Pook & Pook Inc., of Downingtown, Pa., held a 689-lot two-day catalog sale on Jan. 17 and 18. The first 49 lots came from the collection of Jean and Eugene Jacobson of Englewood, N.J., primarily consisting of formal high style decorative arts, several China Trade paintings and Chinese Export porcelain. The headline maker was a Chinese Export famille rose porcelain vase, 19th century, made for the European market with two Dutch figures flanking the vase, 16.25 inches high, selling for $329,400. It was estimated at $1,000-$1,500 and went to an institution in the U.S. We had 11 phone lines for it, stated auctioneer Jamie Shearer. The takeaway? Read up on your Chinese ceramics. Its an esoteric subject, truly understood by few, yet discoveries are ripe to be made in the category. From the same collection, a Massachusetts Chippendale mahogany drop leaf table with claw-and-ball feet made for Revolutionary War Capt. James Mugford of Marblehead, Mass., sold for $5,856 (est. $10,000-$15,000). The table is illustrated in American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, Vol. I, No. 713. A New York Federal mahogany triple pedestal dining table, ex. Ginsburg & Levy, brought $13,420 (est. $8,000-$12,000). Lots 50 to 160 came from an unnamed collection in New York, made up of mostly Historical Staffordshire. The star was a rare Historical Blue Staffordshire four medallion platter with Jefferson, Lafayette, Clinton, and Washington, a view of Tunbridge Castle Surrey and the Aquaduct bridge in Rochester, selling for $20,740. The estimate was $5,000-$10,000. Day two began with a fine early Pennsylvania William and Mary inlaid spice chest going to central Pennsylvania collectors for $58,560 (est. $50,000-$80,000). The following lot, a Johann Conrad Gilbert taufshein fraktur, did well, bringing $15,860 to dealer Philip Bradley in the salesroom. It was estimated at $4,000-$7,000 and came from an old collection in Snyder County, Pa. Other items from the collection included a Daniel Otto taufshein fraktur with central heart surrounded by six tulips in horizontal format, which did well at $7,930 (est. $3,000-$5,000), and a rare redware cutwork double-walled bowl inscribed Antony Noll 1858, selling to a collector/dealer for $9,760, nearly double the high estimate of $5,000. Im not convinced it ever had a lid, according to Shearer. Illustrated in Jeannette Lasanskys 1979 Central Pennsylvania Redware Pottery 1780-1904, Anthony Noll is known to have worked in Monroe Township, Snyder County, in 1858 (formed from Union County in 1855). Today, Middleburg is the county seat, Selinsgrove, the largest borough in the county. Other comparable examples possess lids (illustrated in above cited book), making it reasonable to believe it had one. The consignor once mentioned to me it likely had a lid, and also that they were told a story of the bowl being used for a baptism. A Rev. Henry Young taufshein with central heart flanked by birds and tulips and upper right and left stars sold for $6,710. It also came from the same collection and was included in the 1979 exhibit, Heritage Sampler, held at Penn State and put together by Roy Buck and Dick Jones. A collector in the Midwest paid $122,000 for the appointment document for Anthony Wayne to the rank of Major General of the Legion (1793) and signed by George Washington. Wayne was an important military figure during the American Revolution. The Legion is what later became the Army. In all, the sale was 91-percent sold, realizing a total gross of 1,955,265. There is a 22-percent buyers premium (25-percent online). The auction house had 293 bidders registered in-house (floor bidders plus anyone who left an absentee bid or set up a phone bid in-house), 23 bidders who submitted absentee bids online, 80 bidders registered for phone bids online, 1,070 bidders registered on Bidsquare, and 548 bidders registered on Invaluable. The photos and captions showcase just a small variety of the offerings in the varied sale. Check out www.pookandpook.com for the complete catalog and prices realized. Mark calendars now for Pook & Pooks Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9, sale of the Dennis and Linda Moyer estate collection. From Zionsville, Pa., Dennis Moyer, author, historian, and collector, amassed a vast amazing collection of Pennsylvania German decorative arts. This will be a sale of an old time collection, which should not be missed. For additional information, call 610-269-4040.