With a full house of enthusiastic buyers and over 350 absentee bids Michael and Seth Fallon of Copake Auction conducted an approximately 500 lot catalogued Americana auction on September 8, 2007 at 5 pm. The sale featured items from the Peter Riva home in Amenia, NY, the Roni Hared estate in Westchester County and a doctor’s home in Rye NY. “We’ve been fortunate to be given a number of estates recently with exciting fresh to the market merchandise and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down for us” Seth Fallon commented. “The last several sales have had an eclectic flare and some quite unique items, at least that’s the general consensus we’ve received from our customers” Mike Fallon added.

The sale started strong with a 1940’s Wurlitzer juke box from the Rye New York estate selling for $6,490. Also from the same estate were two carousel horses which brought $2,200 and $5,775 and a Stafford Nickelodeon Co. player piano in excellent working condition which sold for $4,400. “It sounded like a band was hired to entertain during our preview, the number of instruments and songs that thing played was extraordinary!” Seth commented. Furniture highlights included an outstanding early 19th C. Hepplewhite inlaid single drawer stand $2,420, 18th C. New England cherry highboy $4,950, Circa 1800-15 Federal sofa $3,960, 19th C. diminutive inlaid mahogany Hepplewhite sideboard $2,035 and a pair of 18th C. Queen Anne side chairs $1,320. A wonderful collection of stoneware was offered with individual pieces ranging in price from $100 to $450, the best being a “White’s Utica” with double birds on floral bush design. 

A collection of Native American baskets were offered with prices ranging all the way from $25 to $3,410. “The Native American baskets and rugs in this sale exceeded are expectations and catalogued estimates, they were just aesthetically wonderful items” Mike commented. A room size rug fetched $3,300 while others of various sizes and designs brought anywhere from $100 to $1,500.

Highlights in the category of paintings include a 19th C. portrait of “Mrs. Herrington” $1,375, a watercolor painting of Gelders General Store for the set of Hello Dolly $990, an original illustration for “Wind in the Willows” by David K. Stone $825 and a pair of 19th C. silhouettes (ex Schorsch collection) $770.

Known for their annual textile auction, Copake consistently features a selection of quilts and coverlets in their regular Americana auctions. This sale’s highlights include a 19th C. floral wreath appliqué quilt $1,980, a 19th C. Dutchess county jacquard coverlet $1,430 and a 19th C. rose of Sharon appliqué variation $1,320.