On Feb. 21 I posted about a Victorian bed by Herter Bros that exchanged hands for $326,000 at a Bonhams & Butterfields auction that took place in New York City on Jan. 22. Well, the high end of antique Victorian furniture continues to soar. A bed made by John Henry Belter gaveled down at $201,250 at an estate sale held by Hal Hunt Auctions in Northport, AL on February 21. Somebody seems to be surviving the current economy.
“There were some great bargains that might have brought stronger prices in better times,” Mr. Hunt is quoted as saying, “but serious buyers paid top dollar for the high-quality merchandise.”
The collection at this estate sale must have been something to behold. The Belter bed was the top of the lot. It’s an exceptionally rare piece, the only other extant example of which is in the Brooklyn Museum. But there were plenty of other pieces by Belter, not to mention Alexander Roux, J and JW Meeks, Mitchells & Rammelsburg and more.
A mint condition, 10-piece laminated rosewood parlor suite in the Milwaukee pattern by Belter went for $132,250. And many of the other pieces were well into five figures.
Mr. Hunt feels that people are putting their money into hard assets these days, instead of stocks and bond. He remarks that “the nice thing about quality antiques is, you can actually enjoy them while you own them, and they almost always appreciate in value.” Note the words “quality antiques.” A lot of the despair these days is taking place at the low end.
I have two links for you here. This one is to a write up on the sale at PR-inside. This one is a preview of the sale at Auction Central News. I’ve included the preview because the photos are better, especially of that Victorian bed by Belter. I could sleep in it, to say the least. Don’t have the 200 grand to afford it at the moment, but it’s an object that I would find worthy of wealth if I ever had it.