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“They were rolled up in a cardboard tube,” said Mike Fallon about this unprepossessing lot of loose museum and miscellaneous posters. The lot ended up beating its $25/50 estimate to go out at $2,520, top lot in the overall sale.
Review by W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy Copake Auctions
COPAKE, N.Y. — On February 10, Copake Auctions conducted a country store and estate auction featuring 800 lots. Included were estate fresh items and the contents of a country store, namely, Sue Connell’s Clayton Store in Marlborough, Mass. The rare and historic building, circa 1810, went on the market in 2023. It had been configured as a second story residence, an attached studio and a recreated country store from 1850 on the ground floor. Connell is a collector and professional decorative painter who restored the 4,200-square-foot building over the last 50 years. As it is with most large and choice consignments, another auction house was able to secure much of Connell’s prodigious collection. Still, there was no shortage of items consigned to Copake. Co-owner Mike Fallon recalls going to the property after it was sold and coming back with a large truckful of material. “It was packed,” he recalled.
The sale totaled $166,000 with a sell-through rate of 99 percent. It was watched by thousands of registered bidders on three platforms. Leading the day was a collection of loose museum and miscellaneous posters that beat their $25/50 estimate to go out at $2,520. “They were rolled up in a cardboard tube,” said Fallon.
Another surprise from the Connell collection was a set of eight Mayo’s “Roly Poly” tobacco tins, each 7 inches tall. Estimated $150/200, they went out at $2,400. The figural tin lithographed canisters for Mayo’s Roly Poly brand tobacco, each of which held about 1 pound of plug tobacco, had good color and would display very nicely.
From the Connell Clayton Store collection was a set of eight Mayo’s “Roly Poly” tobacco tins, each 7 inches tall. Estimated $150/200, they went out at $2,400.
A lot of copper pans and a boiler outperformed its $300 high estimate, selling for $2,280. Names included D.H.&M. Co, Duparquet, 112 West 22nd Street, N.Y., LaMalle, New York City, Made in France and Mauviel, Made in France. And a painted country store trade sign on canvas advertising “Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Pea-Nuts 5 cents per pound, Cigars & Tobacco, Fruits & Candies and Milk 5 cents per quart” in whimsical black and white script made $2,160, against a $200/300 estimate.
One could enjoy these goodies spread out on a colorful Pennsylvania embroidered tablecloth. It measured 58½ by 85 inches and ignored its $50/75 estimate to reach $1,800.
A large lot of early tin, wood and cardboard advertising tins, boxes, containers was notable. More than 100 pieces were included and all were from the Clayton Store. Against an estimate of $200/300, the lot earned $1,800.
Fetching $1,680 was an early Greenwich Village, New York City, sign, measuring 45 by 13 by 18 inches.
Among the store’s furniture highlights was a Twentieth Century four-door serving cupboard. It was 72 by 16½ by 24 inches and left the gallery at $1,080. Another case piece, a benchmade open top painted cupboard crossed the block at $960, while a circa 1900 dental cabinet, 36½ by 16 by 61½ inches, realized $540.
A Twentieth Century four-door serving cupboard was 72 by 16½ by 24 inches and left the gallery at $1,080.
There was an English ship’s bell sans clapper marked “H.M.S. Lark 1944.” HMS Lark, a modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy, was laid down by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, in Greenock, Scotland, in 1942 and commissioned on April 10, 1944, with the pennant number U11. She is listed among ships hit by German U-boats in 1945. Against the bell’s $200/300 estimate, it sold for $1,080.
A Nineteenth Century painted tobacco tin advertising “H.T. Miller’s Fine Cut Tobacco, Utica, N.Y.” was a wakeup call, painted a strong crimson. Measuring 13 by 9½ by 12 inches, it smoked its $50/75 estimate and attained $1,020.
Very folky, an early large painted game wheel, 42 inches in diameter, was as graphically arresting it spun to $900.
More advertising proved desirable. For example, estimated just $50/75, an early framed cardboard advertising “I Make Squires Lard And Sausages” (Boston) from the Clayton Store consignment made $600, while a framed tobacco advertising “Smoke and Chew George Washington…” with the same estimate settled at $540.
The image of a skier seemingly schussing out of the frame of a painting documented the “Dartmouth 1938 Winter Carnival February 11-12.” The oil on panel doubled its low estimate, earning $600.
Finally, vintage poster aficionados couldn’t resist a wonderfully graphic image of a skier seemingly schussing out of the frame of a painting documenting the “Dartmouth 1938 Winter Carnival February 11-12.” The oil on panel, overall 28½ by 20 inches doubled its low estimate and left the gallery at $600.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. The next auction will be March 30 and features a bicycle collection. For information, 518-641-1935 or www.copakeauction.com.
