November will be twice as nice at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery with not one but two auctions, kicking off a choice selection to include R.J. Horner furniture, art glass table lamps, paintings and sculpture on Saturday, Nov. 2, followed up with two classic Cadillacs, a select grouping of clocks and cellos and much more on Nov. 16.

“We had a busy summer and fall season and acquired several large estates so we decided to pull out all the stops for November and offer two auctions, including 700 lots,” said John Fontaine, owner of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “Eclectic is the word of the month here. Our estate auctions are different in the respect that they do not feature the specialized higher end items found in our catalogued auctions even though nearly all of our usual collecting specialties will be present but at a more moderate level, from R.J. Horner and fine carved furniture to clocks, European cellos, fine jewelry, Tiffany and art glass. Sure to interest many will be two midcentury Cadillacs, including one driven by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.”

Kicking off the first auction early on will be a fine grouping of carved furniture, led by a R.J. Horner winged griffin mahogany partner’s desk ($6/8,000) featuring standing griffins with their wings spread open under the shaped desk top, a carved apron and drawers, 29 by 57 by 38 inches; a R.J. Horner figural carved hall bench ($3/5,000) in quarter sawn oak lift seat bench with scenic carved panels, winged griffins and maiden crest, 59 by 57 by 21½ inches;  and an 18th Century Portuguese carved rosewood bureau ($5/7,500) having a paneled lid with four carved rocaille motifs in each corner over three drawers with carved rocaille motifs, 44½ by 44 by 27 inches.

Lighting up the auction block will be a Pairpoint Puffy Papillon table lamp ($2,5/3,500) with a 14-inch puffy shade reverse painted with colorful butterflies and four clusters of red roses with vines and leaves, 21½ inches tall overall; a 16-inch Jefferson Poppy table lamp ($1,2/1,500) decorated with two large poppy flowers and buds against a yellow-orange background, 22 inches tall, and a massive and multi-tiered hanging Arts and Crafts brass chandelier ($1,5/2,500) with a slightly hammered textured surface; 84 inches tall with a 39-inch diameter. Besides lamps, art glass offerings includes a Tiffany Studios Favrile glass vase with damage ($250-400) decorated throughout with white wavy bands set against platinum iridescence, 10½ inches tall with a 6½ inch diameter.

European paintings will be represented as well, highlighted by an unsigned oil on canvas portrait of the Queen of England after Sir Godfrey Kneller (British, 1646-1723) estimated at $2/3,000, 29 by 24½ inches, and a signed Karl Albert Buehr (French, American, 1866-1952) oil on board of an Impressionist summer landscape ($1,5/2,500) depicting green trees lining a winding river, 23½ by 32 inches.

Rounding out the first auction are a Bryan’s Twelve Win 1-cent slot machine ($800-1,200) with a clock dial reading “Big Hand on Red to Win,” 30½ by 20 by 12½ inches; a figural decorated Oriental rug ($1,5/2,500) with intricate scenes of over 36 animals and people in action poses and the border having 24 birds and 22 portrait faces, 47 by 72 inches; and a Mermod Freres inlaid music box with four cylinders ($1,5/2,500) in a rosewood and ebonized case, 8½ by 25½ by 12 inches.

Equally eclectic will be the Nov. 16 auction with offerings selected to appeal to a wide range of collecting interests. Commanding much presale interest owing to its “wow” factor and cross-category appeal is the 1955 Cadillac Eldorado used to announce the Rolling Stones’ “Bridges to Babylon” tour. Expected to lead this sale, the car is estimated at $75/125,000 and is painted in Mandan Red with a black convertible top with red piping. It has won several awards on the automobile show circuit and went through a full body-off restoration. Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger himself drove the car from Brooklyn to Manhattan and onto a stage. Asked by the press that day how he liked his ride over the Brooklyn Bridge, Mick replied, “It was one of the finest rides that I have had.”

Another choice classic Cadillac to drive across the block will be a 1961 Series 62 Cadillac two-door convertible ($30/50,000), which is a restoration in progress and has 19,632 miles.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has sold many choice clocks, many at record prices, especially E. Howard regulators, over the years. The best clocks are quickly snapped up and it gets hard to keep finding ones in private collections. John Fontaine has earned a reputation as a specialist though and every few months or so, he seems to pull a rabbit from a hat and find several new estate-fresh clocks. Crossing the block will be an E. Howard & Co. No. 60 wall regulator ($20/30,000) having a 14-inch original painted metal dial signed “E. Howard & Co., Boston, Mass.,” 69 by 27 by 14 inches; a Seth Thomas No. 19 hanging regulator ($10/15,000) with its original 12-inch dial signed “Seth Thomas,” 77½ by 23 by 10 inches, and an American mahogany 8-day weight driven banjo regulator wall clock ($8/12,000), attributed to Simon Willard, Massachusetts, having a 12-inch painted metal dial inscribed “Simon Willard, Roxbury,” 61 by 20½ by 6¼ inches.

Recently, Fontaine’s acquired a good collection of cellos and violins. This month’s sampling includes an early 19th Century English cello  ($8/12,000) made with an “antique finish,” 50 by 17 by 10 ½ inches, and an early 19th Century French cello ($8/12,000), 50½ by 17¼ inches.

Rounding out the auction will be a music box collection with many exceptional examples and a pair of unusual Arts and Crafts mantles ($4/6,000) in quarter sawn oak with exotic wood scenic panels, 80 by 60 by 11 inches; and an 18K gold, diamond and enamel exotic bird brooch ($700-900) depicting an 18K gold filigree exotic bird perched on a diamond-encrusted branch.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is the oldest operating auction gallery in Western Massachusetts. It has earned the trust of collectors, investors and gallery owners worldwide. All cataloged lots receive nationwide exposure to the firm’s database of more than 24,000 select buyers. Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has been voted “Best Antique Auction Gallery” eight times by the public.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is actively seeking quality items, to include furniture, lighting, clocks and watches, paintings, porcelains, bronze and marble statuary, Asian items, art glass and cameo glass, Russian objects, silver, musical, coin-op, advertising, toys, banks, gaming and carousel items for future sales. Consignments are currently being accepted for the January 18, 2020 auction.

The firm will buy outright or accept on consignment fine antiques, collections or entire estates. Call (413) 448-8922 and ask to speak with John Fontaine, or you can send Mr. Fontaine an email to info@fontainesauction.com. For more information about the company and the upcoming auction schedule, visit www.fontainesauction.com. Updates are posted frequently.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is at 1485 West Housatonic Street (Route 20), Pittsfield, Mass. For more information, www.FontainesAuction.com or call 413-448-8922.