SALEM, Ohio – The contents of the home of the former owner of Salem Label were sold at auction by Hofmeister Realty and Auction Company, Oct. 4 and 5.
Henry J. Anderson had passed away recently at the age of 94.
Three generations of items were housed in the Anderson’s historic home on South Lincoln in Salem, Ohio, and auctioneer Harry Hofmeister and his associates were asked to do the selling.
Historical home. Great interest in the home’s history (Benjamin and Elizabeth Jones, former editors of The Anti-Slavery Bugle published in Salem, Ohio, had built the home in 1859) and the Anderson’s family history (Anderson’s wife Mary’s grandfather, Dr. Anderson was a prominent Salem, Ohio, doctor in the late 1800s) brought buyers from all parts of the country to Salem for this sale.
Tall chests. Of the furniture offered, two 18th century tall chests crossed the auction block.
The larger chest, 63-inches high by 20-inches deep) that had single board sides, three over two over five-drawer configuration, with the upper drawers having hidden locks, and including its original brass sold for $6,250.
The smaller chest (52 1/4-inches high by 21-inches deep) also having its original brass and being of a three over five-drawer construction realized $4,000.
An Empire birds-eye maple and tiger maple four-drawer chest of drawers having fine dovetailing on the drawers and lovely burled drawer fronts sold for $1,000.
Dining room suite. A 1920s dining room suite with a trestle table that measured 67-inches by 66-inches sold with 12 ladder back, reeded seat chairs, a server and hutch for $1,900.
Two tiger maple one-drawer stands having turned legs and dovetailed drawer construction sold together for $1,000.
A chest that consisted of three drawers and whose front was decorated with two carved turned columns sold for $1,100. This chest had once been owned by Salem, Ohio, native Jacob Heaton, an anti-slavery advocate who ran a general store and later an insurance business in the area in the mid-1800s.
A tiger maple bell poster bed, circa 1840 came in at $950, as did a carved tiger maple wall shelf with four shelves.
An early chisize tilt-top table in walnut brought $600, while a Hepplewhite mahogany gaming table with intricate inlay that had a chip in the apron sold for $800.
Other furniture and their selling prices include an eight-leg, slat-back single board bench painted black, $400. This had once been in the waiting room of Dr. Anderson’s Salem, Ohio, office when he practiced medicine in the late 1800s.
A Victorian burled walnut commode with a marble top sold for $400; an Empire chest of drawers in curly maple with hankie boxes, $550; and a four-piece wicker porch set signed “Henry Link,” including two chairs, a rocker and a sofa, $620.
Historic artwork. A needlework sampler dated 1755 with the words, “Give Me Wisdom to Direct My Wisdom,” sold for $5,000 to a phone bidder from the Philadelphia, Pa.-area.
A Thomas Hart Benton charcoal drawing of a man plowing a field with a mule sold for $3,100. A framed copy of one page of The Anti-Slavery Bugle newspaper realized $500.
A mourning needlework done in remembrance of Henry S. Walcott and dated 1805 was taken to $1,750. A Brant Goose Audubon printed and colored by Havell and dated 1837 sold for $1,500.
Smaller items. Tables were loaded with a variety of smaller, decorative items that kept the attention of buyers.
An Cauldon punch bowl, 17 inches in diameter, done in a floral pattern of pinks, greens and golds on a white background, brought $500. Several ornate crystal lamps were offered with a large tabletop example with hanging glass prisms selling for $300.
A metal Victorian sitz bath painted green outside and yellow inside and having floral decorations made $175.
A large (22 1/2-inches across) turned wooden bowl came in at $400.
Several mirrors were offered for bids with a Chippendale example that measured 18-inches by 39-inches selling for $700.
An ornate gold-framed mirror that measured 34-inches by 68-inches brought $650 and another large example, approximately 4-feet by 5-feet, with a beveled mirror and a gold frame made $550.
Silver sells. Boxes of silver plate and many lots of sterling silver sold during both days of the Henry J. Anderson sale. Prices varied widely. A Rogers silver plate coffee pot made $375.
Sterling continued to command strong bids. A lot of six sterling spoons brought $450; a group of sterling tableware made $1,800, a sterling bowl saw $600, and six berry forks brought $875.
Other items. Other items sold include an Edison cylinder phonograph with cylinders and original horn for $400; seven spindle, bow back Windsor chair with one-board seat, $200; Curier and Ives Little Sister, $130; a blue Bohemian glass decanter and glasses, $150; Hudson Bay Titmouse, an 1860 chromolithography by J. Bien, $175; and a pair of metal plant urns on pedestals, each approximately 4-feet tall, $2,200.
“This was a great sale and one our company was honored to conduct,” said auctioneer Harry Hofmeister.
For more information about upcoming auctions to be conducted by the Hofmeister Realty and Auctions Co., call 330-337-9585; toll-free 888-993-3434.
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