St. Louis Aventurine crown paperweight, $22,750.
Atlas/Nakayama Southern Railway 4-8-2 Ts-1 “Mountain,” $8,050.
Online Sale of Rare Paperweight Leads to a $22,750 Record
NEW YORK CITY – Sothebys.com and Sothebys.com Associates offered a selection of antique and contemporary weights and related glass rdf_Descriptions online. The sale brought a total of $152,928, exceeding the low estimate of $110,950, and more than 88 percent of the lots offered found buyers.
The star highlight was a rare St Louis Aventurine crown weight which sold for $22,750 (est $20/25,000). This weight was once a part of the Collection of the New-York Historical Society.
The sale featured a group of weights, including the St Louis weight mentioned above, formerly in the collection of Robert Boyett, a third-generation collector and a film, television and theatrical producer. Upon relocating to New York, Boyett decided to reduce his collection.
This auction also included property from four American collectors offered by associate Portia Gallery, and a selection of weights offered by The Antique Company and Gem Antiques. Highlights included a rare Clichy moss ground weight offered by Portia Gallery which brought $7,188 (est $1,5/2,000) and a Nineteenth Century Clichy bouquet weight offered by The Antiques Company which sold for $6,900 (est $1,5/2,000).
The second session in the sale of a private collection of HO Trains offered by Sothebys.com associate Witherells.com, brought results totaling $162,174. Ninety-eight percent of the lots offered found buyers.
The top selling lot was a Frisco 4-8-4 Japanese Crown, one of a series of six which brought $10,638 (est $10/15,000).
A majority of the rdf_Descriptions offered in this collection were never opened, track-tested or displayed by the current owner, resulting in mint or near-mint condition. This made these models even more appealing to bidders and in some cases the competition was brisk. Additional highlights include a Gauge 1 live steam Union Pacific Big Boy which brought $8,625 (est $4/6,000) and an Atlas/Nakayama Southern Railway 4-8-2 Ts-1 “Mountain”, one of a series of 12 which sold for $8,050 over an estimate of $4/6,000.
“The results of this online sale surpassed our expectations,” stated Brian Witherell of Witherells.com. “This is a terrific private collection, passionately amassed over 30 years. The combination of quality property and modest reserves provided a[n] opportunity for collectors at all levels to participate in the auction.”
The final session of this auction of HO Brass Scale Model Locomotives will take place on www.sothebys.com May 3-17. More than 180 lots will be offered with estimates ranging from $100 to $7,000.
