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Sep. 18th, 2005 - Jewelry Sale a Dazzling Success at Antique Helper

(Indianapolis, Indiana). The September 18th Costume, Bakelite and Estate Jewelry Auction at Dan Ripley’s Antique Helper courted the attentions of local and national bidders. From a generous offering of Victorian, Edwardian and estate fine jewelry to a rainbow hued embankment of bakelite to an array of costume jewels that included Marcel Boucher, Eisenberg, Miriam Haskell, Coro Craft, Trifari and other well know names, this sale promised to be every bit as colorful and exciting as past jewelry auctions. As with all Antique Helper auctions, prices reflect at 10% Buyer’s Premium for floor bidders and a 15% buyer’s premium for telephone, absentee and eBay bidders.

Starting the sale was a nice selection of fine jewelry, including natural South Sea pearls, pieces by Tiffany and Mikimoto, Victorian garnets, gold, rubies, opals and coral. Among these pieces and receiving much pre-auction attention was A Tiffany and Co. retailed Swiss miniature travel carriage clock with movement by Concord Watch Co. in a blue sunburst guilloche enamel silver case, selling within estimate for $1,437.50, to a telephone bidder, while another beautiful timepiece, this an Edwardian Ladies gold pendant watch with blue guilloche enamel and enamel floral borders brought $1,100 from a local bidder. Among the other fine jewelry, an 18K yellow gold and citrine bracelet, earrings and ring set closed at $747.50 from an absentee bidder, and a yellow gold and enamel perpetual calendar and pencil holder with green cabochon button doubled high estimate of $250, closing at $440, from a local bidder. A 14K white gold ladies vintage Hamilton watch with approximately 1CTW in diamonds brought $440 from a floor bidder, and a lovely lot of two pieces of Victorian garnet jewelry, including a pendant with a hair receiver locket and a pair of star dangle earrings more than doubled high estimate of $150, ending at $357.50, also going to a floor bidder. Finally, a floor bidder wore home a beautiful antique Eskimo walrus ivory bracelet, which more than doubled high estimate of $200, closing at $522.50.

EISENBERG

An Eisenberg Sterling Vermeil Can Can Dancer pin in an “Eisenberg and Sons Original” box sold for $661.25, to an eBay bidder, and an Eisenberg gilt sterling flower form clip exceeded high estimate of $200, selling for $258.75 to a telephone bidder. Also going to a telephone bidder was an Eisenberg Original gilt sterling bird or Peace Dove pin with enameling, large fuchsia rhinestone and small clear rhinestones, more than doubling high estimate of $200, selling for $488.75; an Eisenberg gilt sterling Ribbon Dancer pin sold to an eBay bidder for $862.50 and a lot of five Eisenberg Original clips in a Phyllis Original box brought $747.50 from a telephone bidder. A signed Eisenberg Original gilt sterling reindeer or moose pin closed at $718.75, to an eBay bidder. But, most spectacular among the Eisenberg offerings was a gilt sterling mermaid pin with blue rhinestones. Described with a high estimate of $1,200, this fanciful piece exceeded high estimate, selling to a California telephone bidder for $1,925.

HASKELL

As always, jewels by Miriam Haskell managed to hold the spotlight for a considerable portion of the sale. An early Miriam Haskell/Frank Hess necklace and earring set with tooled silver-tone lily-of-the-valley, leaves, flowerets and silver baroque pearls, ca. 1940, went to an eBay bidder for $805, while a beautiful Miriam Haskell double strand necklace with opalescent moonstone and glass bead flowers with clear rhinestones doubled high estimate, closing at $575, to an eBay bidder. Also going to an eBay bidder was an early, unsigned, attributed Miriam Haskell, Hess necklace and earrings set with multi colored fleck glass beads, ca. 1940, offered with a signed period Haskell print, also exceeded high estimate of $250, selling for $546.25, and a local absentee bidder took home a Miriam Haskell lavender swirl glass bead and rhinestone necklace, which ended at $431.35.

TRIFARI

A collectors’ favorite, Trifari pieces fared well. An enamel and rhinestone bird pin figural fur clip with clear rhinestone accents, ca. 1940, exceeded high estimate of $300, selling for $575 to an eBay bidder, and a rare Trifari Pearl Belly tropical fish clip, designed by Alfred Phillippe brought $661.25 from an eBay bidder.

BOUCHER

Among the offerings by Marcel Boucher was a red and yellow metallic enamel Griffin pin set with pave rhinestones, which exceeded high estimate of $800, ending at $1207.50, going to an eBay bidder. A corn on the cob pin with green and yellow enamel, marked MB exceeded high estimate of $600, bringing $718.75 from an eBay bidder. A giant Marcel Boucher flower pin, featured in Jewels of Fantasy, and nearly 5” long exceeded high estimate of $1,000, selling for $1,437.50 to a New York Telephone bidder. Another Boucher Metallic Enamel pin, lover Birds on nest with eggs, also fared well, bringing $1,322.50 from an eBay bidder.

BAKELITE

The final portion of the sale was reserved for more than 140 lots of Bakelite. From large lots of colorful bangles, to rare examples of pins, brooches, bracelets and bangles, the vast selection guaranteed choices for beginning collectors as well as seasoned aficionados. A six-dot cream and marble brown bangle with a high estimate of $300 closed at $431.25, to a Pennsylvania telephone bidder, and bringing the same price from an eBay bidder was an unusual, possibly French, bakelite Deco Butterscotch overdye bangle. Going to eBay bidders were a carved and overdyed dog brooch and a large overdyed butterscotch Bakelite eagle pin, each bringing $517.50. A reverse carved floral Apple Juice hinge bracelet closed at $460, going to a telephone bidder, and a set of two marbled blue and ivory six dot bangles sold for $747.50 to an absentee bidder, while a red marbled dangle heart carved arrow pin with a pink painted celluloid chain brought $546.25 from an eBay bidder. Raising the bar was a hard to find bakelite bowtie polka dot cream/black bangle, exceeding high estimate of $1,500, selling for $1,840 to a telephone bidder. But, the undisputed star of the show was a Bakelite Philadelphia bracelet, a red cuff with polychrome fins. An important part of any Bakelite jewelry collection, this fine example, offered in excellent condition with no chips, major scratches or repairs, sold for $6,325 to a California telephone bidder.

Based on the success of this sale, consignments are already pouring in for Antique Helper’s next Costume, Bakelite and Estate Jewelry auction, scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 4. For more information about these auctions, please visit our website at www.antiquehelper.com or call 317-251-5635.