(Delaware, Ohio) – With 150+ lots of firearms, bladed weapons and related material, 150+ lots of antique medical equipment, fine art and accessories, and 600+ lots of fine Americana including formal and painted furniture, folk art, ceramics, fine art and more, the Annual Labor Day Weekend Auction to be held September 2-3 by Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers, will trigger a holiday gathering of faithful collectors and dealers. All three sessions will offer bidders a variety of interesting objects, fascinating stories, and competitive bidding.
FIREARMS: The Collection of the M.O. Hallock Family plus additions
It is appropriate that Macy O. Hallock collected Civil War firearms, as he was a relative of Civil War General Henry W. Halleck (the family name has been spelled different ways over the generations). Of course, Hallock collected more than just guns—a 1940 newspaper article written about him describes some of his “25 collections,” including American Indian relics (his primary passion), as well as smoking pipes, fossils, buttons, coins, and much more. When the Hallock family decided to begin dispersing its multi-generational collection, Garth’s was honored to have been chosen to sell the items.
A dealer as well as a collector, Hallock and his wife, Clara, exhibited at many antique shows in the Midwest in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, often in period costume portraying Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. It wasn’t long before Macy’s son, also named Macy, joined the game, helping his father drive to and from shows, setting up their booths, and of course, selling all manner of antiques. Today, the tradition continues as the children and grandchildren of the younger Macy travel with their father and grandfather to shows. These days, however, the family’s focus is principally on Civil War firearms, edged weapons, and accoutrements. This session will include a wonderfully broad and deep collection from the Hallock family of muskets, rifles, revolvers, swords, bayonets and accoutrements, plus a handful of additions from other consignors.
One of three Colt revolving rifles to be sold will start of the Friday session. The Colt Model 1855 revolving rifle is a .56 caliber, 5-shot cylinder, with a 31 3/16″ octagon-round barrel. The Colt markings on top strap, cylinder, and left side of frame, in addition to a full walnut stock and bayonet with ribbed brass hilt and slightly curved blade should encourage bidders to pursue the rifle(S/N 1550) to the $3,000-6,000 range. The weapon also retains its original leather and brass scabbard.
Of the numerous Harper’s Ferry rifle muskets to be sold, a Model 1855 .58 caliber example with a 33″ round barrel comes with its socket bayonet, scabbard and “US” frog. Dated 1860, the rifle has a Maynard tape primer compartment, iron hardware, and a walnut stock which should help drive it to a sale price of $4,000-6,000.
A great selection of Colt and Smith and Wesson revolvers will be offered, including cased examples. A cased Colt Root Model 1855 pocket revolver is a sidehammer, fifth model with a .31 caliber and a 3 1/2″ round barrel. A fluted cylinder, New York address, and walnut grips adorn the piece which comes in a mahogany case with flask, mold, and other accoutrements (estimate $1,500-2,500). A Colt Model 1851Navy revolver stands out thank to the cylinder with engraved naval scene. The .36 caliber weapon with the 7 1/2″ octagonal barrel, large brass trigger guard, and walnut grips should fetch $1,000-2,000. A Colt Model 1860 Army revolver (.44 caliber), a cased Colt Model 1849 pocket revolver (.31 caliber), and a Colt Model 1861 Navy Richards-Mason conversion revolver (.38 caliber rimfire) are each expected to sell for $1,000-2,000.
A Naval cutlass by Ames Manufacturing Company and a Model 1860 Staff and Field officer’s sword are among the bladed weapons to be sold. The array of accoutrement among the session includes many cartridge belts, bullet molds, bayonets, scabbards, and an incredible Civil War photograph album (estimate $1,000-2,000). A Sharps New Model 1859 Military rifle, .52 caliber, 30″ round barrel with three bands, and S/n 39576 is another exciting option at $3,000-$5,000.
While not from the Hallock collection, an amazing group of 19 taxidermy whole, half and head mounts will be offered at the end of the weapons session. They will likely make bidders feel they have been hunting or on a safari when they enter the gallery. The consignor collected what Garth’s staff is calling the “nicest collection of mounts” the company has ever handled from the full body examples of an African lion (estimate $2,000-4,000), a Grizzly bear (estimate $2,000-4,000), a mountain lion/cougar (estimate $4,000-6,000) and a polar bear (estimate $8,000-12,000) to smaller head mounts of bison, impala, gazelle, sheep and a stunning zebra (estimate $2,000-3,000).
MEDICAL: The Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Megna
Energetic, bright, engaged and direct, Bridget & Bob Megna’s spirited approach to everything they do is at once refreshing and a little intimidating – but, not for long. Their dedication and enthusiasm for their collections is contagious as Mrs. Megna once commented about their purchasing habits, “I’m not sure we had any criteria – we just loved the stuff. Really, we loved the stuff.” Taking stock of the medical collection, displayed in their historic home outside Dallas, Texas, one could quickly conclude that at least two forces were guiding their buying: form and history. Mrs. Megna admits to being attracted by the whimsical and unusual while the good doctor was all about research and history. This great combination took them to auctions and shops all over the world. Trips weren’t always planned around shopping for their collection – but, on every trip, they found themselves looking. From the streets of London to rural roadsides in Texas, they methodically built a collection that is at once fascinating and simple in its focus.
