A u c t i o n & C o l l e c t i n g N e w s pa p e r
Nation al Section
Vol. 48. Issue No. 2395
July 20, 2015
www.antiqueweek.com
Native American collections,
artifacts to find new homes
GWYNNEVILLE, Ind. — More
than 400 pre-historic and historic
artifact lots will be up for sale Aug.
15 by T & T Archeological Consulting
at an auction conducted in Maxim
Events at Shelbyville, Ind.
Live Internet bidding will also be
available.
The auction is composed of two
older collections, both of which have
been well documented in journals
and publications. The collection of
the late Leo Paul Davis from Illinois
contains artifacts found throughout
the country. Davis’ lifelong collection
(more than 50 years) has been in
storage for several years. Highlights
from his collection include a frame
of Hopewell flint artifacts from Above: Dating back at least 1,000 years ago, a Quapaw
which individual pieces will be sold. dog effigy bottle illustrates that Native Americans had
Also, of collectible interest is a dogs - apparently well-domesticated canines that
framed Sioux infant buckskin dress enjoyed a good “belly rub” - around the campfires many
(about 11 inches long) from the years ago. The Quapaw piece is among 404 lots of two
collections, each intact for more than 50 years, to be sold
1880s that will be sold.
by T & T Archeological Consulting LLC on Aug. 15.
The other collection comes from
the late Lewis McDaniel of Waldron,
Ind., after being in storage for “a couple decades,” according to Tony Putty, one of the founders
of T & T Archeological Consulting. T & T Auctions partners with knowledgeable Native
American artifact auctioneer Brent Fuchs Auctioneering for sales events, according to Putty.
McDaniel’s collection includes a quartz axe, dating back some 2,500 years ago, found in
Ohio.
The auction will include large and fine flint spears, up to 13 inches in length, and several
find ground stone axes.
Maxim Events in located at 420 Eastern Ave. in Shelbyville, Ind.
Contact: (317) 509-0860
www.tonyputtyartifacts.com
Post office
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AntiqueWeek
Marilyn grave marker
a top lot at Julien’s
By Brett Weiss
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Here’s a question for you film buffs and
memorabilia collectors: What’s worth more, the dress Marilyn Monroe wore
in her final film, the unfinished Something’s Gotta Give (1962), or the late
actress’s grave marker?
If this year’s annual Hollywood Legends Auction, held by Julien’s
Auctions on June 26 and 27, is any indication, the dress, which sold for
$358,000, is far more valuable than the grave marker, which went for
$212,500.
“The Marilyn Monroe dress is really the marquee piece,” said Nolan
Martin, Executive Director at Julien’s. “It’s on the cover of our catalog … it’s
the last dress from her last movie. The image of Marilyn wearing that dress
was used by all the national newspapers when they announced the tragic
and untimely passing of Marilyn Monroe in August of 1962. It’s a beautiful,
figure-hugging silk crepe gown with floral pattern. It could be worn today.
It’s a true classic.”
While $358,000 is indeed an impressive figure for a single garment, it
failed to meet the company’s pre-auction estimate of $400,000 to $600,000.
The grave marker, on the other hand, trounced its pre-auction estimate,
which was a mere $2,000 to $4,000.
The marker was undervalued by Julien’s because it was “something
See Hollywood on page 4
Above: It wasn’t the top seller, but the grave marker from Marilyn Monroe’s
gravesite at Hollywood’s famous Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
went far over its estimates when it sold for $212,500.
Secretive collection had gadget-filled walking sticks
By Eric C. Rodenberg
INDIANAPOLIS — By most accounts, the late Fred
J. Ponton was an unassuming man – a successful
businessman and farmer who had a great penchant for
history and a discerning eye for good antiques.
Ponton, from Bloomington, collected “well under the
radar.” Very few of his friends and fellow collectors
knew that within his rather modest house in southern
Indiana, Ponton had amassed a world-class collection
of canes and walking sticks.
It wasn’t until after his death in February at the age
of 77 years that it was discovered that Ponton had
accumulated more than 150 canes – many of which
were of museum quality. There was a cane once owned
by military hero and U.S. President Andrew Jackson
(purchased by Ponton for $90,000 in May 2007, the
same day he purchased a President William Henry
Harrison cane for $65,000). In his collection are a
walking stick from Scottish novelist and poet Sir
Walter Scott (1772-1832) and a set of nine canes from
Charles Talleyrand (1771-1832), noted French
revolutionary and statesman.
