• 10Feb

    This great artwork by Vestìe Davis sold for $5700!

    Introducing Auction Bay Classics - great success stories from years past at your favorite consignment store!  We’ve been open for over 4 ½ years now, and there are many items to share, so make sure to watch for these old favorites!

    Back in 2008, a consignor brought in a lovely artwork done in a charming style, which captured a scene from Coney Island.  The art was signed in the lower left corner as painted by Vestìe E. Davis, who we discovered was worth learning more about!  Born in Baltimore in 1903, he worked as a circus barker, newsstand manager and undertaker in New York before seeing a gallery painting and stating, “I can paint like that.”  Completely unschooled in the arts, he began painting and unlocked a natural talent.  Davis died in 1978, but collectors still vie for his artworks!

    This painting measured 24″ by 18″ (the frame added 6 inches to both dimensions), and was in need of minor restoration, but was in good shape overall.  With a starting price of just $3,500.00, we let the auction run for a week, and it was bid up to a final sale of $5,700.00!

    When it comes to selling art on eBay, the artist’s name means everything.  Artworks from a listed artist will sell for significantly higher (and with a greater likelihood of sale) than art made by lesser known individuals.  In this case, the combination of a popular artist and a collectible subject matter combined for a great sale, even with minor condition issues! Give us a call at Auction Bay, and we’ll give your artwork our Free Item Assessment, and maybe yours will bring a strong sale on eBay, too!

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  • 07Feb

    This antique Parpoint jar sold for $276.00 thanks to Auction Bay!

    Yet another lovely antique captures our appreciation at Auction Bay!

    This antique PARPOINT Biscuit Jar (or Cracker Jar, depending on where and when you may be from) was a delightful collectible item, in great condition.  It had a rich coloration with gradient change from peach to orange, enhanced with its original hand-painted floral design.  The silver lid and decorative element above the bail were in great shape, and the maker’s marks were nice and clear on the white glass.  Even though the silver and the glass were separated, this antique vessel brought 15 bids for a $276.00 sale!

    Here’s an eBay Hint for all our home eBayers out there!  Identification is key with a piece like this!  The name PARPOINT was not spelled out, and the maker’s mark was subtly stamped in the lid and easy to miss.  There are numerous websites that catalog silver marks, and finding that letter P in the Diamond hallmark takes good research.  The name Parpoint meant the difference between a 27 dollar sale and a 276 dollar sale!

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  • 06Feb

    Don't let its small size fool you! This bank could be a huge sale!

    We were excited to watch this great item sell this week.  This antique bank offered us an opportunity to watch the bidding process unfold for a rare and collectible item.

    This is the HALL’S LILIPUT BANK - an antique Cast Iron Mechanical Bank, with patent dates from 1875 and 1876!  It retains little of its original paint, but is still in great working condition, with a surprising amount of detail in the cast body of the bank.  After only two days running, it had 8 bids from 6 different bidders, at just a fraction of its potential worth.  By the time the dust had cleared from the bidding war it saw, this bank had 20 bids for a total sale of $375.71!

    There are lots of collectible banks out there, and each has a chance to be worth a bundle!  Whether yours is a still bank or a mechanical bank, with original paint or in need of restoration, Auction Bay can sell it for you!

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  • 02Feb

    Update!

    Auction Bay Online will be was closed today: Wednesday, February 2, 2011, as our families celebrated Snowpocalypse 2011!

    Considering the recent snowfall and resultant states of emergency declared in Lake and Porter counties, we feel it best to keep the store closed while our community digs itself out from under the white blanket.  In all things, even selling on eBay, it’s best to stay safe.

    We will be are again open for business tomorrow, Thursday the 3rd of February.   In the meantime, we’ll enjoy warm hot cocoa as we gaze out our windows and dance through the drifts with our friends, kids, and family members.  If you’re home and itching for an opportunity, now could be a great time  to clear out the closet or basement and bundle up some items to bring in to sell at Auction Bay!

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