ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES CAN BE GOOD BUYS TODAY

Lots of amazing prices and stories keep popping up in the collecting world. Here are a few.

Ever wonder what happens when a bidder changes his or her mind? A Heil's Extra Bottled Beer tray picturing a very chubby girl, made by J. Meek of Coshocton, Ohio, sold at auction for $4,050. When the buyer did not pay, it was relisted and sold for $2,025. (The Breweriana Collector magazine)










A 1909 toy clown caravan by Marklin sold at auction for $103,500. The painted tin caravan, 37 1/2 inches long, was made up of four attached carts, each with a sitting clown. (Bertoia Auctions, Vineland, N.J.)

Globes, microscopes and medicine chests are selling well at auction. European auctioneers say the economy has brought rarities to the auction block and that today's collectors, often retired doctors, scientists and engineers, buy for love, not for future profit. Coming up for auction this month: a microscope by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, the father of microscopy, expected to bring close to $150,000 at Christie's in London; and an important table globe made in 1728 by Johann Gabriel Dopplemayr estimated at $30,000 to $45,000 (although it sold in 2002 for $84,000).


A very rare vaseline carnival glass Heart and Flowers plate made by Northwood sold for $25,000 (Jim Wroda Auction Services, Greenville, Ohio). The seller bought it for $30 awhile ago. It's probably the only carnival glass plate Northwood made in vaseline glass, and only four examples are known.

Looks like great antiques and collectibles can be good buys today.

WINNING THE LOTTERY

Winning the lottery is every collector's dream--a chance to buy whatever you always wanted. But a lottery winner in Indianapolis spent so much that the family couldn't pay the bills. So the contents of the house had to be sold in a huge liquidation sale ordered by the court. It took 25 people and four semi trucks to cart all the furniture and bric-a-brac to the auction house. They sold it using three auction rings all day. And of course many antiques dealers and collectors came to bid.

Included in the sale were hundreds of teapots, sets of dishes, 50 salt and pepper sets, bobble heads, glassware tables filled with over-sized Asian vases, two dozen china cabinets, church figures, large and small foo dogs, large carved furniture, many dining room and bedroom sets, and several huge gold Buddha statues. Many of the pieces were duplicates. We noticed they had a Berkey and Gay painted china cabinet, Drexel dressers, Baccarat, Fenton glass, Bohemian glass, Carnival glass, Lenox, Lladro, Franciscan, Royal Doulton, Nippon, Spode, Noritake, Limoges, McCoy, Royal Worcester and Royal Vienna pieces. There were also fifteen or more outdoor statues and fountains, and patio furniture.

The online bloggers couldn't believe it all came from one family. But one blogger claimed to know the family and to have been in their house. At least they bought antiques and collectibles instead of shoes. They enjoyed their purchases, recycled goods, and helped the economy.