DENVER, PA.- The citizens of Pennsylvania will profit handsomely from Morphy Auctions’ Aug. 30-31, 2014 Fine & Decorative Arts Auction, which brought in $1,380,000, inclusive of 20% buyer’s premium. Forty percent of the 1,366-lot sale consisted of hand-selected fine jewelry, rare coins and other valuables from the Commonwealth’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property vault. Outperforming presale expectations by $40,000, the Treasury items as a whole generated $284,000 for the Keystone State’s coffers.

“It was a great sale, strong in every category,” said Morphy Auctions’ founder and president Dan Morphy. “This was our third auction in which we partnered with Pennsylvania State Treasurer Rob McCord and his team, and it couldn’t have gone better. So far, our ongoing joint venture has raised almost $750,000 for programs benefiting Pennsylvanians.”

The weekend’s top lot was a ladies cocktail ring designed with 46 tapered baguette diamonds, total weight 5.08 carats, surrounding a superb cabochon-cut natural jadeite center stone. It finished within estimate at $31,200. A platinum ladies ring, whose two main diamonds totaled 4.0 carats, tripled its high estimate in reaching $18,000. Another jewelry highlight was an 18K white gold aquamarine and diamond brooch of versatile design that also could be used as a pendant. It sold for $10,200.

A modern classic, a 14K white gold tennis bracelet with 46 matched, emerald-cut diamonds of outstanding color and clarity had many suitors. The winning bidder paid $32,400 to own the elegant, 20-carat piece.

Antique mechanical music boxes performed in a diva-like manner, sweeping three of the top five slots on the list of prices realized. A circa 1885-1890 Swiss orchestral music box by Ami Rivenc was accompanied by six cylinders capable of playing 48 songs. Beautifully presented and retaining a tone as rich and stirring as the day it was created, the machine took a bow at $25,200. A 24-inch Lochmann’s coin-op duplex-disc music box with tubular bells, from the collection of Coulson Conn, M.D., past president of the Music Box Society International, ended its bidding run at $22,800. Right behind it at $21,600 was a George Baker (Switzerland) music box capable of playing several intricate melodies. It achieved $22,800.

A quirky 6½-inch R.W. Martin (England) figural “Wally Bird” tobacco jar, exhibiting superior color and detail, attracted attention from both sides of the Atlantic. The coveted avian had been entered in the sale with a $13,000-$15,000 estimate but soared effortlessly to $25,200.

The timeless artistry and impeccable quality of Galle art glass stole the spotlight in the form of a diminutive vase etched with the image of a mermaid riding a dolphin on convoluted ocean waves. Signed “E. Galle Nancy,” the 3½-inch-tall vessel rose to $18,000 against a presale estimate of $1,000-$2,000. Another piece that defied expectations was a Tiffany No. 1885P vase in a deep rose shade with mottled accents. Standing 8 inches tall, it was in excellent condition and retained a partial Tiffany paper label. It was bid to $9,000 against a $1,000-$2,000 estimate.

A signed Abbott Fuller Graves (American, 1859-1935) oil-on-canvas garden scene led the selection of paintings offered in the auction, selling for $16,200; while a quintessential depiction of a mother hen with chicks by revered regional artist Ben Austrian (Reading, Pa., 1870-1921) found favor at $10,200. Although undeniably an accomplished fine artist, Austrian became more widely known as the result of a commercial commission – his illustration of a newly hatched chick that became the mascot for Bon Ami cleanser.

Several bidders pursued a 3-gallon stoneware jug with a cobalt blue painted image of a deer surrounded by vegetation. It bore an impressed mark for a variety store, “Giles & Co.” of “Cherry Valley,” and listed a number of wares offered by the establishment. Against an estimate of $5,000-$8,000, it sold for $15,600.

Morphy’s will conduct its first auction in association with newly acquired Victorian Casino Auctions on Sept. 19-20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The sale will feature antique advertising and coin-op machines, including antique and vintage gambling machines from the renowned collection of the late William F. Harrah (1911-1978), founder of Harrah’s Hotel and Casinos.

For a confidential consultation with Morphy’s about consigning to a future auction, call the Pennsylvania gallery at 717-335-3435 or email info@morphyauctions.com.