Auction Fever

[roger]

Topic moved - Site Admin.

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Never wave to a friend or pick your nose at an auction... You could end up way over your budget.

One of these fortune tellers sold at a Morphy auction 1/29/16 for $ 210,000.

Yesterday, Morphy sold another Madam Zita for $ 24,000....Yes, that's $24,000...
The guy who paid $210,0000 will likely take a hefty haircut+
Some time ago sweetmeats posted a pre-war picture of this fortune teller in England... I wonder what the owner/operator would have to say about the current prices in the U.S.A.

[roger]

There seems to be some confusion about the sale price of the Madam Zita at Morphy on November 5th....
I watched the auction live on the internet and they showed a sale of $24,000. Apparently, it did not reach reserve as it is excluded from the most recent list of sold items.
In any case, it does not bode well for the guy who paid $210,000 some time ago. ROGER

[tim575]

Many items went for less than prior auctions, often at the min. estimate or just the opening bid at half of that. Toward the end of the auction were 3 single Mills Violano Virtuosos, all noted as working, two noted as sounding good/in tune. One of those went to the floor for $7,500 as the only opening bid, and the other to the internet for $10,000 (if they met reserve), and one that said some work was needed had zero offers to open and was a pass. In past auctions in working condition they normally went for $15,000 to $25,000, and I remember in the past when they would be in the 30s. Note however, at that auction house sometimes instead of saying pass they will show an opening bid and stop as sold if that does not get anyone going with more bids.

[sweetmeats]

With regard to the Madam Zita fortune tellers the original Roover's machines from circa 1890 were reproduced in the early 2000s. About 20 were made and sold for under $10,000 each. Auction houses often do not state which they are selling. Still the price sold at Morphy's sale was exceptional. Others have sold for under $50,000.

[tim575]

The description of the Zita lot 3442 noted "many reproductions of Madame Zita exist, but only very few originals..." It says it sits on an older stand, and mentions original case and describes it as "this original machine", but does not outright claim it is not part reproduction other than noting the marque is replacement. A friend of mine has one of the repro versions. He thought the figure was not quite right in this to be original. Sometimes the est. price range is a clue as well when it does not go as high as prior sells of full originals.

Similar case for lot 3224, Humpty Dumpty, described as very rare and from 1931, and said it appears to be old mech/castings in new cabinet. They note replicas were made but stated patina of mech. and clown has age to it. But the estimated range of $1000-3000 would be more in line with a reproduction and the hammer of $3200 suggests the bidders likely suspected as well of it being a full repro. Previously there was only 1 known original example and 11 reproductions made. I have one of those reproductions and can say it is museum quality repro inside out, so someone may pass one off as original mech. The repro's were well made, but do look like new, esp. the cabinet. Buyer beware, esp. if not inspecting it in person.