ABINGDON, Va. – On the last Saturday of the year, A-OK Auction Company will feature about 400 lots of fine antiques, notable if for nothing else, for the impeccable condition of its offerings. Nearly half of the sale will consist of high-end furniture and art from an exclusive Miami antique store which had been in business for 40 years. The remainder of the auction features part of the estate of Thomas E. Merrihue of Emory, Va. “Everything Mr. Merrihue bought was the best,” Alan Shope, owner of A-OK Auctions, said. “He was just one great collector. It’s amazing what he bought over more than 40 years of collecting. During those years, he did a lot of trading. He was very knowledgeable about what he was doing.” Merrihue died earlier this year at the age of 80. He was an educator and long-time Boy Scout leader. “The world lost a great deal of knowledge when he died,” Shope said. Merrihue was an avid Civil War collector, evidenced by a rare 1863-dated Union Arms contracted rifled musket, one of only 300 such weapons purchased by the state of New York. It comes complete with bayonet, and according to Shope, is 100 percent original and in “about as fine condition as this gun is ever found.” Also offered at the sale is a treasure trove of early paper currency, U.S. gold type sets, early American Indian gold coins, silver coins, and more. “As far as Confederate currency, you won’t find them in this condition anywhere,” Shope said. The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air has drawn an appreciable amount of attention, Shope said. As a nice piece of “eye candy,” it is a flashy example of the best. But, in this auction, discerning collectors will find several lots burnished with the same splendor as the Bel Air, Shope said. The auction begins at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 30. Contact: (276) 676-0009 www.aokauctioncompany.com |