The Ponton collection also held the tortoiseshell cane
used by Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903), still encased in its
original bronze case. The Pope, most recognized for
reconciling the church’s beliefs with the modern age,
used the cane during his later years as the longest ever
living pope.
Most conspicuous in Ponton’s collection were the
almost “Bond-like” gadget canes of the 18th and 19th
centuries, which could be quickly transposed into a
weapon, or tools of a particular trade. There are
walking sticks that convert into a revolver, rifle, sword,
dirk and a blackjack. For the professional – the dentist,
physician, surveyor, diamond merchant and, yes, thief
– their “tools of their trade” are secretly folded into the
Above: Believed to be one-of-a-kind, a rare Thief Breakers
Cane was used by a French thief in the 19th century. It
comprises a heavy iron head, to be used as a battering
ram, a handle attached to a pry bar to open doors, a
candle to see in the dark, and tools and a lock pick. As a
last resort, a pistol is also available within the cane.
stick’s shaft, instantly ready for use. One walking stick
has a hidden camera embedded in the handle, an
ingenious device in the year 1903.
Ponton purchased all his canes, and other high-end
antiques, from M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans.
Most of his buying began in early 2000.
The collection will be sold by Wickliff Auctioneers on
Aug. 1 at its auction gallery in Carmel, north of
Indianapolis.
“I have never seen, and will never see again, a
collection like this from one estate,” said Robert J.
Brown, who has owned and operated Robert J. Brown
Appraisals for more than 25 years. “This is a once-in-alifetime experience. I’ve seen some of these type canes
at auction – the ivory, gold or silver handles. But, such
history, variety and quality – you or I will never see
again. If nothing else, a person – whether they’re
buying or not – should come and just see this material.
It is nothing short of amazing.”
Above: War hero and U.S. President Andrew Jackson was
known as "Old Hickory" for his rugged demeanor. A
stunning piece of history, this old hickory cane was a gift
from Jackson to the Governor of Kentucky as a token of
appreciation for support during the Nullification
Controversy of 1832.
Although Brown and the Wickliff staff have seen
what Ponton paid for many of the walking sticks (he
kept receipts), the collection will sell without reserve.
What is to be sold of Ponton’s estate – all the canes,
several clocks and other unique antiques – will be sold
on Aug. 1.
Most of Ponton’s sticks are gadget or decorative
canes, much more difficult to find than folk canes.
Walking sticks and canes have become a popular
collectible during the past 20 years. There were enough
such canes created during the 17th through the 19th
centuries to satisfy the average collectors. In those
centuries past, well-heeled gentlemen and ladies alike
See Walking Sticks on page 4
Page 4 – National Section
Walking Sticks
From Front Page
were seldom seen without their walking
sticks in hand.
The sticks – usually boasting handles
of precious metals and gems – were
symbols of wealth, power and social
standing. In the world of walking stick
collecting, these canes are known as
decorative sticks. These are the canes
made of ivory, gold, silver, porcelain and
jewels. They are made by artisans for
customers who seek recognition and
respect.
At the other end of the spectrum are
folk art canes. These are normally
made of various types of wood, generally
hand-carved – often elaborately from
handle to tip. Folk canes have no metal
tips, unlike the decorative canes, which
may have metal tips measuring up to 6
or 7 inches to protect the cane from
mud on unpaved roads. Whereas the
decorative canes are carried to attract
attention to the owner, folk canes,
made by untrained artisans, reflect the
attention more to the creator.
The rarest – and most collectible
canes, though – are the “gadget” (or
system) canes. These canes often have
crossover appeal.
The “Ben Akiba” camera invented by
Emil Kronke in 1903 is one of these
crossover lots being sold by Wickliff. Still
in working condition, the cane holds
18mm film measuring 28 inches long,
allowing 24 photographs. It has a knob
on the side of the cane handle that
advances the film, with the shafting
holding two empty rolls. The brass
handle is finely engraved with a solid
wooden shaft.
Another cane with crossover appeal is
the Thief Breakers Cane, dating back to
the 19th century.
