Antiques & Auction News - September 5, 2025

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2025 • VOL. 55, NO. 35

Rare Mineral Surveyor Archive Sells For $28,060

Wild West Wonders Auction Included Mining, Numismatics, Antique Stocks And Bonds, And More

A mineral surveyor archive from the important, mineral and ore-rich San Juan Triangle region of Colorado, spanning the years 1878-1935, sold for $28,060 at a three-day Wild West Wonders auction held Aug. 8 to 10 by Holabird Western Americana Collections, online and live in the Holabird gallery located in Reno, Nev. The variety sale was packed with 1,737 lots. In 1879, Silverton, Colo., and the greater San Juan region was exploding in prospecting and production. By 1905, the population stood at 3,000. U.S. Deputy James Dyson was the sole mineral

surveyor, active up to his death in 1923. By 1960, 64 million ounces of silver; 348,000 ounces of gold; and millions more in zinc, lead, and copper had been mined. Dyson’s surveyor archive included material dated beginning in 1878 and realized $28,060. The collecting categories in the three-day sale had an array of mining, numismatics, Native Americana, philatelic, Western Americana, and antique stocks and bonds. Bids were placed live and in person; over the phone with an agent; and online via iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.

The James Dyson, U.S. Deputy, Mineral Surveyor Archive, 1878-1935, during a mining rush in a very important area - the San Juan Mining Region (including Silverton) in Colorado ($28,060)

“Anila

Quayyum Agha: Interwoven”

Internationally Acclaimed Visual Artist’s Show Opens Sept. 6

Experience the room-size Anila Quayyum Agha light box installation “All the Flowers are for Me,” opening Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa. Plan a visit to catch the East Coast appearance of a national tour of “Interwoven,” the largest retrospective ever on

this important Pakistani American artist. The museum goer will see how Agha opens viewers up to awe and wonder, while challenging the boundaries of art and craft with traditional techniques.

“I do not have a single story,” says Anila Quayyum Agha. “I have

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com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com.

“We’re in our final series of auctions before my official retirement at the end of this year,” said Fred Holabird. “Wild West Wonders was the penultimate live sale, with one more scheduled for October. We’re calling that one ‘Holabird’s Grand Finale.’”

“The material already coming in for the October sale is great, and we’re imagining it will be a proper send-off for Fred, who has spent decades creating new collectors, building collecting markets, writing original research articles, and bringing thousands and thousands of historical items to auction,” said a spokesperson for the company, adding, “What a

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Circa 1870s carte de visite photo of Buffalo Bill Cody, made by the Theatrical Photography Company, depicting Cody in his younger years, framed, in very good condition ($1,562).

Spectacular gold-quartz watchchain of the prospector Stephen Roberts, a trophy of his work with two mines at Belmont, Nev., in the 1860s - the Highbridge and Monitor-Belmont ($8,437).

By Karl Pass

For nearly 40 years and 74 antique shows, the Fishersville Antiques Expo is both one of the largest and longest running indoor and outdoor antiques shows in the country. Sustaining success and navigating the ever-changing marketplace, economic ups and downs and the shifting interests of the customer base for decades is an accomplishment that demonstrates extraordinary understanding of the business and an ability to adapt. And Heritage Promotions is in planning for its 75th edition of the Fishersville show. This milestone stands out as professional testimony and a noteworthy achievement in the show industry.

An event as large as Fishersville doesn’t just happen. Heritage Promotions keeps a close focus on the industry, month to month and year to year, and recruits vendors that can satisfy both the traditional interests and the shifting changes in taste and decorating styles. Every Fishersville show offers some of the most diversified and experienced vendors that feature everything from classic 18th- and 19th-century American

Benjamin Sebastian (1824-1887)

Blacksmith Of Host, Berks County, Pa.

By Karl Pass

Benjamin Sebastian (18241887) was a 19th-century farrier blacksmith in the village of Host, just north of Womelsdorf in Berks County, Pa. He worked with his brother Edward (1828-1887).

The brothers are listed in census records as mulatto (mixed race). The two both married white Pennsylvania German women. Benjamin married Matilda Garloft, and Edward married Elizabeth Seigfred. Their grandfather

was Benjamin, born 1756, date of death unknown.

Thanks to recent work by Justin Clement, the historic site supervisor at Pottsgrove Manor, and his staff, we know more about the family lineage. They have been doing extensive research into the enslaved people owned by the Potts family.

A historic property, Pottsgrove Manor, was completed in 1752. The Potts family owned mills, iron furnaces, and forges with paid, indentured, and enslaved labor.

PUBLISHER: Jocelyn Engle

EDITOR: Karl Pass kpass@antiquesandauctionnews.net 717-278-1404

DISPLAY SALES: Tim Moore tmoore-ant@engleonline.com 717-492-2534

CLASSIFIEDS: 1-800-800-1833, ext 6022 antiquesnews@engleonline.com

SUBSCRIPTION & CIRCULATION: 717-492-2556

Today, the site is run by the County of Montgomery’s Division of Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites. Benjamin Sebastian, grandfather of Edward and Benjamin, was enslaved labor of Potts, later emancipated. He was also a co-founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Pottstown. Other co-founding elders of the congregation were ironworking families. Benjamin was born into slavery. It is believed he was sold at age 9 from the Grace family to the Potts family. He received emancipation at age 27. One of his children William, married Margaret Logan in 1820 at Christ Luthern Church in Stouchsburg. They were the parents of Edward and Benjamin.

