The top lot was a country auction scene by Ellinger which fetched $17,050.

One of a pair of portraits attributed to Martin Drexel, this one featuring Harriet Phillips. The pair brought $11,000.

KIMBERTON, PENN. — A selection of paintings from the estate of the late David Ellinger topped a two-day auction this past weekend, June 7-8, conducted by Ron Rhoads.

Leading the sale was a “wonderful” country auction scene depicting an auctioneer in front of a barn with a ring of bidders looking on that had been executed by Ellinger many years ago. Rhoads opened the lot low for bidding and was subjected to a flurry of hands in the air and numerous phone bidders attempting to get in on the action. It was not long before the lot was being hammered down for $17,050 to a buyer in the room.

Ellinger, a Pennsylvania folk artist whose reputation has spread well beyond his regional appeal, was a regular at Ron Rhoads auctions who “loved to tell stories and talk about his paintings with our other customers,” commented Rhoads after the auction. “His paintings have always had strong interest locally, but, there is a national appeal quickly developing. We are sending paintings from this past auction to phone bidders that called in from all over the place, including Louisiana,” he said.

Other Ellinger pieces included a paint decorated document box selling at $10,120, a portrait of a young girl at $13,750, a beehive painting at $6,380, a farm scene at $5,500 and a theorem on velvet depicting a basket of fruit realized $4,100. A painting by another Pennsylvania folk artist, Hattie Brunner, also did well at $5,500.

A pair of portraits from the Regal homestead depicting Colonel Jason Waters and Harriet Phillips, married 1815, were attributed to Martin Drexel and sold to a representative of the Drexel University after active bidding for $11,000.

A complete review will appear in a future issue.