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#WorthPointInsights #AuctionTrends #AntiqueCollectibles #RareFinds #HistoricalTreasures #AuctionMagic #HeritageAuctions #TiffanyLamps #AnnaPottery #JamesBowie #CrockerFarm #RagoArts #TinyTreasures #CollectingTips #DiscoverValuePreserve
Will Seippel, CEO of WorthPoint, a leading resource for collectors and appraisers, enjoys sharing insights from his decades of experience in the antiques and collectibles industry. By analyzing standout sales from WorthPoint’s Industry Partners, Seippel offers valuable perspectives on buying and selling trends. His expertise empowers collectors to make informed decisions and navigate the market with confidence. Here, he highlights some of the most remarkable items sold recently, showcasing the diversity and historical significance of the items that capture collectors’ attention.
Crocker Farm: A Temperance Triumph
On April 18, WorthPoint added over 354,000 items to its Price Guide, collectively valued at $32.7 million. Crocker Farm Auction made headlines with a record-breaking sale of nearly $1 million from 390 lots, boasting an impressive average lot value of $2,492. The star of the auction was a temperance jug from Anna Pottery, which sold for $144,000. This extraordinary piece is adorned with intricate cobalt blue and manganese decorations, featuring snakes, frogs, a bear, a man trapped inside, and a miniature Native American bust. The jug’s original snake-shaped stopper remains intact, adding to its rarity and exceptional condition. Seippel considers it one of the finest Anna Pottery pieces ever sold.
Other notable lots included a pair of whimsical sewer tile lions, which fetched $36,000, and a six-gallon Ohio stoneware churn emblazoned with a detailed bird carrying a banner inscribed “Akron.” The churn sold for $45,000, reflecting its regional pride and craftsmanship.
Heritage Auctions: A Slice of Texan History
WorthPoint’s Price Guide now includes over 3 million items from Heritage Auctions, offering a treasure trove of historical artifacts. One standout piece is a James Bowie pay order from 1829, which sold for $47,500 in 2022. Bowie, best known for his role in the Battle of the Alamo, signed this document shortly before moving to Texas. The pay order, addressed to his friend Angus McNeill, represents a fascinating snapshot of early American history. Seippel notes that this is the second-highest price recorded for a Bowie-related item, trailing only a $62,500 draft signed in San Felipe in 1833. Items like this highlight WorthPoint’s mission to preserve and explore American history through its database of rare artifacts.
Rago Auctions: Tiny Tiffany Treasures
Rago Auctions achieved a landmark sale on April 10, generating $1.76 million with an average lot value of $5,000. Tiffany lamps dominated the auction, with the top five lots accounting for over $500,000. The highest-selling piece was a Tiffany floor lamp with a pink peony border, which sold for $145,000. However, the standout item was a remarkably small yet highly coveted Tiffany enameled copper mushroom vase. Despite its diminutive size—just 2.25 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide—the vase sold for $82,500. Its unconventional design and vibrant enamel make it a prized piece among collectors, proving that size is no barrier to value.
Lion and Unicorn: A Psychedelic Masterpiece
One of the most unconventional items Seippel highlights is a mixed-media wall sculpture titled Lolly Specimen Cabinet by British art duo Miss Bugs. Sold for $7,500, this piece features 21 resin-encased “medical lollies,” each containing pills, syringes, razor blades, and other unsettling objects, all wrapped in neon candy-colored gloss. The piece critiques themes of addiction, consumerism, and society’s fascination with danger-as-aesthetic. Seippel describes it as both eye-catching and deeply unsettling, a testament to the power of art to provoke thought and discussion.
WorthPoint’s Mission
Will Seippel’s passion for collecting and preserving history drives WorthPoint’s mission to help collectors “Discover. Value. Preserve.” By leveraging his expertise and the extensive data available on WorthPoint’s platform, collectors can gain insights into market trends, identify valuable items, and make informed decisions. Whether it’s a rare temperance jug, a historic document, a Tiffany treasure, or a provocative art piece, WorthPoint provides the tools and knowledge to navigate the ever-evolving world of antiques and collectibles.
