By BARB VAN LOO
Auction Exchange Correspondent

LA GRANGE, Ind. – Bidders from 19 countries joined the “live” audience recently when Michael Strawser, Strawser Realty had an auction. Perhaps the bidders all came to admire the beautiful women.

It was a beautiful Victorian woman on a KPM porcelain plaque that drew much interest at the sale. The piece had its original paper label on the back and went to a high bid of $5,500. Much smaller, but still appealing, a set of seven KPM-type porcelain rounds discs with Victorian ladies, each three inches in diameter, crossed the block for $550.

Pottery also attracted serious bids. A Rookwood standard glaze jug, Romany Rye, with its original stopper and a spaniel dog motif that had outstanding detail it found a final bid of $2,100.

A bid of $400 took home two Rookwood art pottery vases; one an 8-inch vase from 1927 (no. 2893) and the other a 6.25-inch vase from 1928 (no. 2208).

An 8-inch green Roseville Luffa jardinière and pedestal caught the eye of many and after spirited bidding found a final bid of $1,050. A second Roseville jardinière and pedestal, this one a 10-inch green Fuchsia which, unfortunately, had a rim chip on the top of the pedestal saw a final bid of $800. From 1921 a 9½-inch Rookwood Vellum vase, artist signed Margaret Helen McDonald, saw $450; and another artist-signed piece, this one a standard glaze 10-3/4-inch ewer, saw $600.

Some of the other Roseville items included a brown Magnolia ice lip pitcher that sold for $180; a 7-inch green Moss vase that earned $170; and a pair of 8-inch blue Apple Blossom vases that saw $150.

A 9-inch Van Briggle blue/green arty pottery vase sold for $140; a 12-inch Vance Faience detailed vase with a mermaid, fish and waves (and, unfortunately, a rim chip) that had been made in Tiltonsville, Ohio, earned $200; and a Moorcroft art pottery vase with a poppy crossed the block for $200.

There were several pieces of Frankart that appealed to many of the bidders. Among them a 24-inch Art Nouveau floor ashtray that was held by a figural lady on a ball (there had been repair to the ashtray insert) crossed the block for $400; an Art Nouveau lady figural lamp saw $275; and an Art Nouveau figural lamp with a clear glass paperweight between two ladies found a new owner when the hammer fell at $800.

A Frankart Art Nouveau lamp with a tall square shade with a lady on each side sold for $225 as did a Frankart Art Nouveau figural floor ashtray. Dogs and cats were not to be left out with a Frankart dog-handled ashtray selling for $160 and a Frankart-type Art Nouveau TV lamp with a cat earned $110.

The most popular item among the items that bore the Royal Doulton stamp was a 7½-inch  Toby jug titled Guy Fawkes, which earned a final bid of $425. There were several additional Royal Doulton figurines, jugs, and tobies from which to choose including The Potter, The Lobster Man, Eastern Grace, The Geisha among the figurines; and Memories, Drink Wisely, and Isaac Walton among the jugs. Selling prices for the figurines were $110 to $140 and those for the jugs were $100.

A R.S. Prussia Man in the Mountain celery tray with a floral border earned $130; a set of 10 Haviland floral plates with different flowers on each, earned $350; a Shelley bone china dessert set saw $120; and a set of six Limoges plates with blue floral borders and scenic centers sold for $100.

Louis W. Bonsib (1892-1979) was an Indiana artist who grew up in Indianapolis. Several years after graduating from Indiana University he founded a printing and advertising company in Fort Wayne, Ind. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he devoted his time and energy to painting and became a leader in the art movement in Indiana. His paintings included impressionism and realism and most were landscapes of Brown County, Ind., as well as scenes from Ogunquit, Maine. Winter Morning, a 16-inch by 20-inch oil on canvas by Bonsib, a scene near Plymouth, Ind., found many interested bidders and crossed the block for $800.

The items in this auction were primarily from two estates, one of them being the Emerick Estate. From this estate there were several paintings by Clara L. Emerick (1888-1972), who was another Indiana artist. She was a graduate of the Chicago Art Institute and her paintings were shown at numerous art exhibits in Northern Indiana including the Hoosier Salon in 1944. Because many of these paintings were from areas familiar to many of the bidders there was, understandably, considerable interest in them.

An oil on board, Macy’s Boat Slip which is at Lake Wawasee was complete with the paper label from the Hoosier Salon found a winning bid of $550 and a second painting from this location titled Macy’s Slip which had been exhibited at the Fort Wayne Art Museum Local Artist Show crossed the block for $200. Also from the Lake Wawasee location an oil on board titled Snook’s Nook dated 1946 sold for $275; an oil on board Spring on Baby Mountain in Noble County, Ind. and exhibited at the Indiana Art Salon earned $375; and Dills Bridge (west approach) which is between Spencerville and St. Joe, Ind., and painted in 1940 crossed the block for $200.

Other paintings included an oil on canvas signed C. B. Ricardo that depicted a lady on a path near a boathouse on a stream that sold for $425; and an unsigned oil on canvas of a moonlit night river scene that had a final bid of $190.

There was an abundance of sterling silver including a set of Gorham flatware in the Camellia pattern, which included service for eight, that sold for $600; and a Gorham set of 12 four-piece place settings and nine serving pieces that crossed the block for $1,500.

A sterling sauceboat and stand saw $160; 12 pieces of Towel sterling silver found a final bid of $325; and a set of 12 sterling melon spoons crossed the block for $475. A sterling silver footed spoon and a large punch ladle by Hennegen & Bates Co. sold for $350; and a sterling salad fork and spoon by Kirk & Sons earned $200. For the ladies there was a silver and enamel makeup set with a lipstick holder and two compacts that sold for $650.

Among the many lamps the two that found the most interest were an art glass table lamp with a bronze floral base and a Loetz-type art glass dome shade that sold for $1,350; and a porcelain lamp base with the portrait of a princess that earned $1,400.

Several desirable pieces of furniture were presented and the large round oak table (54 inches in diameter) with a fancy base and four 13-inch leaves sold for $425. A Sheraton drop-front desk with its original brass pulls saw $850; a high-back oak buffet with Old Man Winter and a beveled glass mirror earned $475; and $350 was the final bid for both an early pie safe with its original red paint and pierced-tin doors and sides and a period Federal sofa with a carved back and arms and paw feet.