A group of glass and ceramic apothecary jars is among the most recognizable of the medical antiques. A Royal Doulton “Leeches” jar with a cobalt glaze and hand-painted label measures 9 ½” high and carries an estimate of $6,000-7,000. A pair of Staffordshire jars with cobalt and gilt decoration for “Leeches” and “Honey” on cream glazed bodies should fetch $7,000-8,000. A beautiful, 31” high cut glass, pear-shaped apothecary jar on pedestal base is adorned with cut panels and stars (estimate $900-1,200).
An American, mid 19th century, surgeon’s kit in a fitted rosewood case marked “G. Tiemann & Co…NY” includes items such as a bullet forceps, sponge holder, bullet probe with porcelain tip, Knotts vaginal speculum, intra-uterine irrigation syringe, horn handled trephine, nasal speculum and finger saw (estimate $2,500-4,500). A Civil War-era surgeon’s kit with a saw and knife blades marked “Young, Edinr.” appears relatively complete in the curly maple fitted and velvet lined case. A note held within states “Army Surgical Instrument Case made for American, War, Col. H.T. Bates”. The case kit is expected to sell for $2,000-3,000. Other cased optician, surgical and dentist kits will also be sold. A French cased set of bleeding cups includes five glass cups with brass bleeder, suction pump, and hose within a fitted walnut case marked “Mon. Charriere Collin, Paris” (estimate $1,500-3,000).
Hundreds of framed individual and grouped medical tools will also be sold including blown glass syringes, scalpel lancets, bone saws, obstetric instruments, and more. A selection of fine microscopes, specimen cupboards, medical books, and phrenology heads represent the somewhat expected items, while an item billed as a “Quack medical device” represents the slightly more bizarre. The “Davis & Kidder’s Electric Machine from W.H.Burnap, New York, produced an electrical current to cure nervous diseases (estimate $225-450). Fine portraits of doctors and medical scenes will round out the session.
AMERICANA
Featuring items from the 50 year collection of the Late Virginia Bare of Hillsboro, Ohio, the Americana to sell during the Saturday session is colorful and fun. Whether your collecting habits find you favoring gameboards, theorems, stone fruit, and prison art or painted blanket chests, samplers, paintings or formal furniture, there will be something of interest in the 600+ lots.
A New England “butterfly” table is among the smaller pieces of furniture to be sold. The 18th century maple, oval-top example has an old finish that shows traces of red paint. The small size, turned splay legs and shaped supports for the dropleaves will propel it to a $1,500-2,500 sale price. For a larger space, choose one of the 16 corner, hanging, or step-back cupboards in the sale. A fine Ohio Valley walnut and poplar example is a one-piece of diminutive size at only 73 1/2” high. With two, four-panel doors each with string inlay flanked by stiles with meandering vines terminating in tripartite leaves, it only requires a 28′ corner and a hammer bid expected to be in the $1,000-2,000 range. A decorated poplar wall cupboard will command attention thanks to the fine, original faux mahogany grain paint. With a molded cornice, a high pie shelf and nice cutout feet, the cupboard is estimated at $2,500-3,500.
A decorated blanket chest signed Martha Cahoon (1905-1999) is a mid 20th century piece of unusual form but great whimsy. With a drawer over a cabinet, it is decorated with a scene of General Washington reviewing his troops and the door with “Washington 1794” against a faux bird’s-eye maple ground (estimate $3,000-5,000). Martha Cahoon and her husband Ralph (1910-1982) were well-known furniture decorators in Cotuit, Massachusetts.
Of the fine art to cross the block, an oil on canvas springtime landscape by Adolph Robert Shulz (Wisconsin/Indiana, 1869-1963) depicts a rustic barn and wagon at center. At 30”h. 36”w., the work is anticipated to reach $4,000-8,000. With 40+ portraits to be sold during the Saturday session, eyes will likely be drawn to the several depicting children. An unsigned, but well-done, oil on canvas portrait of a young girl wearing a yellow dress with hat and whip seated on a portico should make $1,500-2,500. An oil on canvas, advertising illustration of a delivery man in his truck for Delaval Separator Company is quite graphic and in the style of advertising images by Norman Rockwell. This is most likely a work done for a company calendar and the vibrant 28”h. x 20”w. piece is estimated at $1,500-2,500.
Other attention-grabbing items will include a cast iron hunting dog-form lawn ornament. The 29 1/2”h. 48”l. figure has very good detail and was cast at the Gray Iron Foundry in Poultney, Vermont, ca. 1835-1850 (estimate $6,000-$9,000). A bonanza of eleven trade signs will be snapped up by bidders throughout the session. An American, late 19th century, soft wood carved pretzel with old gold paint measures 13”h. 22 1/2”w. (estimate $1,000-2,000). A large 29” high sheet zinc bell trade sign from Medina, Ohio should ring in at $300-500 and an American zinc oculist sign in the form of spectacles with eyeballs and the name “Oculists prescriptions Compounded, J. H. Bayley, OPT.D.” measures 36” w. and will easily reach $500-800 given the original polychrome paint with great color.
Load all your purchases up and head home in a 1966 Corvair Monza sport sedan! Appearing all original, the four door is estimated to go quickly at $1,500-2,500.
Garth’s Labor Day Weekend Americana Auction catalog will be online at www.garths.com. Garth’s, located at 2690 Stratford Road, Delaware, Ohio 43015, will have preview hours in its gallery from August 29 through September 3. For further information, please contact [email protected] or call 740-362-4771.