Two rare examples of mid 19th-century “B.L.S.” pie crimper wheels (pastry tools). Courtesy of private collection.

This is an exceedingly rare brass and iron powder measure stamped “B.L.S.” Notice the dipstick-style ruler measure on the right end. Black powder would be poured into tooled brass cylinder on left side. Courtesy of private collection.

remains today largely an agriculturally based economy and culturally Pennsylvania German enclave. This is close to where more wellknown metalsmith Peter Derr lived and worked. Derr (1793-1868) was a member of the same congregation, and both Sebastian and Derr are buried in the same cemetery. Signed Sebastian items are far more rare than signed Derr items. I’d like to continue to study the cross-pollination of style between the two. The tooling on the brass on

The family’s home congregation was Host Reformed Church. William taught both brothers blacksmithing. When William died in 1869, he left the property to his sons, where the two ran a blacksmith shop in partnership.

What separates them from any other tradesmen of the mid 19th century was the fact they signed much of their work. This was not the norm. Both brothers were skilled metalsmiths and made fine tools and kitchenwares, such as pie wheels, dough scrapers, and utensils. Benjamin used a stamp reading “B.L. SEBASTIAN” and also “B.L.S.” Edward used “E.P. SEBASTIAN.” I have never seen anything just signed with Edward’s initials.

The Sebastian home and shop were in Tulpehocken Township, an area which

Collector Chats With Peter S. Seibert

This Week: Minimalist Vs. Maximalist

By Peter Seibert

The other evening, I had an exchange with an old friend who was bragging about how she was getting rid of possessions in order to only live with what she needed. Most readers would assume that this person was a young 20-something idealist who is perhaps living in one of those 500-square-foot Manhattan studio apartments.

In fact, my friend is a 60-year-old married woman living in a large house with her husband. What is the story? As a dedicated cold warrior who fights every day to stem the tide of minimalism, I was at a real loss by her comment. Yes, of course, as we all age, we think about downsizing. It’s the great circle of antiques that I have often written about.

You start buying when

you are young. Perhaps the first few pieces are for your first apartment, then they go into your first home, then into the really big family home, then split out for the beach house and so on. In the end, however, as you get older and arthritis keeps you from stairs and you really hate cutting grass, you start to shrink back down towards that apartment. It is a circle.

But my friend is not quite there yet in terms of moving to the small apartment in the retirement home. What then is the root cause of her desire to shed her possessions? It was the challenge of dealing with the inevitable cycle of losing one’s parents and inheriting their things.

That is an issue for almost anyone over 40. For me it happened in my early 40s, but others I know had to work through it in their early 60s.

Suddenly you are faced with the nostalgic challenge of dealing with your parent’s possessions. This can be significantly accelerated if you find yourself also the recipient of the estates of aunts and uncles and grandparents. This was the case with my friend who became a minimalist because of the massive influx of stuff from her parents’ estate.

Inherited estates are never easy to manage. It is the emotion that comes from deciding not only what to

keep, but also memories of your own childhood. Sometimes, your own mortality is somehow being questioned when having to resolve that of someone else who has passed.

So, I get the concern that my friend had for becoming a minimalist. It is, after all, about figuring out what to do with the sudden and often unexpected abundance that comes from now having two dining room suites. The answer is that you need to decide what you need now rather than what was in the

past. My grandparents’ dining room suite followed my mother through two moves. When it came to me, I honestly could look at it and realize that it was a nice baronial set from the 1920s, but it was not what I wanted. It went to auction, and while I sometimes wistfully wonder what happened to it, the reality was that it never would have worked in any of my subsequent homes.

Dealing with estates is never pleasant or fun. It is part of life. But, it need not

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SHOW & SALE

Sept. 19 & 20, 2025

60 Selected Exhibitors featuring 18th- & 19th-Century American, English, Primitive and Period Furniture and Accessories Fine Early China and Glassware • 18th- & 19th-C. Silver • Chinese Export Porcelain Oriental Rugs

