Work started on 4th February to expand the retail area with better, clearer displays, dedicated seating for stamp viewing and interactive information points for an exciting new shopping experience.

The famous curved stamp counter will remain and the shop will continue to offer an unrivalled range of philatelic items, coupled with the expertise expected from the dedicated team of philatelic specialists.

Business as usual… almost

On 4th February Fraser’s Autographs vacated the first floor gallery. During this time Frasers will continue to operate via mail order and the website www.frasersautographs.com with a free postage promotion for orders placed during the refurbishment. Frasers auction lot viewings and appraisals will be by appointment only during this time. Stamp auction lot viewings and valuations will also be by appointment only.

On 15th February the stamp shop will temporarily relocate to the first floor Fraser’s Gallery for six weeks, with customers accessing the store by the side office entrance which will be clearly signposted.

On the 29th March the stamp shop will relocate to part of its new permanent home in the basement.

The shop is due for completion mid-April when the stamp shop will comprise two new-look floors and a revamped flexible first floor space for seminars, events, meetings and auctions.

London 2010

The new look 399 Strand will host several special events for collectors during the London 2010 International Stamp Exhibition in May, with a free shuttle bus operating between the Business Design Centre and the new look store to give everyone a chance to check out the changes.

With more stamps and accessories on display than ever before, the new look 399 Strand is sure to form an integral part of the London 2010 experience.

Refurbishment news

The refurbishment work will be documented photographically and uploaded to the Stanley Gibbons website www.stanleygibbons.com/newshop. Visit the website regularly to find out what’s going on and when and catch a glimpse of the new look 399 before it opens to the public mid April.

Have your say

Whether you would like to change the opening hours, have a comment on the refund policy or Strand Savers Card or have something more general you would like to say, upload your comments at www.stanleygibbons.com/newshop

“The Heyde lots really got the momentum going,” said Old Toy Soldier Auction USA’s owner, Ray Haradin. “There was a tremendous amount of interest in them, and in all the German-made figures, for that matter.”

Haradin explained that collectors are attracted to Heyde figures because they are highly realistic and do not look mass produced. “Their sets are very fanciful. They tend to have 20 pieces in them, with all 20 being different, so they display very nicely. Also, Heyde made their figures in a larger scale than Britains did, so they tend to cross over more with toy and train collectors.”

The top-selling Heyde set in Old Toy Soldier’s November sale was an 1890 ensemble of 15 pieces featuring Frederick the Great on his white mount, flag bearer, guards and two African drummers. Estimated at $700-$1,000, the grouping was bid to a hefty $4,425 (all prices quoted inclusive of 18 percent buyer’s premium).

Heyde 15-piece set made in 1890 depicting Frederick the Great on white horse, with flag
bearer, guards and two African drummers. Sold for $4,425 against an estimate of $700-$1,000. (Photo: Old Toy Soldier Auctions.)

Other Heyde lots that finished well above estimate included an extremely rare, boxed circa-1910 Old Volunteer Corps comprised of officer drummer and 10 men and 10 men, $3,835; and a set called the Napoleonic Old Guard, $1,416.

Britains is the brand that has the largest collector base of all the toy soldier companies, and Haradin said that more than 100 “regular, very active collectors” of Britains participate in his sales. “Because Britains produced so many sets, it takes persistence if you want to be a ‘completist,’ but that’s what makes it so enjoyable,” he said. “In this sale we saw a lot of bidders going after the pre-World War I sets from the renowned collection of Deutschebank managing director Vincent C. Banker.” Mr. Banker’s premier collection of figures was previously featured in Town & Country magazine.

Among the Britains auctioned on Nov. 21, a Life Guard Band in red achieved $2,714 against a $700 high estimate, while a civilian figural pair known as the Lambeth Walk Dancers achieved $1,770. An exceptionally rare H.R.H. The Prince of Wales in the uniform of the Welsh Guards, made around 1939, retained its original box indicating it was made exclusively for the souvenir shop at Madame Tussauds in London. It garnered an above-estimate price of $2,360.

Few Britains productions rival the charm of their 1937-1941 Noah’s Ark with figures of Noah, his wife and 22 animals. With a box ingeniously designed to double as an ark, the set drew a throng of bidders who sent the lot sailing to a closing price of $5,900.

