Rare toothpick holder brings $2,700 at Woody Auction A 2-inch signed Daum Nancy toothpick holder, with a winter scene and in excellent condition, sold for $2,700 at a multi-estate sale held April 4 by Woody Auction in Earth City, Mo., near St. Louis.
(EARTH CITY, Mo.) – A very rare 2-inch signed Daum Nancy toothpick holder, with a winter scene decoration and in fabulous condition, sold for $2,700 at a multi-estate sale held April 4 by Woody Auction, based in Douglass, Ks. The auction was held at the Holiday Inn Airport West in Earth City, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. The toothpick holder was one of over 430 lots that changed hands at the sale.
“For what it was – an unassuming toothpick holder you wouldn’t expect to sell for all that much money – it did exceptionally well,” commented Jason Woody of Woody Auction. “It was a tribute to the piece’s rarity and condition.” Mr. Woody said about 70 people attended the event and there were around 40 registered absentee bidders. About 170 online bidder numbers were assigned, through Proxibid.com.
“We had a light turnout for the preview the day before the sale, so I was a little nervous about how well we’d do,” Mr. Woody said, “but by the time the opening bell sounded at 9:30 in the morning, a nice crowd had assembled and everybody settled in for a good day of spirited bidding and healthy prices realized.” Headlining the event was the estate of Patsy Cary, a dedicated glass collector from Illinois.
Bidders had much to consider. Offered were miniature lamps, hanging lamps, table lamps, banquet lamps, cameo glass, R.S. Prussia, Royal Bayreuth, Rose Tapestry, Tiffany, toothpick holders and other items. Typical for a Woody Auction sale, all lots were sold to the highest bidder, without reserve. “From lamps to antique glass pieces, this sale offered quality and diversity,” Mr. Woody said.
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted are hammer prices, exclusive of a sliding commission structure. There are no buyer’s premiums at Woody Auction sales.
The top lot of the sale was a beautiful 16-inch signed Daum Nancy three-color cameo corset-shaped vase with a nighttime tree and lake scene ($3,750. The piece was exactly as featured in the book French Cameo Glass, by Blount. The second highest earner was a gorgeous 27-inch Pairpoint reverse painted table lamp ($3,500), with 16-inch “Seville” shade with tropical foliage and parrot scene décor.
A rare, 10-inch signed Handel ball-shaped hanging hall lamp (#6996), with original hardware and fine parrot décor, brought $3,400; a must-see original kerosene cranberry hobnail light fixture set on a fancy brass frame soared to $3,200; and an outstanding pink opaque quilted hanging lamp with matching font fancy brass frame with two opaque faceted cut jewels, electrified, commanded $3,100.
An extra nice 12-1/2-inch signed Galle two-color cameo vase with white and lavender branch, leaf and blossom décor went for $2,100; a 7-inch German figural stein with a graphic of a man with scars wearing an eye patch, with a lithophane village scene base, topped out at $1,800; and $1,800 was also realized for a signed, fish bowl-shaped Galle vase, smoke-colored, with fancy enamel floral décor.
