WOLCOTTVILLE, IND.- A four-day Antique Auction bursting with nearly 2,000 lots of quality items, including important collections of majolica, Pickard china, World War II collectibles, Fenton glass and more will be held May 26th through 29th, by Strawser Auction Group, live in the gallery at 106 East Dutch Street in Wolcottville, as well as online via LiveAuctioneers.com.

“Of special interest is the Ann and Robert Fromer collection of majolica, assembled over the course of more than thirty years. The Fromers were avid collectors,” said Michael Strawser, the president of Strawser Auction Group and founder of the Majolica International Society. “The pieces in their collection are outstanding. The estate collection of Pickard china is also superb.”

Day 1, on Wednesday, May 26th, at 3 pm Eastern, will feature militaria (to include the World War II collection and firearms), toy banks, advertising collectibles, silver and jewelry. Top lots will include a Fowler Sportsman cast-iron mechanical bank by J. & E. Stevens (est. $1,500-$2,000); a Yankee Boy Plug Cut tobacco tin (est. $150-$250); and a silver mounted drinking horn with silver deer heads and other figures, made in Germany in 1899 (est. $800-$1,200).

Day 2, on Thursday, May 27th, also at 3 pm, will contain furniture, over 300 clocks, lighting and Oriental rugs. Up for bid will be an oil on canvas of sheep in a meadow by Augustine Bonheur (French, 1824-1884) in a 28 inch by 35 inch frame (est. $1,200-$1,500); a Handel bronze desk lamp with large lily pad base (est. $300-$500); an unmarked Ansonia clock with Indian figure, key and pendulum and a bronzed 6-light lamp with boy and girl figure (both est. $200-$300).

Day 3, May 28th, also at 3 pm Eastern, will feature 437 lots of antique glassware and collectibles, led by a rare Fenton Burmese child’s 7-piece water set (5 ½ inch tall pitcher and glasses), signed Vicki Fielder (est. $200-$300); a Mt. Washington peachblow satin coralene vase, 6 ½ inches tall (est. $100-$150); and a Fenton topaz vaseline opalescent epergne 9 ½ inches tall (est. $80-$120).




Day 4, on Saturday, May 29th, at 9 am Eastern, will be a majolica and ceramics auction, headlined by the Ann and Robert Fromer collection of majolica, plus more than 300 pieces of Pickard, R.S. Prussia and more. It’s the day serious collectors of majolica, Pickard and other fine items will be waiting for. Three items in particular are expected to attract much bidder attention.

The first is a George Jones rare and important large giraffe and stag centerpiece modeled as a giraffe and a stag beneath a turquoise bowl decorated with branches and leaves, all emitting from a tree trunk central pedestal, perched on a circular earthy ground pedestal base, 14 inches tall by 14 inches wide. This piece is the centerpiece for the rare George Jones "continents" compotes of Africa, America, Asia and Europe (est. $20,000-$25,000).

The second is a Minton iconic majolica game tureen and cover, the base modeled as a decorative oval pate' mold in yellow ochre and blue resting on a fixed basketwork tray with rope handles. The cover has the heads of two hares and two ducks realistically colored and symmetrically arranged on a cobalt glazed dome studded with yellow florettes. The tureen, with some professional repair, should sell for $25,000-$35,000.

The third is rare Minton majolica blowfish teapot and cover, modeled as a fantastic fish with brown spout emerging from its mouth, supported on green waves and with a brown seaweed handle with snail, the cover having a spikey dorsal fin (est. $10,000-$15,000). The 7-inch-tall teapot was originally part of the Charles Washburn collection; he used its image on his business card. It later became part of the Ann and Robert Fromer collection.

Also up for bid in the May 29th session will be a monumental Vienna Austria porcelain clock with dome, 21 inches tall, with various hand-painted panels of men, women and children, exquisite in detail and quality (est. $3,000-$5,000); and a scarce Notre Dame football form pitcher, 10 ½ inches tall, with six matching mugs, each with a pennant flag "Notre Dame", circa 1910, by T. Maddocks & Sons Co., Trenton, N.J. (est. $600-$900).

Honorable mention goes to a Pickard chocolate set with 12-inch-tall chocolate pot, a 13 ¼-inch diameter round tray, cream, sugar and four cups and saucers (est. $300-$500).