A much-anticipated highlight of the sale was the late Dr. James “Doc” Wengert’s collection of figures, vehicles and other scale-model toys related to military medicine. A third-generation physician, Dr. Wengert served as a U.S. Navy flight surgeon during the Vietnam War. Because of his profession, he chose to specialize in medical figures – doctors, nurses, orderlies, stretcher bearers, wounded soldiers – and all the accoutrements that a collector might desire in setting up a miniature M.A.S.H unit, like operating tents, field kitchens, rescue dogs and emergency vehicles.

“Many new people with a connection to medicine – notably physicians and dentists – heard about this unique collection and decided to bid in the sale. They couldn’t have picked a better way to get started in this specialty collecting field,” said Haradin, noting that there “strength all across this part of the sale. The prices weren’t huge numbers, but they were consistently above estimate.” A very rare circa-1890 British medical ensemble made by T. Krause (Germany) and featuring 20 pieces was the highest-priced lot from the Wengert collection. Featuring a medical tent, tinplate horse-drawn medical wagon, medical officers, nurse, and other figures and accessories, it sold for $2,124 against a high estimate of $1,200.

Single figures that were made by special order at the Britains factory in 1938 included two khaki-attired medics – one with a forage cap, the other with a peaked cap. They sold well above estimate at $767 and $798, respectively. A circa-1934 Johillco brand 5-piece Abyssinian Red Cross Unit with original red-and-white-labeled box made $650.

Together with the antique and vintage pieces that form the core of his sales, Haradin always offers a selection of later soldiers and figures to encourage new collectors. “If you don’t want to dive right into the earlier market, buying quality pieces from the 1980s is a great way to get your feet wet and become involved in the hobby,” Haradin said. He noted that even the more recently made military miniatures are seeing a “nice spike in value” at auction. In the November sale, a 1980s King & Country TK011 Austin K2 Ambulance, gloss green version and one of only 20 made, sped past its $400-$600 estimate to apply the brakes at $1,416.

On Saturday, May 1, 2010, Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA will conduct an absentee, phone and Internet auction (through LiveAuctioneers.com) from its home base in Pittsburgh. The event will feature the premier Britains collection of brothers Don Thompson and the late Bill Thompson, as well as part III of the John Graham collection. Additional select properties, including a San Francisco collection of coveted 1950s Courtenay knights, will round out the auction offering.

For additional information, call 412-343-8733 or 800-349-8009; or visit Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA online at www.oldtoysoldierauctions.com. Watch for the fully illustrated electronic catalog at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Bugatti Veyron: $ 1.700.000 

The most visited entries presented on NewLuxuryItems.com include the world’s most expensive actresses, the world’s most expensive dog breeds, the world’s most expensive leather accessories which includes items such as wallets, purses, business card holders, padfolios, and many, many more. By far, the entry that brings the largest number of visitors each day is the ‘World’s Most Expensive Car’ entry. This subject has been an interest for all car enthusiasts, regardless of sex or age, since the first supercars were unveiled to the international audience.Although the prices for cars which make it into the ‘world’s most expensive car’ top ten, presented by New Luxury Items on its website NewLuxuryItems.com are simply prohibitive for the most of those interested in this subject, users are still always trying to find out what is the world’s most expensive car. For this reason, the United States based New Luxury Items is constantly reviewing the international car scene, in order to be able to provide its daily visitors with the newest resources and information on this subject.For more information about the company and its services, please visit the website, or use the contact details below: http://www.newluxuryitems.com

Just prior to the December 2009 sales increase, TIAS had launched a number of initiatives that were designed to make buyers more comfortable purchasing from TIAS merchants. The company had found one of the biggest obstacles customers had when buying antiques and collectibles online was the lack of “trust” when buying items from independent online merchants . To address this issue, in November of 2009 TIAS launched the “TIAS Trusted Merchant” program. When a customer buys from a “TIAS Trusted Merchant” their purchase is guaranteed by TIAS.com for up to $500 of the purchase price and they may return the item for any reason within a minimum of 7 days of their purchase (program details are available online).

“I spoke to a merchant last week who has been selling on TIAS since 1997. She mentioned that her sales this past December were probably the highest she has seen since she first opened her online shop.” said Phillip Davies President of TIAS.com “The dramatic increase in sales that many TIAS dealers saw during the Holiday shopping rush, just reaffirms our belief that customers are ready to buy, they just want to trust the vendor they are buying from.”

During the first quarter of 2010 TIAS.com will be launching a number of new features and services that are designed to make buying easier for shoppers and selling easier for their merchants. For more information about becoming a TIAS merchant visit http://www.MakeAShop.com.

