152 rare antique bottles will be sold in what will be one of the firm’s most important sales ever.
(WOODSTOCK, Conn.) – What could well be one of Norman C. Heckler & Company’s most important absentee sales ever held will open for bidding on Monday, Nov. 4th at 9 a.m. (EST) and end Wednesday, Nov. 13th at 10 p.m. Offered will be 152 lots of early glass, historical flasks, fancy colognes, hat whimsies, bitters, medicines, inks, a fruit jar, black glass and more.
Mr. Heckler said, “We are pleased to be presenting a diverse group of exciting objects from several important collections. It took two years to put this auction together, and we anticipate a knockout event.” A full posting of all the lots will be up soon at
www.hecklerauction.com. Color catalogs will be available soon, too.
Two lots expected to attract keen bidder interest are a Cornucopia-Pinwheel American figured flask, half pint, made circa 1820-1840, probably in the Midwest, and unique in its deep blood red color (est. $25,000-$50,000); and a pale citron striated Baltimore And Monument – “Corn For The World” quart historical flask manufactured by the Baltimore Glass Works, made circa 1840-1860 (est. $5,000-$10,000).
From the American blown tableware category is a rare freeblown pitcher, probably made by the Willington (Conn.) Glass Works 1815-1850, having a large bulbous body with applied glass handle, 6 5/8 inches tall (est. $10,000-$20,000); and a freeblown vase probably made in southern New Jersey 1820-1850, in a bright crisp bluish aquamarine (est. $6,000-$12,000).
The only fruit jar in the auction is a cylindrical, deep cobalt blue example (the only known one in this color), embossed “Patented Oct. 19, 1858” (on the lid top), made in America sometime between 1858 and 1880 (est. $5,000-$10,000). Also, a blown three mold inkwell, probably made by Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) Glass Works circa 1820-1840 in a sapphire blue, should hit $4,000-$8,000.
Bottles in a variety of forms will be offered. These will feature a “Welden Spring, St. Albans, Vt.” – “Alterative / Chalybeate” quart mineral water bottle, made circa 1860-1880 in a deep reddish amber color, cylindrical in shape (est. $4,000-$8,000); and an “A. M. Bininger & Co.” figural whiskey bottle in the form of a vase, yellow amber, circa 1860-1870 (est. $1,000-$2,000).
Premier cologne bottles from the Ralph Finch Collection will include a brilliant yellow green paneled bottle, probably made by Boston & Sandwich (Mass.) Glass Works, circa 1840-1860, in tall tapered 12-sided form (est. $800-$1,600); and a figural example in square monument form, probably by the same maker, circa 1860-1888 (est. $1,200-$2,400).
A pair of American historical flasks bound to command attention are a Sheaf Of Grain historical quart calabash flask made circa 1845-1860 by Baltimore Glass Works, in a rare cobalt blue (est. $10,000-$20,000); and a Jenny Lind “Glass Works / S. Huffsey” historical quart calabash flask, bluish green, made circa 1850-1860 by Isabella Glass Works of Brooklyn, N.J. (est. $1,500-$3,000).
Early American figured flasks will feature an Eagle-Cornucopia flask, probably from the early Pittsburgh (Pa.) district, made circa1820-1840, in an outstanding medium sapphire blue color (est. $8,000-$16,000); and a rare Isabella Glass Works flask (Brooklyn, N.J.), in a beautiful blue green color, made between 1840 and 1860 (est. $5,000-$10,000).
A pair of hat whimsies bound to get attention are a blown three mold glass hat whimsey made circa 1820-1840 by the Keene (N.H.) Marlboro Street Glassworks, cylindrical form, medium yellow olive in color (est. $5,000-$10,000); and a freeblown hat whimsey on a stem most likely made by Coventry (Conn.) Glass Works, circa 1813-1848, medium yellow olive (est. $2,000-$4,000).
Collectors of rare American medicine bottles will be delighted by a “Pike & Osgood / Boston, Mass.” – “Alterative Syrup” medicine bottle, manufactured by a Stoddard glasshouse (N.H.), circa 1840-1860, olive amber (est. $6,000-$12,000); and a “Dr. Stephen Jewett’s / Celebrated Health / Restoring Bitters” bottle, also from Stoddard and made circa 1840-1860 (est. $2,500-$5,000).
Last, but certainly not least, a sampling of two half-pint flasks from the Carl Sturm collection: a “Not For Joe” pictorial flask with a girl on a bicycle, made in America circa 1860-1870 and the only known example in this size, amber (est. $3,000-$6,000); and an eagle flask made by Louisville (Ky.) Glass Works, circa 1860-1865, yellow olive (est. 2,000-$4,000).
Previews will be held from Oct. 15-Nov. 12 at Norman C. Heckler & Company’s gallery facility, located at 79 Bradford Corner Road in Woodstock Valley, Conn. There, bidders will be able to inspect the bottles being offered, during regular business hours of 9-4, Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, please call (860) 974-1634.
Norman C. Heckler & Company was founded in 1987 as a full-service auction and appraisal firm. Today it is the foremost auction house in the U.S. for antique glass. In Oct. 2010, the firm set a record for an antique glass bottle at auction when a General Jackson eagle portrait flask went for $176,670. In addition to glass, the firm also offers early American antique items.
Norman C. Heckler & Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To inquire about consigning a single piece or an entire collection, you may call them at (860) 974-1634; or, you can e-mail them at [email protected]. To learn more about the upcoming Auction #106 slated for Nov. 4th-13th, please visit www.hecklerauction.com.