DANIA, FL.- From their South Florida headquarters located halfway between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Stampler Auctions has been entrusted over the years with every imaginable type of estate valuable, from Faberge eggs to Learjets. Over the weekends of Oct. 12-13 and 19-20, Stampler will enter new territory when it auctions online the entire contents of a legendary antiques business, Mark 1st Antiques of Dania, Florida.

For many years, Mark 1st was an obligatory stop for collectors and dealers traveling along US Route 1’s famed Antique Row. The popular showcase gallery’s owner, Mark Garrett, had an interest in, and knowledge of, dozens of antiques categories and catered to a broad clientele. When Mark passed away earlier this year, Stampler’s was chosen to liquidate the massive inventory of antiques from his retail store.

Mark Garrett was a 40-year veteran of the antiques trade. He started in Chicago with successful showrooms in the city’s Gold Coast and Old Town districts, and was an expert appraiser, jeweler and antiques dealer. In the late 1980s he moved his business to Dania Beach (Fla.), where he became a respected presence in the antiques community.

“His retail location, Mark 1st Antiques, was known for its German and Japanese military items; collectible guns and swords, jewelry and general decoratives, but we’ve heard repeatedly from his customers that Mark knew about everything,” said Harry Stampler, president of Stampler Auctions. “His showcase gallery began as ten specialty galleries under one roof, and when Mark came in, he could run any of the mini galleries because he was knowledgeable in so many categories.”

All four of Stampler’s online-only auction sessions will be conducted through LiveAuctioneers.com, with 1,000 to 1,200 lots offered per day. The Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 12 and 13 sessions will feature bronzes, sculptures, ivory, porcelains, glass, and African and Asian decorative arts. Over the following weekend, Oct. 19 and 20, the auction roster will include art, jewelry, guns, swords and other edged weapons; plus military and maritime memorabilia. Many other types of antiques and vintage collector’s items will be mixed into each of the four sessions.

“We will be auctioning only things with true collectible value. Everything will be real, and we will disclose ivory and gold for exactly what it is,” Stampler said. “Our appraisers have put reasonable estimates on everything. This is a true liquidation, and we think there will be some great opportunities for buyers.”

Among the firearms highlights is an 1873 Colt .44 caliber gun with a 7in barrel and two sets of grips, one of wood and the other of mother-of-pearl. The gun is stamped with two US patent dates – Sept. 19, 1871 and Sept. 2, 1872 – and comes with a wood box.

Edged weapons include a German World War II RAD dagger, 14.5in overall with a 9.5in blade that is etched with the words “URIBBIT Abelt.” The dagger’s leather hanger sheath was made by Eickhorn.

Typical of the high-quality decorative art entered in the sale is Lot 284, an ivory statue of an Asian woman with a peacock. Standing 25in tall by 5in wide, the beautifully carved figure has a red accent stone in its forehead.

The mechanical music category is led by a Farrington player piano with stool and approximately 20 player rolls; and Lot 462, a Victrola record player housed in a four-door cabinet with record slots and a key for locking the top portion. An especially complete and fully operational example, the Victrola comes with spare needles and 31 assorted records. Inside the cabinet is a license dated January 1, 1913.

An important item that crosses the categories of art and pop culture is a signed John Lennon lithograph. It bears an Asian hallmark number 3978/5000.

The auction to liquidate the contents of Mark 1st Antiques will be held online through LiveAuctioneers on Oct. 12-13 and Oct. 19-20. The fully illustrated catalogs for all sessions may be viewed at www.LiveAuctioneers.com. For questions regarding any item in the auction series, call 954-921-8888 or email stamplerauctions@aol.com. Buyers may organize shipment of purchases through UPS stores in Dania, Fla., or shippers of their own choosing. Visit Stampler Auctions website at www.stamplerauctions.com.