The bottle — trademarked Sutters Old Mill, Spruance Stanley & Co., Proprietors — had an applied top and boasted loads of whittle, in a brilliant bluish aqua color. “This one had a solid strike and we can’t imagine a better example,” said Jeff Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions. “This very same bottle sold in one of our earlier auctions, and it set a record price. It’s the real deal, the very best.”

It was the 49th Internet and catalog auction for American Bottle Auctions, which specializes in rare and vintage bottles mostly made between 1850 and 1900, the period most desired by collectors, when superior embossing techniques were employed. Nearly 5,000 people registered to bid, but only a fraction of that total (around 300 people) actually submitted bids. Of those, 175 were winning bidders.

“The market right now is as strong as I’ve ever seen it,” remarked Mr. Wichmann. “Every sale we have seems to be better than the one before it. This auction was certainly one of our best ever. I attribute that to the tremendous variety of merchandise, and the response to that merchandise by our bidders. Historical flasks and bitters did especially well. They’re sitting atop the bottle market now.”

Following are additional highlights of the sale. All prices quoted include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.

A “For Our Country/Eagle” pint flask, over 150 years old, with sheared lip and pontil, in a color best described as tobacco green with striations of olive, soared to $14,560. The bottle was graded 9.8 and depicted a 20-star flag surrounded by six ribs. Also, a Baltimore Sunburst half-pint (circa 1840-50), graded 9.8, in a light to medium pinkish copper color and a superior high-quality example, hit $11,200.

A spectacular Bridgeton New Jersey-Washington bottle with sheared lip and jagged tubular pontil, graded 9.8 and with an outstanding medium to deep amber coloration near the base, climbed to $10,080. Also, a flawless Miller’s Extra E. Martin Old Bourbon trademark, probably the most desired of the Cutter fifths, with strong embossing and an overall beautiful patina to the glass, rose to $8,960.

A Washington/Baltimore Glassworks portrait pint flask showing the Baltimore Monument and a bust of George Washington (circa 1830-50), with rolled lip and pontil, graded 9.3, medium green and somewhat crude, with surface irregularities, breezed to $8,400; and a Corn For the World quart flask with embossed corn and the Baltimore Monument on the reverse, graded at 9.8, commanded $7,840.

A trademark Lightning quart jar, with Putnam 328 on the base and a replaced top and painted lid, boasting overall nice whittle and emerald green in color one of only six such jars in this shade), graded 9.8, coasted to $7,280; and a J.H. Cutter Old Bourbon (E. Martin & Co., Sole Agents) banded pint flask, with a popular crown on the shoulder and a single roll top, graded 9.3, gaveled for $5,376.

A National Bitters (with Patent 1867 on the base) bottle, with an applied top and, remarkably, still with the original label, rare for its beautiful and brilliant ruby red coloration, graded 9.9, climbed to $5,152; and a Jesse Moore (Hunt & Co., Sole Agents) western whiskey fifth bottle with gorgeous pint banded flask, wonderfully embossed but with some condition issues, graded 9.7, topped out at $3,808.

A Pineapple bitters bottle, unembossed, with applied top and smooth base, green with some yellow and graded 9.8, hammered for $4,928; a Henley’s Wild Grape Root Bitters bottle with tooled top, in a highly whittled aqua-teal variant and filled with bubbles, demanded $4,256; and a Bryant’s Stomach Bitters bottle with applied top and sticky ball pontil, brilliant emerald in color, fetched $4,032.

A National Bitters (Patent 1867 on the base) bottle, with applied top and colored a brilliant yellow with a touch of green (almost transparent yellow toward the top, becoming a more vibrant hue near the base), graded 9.8, sold for $4,032; and a Harkness Fire Destroyer extinguisher (circa 1865-85), with ground lip, 6 ¼ inches, unusually colored in sapphire blue and pure oxblood puce, brought $4,032.

A trademark Lightning half-gallon jar, showing Putnam 368 on the base and with the original closure, in a stunning olive color and graded a respectable 9.8, went to a determined bidder for $3,808; and a Dr. A.W. Coleman’s Anti-Dyspeptic and Tonic Bitters bottle, 9 ¼ inches, made in Mobile, Ala., and in a beautiful green hue, graded 9.3, an example of one of the earliest bitters made, brought $3,808.