Fine Antique Jewelry

Antique Toys

Pewter

Kitchen & Fireplace Accessories

American & English Samplers

Navajo Rugs, Pueblo Pottery, Baskets and Native American Artifacts

A Bird in Hand, Florham Park, NJ

Michael Gunselman, Centreville, DE

H&L Antiques, Princeton, NJ

Jane Langol, Medina, OH

Antiques from Home, Bethesda, MD

Steven & Sally Still, Manheim, PA

Hilary & Paulette Nolan, Falmouth, MA

Jon Mehl, York, PA

Christopher & Bernadette Evans, Waynesboro, VA

Jewett & Berdan, New Castle, ME

Saratoga Fine Art, Saratoga Springs, NY

Lisa S. McAllister, Clear Spring, MD

Marc Witus, Gladstone, NJ

Ziebarth’s Antiques, Verona, WI

Daniel and Karen Olson, Newburgh, NY

Thomas Restoration, Laurel, MD

Greg K. Kramer & Co., Robesonia, PA

Larry Thompson, Atlanta, GA

Joseph J. Lodge, Lederach, PA

James Island Antiques, Charleston, SC

James L. Price, Carlisle, PA

Joan Staufer, Catskill, NY

Willow Springs Antiques, Rexford, NY

The Norwood’s Spirit of America, Timonium, MD

Hanes and Ruskin, Niantic, CT

Richard M. Worth, Centreville, DE

Stephen-Douglas, Rockingham, VT

Steve Sherhag, Canfield, OH

Fleshman’s Antiques, New Market, MD

Robert Conrad, Yeagertown, PA

Heller and Washam, Portland, ME

Beaver Creek Antiques & Arms, Dillsburg, PA

Marvin Wies, Baltimore, MD

Soheil Oriental Rugs, Roslyn, NY

The Haneberg’s Antiques, East Lyme, CT

Dennis & Valerie Baboledis, Rhinebeck, NY

Wm. R. & Teresa Kurau, Lampeter, PA

Newsom and Berdan, Thomasville, PA

Steve Smoot Antiques & Navajo Textiles, Lancaster, PA

Sandy Jacobs-Scott Bassoff, Swampscott, MA

Joan Bowman Antiques, Milford, DE

Nancy and Gene Pratt, Victor, NY

Charley Horse Antiques, Petersburg, VA

John Kolar Antiques, Hershey, PA

Blandon Cherry, Paris, KY

James Grievo, Stockton, NJ

Pat and Rich Garthoeffner, Lititz, PA

Mark and Kelli Saylor, Cape May, NJ

Neverbird Antiques, Surry, VA

Mr. Bob’s Antiques, Eldersburg, MD

Sorisio’s Antiques, Leechburg, PA

Barometer Fair, Blowing Rocks, NC

Hollis Brodrick, Portsmouth, NH

Carlson and Stevenson, Manchester Center, VA

Firehouse Antiques, Galena, MD

Historic Trappe Museum, Trappe, PA

Thurston Nichols, Bethlehem, PA

Carol & Gene Rappaport, Lancaster, PA

Lucinda’s Collection of Fine Antiques, Tully, NY

A Rare Babe Ruth Card Hits $244,000

Jackie Robinson, Michael Jordan, Joe DiMaggio and Shoeless Joe Jackson Also Among Sale’s Top Star Cards

A rare Babe Ruth card from his early years as a Boston Red Sox pitcher sold for $244,000 to lead Heritage’s Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction to $9,353,549 on July 11 and 12. Nearly two dozen bids poured in for the 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy Babe Ruth #147 SGC EX 5 before it reached its final result.

“This incredible early and

important Babe Ruth card set a new record price for the grade,” reported Chris Ivy, Heritage’s director of Sports Auctions. “This auction exhibited strong results across all categories and genres including both vintage and modern cards in both high grade and low grade, as well as singles, sets and wax.”

Close behind the Ruth

card was the third-finest 1964 Topps Baseball PSA Graded Complete Master Set (589), which ended at $237,900. Among the set’s 589 cards were many of the greatest names from the time that many consider the Golden Era of baseball, including six cards that carry a grade of PSA Gem Mint 10 and 554 with Mint 9 grades. Among the legends included in the set were Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, Frank Robinson, Yogi Berra and others.

Few players had as much impact on or off the field as Jackie Robinson, who raced toward a portion of the spotlight in this auction when a 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson (Gray Back) #30 PSA Mint 9 slid in safely at $170,800. Of the more than 3,100 examples in the PSA Pop Report, just 10, including the one in this auction, have earned a Mint grade, with none higher. Another in-demand set in the auction was a 1971 Topps Baseball (2nd Series) Wax Box with 24 unopened packs that drew 31 bids on its way to $118,950. The 1971 Topps baseball release is one of the most condition-sensitive of modern day issues, meaning that unopened examples like this are rare. Stars whose enclosed cards could grade Mint to Gem Mint include the likes of Joe Morgan, Tom Seaver, Johnny Bench and Rod Carew.

The most popular name in basketball collecting is Michael Jordan, whose greatness was celebrated on more than 50 different varieties of his cardboard classics in

this event. The NBA legend was featured on a signed 1985 Nike Promo Michael Jordan Card #2, BAS Auto 9 that flew to $103,700 and a 1997 Upper Deck SPx Michael Jordan (Grand Finale) #6 BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 - numbered 14/50 that brought $82,350.

One of the finest examples of a 1941 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio #71 PSA NM-MT 8 drew a winning bid of $109,800. Revered as one of the greatest Yankees of all time, DiMaggio hit .325 and smacked 361 home runs on his way to three American League Most Valuable Player awards, but he always will be known best for his 56-game hitting streak that still stands as the longest in the history of Major League Baseball.

Another Collins-McCarthy offering that fared exceptionally well in the auction was a 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy

Joe Jackson (Blank Back) #82 SGC EX 5 that drew 49 bids before it reached $103,700. One of the rarest of Shoeless Joe’s cards, this card stands alone atop the SGC populations for both the blank and advertising backed versions of the card.

Also reaching $103,700 was a 1933 Goudey Baseball Complete Set (239), a magnificent example of the trove that is considered the king of the early gum card issues. The set is stuffed with some of the biggest legends in the game, including Ruth, Lou Gehrig,

For complete results, visit www.HA.com/50078.

Main St. Daily 10am-6pm. Cecil County’s largest! Approx. 65 dealers, variety & nostalgia. Buying/selling antiques & collectibles.

07052 West Orange 973-323-1711 VALLEY VINTAGE 168 S. Valley Rd., West Orange- Open 7 days ANNEX 411 Ridgewood Rd., MAPLEWOOD: ThuSun. Follow us on Instagram @valleyvintage168 for updates and Store Hours.

08062 Mullica Hill 856-478-9810

OLD MILL ANTIQUE MALL, 1 S. Main Street. Open Daily, 11-5; Sat. 10-5. Antiques, glassware, records, coins, stamps, military items, collectible toys, trains, linens, books & ephemera.

