Cast zinc and copper trotting horse weathervane by Howard Weathervane Manufacturing Company.

Birch six-drawer tall chest, $4,000.

Howard Horse Weathervane Fetches $51,000 in New Hampshire

By Rita Easton

NEWFIELDS, N H. – Following a preview, Olmstead Antique Auctions held a June 26 sale of 340 lots to a full house, generating a gross of $156,000. Items from the estate of Dorothy “Dot” Chamberlain, consigned by her daughter, and other old collections and antiques from homes around the Seacoast. Ms Chamberlain, deceased for approximately two years, was a well-known antiques dealer in the area.

Fetching the starring bid of the auction was a cast zinc and copper trotting horse weathervane from a local estate, the largest made by makers Howard Weathervane Manufacturing Company, West Bridgewater, Mass., being 42 inches long, going to a dealer at $51,000.

A six-drawer tall chest standing on bracket feet, in birch, with original feet and brasses, refinished quite some time ago according to auctioneer Daniel Olmstead, garnered $4,000; a gameboard from a local house, having a game of checkers on one side and backgammon on the other, in old multicolors, reached $3,150; and a primitive oil on canvas, second half of the Nineteenth Century, depicting an old farmstead with extended cape and barn, approximately 20 by 12 inches, went for $2,700.

A mahogany and ivory Nineteenth Century sewing stand with two tiered spool holder over a single drawer with ivory knob, having many ivory fittings, went out at $2,250; a three-drawer tall blanket chest in old red paint reached $675; an 1870 Renaissance Revival cabinet with oval brass inlay centered on the cabinet door, possibly a New York City piece, realized $1,350.

Three mismatched chairs, all with woven seats, reached $550 each for two ladderback open arm chairs and $425 for an open arm bannister back chair, two of the chairs having repairs; an Eighteenth Century dress with family history, said to have been worn to a ball given by Martha Washington when George Washington was president, the wearer said to have been a relative of Paul Revere, fetched $375; an Eighteenth Century slant front Chippendale maple desk achieved $2,300; a miniature Shaker room setting, hand made, approximately 20 pieces, garnered $2,025; and an oil on canvas of chickens, approximately 10 by 12 inches, painted by Scott Leighton, did $1,250. With the miniature furniture came an 1889 diary notation written by the person who purchased two paintings by Leighton for $750. He paid $150 cash, and a mare and the mare’s foal in payment.

Teddy Bears sold at $625 for a lot of four small examples; an Eighteenth Century creamware puzzle jug, made to dribble over the drinker unless tilted in a certain way, sold for $375; a set of four oyster jugs in graduated sizes from approximately 4 to 8 inches high, reached $600; of a variety of swords and knives, a World War II Japanese sword with scabbard reached $775; and an Eighteenth Century Spanish dagger with gold mounts brought $1,150.

Prices quoted do not reflect a required 10-percent buyer’s premium.