American Bottle Auctions was founded in 1990 by Jeff Wichmann, a native Californian who has been collecting antique bottles for nearly 40 years. Over time, the firm grew and underwent a name change, but the focus has remained the same: American Bottle Auctions specializes in appraising, brokering, consigning and auctioning antique bottles and glass. Bottle collecting is a burgeoning genre.

Mr. Wichmann has personally researched, appraised and estimated the values of thousands of antique bottles and related items. He is often called on to appraise antique bottles and glass for private individuals and businesses. In 1999, he wrote and published The Best of the West – Antique Western Bitters Bottles, a top research guide. He has also written many articles on the subject of antique bottles.

American Bottle Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single bottle or an entire collection, you may call them toll-free, at 1-800-806-7722; or, you can e-mail them, at info@americanbottle. The next auction is tentatively slated for late April or early May. Already, fresh groupings of bitters and historical flasks have been consigned, and marbles may be sold.

About American Bottle Auctions, please log on to www.AmericanBottle.com .

(Toronto, Canada) The International Society of Appraisers will celebrate its thirtieth birthday with an in depth three pronged Conference in Toronto on April 30-May 3. The Conference, entitled “Assets 2010”, will consist of programs in Fine Arts, Antiques and Residential Contents and Gems & Jewelry. Conference coordinator Kathryn Minard, ISA, CAPP, and conference co-chairs Irene Szylinger and Catherine Williams and Jim Poag, Gems and Jewelry program coordinator have arranged a lineup of credentialed powerhouse presenters for each session, a pair of dynamic keynote speakers, Robert Ramsay and David Ben, and scheduled tours of such important venues as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, the Bata Shoe Museum, the Textile Museum of Canada, Corona Jewelry Company, the Stephen Bulger Gallery and a tour of a private residence featuring Jamieson Tribal Art.

According to Minard one of the main points of emphasis for this Conference is affordability and flexibility. ISA has arranged very generous rates for participants at the host hotel, the Park Hyatt Toronto in downtown Ontario. It is close to convenient public transportation and is surrounded by a wide variety of eating establishments for all tastes and budgets.

While the Conference will have three distinct sections, participants will be encouraged to pick and choose among sessions to accommodate the cross-over interests of many attendees.

The Fine Art program will feature sessions on the art market, contemporary photography, Inuit art, authentication, insurance appraisals, cross border appraisals and report writing. Presenters will include Nicholas Metivier, owner Nicholas Metivier Gallery; Chris Varley private art dealer, Christopher Varley Fine Art; Patterson Sims, freelance curator, writer and lecturer; Robert Heffel, auctioneer, Heffel Fine Art; Doina Popescu, Curator, The Black Star Photography Collection, Ryerson University; Pat Feheley, Associate Professor, School of Image Arts, Ryerson University; Vivian Ebersman and Ann-Louise Seago of AXA Art Insurance headquartered in New York; Peter Paul Biro, Art Access & Research Limited; Marie-Claude Corbeil from the Canadian Conservation Institute; Cathy Peters, ISA, CAPP and Cross Border Appraisal presenters Leon Castner, ISA, CAPP, Kathryn Minard, ISA, CAPP, Norman Hurst, ISA, CAPP, and Sonia Lismer from the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board.

The Antiques and Residential Contents program will feature sessions on hallmarks, quilts, Victorian, style and design, paperweights, insurance appraisals, appraising pop culture, cross border appraisals and report writing. Presenters include some of the same presenters in the Fine Art program plus Bill Whetstone and Danusia Nikelwicz of the Hallmark Research Institute; Brian Musselewhite, Assistant Curator of the Royal Ontario Museum; Judy Lyons, ISA, AM, CPPAG of the American Quilters Association, and Lee Dunbar, a collection management specialist with Leila Dunbar Appraisals and Consulting.

The Gems & Jewelry adds Carole Tanenbaum, a costume jewelry expert; Dave Sawatzky  from Korite International, the maker of Ammolite jewelry from Calgary; Ravi Poddar, a  representative from Ontario based Byrex Gems; John Borzak, author of the Rolex Report and Paul Cassarino, ISA, CASPP, presenter of the report writing workshop.

