The Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Nov. 12, 13, and 14 Premier Americana Auction was a landmark event and produced robust prices, along with a few surprises, in multiple categories. The three-day format consisted of 1,908 lots from across the country, much of which was fresh to the market and, in a number of cases, had descended directly in the families of the original owners. Bidding was intense throughout each day, with thousands of registered bidders participating by phone and online in competition with a socially distanced gallery crowd. Session one featured a wide selection of 18th and 19th century glass and lighting, comprising free-blown, pattern-molded, and pillar-molded wares; bottles and flasks; a fine collection of colored pressed flint glass including many rare vases and candlesticks; whale oil and fluid lamps; early kerosene lighting, including cut overlays; a large selection of pressed lacy, including rare hollowware, salts, and cup plates; 18th-century European drinking vessels; and Bohemian glass, including goblets with American scenes. The 757-lot session included consignments from Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York and produced consistently strong prices throughout the day. The top lot for Thursday, one of several surprises over the weekend, was a rare Bakewell pressed lacy gothic arch windowpane in as-found condition. The finely-detailed object signed by the Pittsburgh glass firm went to a collector online at $8,775. All prices include a 17-percent buyers premium. Other noteworthy results from the session included a Thomas Cains pattern-molded whale oil/fluid stand lamp at $7,605, a Sandwich pressed hen covered dish in shiny translucent jade green at $5,557, and a pair of blown-molded six-panel font whale oil/fluid stand lamps in deep amethyst selling for $5,265. An unrecorded colorless pressed lacy footed sugar bowl and cover realized $5,265. Session two showcased ceramics, early iron and over 100 lots of folk pottery, including rare Shenandoah Valley examples; good painted and other baskets; 18th- and 19th-century Staffordshire, including rare figures of all types; pearlware; Prattware; creamware; a large selection of transferware in all colors and forms featuring historical, romantic, and floral patterns; childrens toys; gaudy wares; Delft wares; and a large selection of 18th- and 19th-century ironware, including all types of hearth and domestic articles; early lighting; and door hinges, locks, handles, and latches. The top lot for the 577-lot session, another surprise for the weekend, was a group of wrought-iron figural escutcheon plates. With two Native American profile examples in the lot, the group attracted much pre-sale attention and ultimately went to a determined phone bidder at $12,870. Other noteworthy results included a Zigler Pottery, Timberville, Rockingham Co., Shenandoah Valley of Virginia half-gallon cobalt-decorated stoneware pitcher selling for $7,605; a rare five-color rainbow spatterware plate, $4,972; a very scarce Shenandoah Valley of Virginia redware/earthenware cream jug/miniature pitcher, stamped to the underside of the base for the elusive Woodstock, Va., potter, J. Buck, $4,972; and a fine pair of Staffordshire large rabbit figures that went for $4,680. Session three consisted of the firms usual diverse selection of Americana and fine antiques. The 584-lot session included a diverse range of rare objects that generated tremendous pre-sale excitement from collectors and institutions eager to acquire fresh material of the highest quality, some of which retained historical provenance. The top lot for Saturday, realizing $81,900, a new world record for the artist, was an important John James Trumbull Arnold (1812-65) folk art double portrait of the Parsons children of Piedmont, Va. (now West Virginia). Fresh to the market from the collection of Dan Wagoner, the newly discovered masterpiece drew much attention during preview and went to a Virginia private collection on the phone bidding against another private collector. Other noteworthy results included a figured maple dwarf tall-case clock attributed to Christian and Daniel Welfare that sold to Old Salem Museum and Gardens/Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) for $37,440. A Shenandoah Valley of Virginia paint-decorated box attributed to the Barb Family of Shenandoah Co. sold for $24,570. An important Virginia Confederate Civil War presentation sword, descended directly in the family of the original owner, brought $23,400, and a signed Sojourner Truth carte-de-visite/CDV sold for $11,115, likely a record for an image of this sitter. After the sale, company president and principal auctioneer Jeffrey S. Evans commented, We were very pleased with the strong interest across the board in this auction. It was good to see a solid crowd of bidders back in the building on sale days (socially distanced and wearing masks, of course), and it was particularly encouraging to witness the kind of robust, sustained bidding over the weekend that produced very strong results across all categories of the sale. A key part of that success was the fresh nature of most of the material offered. It was an honor to work with the Wagoner collection and the Hammond collection, for instance, and we certainly hope to continue to attract more consignments as they come to market. Evans added, Our spring 2021 auctions will feature several important collections of early ceramics, folk art, painted furniture, early glass, and other fine material from across the country, so we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead of us. To learn more about this or future sales, call 540-434-3939 or visit www.jeffreysevans.com.