08525 Hopewell 609-466-9833

TOMATO FACTORY ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTER, 2 Somerset St. We Have It All! Open Mon. thru Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-5. We have 38 Dealers. www.tomatofactoryantiques.com

16686 Tyrone 814-684-5088 I-99 ANTIQUES, conveniently located off the Tyrone Exit of I-99, 1222 Pennsylvania Ave. Qty. antqs. & collectibles. Multi-Vendors. Open Th., Fri., & Sat., 10:30am

CALENDAR S

ILLINOIS

09/20-21/2025, UnionSat & Sun 10 AM & Online, donleyauctions.com. Guns & militaria. Donley Auctions

INDIANA

10/22/2025, Shipshewana - Wed 9 AM, shipshewana tradingplace.com. Antique Toy Auction. Shipshewana Trading Place

MARYLAND

09/04/2025, Hagerstown - Wed., Online, hurley auctions.com. VW convertible, antiques & primitives, Bamileke statues, toys, tools & more! Hurley Auctions

OHIO

09/13-14/2025, Willoughby - Sat & Sun 10 AM & Online, milestoneauctions.com. Premier Spring Vintage Toy Auction. Milestone Auctions

09/27/2025, WilloughbySat 10 AM & Online, mile stoneauctions.com. Fall Spectacular Auction. Milestone Auctions

PENNSYLVANIA

08/08-30/2025, Myerstown - Sat 1 PM, Online only, klein felters.hibid.com. Sizzling summer sale - all selling with no reserve! Kleinfelter’s Auction, Inc.

08/22-09/14/2025, ExeterCloses Sun 7 PM, Online Only, 450+ lots sports cards - baseball, football, basketball. Chuck’s Auction Service

08/28/2025, Kinzers - Thu 10 AM & Online, invaluable.com. Pop Culture Auction. Movies, music artists, actors,, actresses, signed Funko Pops, awards & t-shirts & more! Embassy Auctions International

09/01/2025, Chambersburg - Mon 9 AM & Online, gatewayauction.com. Modern & vintage furniture, 2015 Buick Enclave, 1974 Camaro LT, 1956 Buick Special, Kubota front loader, Yamaha baby grand, antiques, vintage, personal property & more! Gateway Gallery Auction

09/01/2025, OrwigsburgMon 9 AM. Antiques & collectibles & more! L & H Auctions

09/03/2025, Ephrata - Wed 1 PM, horstauction.com. Antiques, collectibles, household goods, tools & more! Horst Auction Center

09/04/2025, Kinzers - Thu 10 AM & Online, embassy auctionsinternational.com. Unparalleled pocket watch

auction plus jewelry and watch chains. Embassy Auctions International

09/04/2025, Ephrata - Sat 9

AM & Online, horstauction. com. 336 lots of coins & currency/ Horst Auction Center

09/06/2025, Gettysburg - Sat 9 AM & Online, larryswartz auctioneer.hibid.com. Guns, tools, coins & more! Larry Swartz Auctioneer

09/06/2025, Ephrata - Sat 9 AM & Online, horstauction. com. 345 lots of firearms. 427 lots of hunting, fishing & military collectibles to be sold. Horst Auction Center

09/06/2025, Ephrata - Sat 10 AM & Online, gehman auctions.com. Vintage & antique toy auction. Gehman Auctions

09/08/2025, Dillsburg - Mon 6:00 PM, haars.com. Furniture, collectibles, box lots & more! Hardy’s Auction Service

09/12-13/2025, Ephrata - Fri 2 PM, Sat 9 AM, horstauction. com. Cataloged antique auction. Horst Auction Center

09/13/2025, Mt Wolf - Sat 9 AM & Online, rentzelsauction service.com. 90 pieces of art glass, blue decorated stoneware, 100s of Steiff bears with boxes, antique dolls, 100s of military uniforms & accessories & more! Rentzels Auction Service

09/18/2025, York - Thu 9 AM, Online only, auctions bykeystone.com. Collection of African Benin Bronzes with bronze warrior statues, ceremonial trophies, carved wooden African figure, antique Famille Rose vase, gilded bronze candelabras & more! Keystone Auctions

09/19-20/2025, York - Fri

10 AM - 6 PM, Sat 10 AM - 5 PM, theoriginalyorkantiques show.com. 185th Semi-Annual Antiques Show & Sale. Melvin Arion

09/20/2025, Dauphin - Sat 9 AM, liddickauctions.hibid. com. 2007 Ford Shelby Mustang, 1956 Ford Thunderbird, 1980Triumph TR7 Convertible, 1999 Chevy Suburban, 1941 Plymoth Coupe modified-racer replica, 1941 Plymouth Couple Roller, 1984 Seaway Sundancer boat, Loader w/ backhoe, zero turn mower & more! Liddick Auction Services

09/22/2025, York - Mon 4 PM, gilbertauctions.com. Musical instruments, vintage local advertising items, coins, jewelry, furniture & more! Gilbert & Gilbert Auctioneers

GEORGIA

09/11-14/2025, Atlanta - Thu

10 AM - 5 PM, Fri & Sat 9 AM -

6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road, Scott Antique Markets

10/09-12/2025, Atlanta - Thu

10 AM - 5 PM, Fri & Sat 9 AM -

6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road, Scott Antique Markets

11/06-09/2025, Atlanta - Thu

10 AM - 5 PM, Fri & Sat 9 AM -

6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road, Scott Antique Markets

