer over a two-self cabinet, should command $1,000-$2,000.

An important 19th century Chinese porcelain moon flask, 19 ½ inches tall, each side painted with large reserves of figures and bat form handles applied to the base of the neck, is expected to fetch $5,000-$10,000. Also, a set of 12 German 800 silver plates, marked for Buccholz and Zelt, with open work rims, each plate 12 inches across, total weight 210 ozt., should ring up $3,000-$4,000.

A pietre dura (semi-precious stone inlaid) marble-top table having a birds, fruits and floral motif, with an elegant scrolling wrought iron base, 29 ½ inches by 27 ¼ inches, has a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000. Also, a museum-quality Aesthetic Movement bronze porcelain urn depicting birds in a landscape with dogwood blossoms, 31 inches tall, should gavel for $4,000-$8,000.

A Gothic Revival tall clock with Westminster chime, 12-inch dial, moon phase and choice of three chimes, powered by a pendulum regulated, weight-driven movement, made by Colonial Manufacturing Co. and signed “H.W.N.”, 96 inches tall, is expected to chime on time for $3,000-$6,000. Also, a 19th century French gilt chandelier with exotic glass, applied green glass leaves with blown glass grapes, 36 inches tall by 27 inches wide, carries an estimate of $1,500-$3,000.

A vintage platinum diamonds and sapphire bypass ring boasting one Old European cut diamond (2.57 cts., K color, VS2 clarity); a sapphire (2.25 cts., medium royal blue color); three tapered baguettes (.42 cts., G color, VS clarity); and a bypass set with five graduated round single cut and full cut diamonds on one side and ten single cut and full cut diamonds on the other side, the diamonds weighing about .60 cts., (G/H color, VS2-SI2 clarity) should sell for $4,000-$8,000.

Robert Oscar Burbridge enjoyed many successes in his long and storied career. Among them was the "Tamperpruf" Badge System, which was used worldwide from World War II through the Korean War for government security and identification, and later Cape Kennedy. In addition, Mr. Burbridge cornered the market on the manufacture of security decals during the 1940s and over the decades, expanding into decals for parking at universities and other institutions.

The Amesbury gallery will be open for live previews from Sunday, May 5th, thru Saturday, May 10th, from 1-5 pm Eastern time; and from 9 am on throughout the day on auction day, May 11th.

For hotel accommodations, John McInnis Auctioneers recommends the Hampton Inn, at 284 Elm Street in Amesbury (phone: 978-834-5080) or the Fairfield Inn, at 35 Clarks Road, Amesbury (phone: 978-388-3400). John McInnis Auctioneers holds Massachusetts auction license #770.

To learn more about John McInnis Auctioneers and the Auction Extravaganza planned for Saturday, May 11th, visit www.mcinnisauctions.com.

About John McInnis Auctioneers:
John McInnis Auctioneers is an estate appraisal and auction company with the largest full-service auction house on Boston’s North Shore. The galleries, located in historic Amesbury, are licensed, bonded and insured for the sale of antiques, fine art and real estate. Estate appraisal, consulting, marketing and liquidation services are carried out confidentially and with courtesy. John McInnis Auctioneers is always accepting quality merchandise for future auctions. To consign a single item, a collection or an estate, you may call them at 978-388-0400; or, you can email them at mcinnisauctions@yahoo.com. To learn more about John McInnis Auctioneers, please visit www.mcinnisauctions.com.