FLINT, Mich. — Although the Harris Brothers handle a variety of auctions their Dec. 9 auction seemed to have four basic genres with some miscellaneous lots interspersed. A quality selection of nautical, advertising, coins, and trains and toys made up the bulk of this sale. During the two-hour preview time both Don and Dave Harris took turns at the microphone periodically explaining the terms of the auction and underscoring other important details keeping the audience well informed.

Of the many outstanding items in this auction the antique sailing vessel’s carved figurehead selection was wondrous. Coming from a local estate and having provenance from a previous auction in Portsmouth, N.H., the carved figureheads sold well. Except for a well-placed leaf, a 7-foot tall figurehead of an otherwise classic nude male surmounted on a wave and pointing the way forward brought a high bid of $4,000. The circa 1855 figure was designed by American Naval Architect John Griffiths and carved by Wm. Gleason. It was also pictured in a book titled Ship Carvers of North America.

The next figurehead reportedly came from the H.M.S Sea Horse and believed to be the second carving of the figurehead, the first being carved in Portsmouth England in 1712. The 7-foot tall figure had the head and upper torso of a rearing horse with webbed hooves and a lower torso having scales terminating to a fish like lower body. The bidding on the “Sea Horse” was reined it at $3,500. The next figurehead was purchased from an antique shop in Byfield, MA and it sold accompanied with a photograph of it in a Danish Antique Shop. It was a 40-inch tall, highly carved female figure with an exposed breast in good original paint. She sold for $3,250. $1,200 was enough to claim a male figurehead clad in Romanesque garb and $825 was the winning bid for a large vintage carving of an admiral in a tri-corner hat.

Amid the many antique nautical floats, anchors, bulkhead doors and ship’s wheels were the following: a carved, bejeweled topless mermaid brought $300, three sailor-knotted rope ship’s dock bumpers sold for $215, a 24 inch solid brass ship’s wheel brought $300, a lot of two profusely carved ships beam supports sold for $275, a mahogany with brass letters “WALRUS” nameplate off of a yacht sold for $85, an unusual cast iron folding boat anchor made $75, and a large antique cast iron armed anchor with forged ring made $200, a vintage push/pull deck mounted deep divers pump #17 by AJ Morse was claimed for $300.

Antique advertising continues to be hot commodity and this auction was no exception. An outstanding fully restored 1949 Cavalier Mfg. Co. Coca Cola vending machine dispensed a $1,600 bid, a near pristine 58-inch embossed Royal Crown Cola bottle sign dated 1951 went to an internet bidder topping off at $600, a 1949 Coca Cola flange sign hit $700, a porcelain Pepsi-Cola sign made $215, a small Vernor’s Barrel Dispenser badge gingerly rose to $175, a 7-up logo sign impressed at $400, an early porcelain shield form ’IGA’ Grocers sign rang up $125, a petite 15-inch 7-Up thermometer sign climbed to $165, a 7-Up sign showing a 6-pack brewed up a $475 bid, A vintage 24-inch Cleveland Mfg. neon clock (running but neon blinking) made $650, a 1950’s Nesbitt’s Orange Soda bottle cap sign poured out a $350 bid, a Faygo cola horizontal bottle sign (a local favorite for decades), sold at $425, a 1941 porcelain Coca-Cola sign hit $425, a large size 20-inch Vernor’s Ginger Ale “Pam” clock hit $350, a rare 1930’s Coca-Cola “Kay Display” arrow sign pierced the $600 mark, and a Pepsi-Cola double sided porcelain sign was bid to $245.

Various advertising door pushes in varying degrees of condition sold in the $100 to $250 range, A Coca-Cola “button” complete with mounting brackets in very good condition hit the $400 mark, a Clean Superior Mfg. Co. gum and candy machine brought $300, a vertical Nesbitt’s Orange Soda thermometer dated 1931 made $250, an antique DeLaval Cream Separator tip tray in nice condition was won for a $100 bid, and a Coca Cola ’boat motor’ style fountain dispenser with a repainted lid made $150.

Also a highlight of this auction were an impressive assortment of electric trains. Currently electric trains still have a strong following as indicated by prices realized here: The following were listed as “pre-war Lionel standard gauge”(some rare) locomotive engine #9E generated a $700 bid, #390E engine with tender chugged to $450, #424, 425, 426 Stephen Girard/Liberty Bell set arrived at $550, #392E Locomotive and Whistle Tender car made $475, #408E locomotive steamed to $500, Mohave Passenger car set #418, 419, 431, 490 made $450.

A sampling of other trains & Accessories are as follows: Pre-war American Flyer passenger train set with #4667 pulled a $300 bid, an early American Flyer boxed train set w/cast iron locomotive arrived at $100, Lionel pre-war standard gauge Power Station #840 generated a $400 bid, a scarce Dorfan ’O’ gauge passenger car set #492, 493, 494 sold for $120, Lionel standard gauge Depot #124 sold for $100, and a Lionel #300 ’Hellgate Bridge made $375.

Sports related autographed items seemed to bring the write prices: A 1955 NY Yankee’s team signed ball containing 26 autographs complete with JSA certification and COA paper was hit out of the park for $725, following that came a 1957 Cleveland Indians yearbook with Chief Wahoo on the cover and bearing 13 autographs including Roger Maris that brought $500, 1957 Yankees yearbook with 18 autographs including Mickey Mantle which brought $450, a hardcover book titled My Favorite Summer 1956 signed by Mickey Mantle with JSA certification and COA made $150, a Detroit Tigers signed Miguel Cabrera “Triple Crown” Jersey with certification and COA hit $225, a certified w/COA Formula 1 auto racing helmet signed by British legend Jackie Stewart sped to $275, a 1964 Detroit Tigers Yearbook w/ 13 signatures hit $85, an Indy 500 racing helmet with various autographs including Unser Jr., Rahal, Andretti, and Franchitti accelerated to $175, an autographed Detroit Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg official NHL jersey brought $85.

Not to be outdone, a nice selection of model cars, promo cars and toys crossed the block also, among those were a boxed model cars as follows: GMC Sierra Grande pick-up truck for $95, Large 1/12th scale 1930s Bentley racing car (MIB) $120, AMC Matador X $75, 1963 Buick ’3 in 1’ kit $105, 1966 Cadillac Coupe De Ville $150, 1962 Chevy Impala ’3 in 1’ kit $100, AMT custom “Cuckoo’s Nest” Van $100, Custom Lindberg “Orange Crate” Hot Rod $85. PROMO CARS as follows: Boxed 1972 Ply. Roadrunner in Basin St. Blue $225, 1962 Ply. Fury $55, 1962 Olds Super 88 sedan $90, 1963 Ford Thunderbird $75, Boxed 1956 Olds Ninety Eight Holiday $80, 1959 Mercury Parklane convertible $60, 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix $95.

Other toys sold that demanded attention across the block include a 1960s Rollfast 3 speed Stingray style boys bike with a Peter Max style banana seat, wheeled to $350, Japanese tin corvette stingray tin friction car $55, Wyandotte pressed steel stake truck $50, Gene Autry cap guns in holster $85, Japanese tin friction MGA Mark II $75, Hubley 15-inch grain truck $35, 1960s tin litho wolverine #855 Texaco Service Station (MIB) $125, J. Chein tin litho crank Music Box $50.

For more information call (810) 234-7100 or visit www.harrisbrotherauctions.net.