Review by Madelia Ring, Antiques and The Arts Weekly COLUMBUS, OHIO – Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers’ May 16 Country Americana sale offered more than 425 lots and was more than 96 percent sold at the end of the day, with some post-auction sales being transacted in the days immediately following. “The sale largely did as we expected, with a few surprises. We saw some very active and spirited bidding, which is always good to see,” Jeff Jeffers remarked afterwards. “We were ab

Review by Madelia Ring, Antiques and The Arts Weekly COLUMBUS, OHIO – Two Ohio collections – that of the late Chris Powell and his wife, Christine Powell of Zoar, and one belonging to James W. Gibbs of Salem – made up approximately half of the 427 lots offered in Garth’s Auction’s May 15 sale titled “Americana featuring Ohio Valley Items.” Several works from both collections featured among the top prices realized in the sale, which was more than 96 percent sold by lot. It was

Review by Madelia Ring, Antiques and The Arts Weekly COLUMBUS, OHIO – Leading Garth’s Auctions’ May 15 425-lot sale was a paint decorated trunk attributed to the Checkerboard artist that achieved the sale’s top price of $81,000. The piece related to another slightly smaller example Garth’s sold for $63,000 in November 2015. The trunk was attributed to Somerset County, Penn., and featured two facing birds, a decorative motif known on no other examples and which helped spark co

A Hepplewhite sugar chest was the top lot during the Americana sale held by Garth’s Auctions of Columbus, Ohio, on March 19, selling for $11,250 (includes buyer’s premium) against an estimate of $3000/5000. Dating to the first quarter of the 19th century and likely of Kentucky origin, the piece was walnut with inlay that included two tulips in a flowerpot. The front part of the chest and a lower drawer had line inlay, while the shaped skirt had an inlaid fan. On square tapere

Whirligigs were invented centuries ago. They are both toys and tools, indicators of wind direction and the weather. Sources disagree on where the first were made; it was probably in China about 400 B.C. or by Native Americans about 550 B.C. The whirligig must have a spinning part and a base and many were made in fanciful shapes. The oldest known pictures of a whirligig were in tapestries made in medieval times. There are many names and many shapes of whirligigs. Old sources c

The annual Thanksgiving sale is a tradition at Garth’s Auctions. Held on Black Friday (and in previous years, that Friday and Saturday), the event brings a crowd to Garth’s gallery and is one of the strongest sales of the year for the auction house. The coronavirus pandemic meddled with the sale in 2020. Jeff Jeffers, Garth’s chief executive officer and principal auctioneer, had planned a one-day event for November 27 at the company’s home, the Municipal Light Plant in Columb

A presentation pitcher in an Albany slip with scratched text and decoration sold for $6120 (including buyer’s premium) to lead the country Americana sale held by Garth’s in Columbus, Ohio, on September 12. The 10½" tall pitcher was incised “Mrs. R. Pannabaker from Charles 1891” and had a floral design. The piece had a conservative estimate of $500/800. It had previously sold at Garth’s for $2415 in July 2004. The pitcher exemplified the kind of folk art perennially in demand,

Review by Madelia Ring, Antiques and The Arts Weekly COLUMBUS, OHIO – Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers’ Thanksgiving weekend Americana and Fine Jewelry sale featured 413 lots and was 95 percent sold by lot. Typically scheduled over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the sale was delayed a week, opening online on November 26 and closing December 6. Antiques and The Arts Weekly caught up with Richard “Jeff” Jeffers, Garth’s chief executive officer and principal auctioneer the da

Review by Madelia Ring, Antiques and The Arts Weekly COLUMBUS, OHIO – Three weathervanes – a ram, stag and flying eagle – swept the leaderboard at Garth’s Thanksgiving Americana and Fine Jewelry auction on December 6. Bringing $11,250 from a buyer in the Midwest was a full-bodied copper ram by L.W. Cushing & Sons, Waltham, Mass. that had been estimated at $4/8,000. The stag was attributed to EG. Washburn and realized $10,000, while the A.L. Jewell eagle flew to $9,375 and all

Your great-grandmother may have used this antique box in her kitchen, but not many of us use it today since there are newer, faster ways to get the same result. The pine box is 27 inches high by 36 inches wide and 21 inches deep. It has dovetailed sides and tapered legs. The removable top is made of two boards. Give up? It is a dough box used for proofing bread dough. The box was filled with flour, then water was added and the mixture was kneaded. More ingredients were added,