By Eric C. Rodenberg MARIETTA, Ohio – Andrew Richmond could not have chosen a better collection for his first online auction. With his experience at both Garth’s and Cowan’s auction houses and his interest in Americana, the whiskey collection from an Illinois collector is right up his alley. The collection includes more than three dozen 1-gallon stoneware whiskey jugs and more than 70 miniature advertising jugs. There are also dozens of glass flasks, figural flasks, advertising signs and 100 pre-prohibition shot glasses. All of these were collected the old fashioned way. “He didn’t own a computer. All his collecting was done out on the road, either at shows or auctions. And it’s just incredible, the sheer quantity and diversity here … I can’t imagine if he had a computer,” Richmond said. The collector was in his 80s when he died last year. His wife is still living, but they have no children. Richmond said when she dies; the rest of the estate is going to an educational charity. “Although I am not getting back into the auction business fulltime, I am looking for opportunities, such as this, for interesting and desirable collections that could make a fun auction,” he said. Currently Richmond handles a variety of quality American antiques through his antiques business, The Ohio Company Antiques & Art, under whose name this auction will be run. He is also the president of Wipiak Consulting & Appraisals, which specializes in appraisals for museums and private collectors. The online catalog for the April 6 auction is available at www.ohiocompanyantiques.com. The auction begins at noon on Live Auctioneers. Online bidders may leave bids prior to the sale, or bid live. “And what really amazes me,” Richmond said, “besides the diversity, is that we have material from across the United States. There are miniature jugs from California, Louisiana, Texas, Omaha … you name it. There’s also other stoneware.” There are also shot glasses, most of them dating to Pre-Prohibition, that are from throughout the country, Richmond said. Originally, the collector whose items Richmond is selling started as a railroad collector; but, moved into flasks after buying an Anna pottery pig. “That was his favorite piece,” Richmond said. “I look for it to be at the top end of the sale.” The 8-inch long ceramic pig flask does not have a railroad map, like many of the flasks made by the brothers Cornwall and Wallace Kirkpatrick in the southern Illinois town of Anna. The advertising whiskey jugs, especially the miniatures, are also sure to draw collectors. Today you might get a coaster advertising your favorite beer when you visit the bar, in the past you might have received a miniature stoneware jug. Miniatures are generally 2 ¼ to 3 ½ inches in height, although some may be larger. They could advertise a product, a maker or an establishment or a combination of those. The information was either scratched into the clay or stenciled. There are also non whiskey related items in the auction such as a couple hundred snuff boxes (including nice sailor scrimshaw work), a collection of silver plate and china from the Pennsylvania Railroad, a collection of both antique and vintage of B&O Railroad china and a collection of American Marine pattern china. Contact: (740) 972-5094 www.ohiocompanyantiques.com |