The Conference itself is very reasonably priced beginning at $575 for ISA members with Super Saver early registration which ends January 31. Rates are slightly higher after that. Special rates are available for single day events and for spouses/guests. The tours and events are also very reasonably priced.  To register online go to http://www.assets2010.org.
Site of the course is the Park Hyatt Toronto, 4 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2E8 Canada, (416) 925-1234. A group discount rate is available through ISA for accommodations at the hotel. Hotel registration is available online at the above address. For more information contact the International Society of Appraisers, 737 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2100, Chicago IL 60611, phone (312) 981-6778, fax (312) 981-6787, email isa@isa-appraisers.org, website www.isa-appraisers.org

Long Beach, California - A $10 million exhibit of California Gold Rush sunken treasure recovered from the 1857 shipwreck of the SS Central America, the fabled “Ship of Gold,” will be publicly displayed during the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo in the Long Beach Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Ave., February 4 - 6, 2010.

The exhibit includes historic gold coins and huge gold bars — one of them weighs over 50 pounds — recovered from nearly 8,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. The collector’s show also features an exhibit of early American silver dollars and activities for young collectors. Many of the 1,000 dealers at the show will offer free, informal appraisals for the public’s old coins, paper money, stamps and other collectibles.

 ”The Central America was carrying tons of California gold when she sank in a hurricane in September 1857 during a voyage from Panama to New York City. About $10 million of that gold will be exhibited in an eye-opening public display housed in a specially-constructed 40-foot long representation of the ship’s hull,” said Ronald J. Gillio, Expo General Chairman. One of the most intriguing items in the display (see accompanying photo) is the remains of a wooden cargo box that still contains approximately 110 Double Eagles ($20 denomination gold coins) as they were found on the ocean floor.

The exhibit is courtesy of Monaco Rare Coins of Newport Beach and involved months of work to coordinate the display with collectors who privately own and now have generously loaned many of the items for the exhibit. Bob Evans, the chief scientist on the 1980’s mission that located and recovered the fabulous sunken treasure, will be at the exhibit each day during the show to meet with visitors and present educational programs about the Ship of Gold.

Visitors will also see an exhibit of early American silver half dollars minted from 1794 to 1832. Many of the superb-quality rare coins in the collection assembled by collector Dale Friend of Nevada and exhibited by Professional Coin Grading Service are the finest known of their kind. A free gold coin will be awarded daily to a lucky, registered visitor. A children’s treasure hunt will be held on Saturday, February 6. Educational programs and collectors’ clubs meetings will be conducted during the show and are open to the public.

Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, Texas, the world’s largest collectibles auction house, will hold a public sale of U.S. coins. The public hours of the Long Beach Expo are Thursday and Friday, February 4 and 5, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, February 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $6 (good for all three days); $4 for members of any coin or stamp club who display a valid membership card; and $3 for seniors 65 and older.

Free admission for children ages seven and younger. Discount coupons are available online at www.LongBeachExpo.com. For additional information, call Expos Unlimited at (805) 962-9939 or the Long Beach Convention Center at (562) 436-3636 during the show. The Long Beach Expo is a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).

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Website: Heritage Auction Galleries

The other question the auction will settle, at least for the time being, is one of the great debates of Pop Culture: Who is worth more today, Batman or Superman? “Since Heritage began auctioning vintage comics, we have heard more client requests for Detective #27 than for Superman’s first comic, Action #1, and that’s both from hard-core comic collectors and from clients in other fields who are interested in this issue as a pop culture milestone,” said Lon Allen, Director of Sales for the Comics Division of Heritage. “Superman came first, but I think in certain quarters Batman is the more popular character. This is probably the most desirable comic Heritage has ever auctioned.”

The third-party certification service CGC has graded the comic Very Fine 8.0, a grade that only one other copy of this issue has reached and none has surpassed.

“The eye appeal is absolutely outstanding,” said Lon Allen, Director of Sales for the Comics Division of Heritage. “Most comics from 1939 are smudged, torn, creased, and so on - this one’s got really bright colors and looks fresh. It has no restoration which is a major plus as well. We’ve never handled a copy that’s anywhere near this nice.”

Heritage has not disclosed the source of the comic other than to note it comes from a savvy collector who assembled his collection in the 1960s and 1970s.

“Back then, if someone spent even $100 on a comic book from the 1930s or 1940s, which is what the collector paid for it, it was considered absurd by the general public,” said Allen, “but smart buyers who did their legwork and paid so-called ‘outrageous’ prices could put together excellent collections that today’s collectors are envious of.” To say that today’s hordes of comic collectors, Batman fans and Pop Culture devotees are envious of a comic such as this, bought for a mere fraction of what the current price will be, is an easy understatement. By late February the top collectors in the world will be eyeing this book closely, and weighing just how much it’s worth to them to have the have the holy grail of comic books, and to be part of history.