Sitting on the corner of Jefferson Street and Wealthy Avenue in Grand Rapids, Mich., the Schnitzelbank restaurant is completely surrounded by the premises of Mary Free Bed Hospital. After many overtures, the owners of the Schnitzelbank decided that the time had come and the offer was right to sell the restaurant to the hospital. AppleTree Auctioneering, the father/daughter auction team of Jim Lumbert and Jennifer Morawski was selected by the owners of the Schnitzelbank to offer everything at auction that was not nailed down.

The Schnitzelbank restaurant was the oldest restaurant in Grand Rapids. Affectionately known as “The Schnitz” by all who loved to eat there, this German restaurant opened in 1934 on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids and moved to its Jefferson Street location in 1938. The restaurant was family-owned and run for three generations.

It was in this restaurant that you could find authentic German food. Wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten, rouladen, German sausages, and sauerkraut were mainstays at the restaurant. Also found at this restaurant was a very large selection of imported beers and wines with emphasis being, of course, on the German varieties.

The dark paneled walls, the heavy dark furniture, the cuckoo clocks, the gnome figurines, the German steins on display, the hand-carved chandeliers depicting German scenes, and the hand-painted scenes on the walls above the paneling all contributed to the German atmosphere. The Bavarian-style structure also contributed to this.

The sale of the restaurant caused a bit of a stir in Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Committee ruled that the building should be preserved, but the Planning Commission made the final decision and the sale went through. After learning that the restaurant was, indeed, going to shut its doors forever, patrons packed the restaurant to get that last bit of German cuisine and on Jan. 31, 2006, the owners hosted an auf Wiedersehen buffet for the aficionados of the restaurant and then closed the doors, which remained closed until they were opened for the auction to dispose of the steins, the gnomes, the tables and chairs. In addition to attracting loyal patrons the auction attracted the attention of the local press and TV stations. Many came who had never before attended an auction but they wanted to procure a piece of history; others came because they wanted to acquire equipment for their own establishments; some came out of curiosity.

The German steins which had been on display throughout the restaurant, some of which had been available for purchase, went home with many who attended. Some of these steins dated back to the late 19th century. The stein that garnered the most interest was one which was said to be the largest one in the world. This stein, which was 4 feet tall and held more than 8 gallons of beer was made in Gerz, Germany, and crossed the block for $475. There was a wide price range for the other steins. Some examples included: a blue lidded stein with a pewter top that sold for $20; a lidded stein with a cat, $45; a German stein dated 1956, $130; and a large stein in the shape of a lady’s head, $50.

A pewter stein, marked West Germany sold for $55; a narrow tall stein in reds saw $200; and an etched glass stein sold for $45. A musical stein sold for $55; a silver and wood one saw $50; and a stein marked West Germany with a forest scene on it sold for $70.

Gracing one dining room was a large cuckoo clock in the traditional dark wood and design that one usually sees in cuckoo clocks from the Black Forest region of Germany. This example sold for $2,200. Two other cuckoo clocks, also in the traditional dark wood, sold for $230 and $550.

On a high stand at the back of the dining room there was a “band” of mechanical elves which had overlooked the dining room for the last 20 years. This set of four elves had been made in Germany in 1930 and had originally been used to decorate the windows of the Wurzburg’s Department store during the Christmas season. This merry band of musicians crossed the block for $2,100.

Made especially for the restaurant were the hand-carved wood chandeliers. These were found in the foyer, the dining rooms and in the bar area. Each of these had a different theme. Musical, pastoral, and hunting themes were found on them. One of them appeared to be of people doing common household chores - washing, cooking, and the like. Another depicted several musicians around the perimeter of the chandelier. Most of them had candle lights. The chandelier from the foyer had a skiing theme; another from the front of the restaurant had glass globes. The selling prices ranged from $400 to $2,200.

Gnome figurines in many sizes had been an integral part of the decorations on display in the restaurant and garnered their fair share of interest. A set of four gnomes gathered around a mushroom and playing cards sold for a high bid of $525. A small gnome shown resting on his elbows sold for $85 while one who was posing as a hunter sold for $70. A large gnome playing his accordion sold for $380 while another large one who was singing a lullaby to an unknown audience sold for $360. There were many, many gnomes from which to choose; those listed represented only a small portion of them.

The chairs (more than 400) had been made in Grand Rapids in 1938 especially for the restaurant. There were many interested in obtaining one or several of these, either for sentimental reasons for their home but some were desired by owners of other restaurants. The chairs sold for $35 to $65 each.

Along with the chairs, there was considerable interest in the tables. These were sold as table and chair sets. The selling price for a table with two chairs ranged from $85 to $250 while the selling price for a table and four chairs ranged from $310 to $570.

A hand-carved and painted Schnitzelbank sign which graced the back of the bar sold for $210 while a brass and glass cash register from the mid-1930s sold for $1,500. One of the hutches which had housed many of the steins and/or gnomes earned $140.

A life-size chef statue that held a listing of the day’s specials and greeted customers sold for $500. The winning bidder for this, appropriately enough, was the wife of the former general manager.

Other items of memorabilia which crossed the block included: an etched glass wine decanter for $100 and a candlestick holder (a frog being the holder) sold for $25.

Cowbells on decorative ribbon hangers earned winning bids of $30 and up; menus found new homes; and even some of the waitress’ uniforms crossed the block.

It is unfortunate that it was not possible to sell the walls with their decorative paintings. The walls had been hand-painted to depict stylized German scenes. It almost appeared that it was wall paper but closer inspection revealed that everything had been finely done by hand. Even a framed “picture” in the lobby was simply a painting around which a frame had been placed. Unless someone has figured out a way to save these walls they will become objects for the wrecking ball - after the Fire Department uses the premises for training. Also lost will be the beautiful dark paneling which was beneath it.

For additional information on this auction, upcoming auctions, or services provided by AppleTree Auctioneering, contact Jim at (269) 945-0020 or by e-mail at appletreeauctions@sbcglobal.net.