12/11-14/2025, Atlanta - Thu

10 AM - 4 PM, Fri & Sat 9 AM6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road, Scott Antique Markets

MASSACHUSETTS

09/27/2025, Brookfield - Sat

10 AM - 3 PM, 19 Martin Road, Walker Homestead

NEW JERSEY

09/13-14/2025, ParsippanySat 10AM - 6PM, Sat 10AM4PM, 33 Baldwin Road, Garden State Postcard Club

09/13/2025, Titusville - Sat 9

AM - 4 PM, 1396 River Road, New Jersey State Button Society

09/14/2025, Barnegat LightSun 9 AM - 5 PM, 19th & Bayview Avenue, Historic Viking Village

09/21/2025, Ringoes - Sat 10 AM - 4 PM, 1207 Route 179, Hunterdon County Antiques Fair

09/28/2025, HammontonSun 9 AM - 3 PM, 31 Batsto Road, Historic Batsto Village

NEW YORK

08/30-31/2025, Stormville - Sat 8AM-4PM, 428 Rt 216, Stormville Airport FLea Market

OHIO

11/29-30/2025, ColumbusSat 9 AM - 6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 717 East 17th Avenue, Scott Antique Markets

12/20-21/2025, ColumbusSat & Sun., 717 E 17th Avenue, Scott Antique Markets

01/24-25/2026, ColumbusSat 9 AM - 6 PM, Sun 10 AM4 PM, 717 East 17th Ave., Scott Antique Markets

02/21-22/2026, ColumbusSat 9 AM - 6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 717 East 17th Avenue, Scott Antique Markets

PENNSYLVANIA

01/02-12/27/2025, Berwyn - Every Sat. & Sun. 9-5, 270 Swedesford Rd.

1/02-12/31/2025, LewisburgEvery Sunday (Except Easter) 8 AM - 4 PM, 150 Silvermoon Lane, Rt 15 Flea Market & Farmers Market

08/30-31/2025, Reinholds - Sat & Sun., 607 Willow St, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market

09/06-07/2025, ReinholdsSat & Sun., 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market

09/13-14/2025, Reinholds - Sat & Sun 7AM - 4PM, 607

Willow St., Shupp’s Grove Antique Market

09/19-21/2025, Reinholds - Sat & Sun 7AM - 4PM, 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market

09/26-27/2025, KutztownFri & Sat., 740 Noble St., Renninger’s Kutztown

09/28/2025, Adamstown - Sun., 740 Noble St., Renninger’s Adamstown

VIRGINIA

10/10-11/2025, FishervilleFri 9AM - 5PM, Sat 9AM - 4PM, 277 Expo Road, Fisherville Antique Expo

vintage & antique toy auction

saturDAY, september 13th, 10:00 Am

accepting

collections

SEARCH GEHMAN AUCTIONS ON AUCTIONZIP for our full schedule of auctions 1,000s of items sold weekly

Let’s Do Lunch (Boxes) Smack

Dab In The Middle: Design Trends Of The Mid-20th Century

By Donald-Brian Johnson

Blame it on Hoppy. When the “Hopalong Cassidy” tin lunchbox hit stores in 1950, bag lunches faced a formidable competitor. Now, those tasty peanut-butterand-jelly sandwiches could

be packed securely in a container festooned with images of your favorite performers or TV characters. Even better, the accompanying thermos bottle carried through the visual theme. In the first year of production, Aladdin Industries, Inc., the “Hopalong” manufacturer, sold over 600,000 Hoppy lunchboxes at $2.69 each. For the next 35-plus years (the “Golden Age of Lunchboxes”), metal lunchboxes provided a reliable source of bragging rights for schoolkids.

Mark Kelehan of Elkhorn, Neb., brought his lunches to school in a paper bag. Nowadays though, the avid collector has over 1,200 lunchboxes

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Doylestown Arts Festival

Bucks County Event Returns Sept. 6 And 7

Blacksmith

Continued from page 2

ruler measure to gauge black powder amounts. Signed Sebastian materials are extremely rare pieces that speak to cultural history. It is unique to southeastern Pennsylvania material culture.

I’d like to thank my friend and fellow historian Mike Emery for assistance with this write-up. the dough scrapers are very similiar, as are the powder measures, a small brass cylinder tool with dipstick-style

This “B.L.S” dough scraper is very similar to Peter Derr examples, but considerably more rare. Courtesy of private collection.

The Doylestown Arts Festival will return for its 34th anniversary on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6 and 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The festival remains free to attend and is designed to illuminate the region’s ongoing commitment to arts and culture. For two days the historic downtown Doylestown streets will be transformed into a lively outdoor marketplace full of art and music from local and regionally recognized creators.

Founded in 1991, the Doylestown Arts Festival has supported independent artists and musicians for over 30 years, while drawing attention and tourism to the local community. This year’s festival will offer familiar favorites to longtime attendees and a vibrant experience for those new to the area and visiting from afar. The two-day street festival will showcase

a curated lineup of over 160 artists, 30 performances across 5 stages of live music, art demonstrations from plein air painting to pottery wheel turning, and activities for all ages to enjoy. 

“The Doylestown Arts Festival is quite possibly the most anticipated event of the year in Doylestown, if not all of Bucks County. There’s nothing like checking out the booths of local and visiting artists, whether they be your returning favorites with new creations or first-time vendors you’re discovering for the first time. The live music and food vendors are a great addition to the fun,” said James Lamb, a Doylestown Borough business owner.

