FOUR BIG AUCTIONS, FEATURING QUALITY ANTIQUES AND COLLECTORS' ITEMS, RARE AND VINTAGE ANTIQUE CLOCKS AND MORE, TO BE HELD BY FONTAINE'S IN EARLY '09

[in...@fontaineauction.com]

FOUR BIG AUCTIONS, FEATURING QUALITY ANTIQUES AND COLLECTORS' ITEMS,
RARE AND VINTAGE ANTIQUE CLOCKS AND MORE, TO BE HELD BY FONTAINE'S IN
EARLY '09

(Pittsfield, Mass.) - Four auctions featuring a galaxy of quality
antiques, collectibles and vintage clocks are slated for the first
half of 2009 by Fontaine's Auction Gallery. An antique estate auction
will be held Saturday, Jan. 10; a cataloged antique auction will be
held Saturday, Feb. 7; another cataloged antique auction will be
conducted Saturday, April 4; and vintage clocks will reign on
Saturday, May 9.
“If these auctions turn out to be anything like the ones we had in
2008, they'll be great,” said John Fontaine of Fontaine's Auction
Gallery. “We've been very busy, securing consignments and getting
ready for a banner year in 2009. I know the news regarding the economy
generally isn't good, but we've done very well in spite of it all.
When you offer quality merchandise, people will bid on it.”
The Jan. 10 antique estate auction will begin promptly at 11 a.m.,
with a preview that morning from 8-11. The sale will feature over 500
lots of antiques and accessories from prominent local estates. Items
will include early American, Victorian, Arts & Crafts, custom
mahogany, period Empire, carved oak furniture, sterling silver, art
glass, paintings, Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps, clocks and
more.
The cataloged antique auction slated for Feb. 7 will begin at 11
a.m., with previews on Friday, Feb. 6, from 10-5, and Saturday
morning, from 8-11. Featured will be 500 lots of fine antiques, in an
array of categories. Sold will be high-end Victorian, custom mahogany,
figural carved R.J. Horner, period Empire, rosewood Rococo and early
American furniture.
The sale will also include over 100 pieces of Arts & Crafts furniture
and accessories by Gustav Stickley, L. & J.G. Stickley, Limbert and
Stickley Brothers. There will also be a selection of Arts & Crafts
metalwork and pottery by Roycroft, Grueby, Rookwood, Fulper and more.
Over 50 lamps will be sold, by Tiffany, Handel, Pairpoint, Moe Bridges
Wilkinsen, Jefferson, Chicago Mosaic and more.
Rounding out the Feb. 7 sale will be art glass and cameo glass, KPM
porcelain plaques, fine bronzes, marble statuary, oil paintings and
hundreds of accessories. The second cataloged auction, on April 4,
will feature a selection of laminated rosewood furniture including an
outstanding “Rosalie” marble top table by John H. Belter; a selection
of R.J. Horner furniture featuring a 10’ figural carved oak
grandfather clock, a massive figural carved oak sideboard with curved
beveled curio cabinets, and a great oak dining room set with full
carved cherubs, also by Horner (circa 1885).
In all, 500 lots of quality antiques will cross the block. The
auction starts at 11 a.m., with previews on Friday, April 3 (10-5) and
Saturday (8-11). Another session was recently added that will see
80-100 lots of antique firearms come under the gavel. “We sold a few
vintage weapons at one of our recent multi-estate sales,” Mr. Fontaine
said, “and it resulted in some wonderful consignments.”
On May 9, Fontaine's will hold a two-session Spring Antique Clock
Auction. Already consigned is a Howard #61 astronomical regulator. Two
of these coveted clocks were sold in previous Fontaine's auctions. One
went for $195,500 in June, while another example went for $189,750 in
November. Also to be sold in April will be a Howard #70 clock with 20-
inch dial, in the original finish chestnut case.
The Saturday, May 9 event will be split up into two sessions.
Beginning at 10 a.m., a Discovery Session will feature many
uncataloged clocks. Bidders are required to be in person at the
gallery to preview and bid, as these clocks will be sold as-is. Then,
starting at 1 p.m., the Main Catalog Session will commence. Offered
will be many cataloged antique and rare clocks, to be sold in numbered
order.
The centerpiece of the sale promises to be the Howard #61
astronomical regulator. The original owner of the clock, A.F.
Robertson, was a lifelong craftsman in the art of watchmaking. In
1861, at age 16, he began to learn his craft under Louis Spaulding,
formerly with the Waltham Watch Factory in San Francisco. He moved to
Minnesota six years later and started his own jewelry business in St.
Cloud.
The clock to be sold in May was purchased by Mr. Robertson for his
store in the 1860s. The front glass pane read “A. F. Robertson.” In
1907, he moved to Harlowton, Mont., where he founded the Robertson
Jewelry Firm. He lived there until his death. Two of his four sons
continued to operate the business. One of them, William, changed the
“A.F.” on the glass to “W.A.”, where it remains today.
The Robertson family took great care of the clock over the years,
setting it on a protected custom pedestal in the store and keeping
meticulous maintenance records. This continued up until William's
passing, in 1971, and with his niece, Betti, and her daughter (the
current owner). “The provenance on this clock is impeccable and every
record is intact,” Mr. Fontaine commented.
In addition to the Howard #61 astronomical regulator, approximately
500 other clocks – many of them rare, museum-quality pieces – will
come up for bid on May 9. Fontaine's is still accepting quality
consignments for this and the other auctions slated for the first half
of 2009. Clocks of every style, type and maker – provided they are
vintage and collectible – are wanted for the May 9 auction. There will
also be a music box session as well as a pocket watch session.
Fontaine's Auction Gallery conducts all of its sales in a spacious
gallery facility, located at 1485 West Housatonic Street in
Pittsfield, Mass. The firm is always accepting quality consignments
for future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may
call them directly, at (413) 448-8922, or e-mail them at
in...@fontaineauction.com. To learn more, you may log on to
www.fontainesauction.net.

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Suggested cut lines:

Howard #61 Astronomical:
This rare and coveted Howard #61 astronomical regulator clock will be
sold at the May 9 sale.

Horner dining set:
Carved cherub from an R.J. Horner carved oak dining set (circa 1885),
to be sold at the Feb. 7 sale.

Antique firearms:
Over 80 antique firearms, some of them exceedingly rare, will be
offered in the April 4 auction.

Winged griffin sideboard:
Phenomenal winged griffin oak sideboard by R.J. Horner, with carved
crystal cabinets (Feb. 7 sale).

Belter Rosalie table:
Outstanding “Rosalie” marble-top table by John H. Belter in
exceptional condition (Feb. 7 sale).

Howard #70 clock:
Howard #70 clock with 20-inch dial, in the original finish chestnut
case (May 9 Spring Clock Auction).