Size played a significant role in the strong bidding for many lots during the annual Thanksgiving Americana auction held by Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers, Columbus, Ohio. Because of the ongoing pandemic, the sale was conducted as an online-only event that ended on December 5. Leading the auction were two beds from the Workshops of David T. Smith, Morrow, Ohio. A queen-size tiger maple bed having posts from the early 19th century but with a new headboard, footboard, and rai

Above: This sewing caddy, treasured by collectors across the United States, was made by David Mills Pease in Ohio during the second half of the 19th century. During the 19th century, girls were expected to learn rudimentary skills needed at a time when many families could not afford store-bought clothing. Needle, thread and cloth were at the heart of any project, but home seamstresses found ways to add a bit of polish to a sewing room through items such as figural pincushions

Above: The Columbus-based artist crafted this piece using found objects. It is signed and dated 2003. Ohio’s tradition of self-taught artists is a long one, but there are more recent names that have gained recognition as well. Levent Isik is among them. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1961, Isik grew up in Montreal, Canada, before moving to Ohio. He lived in Akron and Cleveland, then settled in Columbus in the late 1980s, leaving behind a job and friends. Art helped fill the voi

Garth’s Auctions held a sale of Americana, decorative arts, and fine jewelry September 9-19. The online-only event was unusual because of its large size (874 lots) and the diverse mix of material, from Windsor chairs to Haitian paintings. The top lot consisted of two pieces of Chinese porcelain—a bowl with flowers on a yellow ground, the white interior decorated with five bats, 2½" high x 5¾" diameter, and a vase decorated with a scene of a woman and child in a garden, 9½" hi

Sometimes auction results provide more information than just market values and buying trends. That was the case with the recent single-owner, online-only sale that concluded on August 8 and consisted of 330 lots of Americana from the collection of Deborah and Edward Dick of Kenton, Ohio. Garth’s Auctions of Columbus, Ohio, conducted the event. The top lot, an unusual sawbuck worktable in pine with old red paint, sold for $5625 (including buyer’s premium) against an estimate o

Above: The maker of these hearth utensils marked “Cy. Crites” and believed to be tied to the Crites family of Allen County is not completely clear. Among the most important skilled tradesmen of the 18th and 19th centuries, blacksmiths made everything from horseshoes to hinges. A smithy was vital, but his often-unmarked utilitarian products can be overlooked in the jumble of antique ironwork. Check out this month's column featuring Fascinating Objects from Our Past. Read the f

Review by Madelia Ring, Antiques and The Arts Weekly COLUMBUS, OHIO – A 1973 Jaguar Series 3 V12 XKE roadster that had spent most of its life in Florida leapt to the top of a recent auction by Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers, earning $87,500, a figure that was close to its odometer reading of 80,500 miles. With a screaming Signal Red exterior paint with black leather interior, the car is powered by a 5.3 liter, V12 engine with four carburetors and a four-speed manual transmi

Above: The Columbus-based artist known for his landscapes painted this depiction of a wooded stream in 1927. Born near Gallipolis, Ohio, in 1864, Charles William Duvall moved to our state capital in 1889 and become known as the dean of Columbus artists. He studied landscape art for a decade under Edward Parker Hayden, a native Ohioan who moved to Massachusetts. For Duvall though, life was about home, and home was Ohio. Check out this month's column featuring Fascinating Objec

Above: East Liverpool potters made this mocha ware porcelain during the second half of the 19th century. This covered sugar sold for $550 at Garth's. Pottery and porcelain production has always been about science, and, at one time, the most advanced technology a potter possessed was a handwritten ledger of formulas and techniques. During the 19th century, East Liverpool was at the heart of America’s porcelain production. Check out this month's column featuring Fascinating Obj

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