“This unique cane is one-of-a-kind,”
July 20, 2015
WWW.ANTIQUEWEEK.COM
Originally from Antwerp, an extraordinary diamond merchant's
cane will be sold at Wickliff's Aug. 1 Antique Cane Auction.
Combining beauty and function, the cane breaks down to
expose a scale, weights, tweezers and a secret diamond
compartment.
Bill Rau, owner of M.S. Rau Antiques,
wrote Ponton. “It was made for a famous
French thief. The top (head) is a weighted
battery ram. The handle is attached to a
crow bar to open doors, tool fits, lock
pick, candle to see in the dark and a
pistol if you get caught.”
Another extraordinary cane is the
Diamond Merchant’s Mother-of-Pearl
cane. “One of the most important system
canes in existence, this extraordinary
and rare diamond merchant’s cane from
Antwerp is accented with silver band
and metal tip and diamond design
mother-of-pearl inlay decoration, and
scales, weights, tweezers and secret
diamond compartment, 100 percent
complete,” Rau wrote Ponton. The
35-inch cane was purchased by Ponton
for $11,600.
Another occupational cane is the
Autopsy and Dissection Cane. “This is a
very rare specialty cane made for doing
an autopsy,” Rau wrote, “the cane
separates into four compartments; first
section contains a wooden pin holder
with pins, the second contains six metal
handheld instruments, the third contains
a scalpel and straight razor, the fourth a
test tube and roll of gauze.” Ponton
bought the cane for $10,300.
The auction includes several weapon
canes. There are two Remington
Hollywood
From Front Page
Marilyn never touched, never owned,” said Darren
Julien, president and CEO of the auction house. “It was
unique to the market, so we didn’t know what to
expect. It was a little bit macabre … the news media
gave it a lot of attention leading up to the auction.”
If you’ve ever been to the Westwood Village Memorial
Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, which is the resting
place for a number of high profile celebrities, you
probably saw Marilyn Monroe’s crypt, which is visited
daily by fans and tourists who leave lipstick-smeared
kisses on the grave marker. The marker that sold at
auction is not that one. Rather, it is the old grave
marker that was replaced decades ago by the current
marker.
According to Julien, the marker was sold by an
employee of the morgue who worked there when the
original was replaced in 1978.
“It was a different time,” he said, “when those kinds
of things weren’t worth as much as they are now. They
just gave the grave marker to her.”
Another Monroe item that sold for big bucks was a
signed (by Hugh Hefner) edition of Playboy no. 1,
featuring the blonde bombshell on the cover. It went for
$87,500. While this wasn’t the highest price ever paid for
a magazine (in 2007, for example, Sotheby’s took in
$156,000 for an 1887 copy of Beeton’s Christmas Annual,
featuring the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and
Dr. Watson), it is an astonishing sum for a periodical that
once sold on newsstands for 50 cents a copy.
A number of other celebrities were well-represented
at the auction as well, including Marlon Brando, whose
1969 Harley Davidson commanded $256,000. Esther
Williams’ 1969 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow sold for
$59,375 while film-used Rocky boxing gloves signed by
Sylvester Stallone took in $34,375. Burgess Meredith’s
Penguin costume from the Batman TV series brought
$12,800 while Burt Reynolds’ trousers from Smokey
and the Bandit II fetched $12,800.
Other auction items include Sid Caesar’s Steinway
Louis XV Grand Piano, $7,500; Dom DeLuise’s yellow
gold and diamond Rolex, $8,960; Barbra Streisand’s
Grammy Awards evening coat, $9,600; Tom Hanks’
Castaway ice skate and tooth necklace, $5,312.50;
Liam Neeson’s Schindler’s List lapel pin, $2,812.50;
and Hugh Jackman’s X-Men dog tag, $2,500.
Trekkies bid on such desirables as a Starfleet duty
tunic in the style of Spock, $42,240; a Starfleet duty
Percussion Canes made by the Remington
Arms Co. of Ilion, N.Y., between 1858
and 1861. Featuring the famous
Remington dog head handle, only 278
were made before the company switched
to manufacturing cartridge models.
“This muzzle loader cane has a push
button trigger and is covered in a
protective plant resin called guttapercha,” according to Rau’s description.
The ferrule is engraved with “J.F.
