Josh Levine
- Dec 10, 2020
- 5 min read

You Can Learn a Lot at an Auction

Here we go….it’s all the News from Last Week at the Auction...America's Favorite Top 10 List of Auction Results from around the globe as hand selected by me Josh Levine, your host and guide to the world of auctions – This is Episode 7 of Season 3....and continues to The Hottest You Tube Series and Social Media Sensation in the world….Okay, the auction world.

With over 10,000 subscribers and 1,000,000 views…what are you waiting for.

Santa Claus ?

Me too…

And Yes...I have got another great list for you today!

So….let’s learning something from what happened…. LAST WEEK AT THE AUCTION.

Lets start off with caltrops…what ?

#10 is 1775 Revolutionary War Hand-Made Caltrop Spike that sold for $400 at Brunk Auctions. What the heck is that you ask? I’ll tell you. Caltrops were a small antipersonnel and anti-horse weapons that had 4 sharpened spikes. The awful things would be scatted on roads, trails and in streams, designed to puncture boots or hooves and disable the victim. These were designed with the 4 spikes so there was always one pointing up.

Ouch…one could expect a limb and a future brutal staff infection after coming across one of these. They look like something from the game of jacks, but these were not a game or any fun, that’s for sure. But at 1.5” and being $400….you might want to look out for these for another reason.

#9 is a National Tricone Resonator Guitar that just sold for $3750 at Freemans. From the 1930s, original Resonators are pretty hard to find out there. Think of them as the banjo meets the guitar. Their volume and tone is more banjo like, but played and tuned like the guitar. I tracked this one after a tip from a friend that thought it was a sleeper, as its’ estimate was only $800-1200.

Well, that estimate didn’t deter the bidders from bidding triple. Some believe low auction estimates deter higher bidding bidders. I believe that is a myth for the most part. In fact, I think it can draw in more auction action and attention.

#8 The Game of Advance and Retreat just brought $4500 at Bertoia. A turn of the century board game by McLoughlin Bros featured some amazing graphics and I am willing to bet the time of the figured in the amazing result. Santa in an Airship, on a rare game box and offered right before the holiday season?

That adds up to auction cha-ching!

#7 is a Beautiful Persian Bijar Rug that did $4800 at Fine Rugs of Chevy Chase. This 4’7” by 7 Kurdish beauty was rare to find as it was signed and dated. This multi day sale and company have some of the finest offerings in the world of rugs.

You can learn a lot about this mysterious genre, following their sales.

This one, I believe is one for the record books. #6 is a Dresden patriotic American Flag Christmas ornament that just brought $5500 at Pook & Pook. A silk flag, single ornament and only 5'' long, I believe this to be the highest auction price for a single Christmas Ornament. Perfect time of year to sell it and I don’t if you are noticing it or I haven’t said it enough, but the report from the world of auctions is….Prices are crazy right now. Crazy good !

#5 is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual "Pepsi" GMT Master Wrist Watch that hammered for $9000 at Alderfer. I choose this one for a few reasons. Great auction price but also, what a savings from Retail. I was just in the yard talking with the neighbor that’s been watch shopping and I was saying, did you check out the estate auctions. His worry was authenticity. I assured him, buying from a reputable estate auction and paying with a credit card would assure him authenticity and protection. Online Watch deals are kind of the wild west so I’d check out their sourcing.

#4 is a Vladimir Kagan Unicorn Sofa that sold for $12,000 at Freemans. This circa 1963 and approx 8 ft long sofa looks to me you like you stole it out of an airport lounge, but this has that mid mod industrial look that’s so in vogue right now.

I just can’t figure out why it’s called a Unicorn sofa? Where’s the horn ?

I want one of these if anyone is looking for my Christmas Gift. #3 is a Planetarium Clock by William Perkins that sold for $12,123 at Auction Team Breker in Koeln German. See, the show is international sometimes. I am not an isolationist. Anyway, this c.1925 Mechanical Marvel is one of those things you just can’t help but admire. These have been documented as being around since 100 BC, however the first known to have a clock driven mechanism was 1348. I think these things have secret powers, don’t you.

This one is special. #2 is a CDV Photograph of Civil War Soldier Major Martin Delany that brought $47,500 at Cowans. This circa 1864 cart de ve zeet was true Americana. Martin Robison Delany was of one of the first African American men admitted to Harvard Medical School. During the Civil War, he served as a surgeon in the famed 54th Massachusetts Volunteers and also aided in recruitment efforts.

This sale feature amazing offerings. Simply reading this auction’s online catalog, one can learn numerous fascinating historical facts. The details you didn’t learn in school. I am telling you people. Auctions are amazing.

And so is this. #1 is an Eddie Van Halen Owned Custom Kramer that brought $185,000 at Juliens. Considered by many to be the greatest guitarist of all time and just recently passing, this guitar blew away it’s $40-60K estimate. It was stage played and customized by Eddie him self and had been gifted to a family friend years ago. All the provenance and letters were included.

I have a feeling, just a few years from now this will be a Million Dollar Guitar.

And now you know what happened…. Last Week at the auction!

Thanks for watching and if you enjoyed the show, before you go, Subscribe Below…it’s free! Give Me Thumbs Up and be sure to Post a Comment or Question....be sure to check out all the great auction houses I talked about on today’s show and many thanks to the lucky odds of San Antonio fame for allowing me use of their hit song Whiplash. Check them out at theluckodds.com.

Until next week...or Last Week at the Auction!

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LINKS TO INFORMATION I SPOKE ABOUT -

Live Auctioneers - https://www.liveauctioneers.com/