Wickliff Auctions, Carmel, Indiana

On the last day of February, 2015, Wickliff Auctions produced a good sized estate auction in Carmel, Indiana. The auction was primarily jewelry and wall art, but there was a smattering of early American art pottery from several major manufacturers. The facilities were excellent as always, the staff was very professional and friendly, and the participants were of the highest caliber. Refreshments were provided throughout the auction, and a security officer was ever-present to ensure the safety of all involved. Catalogs were provided to all participants, with excellent descriptions and each lot sequentially numbered. Two large monitors provided images of the items as the came up for bid so that everyone could clearly see the items.

Sadly, there was only a single Weller Pottery lot, consisting of two vases.

We would normally have been pleased to take these Weller vases home, but the larger vase had a an almost 2 inch by 1 inch chunk of glaze missing on the other side. The blue piece was dirty but in decent shape, so we figured to take them if the bidding remained low. Alas, it was not to be, because although the description included "some imperfections", the internet bidders could not know the extent of the damage. This lot sold to an internet bidder for $250, and with 15% buyers premium and a 7% sales tax, they ended up paying $305  for the pair, not including shipping. This should be an object lesson for anyone who thinks internet bidding is a good substitute for actually being there when purchasing pottery. We stopped bidding at $30.00, and do have great sympathy for the winner.

We did pick up some great deals on Lalique and Steuben Glass, so the day ended well for us. Overall a nice way to spend an afternoon.