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Locati To Offer Diverse Estate Material From Antique Corkscrew Collection To Japanese Woodblock Prints Cubist Still Life Painting By Russian/French Artist Elisabeth Epstein-Hefter Among Expected Stars
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2021 • VOL. 52, NO. 6
Morphy’s To Auction Bob And Judy Brady Antique Mechanical Bank Collection At Live Gallery Event On Feb. 27 Brady Collection Includes Exquisite Examples And Many Rarities Although the cast-iron mechanical bank-collecting world is a very active one, spanning several continents, only a few bank collections With this Shepard Hardware Co. can be accurately Mason bank, a coin is placed in the hod and the lever is described as “highly pressed, the hod carrier leans forward and tosses the coin into the important” or being brick wall, while the bricklayer raises his arms as if receiving the of “premier quality.” coin. In near-mint-plus with original printed wood box, proveAs any serious collec- nance Don Markey (est. $25,000-$40,000). tor will attest, reaching that level of excellence takes General Motors, then for the Fortune dedication, constant upgrading and 500 commercial printing company a long-term commitment to the R.R. Donnelley, which transferred hobby. The special camaraderie him in 1972 to Lancaster, Pa. It is connecting bank aficionados world- there, in America’s renowned wide is how Bob and Judy Brady antiques hub, that the Bradys put managed to build a collection that is down roots and soon became active both admired and recognized in the toy and bank-collecting comthroughout munity. Years later, Bob the hobby as being one of the very finest. On Saturday, Feb. 27, Morphy’s in Denver, Pa., will auction the Bradys’ incredible 40year collec- With the Kyser & Rex Merry-Go-Round tion, which bank, when handle is turned, bells chime, figures revolve, and attendant boasts some raises stick and gathers in any coins deposited on the stand, near-mint with of the most original printed wood box (est. $50,000-$75,000). elusive, highcondition banks in existence. would serve as president of the Most mechanical banks have Mechanical Bank Collectors of complicated inner workings, which America. naturally appealed to Bob Brady, The pedigree runs deep in Bob who has an MBA in mechanical engi- and Judy’s museum-worthy bank neering. Following his graduation collection. During the 1970s, ’80s and from college, Bob went to work for ’90s, Bob was able to buy banks with provenance from revered collections at tag sales, shows and other events. Those acquisitions include pieces that were once held in the collections of such pioneers of the hobby as Edwin H. Mosler, Bernard “Barney” Barenholtz, and Stephen and Marilyn Steckbeck; as well as the legendary Perelman Museum of Antique Toys. Condition has always been of utmost importance to the Bradys. “We’ve probably upgraded banks With the J. & E. Stevens Shoot the Chute up to half a dozen bank, Buster Brown and his dog Tige are in a boat, poised times each to to ride down a chute and knock a coin into the bank, near-mint-plus with original printed wood box, provenance Don Markey, and Continued on depicted in Dan Morphy reference book (est. $80,000-$120,000). page 2
Locati LLC’s February online auction offers an eclectic and interesting selection of antiques and fine art from a variety of local estates and collections from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This sale began Feb. 1 and ends Monday, Feb. 15. “We have some great lots This Elisabeth Epstein-Hefter (1879-1956) oil-on-canvas painting will in February,” be estimated at $4,000 to $6,000. commented Michael Locati, co-owner of between $500 to $700. Locati LLC. “One of my favorite “Another interesting lot to pieces of art (in the sale) is a look for is a large, ca. 1960 tapesgreat cubist still life by the try by the Hungarian artist Istvan Russian/French artist Elisabeth Ban,” said Locati. “There are also Epstein-Hefter.” quite a bit of Chinese and Asian The Elisabeth Epstein-Hefter pieces in the auction, and we (1879-1956) oil-on-canvas paint- continue to offer Japanese wooding is estimated between $4,000 block prints from a Delaware to $6,000, an Istvan Ban (1922-84) collection.” Modernist tapestry is estimated In lieu of COVID 19 precauat $800 to $1,200, and a tions, Locati will not be holding a large Japanese bronze figure of live preview; however, interested Kannon is projected to bring Continued on page 6
Sealed Pokémon Base Set Booster Box Sells For Record $408,000
AAN Current News
Michener Art Museum Reopens With “Through The Lens: Modern Photography In The Delaware Valley” on page 3
Palmer Museum Will Reopen Its Doors On Feb. 10 on page 5
Result Breaks Previous High Mark Set Three Months Ago Demand for elite Pokémon collectibles continues to soar at Heritage Auctions, which sold a Pokémon First Edition Base Set Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 1999) for a world recordsetting $408,000 on Jan. 15. The box sold during the second
Bodnar’s To Sell Extensive Collection Of “Magic: The Gathering” Cards on page 6
A Pokémon Blastoise #009/165R Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram (Wizards of the Coast, 1998), CGC NM/Mint+ 8.5, sold for $360,000.
A Pokémon Charizard #4 First Edition Base Set Rare Hologram Trading Card realized $300,000. Artwork was by Mitsuhiro Arita, and the card is one of just 2,627 copies certified by PSA, only 120 of which earned a GEM MT grade.
session of Heritage’s four-day Comics and Comic Art Auction. The afternoon session included 16 Pokémon lots that accounted for more than $1.3 million in sales. The record-setting booster box was one of three that produced six-figure results. “Recent history has shown that the demand for First Edition Base Set Sealed Booster Boxes is soaring,” said Jesus Garcia, Trading Cards Expert in the Heritage Auctions Comics Department. “Based on the competitive bidding when Heritage Auctions sold a similar set in November, we expected the interest in this set to be even higher, and our Continued on page 2
From “Raw” To Riches on page 7
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . starting on page 3 SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 4 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 5 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . starting on page 5
FEATURED AUCTION: Bodnar’s Online-Only Auction on Feb. 18 - Page 6
AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . . on page 5 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 7