PITTSFIELD, Mass. – More than 350 lots of coin-op, musical items, toys, advertising, country store, banks, arcade and gaming collectibles will come up for bid on Saturday, Sept. 13th, at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, in the firm’s gallery located at 1485 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield. The auction will start at 11 a.m. Eastern time. The full catalog is online now, at fontainesauction.com.

Offered will be fresh-to the market merchandise, to include rare Victrolas, gramophones, music boxes, phonographs, jukeboxes, automatons, slot machines, doorstops, arcade games, vending and soda machines, trade stimulators, tin litho, baseball items, display cases, signs, posters, many historical and political items and more – something for nearly everybody and at all price points.

From the coin-op category, a Princess Doraldina 5-cent fortune teller machine, made circa 1928 by Mike Munves, displaying a life size gypsy woman in a large wood booth with glass front, turning her head and moving her hand over a row of fortune telling cards, should gavel for $12,000-$15,000; and a Buckley Mfg. Co. 5-cent Starburst Crane Digger machine, circa 1934, in working condition, should realize $5,000-$7,000.

A strong candidate for top lot of the sale is a Cretors & Co. (Chicago) Model D popcorn wagon with driver’s seat (est. $10,000-$15,000). The 12 foot 8 inch long (by 9 foot 2 inch tall) wagon has an entrance door on the left side with lift-up serving window, fancy gold and silver leaf display handles, large iron spoked wheels with rubber tires, and an awning top with steam vents.

A Wonder Talking Machine Company phonograph titled the “Double Bell Wonder” in a perfect original finish oak case in good working condition, complete with instruction booklet and two “Wonder Records,” is expected to fetch $8,000-$12,000; and a box of 46 gramophone records for E. Berliner gramophones, ranging from polkas to marching songs, should hit $3,000-$5,000.

Regina is a name coveted by music collectors, and this auction has several examples, to include a Regina 27-inch automatic changer upright music box, still emitting bold vibrant sound, with 12 discs (est. $8,000-$12,000); and a Regina coin-op bell box (style 216), playing 15 ½ inch discs, housed in an oak case with rope twist trim and coin slide in the front (est. $5,000-$7,500).

A pair of carousel animals, from the original Dentzel & Charles I.D. Looff Coney Island carousel – one a camel, the other a giraffe – is each estimated to sell for $8,000-$12,000. Both animals have glass eyes, beautiful original finish and curved saddles and both are in very good condition. The giraffe is tall – 64 ½ inches. The camel is 46 ¼ inches. Both are circa 1895-1910.

A monumental Symphonion musical grandfather clock (style No. 30-ST), with the music box built into the body of the tall walnut case measuring 92 ½ inches, complete with 26 discs, is expected to bring $7,000-$9,000. Just as impressive is a Steinway & Sons grand piano in a mahogany case with the original finish (serial #227366), made in 1931 (est. $4,000-$6,000).

Cigar store figures are another sure-fire crowd-pleaser. Sold will be a Turk tobacconist standing carved figure of an Arabian man wearing a turban, long colorful garments and pointed shoes, in the original paint, 38 inches tall (est. $7,500-$12,500). Also offered will be a Lord Lonsdale British championship boxing belt from 1914, made of silver and hand-tooled leather (est. $8,000-$12,000).

A Jules Steiner (Paris) French bisque head bebe doll, signed on the head by the maker, 31 inches tall, in nice condition with fixed glass eyes and a fully articulated composition body, has a pre-sale estimate of $3,000-$5,000, as does an Emile Guillemin (Fr., 1841-1907) cold painted figural bust of a young black boy wearing a straw hat and 19th century French clothing, playing a banjo.

Returning to music, a 20 ½ inch Olympia upright disc music box in a large mahogany case with spindled gallery top with 13 discs, should rise to $6,000-$8,000; and a Criterion mahogany 15 ¾ inch disc music box in a mahogany case with a lift-top lid and chamfered corners, in very good original condition with 75 discs, should hit $4,000-$6,000.

A Mira 15 ½ inch music box in a gorgeous mahogany case standing on a two-door mahogany cabinet with cabriole legs, is expected to fetch $3,000-$5,000; while a military band fairground organ in a Wurlitzer style 105 case, with music played on a 6-inch paper roll, partially restored, should command $3,000-$5,000.

For those unable to attend the auction live, internet bidding will be available on three platforms: LiveAuctioneers.com, iCollector.com and Invaluable.com (formerly Artfact.com). Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Previews will be held on Friday, Sept. 12th, from 10-5, and on Saturday, Sept. 13th, auction day, from 8 a.m. until the first gavel falls, at 11 a.m. (EST).

This is the first in a series of five Fall auctions that Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has planned for the remainder of 2014. An antique estate auction, featuring over 350 pieces in a wide array of categories, will be held Saturday, Sept. 27; a 350-lot cataloged auction of fine quality diversified antiques will be held Saturday, Oct. 23; and a 600-lot auction of antique clocks and watches will be held Nov. 22-23. Consignments are now being accepted for these auctions.

With over 40 years in the auction business, Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is a name that has earned the trust of collectors, investors and gallery owners around the world. All cataloged lots receive nationwide exposure to the firm’s expansive database of more than 18,000 select buyers. Seven times Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has been voted “Best Antique Auction Gallery” by the public.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is actively seeking quality consignments for future sales. The firm also buys antiques and entire estates outright. To consign an item, estate or collection, call (413) 448-8922 and ask for John Fontaine. Or, you can send an e-mail to info@fontainesauction.com. For more information about the upcoming Sept. 13th auction, visit www.FontainesAuction.com.

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