Home to over 8,000 residents as well as the Michener Art Museum, Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle, Tileworks, the County Theater, and a robust downtown of galleries, restaurants, and locallyowned shops and boutiques, Doylestown, Pa., is nationally recognized as a destination town. The Doylestown Arts Festival is made possible by a small volunteer committee of Discover Doylestown and is presented by the Thompson Organization.

For further information about this year’s festival, visit www.dtownartsfestival.com.

Collector

Continued from page 3

be a killer to your own collection. Remember, make choices based on your needs now rather than solely on nostalgia.

“Born to collect” should be the motto of Peter Seibert’s family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and

has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seibert’s writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years’ worth of antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.

A UCTIONEER DIRECTOR

Michener

Continued from page 1

multiple stories that become interwoven to create a tapestry that is colorful, that is varied, that has pattern, that has beauty and light. We have to explore the multiple stories that make our lives.”

It surveys two decades of the artist’s practice across media, including sculpture, embroidery, painting, and drawing. Comprising nearly 40 artworks drawn from key public and private collections, the exhibition illustrates the conceptual throughlines across the artist’s practice, interwoven concerns regarding belonging, access to knowledge and divine presence, and mutual solidarity. Whereas previous presentations of Agha’s work have focused on the artist’s signature light box pieces, for which she first gained critical and popular acclaim, this presentation will contextualize her signature light box pieces amongst her larger body of work.

Fishersville

Continued from page 1

and English period antiques, vintage Americana, jewelry, silver, glassware, primitives, rugs, and mid-century modern pieces to current and emerging trends in the antiques trade, and other fun and eclectic collectibles and hard-to-find pieces that just might be what a showgoer is looking for. That is why Fishersville draws over 3,000 attendees to each spring and fall show. There is a huge following of loyal customers, and new customers quickly become part of that loyal following once they attend the

Agha’s work prompts collective feelings of wonder and contemplation, disarming audiences with their splendor and allowing them to ponder deep questions regarding the history of women and the role of spirituality. She visually references wide-ranging sources and historical moments that center the interconnectedness of human stories, from the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain to medieval Venice to the American Light and Space movement of the 1960s. Her art demonstrates how the union of cultures can produce aesthetic spaces welcome to all.

The exhibition will remain at the Michener until Jan. 11, 2026. “Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven” is organized by The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. The exhibition is curated by Jeremiah William McCarthy. Presentation of the exhibition at the Michener Art Museum is coordinated by Laura Turner Igoe and Joshua Lessard.

To learn more, visit www. michenerartmuseum.org.

first show and get a taste of the fun and excitement.

The 75th Fishersville Antiques Expo will be held at Augusta Expo Event Center, 277 Expo Road, Fishersville, Va. It will be open Friday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 per person on Friday (early shopping and two-day pass) and $5 per person on Saturday. Tickets are sold only at the gate on show days; the event is rain or shine. Admission includes parking. For more information, visit www.heritagepromotions.net or call Heritage Promotions at 804-239-0553

LIVE PUBLIC AUCTION

CARS,

EQUIPMENT,

TOOLS, & MORE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2025 @ 9:00 AM

READY TO DRIVE

2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang w/ 4,800 Original Miles (1 of 343 Produced w/ this Package); 1956 Ford Thunderbird (T-Bird) Completely Restored

Including Original Engine and Transmission Overhaul and Factory Paint Color; 1980 Triumph TR7 Convertible w/ 5 Speed Transmission (Currently Registered as an Antique); 2016 Street Legal Sprint Car (Special Construction Title); 1999 Chevy Suburban 1500 w/ 3 Row Seat & 221,xxx Miles rd PROJECTS

1941 Plymouth Coupe Modified-Racer Replica w/ Parts; 1941 Plymouth Coupe Roller (Body was Acid Dipped and Primed) w/ Parts; Trike w/ a 283 Chevy Engine; 1984 Seaway Sundancer 26’ Boat w/ 1987 EZ Loader Boat Trailer

EQUIPMENT, ADVERTISING, TOOLS, & MORE

Case 580B Construction King Loader w/ Backhoe, Weight Box, & Box Blade w/ Ripper Teeth (Restored w/ New Hydraulic Hoses & Rebuilt Cylinders within the last 5 Years; Scagg Magnum III Zero-Turn Mower (Diesel); John Deere “Brush Hog” Mower; Trou Bilt Pony Riding Mower; Cub Cadet 1315 Riding Mower; Cement Mixer; Wood Lathes; Construction King Rollover/Roof; Two 5’ Shell Station Sign Inserts; 6’ Shell Station Sign w/ Steel Frame; 6’ Circle K Station Sign w/ Steel Frame; Grizzly Model G0765 Mini Lathe (Used Twice); Grizzly Model G8689 Mini-Mill w/ Tooling (Never Used); Two 250 Gallon Fuel Tanks; Evinrude 6hp Boat Motor w/ Stand; Bicycle Built for Two; Straight Front Axel; Sprint Car Parts; 54” Steel Runner Sled; Vintage Military Foot Locker; Two 5 Gallon Glass Jugs; Aluminum Bull Float; Chain Binders; Two-Man Cross Cut Saw; Coleman Generator; Compound Bows; Antique Blow Torches; Milk Crate; Various Tools (Mechanics, Pneumatic/Air, Etc.) Including Snap-On & Craftsman; Household Items; Decorations; Antiques; Collectibles; Assorted Glassware; & MORE to be Discovered!

