George Ferrell has been in the business and conducting auctions for 39 years, as of last month, so he was not surprised by the good prices he recently received for some excellent antiques. “When you buy the best you will always do well; the best always appreciates. I am now selling estates for people who bought the items from me in the first place and I see it again and again; the people who bought the great antiques are more than getting their money back.”

The highlights of this sale were from the estate of Ruth Warnke of North Carolina, and pieces deaccessioned from the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum, where they had been kept in storage for years – thus ensuring their exceptional condition.

“I have only had about three auctions over the years that compare with this one,” Ferrell said. “It proved to me there’s only so much of this really great stuff available so when you see it, buy it.”

There were 285 signed bidders on the floor and phone from New York, California, Florida, Maine, Illinois, Texas, Kansas, North Carolina and the Pacific Northwest. International bidders using eBay Live Auctions to place bids came from England, Italy, Australia, Canada, China and the United Arab Emirates.

“These were just the successful bidders,” said Ferrell, adding, “We know because we are shipping pieces to all these places.” The total for the two-day sale, according to Ferrell who said that eBay kept a running total, was $1,158,000. All prices given include the buyer’s premium.

Chiparus bronze and ivory grouping on a marble base sold for $44,275.

Some of the top items included a Tiffany Arrowroot table lampthat brought $49,450 and a bronze and ivory grouping on a marblebase, signed Chiparus, that went out for $44,275. There wereseveral sets of furniture that had bidders very eager to compete.

Two sets that took top honors were a Victorian walnut, four-piece, marble top bedroom suite that was attributed to Herder, and sold for $27,600 and a carved oak, 11-piece dining room set that brought $26,450.

A miniature silver and enameled 15-jewel quarter-hour repeater carriage clock was just one of many miniature clocks from a large collection. This one brought $7,935.

This large Victorian carved mahogany étagère sold for $28,750, one of several very large pieces that did well.

While miniature was good, large seemed to be the word of theday. A large, coin operated Symphonion floor model disc music boxbrought $24,150 and a heavily carved oak huntboard with game andfigures, attributed to Alexander Roux, went for $10,350.

Victorian furniture is becoming more popular and a large Victorian, carved mahogany étagère sold for $28,750, while a Victorian walnut cylinder roll desk, with a bookcase top, rolled out of the gallery for $15,525.

Ferrell had a pair of large, 81-by-41-inch, leaded glass scenic windows that were purchased for $6,900 and another large item, a heavily carved, double sided, three-panel floor screen, with griffins at the top.

The screen is attributed to R.J. Horner and went for $5,465. Another large piece was a bronze mounted commode with porcelain plaques marked “B&R” (Burnet & Roux) on bronze that sold for $23,000.

Ferrell Auction Company is at 5505 West Highway 34. For information, www.ferrellauction.com, or 970-635-0044.