Date: Fri 09-Apr-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: LIZAM

Quick Words:

Ahab

Full Text:

Fun And Fossils At Capt. Ahab's

By Rita Easton

MELVILLE, N.Y. -- Capt. Ahab's Auction conducted a February 20 event at 95 Old

Country Road, offering 340 lots to a standing-room-only audience holding 100

bidding numbers. Multiple consignors were represented in an auction featuring

many ancient, excavated items, including Roman jewelry and several fossils.

Reaching the highest bid of the day in this affordable, fun auction, a Civil

War Needham Conversion long gun went privately at $475. Also in the gun

category, a Ford half stock sold at $225.

A fossilized 2,000 year old walrus jaw, found on an Alaskan riverbank by a

Twentieth Century Indian who embellished it with his own contemporary carving,

was purchased at $225; a carved fluoride koi in a fish form reached $55; a

North African trilobite, the fossilized sea lot thought to be around 250

million years old, according to Lee Sachs of the gallery, garnered $80; and a

Roman colored glass bracelet made $80.

A dinosaur jawbone found in the South Dakota badlands realized a bargain $80,

due to its being a type common among collectors; and a woolly rhinoceros jaw

fragment, found in the same South Dakota area, achieved $60.

A collection of World War II medals reached $175; a 1,400 year old Byzantine

bronze cross, excavated in the Middle East; approximately 1¬ inches long, sold

at $50; a carved, signed netsuke in the form of a polychromed figure, made

$80; a 1950's gilt frame wall mirror was purchased at $80; and an 18 karat

gold 1950's bracelet sold at $285.

Affordable jewelry crossed the block in quick, short bidding spars, with an 18

karat gold men's jeweled Jurgenson wrist watch, in working order, bringing

$70; a gold Bulova watch ringing up $80, and a gold Longines watch going out

at $85; and a large smoky quartz weighing 127 carats, crossing the block at

less than most paperweights at $80.

An American $2.50 gold piece garnered $170; a 14 karat gold and emerald

pendant, the unweighed emerald, sold at $90; a sterling silver dog form match

safe achieved $55; an ornate silverplate punch bowl brought $60; an English

Victorian engraved silverplate tray fetched $120; a 22 inch long Baltic amber

necklace was purchased at $55; an 18 karat filigreed 1930's white gold ring

reached $170; and a miniature jadeite tea set, sized for a doll house, brought

$40.

Prices quoted do not reflect a ten percent buyers premium.