TERMS: All items must be paid for in cash or PA check, payment-in-full is due the day of the auction. IF Buyers intend to use financing for any vehicle, trailer, or large equipment purchase, arrangements MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO THE AUCTION! Day-Of financing is NOT available. No Buyer’s Premium. All announcements made the day of the sale take precedence over printed material. Title Transfer Arrangements can be made immediately upon cash payment; if paying with a check, Buyers MUST WAIT UNTIL THE CHECK CLEARS to transfer the title! Some items listed are being exposed for sale WITH RESERVE so that the Seller reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Seller is motivated to sell, so come READY TO BUY!

AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: Plan to attend and bring chairs! Auction will begin at 9:00am with small tools and equipment. Vehicles, Large Equipment, Boat, Etc. will be sold approximately 12:00 Noon! See auctionzip.com ID#41407 for photos. Dave Szostek and friends have had a long life filled with projects, restorations, racing, vehicle and motorcycle builds, and so much more; but, it is time for some of these items and projects to find new life elsewhere! LOCATION/DIRECTIONS: This auction will be held on-site at 701 Hahn Road, Dauphin, PA 17018 (Right along Stoney Creek Road). From Harrisburg, take US-22/322 toward Lewistown/State College, take the “Dauphin Boro/Stony Creek” Exit. After exiting the Highway, please proceed carefully by turning right onto Schuylkill Street, then right onto Erie Street, and then left onto Stony Creek Road. Proceed to the Auction Site on the LEFT. Keep alert for ‘Auction Today’ signs.

AUCTIONEER: Liddick Auction Services Inc

Shane Liddick, Auctioneer PO Box 4, Millersburg, PA 17061

717-877-9451 AU005397L LiddickAuctions.HiBid.com

Smack Dab

Continued from page 8

in his collection, plus a massive assortment of related artifacts and reference materials. Here’s how an enduring interest came to be.

“In 1994, I went to a flea market in Omaha and saw a 1980 “Pac-Man” lunchbox, and thought it was super cool, even though it was a little beat up. It reminded me of a lot of things from my childhood. After I bought that lunchbox, I was curious to know what others there were, so I found a lunchbox price guide. When I saw how many were actually made, it kick-started my interest in buying more. I started going to toy shows, meeting collectors who had other things like production art and production plates. I love hunting down this kind of stuff. It helps me better understand the companies and the history of lunchboxes. It’s exciting, and I meet new people along the way.”

One of those new people was Robert Jones, a former illustrator for Aladdin and

The 1980 “Pac-Man” lunchbox from Aladdin, with artwork by Robert Jones. This box inspired Mark Kelehan’s collection.

many of its lunchboxes. Now included in Mark Kelehan’s collection is Jones’ original concept art for that 1980 “PacMan” lunchbox.

Although “Hopalong Cassidy” was the first metal lunchbox to take the nation by storm, it wasn’t the first character box marketed. That distinction belongs to 1935’s “Mickey Mouse Lunch Kit,” which had limited production. With the intervention of WWII, development lay dormant until Hoppy rode onto the scene in 1950. Next to saddle up: Roy Rogers.

Original concept art for the “Pac-Man” lunchbox by Robert Jones. Concept art was submitted for approval before the final art was created.

The “Roy Rogers” lunchbox came from Aladdin’s main competitor, King-Seeley Thermos (known today as Thermos L.L.C.). In 1953, King-Seeley sold 2 and a half million “Roy Rogers” lunchboxes. The increased popularity can be traced to the vivid, full-color lithographed images on every side of the lunchbox. (The 1950 “Hopalong Cassidy” lunchbox was a single color, with a Hoppy decal on one side.) By 1954, Aladdin had also switched to fully-illustrated, full-color lunchboxes, and Hoppy was upgraded.

From 1950 until 1986, over 200 million lunchboxes were sold. (The most popular: the “Disney School Bus” from the 1960s, with nearly 10 million purchased.) The last mass-produced metal lunchboxes were 1985’s “Rambo” from King-Seeley, and Aladdin’s “Thundercats” in 1986.

Fortunately for collectors, 200 million lunchboxes means there are still plenty around to collect. A recent eBay search brought up nearly 11,000 listings. Many are in less than pristine condition, since they’ve been knocking around for 60 to 70 years. The selling price for

a lunchbox in “average” condition ranges from $50 to $70. A box with significant damage, unless historically important, will sell for much less. One with its original tags will sell for much more.

For non-baby boomers, there are still opportunities to chow down on the lunchbox experience. In 2023, Mark Kelehan’s collection was the focus of “The Lunchbox: Packed With Pop Culture,” a major exhibit at The Durham Museum (a Smithsonian affiliate) in Omaha. Notes Kelehan, “There has never before been an exhibit that displays all the one-of-a-kind paintings and original production artifacts.” Future goals include having the exhibit travel to other venues across the nation, plus one or more books on lunchboxes. Says Mark, “I think the topic and insights are timeless. Lunchboxes are a great reflection of history and popular culture in the United States. They all tell stories.”

The first character lunchbox, even if not a trend-setter, was featured in a 1935 ad for the “Mickey Mouse Lunch Kit,” produced by Geider,

All photos and reference materials courtesy of Mark Kelehan (mak.lunchbox@ gmail.com).

Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann.

Donald-Brian Johnson is

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” “Woody Woodpecker” domed box from Modern Toys, 1970s. The design was also available in red.