Thomas, patent Feb’y 9 1858” with the
serial number “119.” John F. Thomas
was an inventor and master mechanic at
the Remington factory and was granted
many patents for his innovations.”
Another unique weapon cane,
featuring daggers and a gun, is the
Indian Steel Rifle Cane. “This incredible
cane is a perfect blend of beauty and
functionality, made of expertly crafted
blue steel and brass, cane houses a gun,
a ram rod is also hidden in the lower
section of the shaft that can be unscrewed
to expose a dagger, the ferrule unscrews
to expose another dagger, monogrammed
on three areas on the shaft along with
‘342,’ ” according to Rau’s description.
In addition to the 168 walking sticks,
the sale includes several early elaborate
clocks, a circa 1840 cased set of Bohemian
dueling pistols, a circa 1820 rosewood
Vienna regulator (a Blind Man’s Clock”
tunic in the style of Captain Kirk, $57,600; and a
“massive” Star Trek: The Original Series production
script archive from Desilu Productions, $70,400.
However, the focus of the auction clearly revolved
around the legacy of Marilyn Monroe, with items
ranging from rare photos by Joseph Jasgur and Andre
de Dienes to movie props (including a chaise lounge
from Let’s Make Love that brought in $56,250) to a
variety of Monroe’s personal belongings, including a
sterling silver compact, $25,600; a signed white glove,
$16,250; brassiere cup liners, $10,625; a black velvet
bustier, $8,960; and eyeliner pencils, $2,500.
An inscribed drawing of a nude woman by Monroe
sold for $75,000 while a side-view X-ray of the actress
taken at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital brought in
$12,500.
“Marilyn Monroe transcends continents, transcends
age groups,” Julien said, explaining the legend’s
continued popularity and desirability more than half a
century after her death. “She died while she was young
and vibrant. She was larger than life. She was also a
tragic figure, so people can relate to her. Our culture
has elevated her as one of the great icons.”
One key item that didn’t sell at the Hollywood
Legends Auction was a 1969 orange Dodge Charger
built and previously owned by John Schneider, who
played Bo Duke and drove a similar car in The Dukes
of Hazzard (CBS, 1979-1985). According to Julien, the
reason the General Lee replica failed to draw bids was
likely the recent controversy surrounding the
Confederate flag, which is emblazoned on the roof of
the car.
“I can see both sides,” Julien said, referring to the
banning of the Confederate flag by various companies
and institutions. “I think it’s harmless – just part of the
TV show – but for some people, the flag brings up bad
memories of slavery in the South.”
Overall, Julien is thrilled with the
auction results, which tripled the
company’s pre-auction estimates.
“We anticipated $1 million in
sales, but brought in $3 million,”
Julien said. “The auction shows the
strength of the market as more of a
fine art market than just a
memorabilia market. People are
taking these types of items more
seriously as an investment. And
besides, it’s more fun to have Marilyn
Monroe on display than stocks or
bonds.”
Holding enough film
to surreptitiously
shoot 24 photos, this
1903 cane has a
knob on the side of
the cane which
advances the film.
which strikes multi-tuned tones to
designate every quarter hour upon
request), two intricately carved chairs
expressly made for Pope Leo III, and a
circa 1860 “campaign chair” possibly
used in battle by a cavalry officer. The
campaign chair comes with its ironclamped box, painted “The Master of
Sinclair/Royal Scots Greys” on the side.
“It’s really strange, some of the items
don’t really fit in with the collection,”
Brown said. “But Mr. Ponton bought
nothing but the best. And if he wanted it,
he bought it. He apparently had the
means … everything here will sell. Mr.
Ponton apparently didn’t talk to his
daughters much about the collection …
they, or no one else, really knows the
value of the collection … in reality, it
doesn’t matter, all will be sold without
reserve.”
Contact: (317) 844-7253
www.wickliffauctioneers.com
Above: Marilyn Monroe in the dress she wore for her last
film, Something’s Gotta Give (1962). The floral garment
sold in Julien’s recent Hollywood Legends Auction for
$358,000.
Below: John “Bo Duke” Schneider’s General Lee replica
failed to garner any bids at the Hollywood Legends
Auction. This is likely because of the recent controversy
surrounding the Confederate flag.