Santa Claus Is Going To Sell—

Estates Auction Saturday Evening

A local fixture of the Christmas season will be on the auction block this weekend when Fairfield Auction of Newtown offers an 18-foot-tall fiberglass Santa. The circa 1940s fixture has been a popular sight at the Kovacs residence on Plumtrees Avenue in Bethel for a number of years, but the family is moving and has decided to let someone else have a turn with Santa on their lawn.

“We bought Santa from Santa Land in Vermont and of course it’s been a part of our Christmas display here in Bethel every year since,” Karen Kovacs said over the phone this week. She and her husband Ken had purchased the figure for their daughter, Jessica, when she was just a toddler.

“Jessica’s not very happy about this, but it’s time. We’ve had it four a very long time, at least 20 years,” Mrs Kovacs said. “We’re going to miss him. He’s been a part of our family for a long time.

“We’re going to become full-time RVers. I suppose we could pull him around with us all the time,” she laughed, “but then we wouldn’t have room for our car.”

The figure is on a trailer so that it can be towed around on the road, Mrs Kovacs explained. Santa can be raised and lowered in three minutes with the flip of a switch thanks to some creative work done years ago by Ken Kovacs.

“It’s really a nifty set-up,” Mrs Kovacs said.

Saturday’s auction will also offer estate goods including antique furniture, paintings, silver, carpets, and books.

The books are from the estate of Jim Hoe of Weston. Many of the volumes have descended from Robert Hoe III, a founder of The Grolier Club and Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Hoe family invented the Hoe Rotary Press, which debuted in 1843, and manufactured the majority of printing presses in America during the 19th Century.

More than 1,000 volumes will be offered Saturday evening. Lots will include rare and antiquarian volumes, genealogies, local histories, children’s books, art books, plate books, and more.

Among the 47 lots of books, highlights include (Lot 4) The Irish Rebellion: or, an History of The Attempts of The Irish Papists To Extirpate The Protestants in The Kingdom of Ireland, by John Temple, 1812; (Lot 6) Researches Concerning Jean Grolier, His Life and His Library, first edition 1927; (Lot 7) a handwritten military journal circa 1812 with detailed scientific analysis of artillery, extensive technical notes, sketches, and charts; and (Lot 8) Political Debates Between Hon. Abraham Lincoln and Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, In the Celebrated Campaign of 1855, in Illinois, published by Columbus: Follett, Foster and Company, 1860.

Also, (Lot 9) Universities And Their Sons: Harvard University, Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics, 1900; (Lot 11) Statutes of Connecticut, 1835, Historic Houses of Early America and Old Houses of Connecticut; (Lot 14) four Howard Pyle children’s books: The Champions, King Arthur, Robin Hood and Sir Lancelot; (Lot 22) four copies of Photographing The Famous by Boughton, 1928, with two of the copies signed; and (Lot 23) a collection of 32 Connecticut town histories.

Furniture highlights include an Adams satinwood desk, circa 1920; an English burl walnut credenza with inlay, circa 1860; an Empire specimen marble table in inlay, circa 1820, estimated at $1,5/2,500; a Regency inlaid sideboard, circa 1800; a Regency mahogany slant-front desk with crossbanding, early 19th Century; and a Louis XV-style vitrine with curved glass, circa 1900.

There is also a Chippendale-style lowboy with shell carving, circa 1840; a set of eight pressback oak chairs, circa 1900; a fancy oak hall tree, circa 1900; an oak display cabinet with étagère sides, circa 1900; and a selection of country furniture from the 19th Century.

An oak rolltop desk with applied carving and rotary bank, signed Fred Macy Co., circa 1900, with nicks, is estimated at $2,5/3,500.

Artwork includes a Gabriel Schachinger 19- by 13-inch oil on canvas, estimated at $2/3,000; a Henry Walton oil on canvas, with notes in one corner reading “Eliza W. Pew, Ithaca 1840”; a Frank Faulkner 54- by 108-inch oil on canvas; another Faulkner measuring 45 by 69 inches; a 9- by 7½-inch watercolor over a photographic print after Grace Carpenter Hudson; three Ferry Slebe oils on canvas, being sold as separate lots.

An engraving after Winslow Homer is marked in the upper left “H. Ritchie imp” and in the upper right “Copyright 1889 C. Klackner N.Y.,” and is signed by the artist in the plate only. The full sheet measures 215/8  by 32¾ inches, and the lot is estimated at $600/900.

Accessories include a “fine” engraved powder horn from the War of 1812 detailing the Siege of Fort Meigs, Ohio, complete with depictions of “British Batteries,” “Ft Meigs,” and “Cincinnati.” There is also a set of sterling flatware from the late 19th Century, a French crystal regulator of circa 1900, and a LeCoultre Atmos clock with its original box.

Textiles include a signed and dated 1838 jacquard coverlet and an early, signed, “Flower Basket” pattern quilt. The sale will include a selection of estate carpets.

Fairfield Auction is at 53 Church Hill Road in Newtown; telephone 364-1555. Preview on Saturday will run from 1 to 6 pm.

The book lots will begin the sale promptly at 6. There are 338 cataloged lots, and most can be seen online at www.FairfieldAuction.com.