Where would “Star Trek” be without its stars? “Mr. Spock” and “Captain Kirk” as seen on the Aladdin lunchbox reverse.

The most popular lunchbox ever: Aladdin’s domed “Disney School Bus,” featuring an array of Disney favorites. Eventually, nearly 10 million of this Robert Burton design were sold from the 1960s.

the co-author of numerous books on design and collectibles, including “Postwar Pop,” a collection of his columns. He lived near the school, so usually went home for lunch. Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com.

things

was a scarce copy of the book “Redwood and Lumbering in California Forests with Illustrations” (1884), one of only a handful known with 24 original albumen

This group of California medium-size (#10) placer gold nuggets, weighing approximately 16.5 grams total, suitable for jewelry, found a new home for $2,875.

prints inside the book, all in

excellent condition. The book was published by Edgar Cherry, a “traveling agent” for the Sonoma Democrat newspaper. It timbered for $4,375. A porcelain sign for the June Lake Loop Automobile Club in Southern California, for a famous route in the Eastern Sierra, went for $2,000, while an original cel painting for the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” (1988), showing Jessica Rabbit, with a letter on back from Disney saying it’s original, garnered $1,750.

Two very different lots posted identical prices of $1,562. One was a ca. 1900 pintail duck wood decoy by William J. Mason, with all original paint and glass eyes. The other was a late 19th-century saloon photo taken in Skagway, Alaska, with one of the men in the photo believed to be the outlaw and gambler Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith.

D ay two action was brisk and was led by the U.S. Mineral Surveyor archive. Also sold was stock certificate No. 2 for the Homestake Mining Company, dated Nov. 2, 1877, important because Homestake was America’s largest single producing gold mine at well over 50 million ounces since the day this was issued ($5,625), and a stock certificate for the North American Land Company, issued to James Rees in 1795 and signed by Founding Father Robert Morris ($1,312). A spectacular, worldclass gold-quartz watchchain of the prospector Stephen Roberts, a trophy of his work in the 1860s with the two mines at Belmont, Nev., the Highbridge and Mo nitor-Belmont, climbed to $8,437. Also, a collection of California medium-size (#10) placer gold nuggets, weighing approximately 16.5 grams, suitable for jewelry, sold for $2,875. A vintage Navajo turquoise squash blossom necklace believed to have been made by silversmith Clyde Begay of the Canyoncito, N.M. region, 17 inches long, brought $2,250, while an exquisite Zunimade corn maiden inlaid necklace presented on a three-strand tur quoise nugget necklace, signed, designed, and created by Zuni Native Eldred Martinez, realized $1,812.

A book inscribed by the notorious outlaw Black Bart (real name: Charles Boles), signed while he was in prison and dated Jan. 1, 1888, and possibly given to him by a newspaper reporter, earned $2,000. Also, a ca. 1870s carte de visite of Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody, made by the Theatrical Photography Co. and depicting Cody as a young man, fetched $1,562. Day three featured an original cancelled Carson City (Nev.) mint coin die for the obverse of a $20 Double Eagle gold coin, authenticated by CC Mint Press

Operator Ken Hopple, with four strikes by Hopple, achieved $3,750, while an original Carson City Mint canvas coin bag, likely for dollars given the coin imprints visible on the lower portion of the bag, framed, sold for $2,625.

For further information, visit www.holabirdamericana.com.

butter press & paddle; bent wood pantry box; 2-Pyrex bowl nests; refrig. dishes; Nippon; Germany; McCoy; green & pink depression glass; green Jadeite Fire King; Majolica pitcher; green jars; silverware; tins; granite; galv; doll furniture; Tootsietoys; Swiss music box; bisque dolls; Shirley Temple paper dolls; Lionel & American Flyer trains; postcards; 33 & 78 rpm records; 1891 marriage cert; B. Coffey paintings; lamps; jewelry; wagon wheels; & much more COVERLETS: “1890 A.E. Statler” Princess Feather quilt; 2-nice woven coverlets-one a “Blue Cornflower.” BOOKS - HUNDREDS OF BOOKS: Many early hard cover, 1800’s-1900’s ; history, religion, nature, song, health, novels, school & children’s books. 1884 Family Bible, Pilgrims Progress, Walt Disney. Authors like: Shakespeare, Dumas, JM Dent, Grace Livingston Hill, Louisa Alcott, etc. Also selling the personal rocker of George Bennard, composer of “The Old Rugged Cross.” MODERN: US Stove Co. model 5660 wood pellet stove; Amana 17 cu. ft. upright freezer; “New” Firman 3650 watt portable generator, electric start; 300’ sq. ft. Oak hardwood flooring – “toast brown,” new in box GUNS: (1 PM) Winchester mod. 94 classic 30-30 26” oct. barrel, tang sight; Glenfield mod. 30A 30-30 w/4 power scope; SKS 7.62 mm synthetic hunting stock; Mossberg mod. 500A 12ga. synthetic stock, 24” rifled barrel w/ Bushnell 4 x 38 scope; Cabelas Hawkins percussion/.50 cal; Ardesa-Spain Pa. long rifle flint lock/.45 cal; US H. Aston mod. 1842 pistol Claude Percussion/ .54 cal. 1850 original; Cabelas Queen Anne pistol flint lock/.50 cal; Pietta 1851 Confederate repro. 6 shot revolver, percussion /.44; Ruger P95DC 9mm pistol; Smith & Wesson 686 357 mag.