CHARLOTTE, Mich. — The large brick farmhouse standing on a bend in the road, once the main highway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, now seems to have a lonesome air about it. The windows are bare and dark. It is evident that no one anymore lives there.

This was once the farm home of Robert Medema, a well-known antique dealer in Kalamazoo, Mich., who was brutally murdered earlier this year. Now, all of the well-selected furniture which Medema had furnished this home had been removed to Charlotte, Mich. where Steve Stanton sold it at auction.

The 74-year-old Medema had been in the antique business for more than four decades, buying and selling antiques across the country. Medema had a fine eye for antiques, a consummate knowledge of furniture and accessories, and a following that extended far beyond the Kalamazoo area.

Predictably, the auction offered some of the most desirable antiques to come to the market in this area in several years. Furniture items included everything from fine Victorian furniture to Early American; plus, there were some excellent glass and pottery items. Buyers eager to avail themselves of the opportunity to obtain one of these fine pieces filled the showroom on the Eaton County Fairground.

One outstanding piece was a Victorian bookcase with four arched doors. This magnificent piece stood nine feet, nine inches tall and was eight feet wide. It was purchased by the former Governor of Illinois, James Thompson for the Governor’s Mansion in that state. This outstanding piece garnered a final bid of $15,000. Also purchased for the Governor’s Mansion was a Gone with the Wind lamp for which the final bid was $550.

A beautiful two-piece rosewood bedroom set spoke of a time when furniture was made to be beautiful as well as functional. The bed stood nine-one-half feet tall and was elaborately carved. The dresser, also elaborately carved had a drop center with two additional shelves on each side. The set had been professionally restored and was ready to be immediately placed in one’s home for use. The final bid for this beautiful set was $5,250. A two-piece set with full lady’s heads carved into the headboard and top of dresser, attributed to Mitchell & Rammelsberg, sold for $5,000.

A very tall Victorian cylinder-top desk which was in very good condition sold for $1,200; another desk, this one with an ornate gallery and drawers on each side, was ready for one’s home and sold for $1,750.

A large hall tree sold for $950; and a very desirable two-piece china cabinet sold for $700. A two-piece step-back china cabinet earned a final bid of $600; and a second two-piece china cabinet, this one with a marble insert, crossed the block for $1,700.A magnificent cherry one-piece corner cupboard with 12 panes, and two glass doors over two solid drawers, sold for $1,900. A spoon-carved gentleman’s dresser sold for $450.

From around the 1820s there was a very interesting primitive cupboard. This piece was painted red and black, had double screened doors and two base bins with sliding covers. It was probably a combination milk saver/pie safe with a bin below. It took a final bid of $2,400 to take this unusual piece home.

A needlepoint chair by Jeliff sold for $350; a mirrored-back Victorian sofa saw a final bid of $550; and a Victorian sofa in gold upholstery sold for $800. A Victorian davenport desk sold for $2,400, while an American Eastlake sideboard found several bidders, selling for $800.

For the collector of store displays there was a very interesting perfume display, advertising Rieger’s Perfumes. The perfume bottles were displayed on a revolving stand. It was all original with the Rieger’s name prominently displayed on each bottle stopper. The selling price for this item was $500.

Kalamazoo was the place for this item – a thermometer advertising Creamo Bread - made by the now defunct Kalamazoo Bread Company on East Street in Kalamazoo It sold for $550. Marked “The Grange Store” a spice box with eight drawers sold for $275.

A living room set consisting of a gold settee, two armchairs, and an armless chair sold for $650; a walnut three-door chest with acorn pulls and racetrack molding earned $155; and a dresser with a wishbone mirror, glove boxes and acorn pulls saw a final bid of $250.

Burl bowls usually generate considerable interest and the one presented here was no exception. Spirited bidding resulted in a final bid of $850.

For anyone looking for a stand there were several from which to pick. They came in different woods, had one or two drawers and some had drop leaves. One stand had two drawers over one, glass pulls and sold for $425; another had two drawers and glass pulls and earned $400. A stand with towel bars on either side sold for $525; a two-drawer stand saw $1,050; and a marble-top stand with lots of carving on the front and sides crossed the block for $400.

An oak high-back sideboard was a popular choice for several bidders resulting in a final bid of $800; a round walnut 42 inch pedestal table with four leaves sold for $1,100; and six chairs with needlepoint seats and hip rests to go with the table sold for $1,020 ($170 each).

Crocks and jugs were also popular items that crossed the block. A large crock jug sold for $500; a crock with blue markings and marked Utica, New York sold for $275; a crock churn saw $325; and a 16-gallon wood churn marked Ayres & Sons Mfg. PA, sold for $350.

An unusual mahogany five-level table with metal “face” feet and barley twist supports, possibly made by Horner, sold for $2,400.

Among the many, many pictures and portraits to cross the block, animal pictures seemed to be “the pick of the lot.” Two of them depicted moose, one in winter and one in summer, and these sold for $200 each. A picture labeled “Ben Hur Triplets,” a picture of three cows, sold for $310. The new owner of this piece said she could not resist it – the cows were just “too cute”. Two larges pictures of little boys that would need a very large space in which to be displayed sold for $450 each.

This was a diversified auction, appealing to a variety of tastes. A rack with seven matching oil bottles complete with spouts sold for $800; an ABC sampler made by some little girl in the past earned $200; and a shaving stand with three drawers and an oval mirror crossed the block for $300.

Rugs included an antique Sarouk rug measuring 4 feet, 2 inches by 6 feet, 6 inches that sold for $800; a second Sarouk rug that measured 4 feet, 1 inch by 6 feet, 6 inches saw $350; and one that was slightly larger earned $600.

A dry sink painted blue with original mustard paint inside appeared to be in very good condition, selling for $750. A marble-top turtle back parlor table saw a final bid of $650; and a corner cupboard with two paneled doors over two doors sold for $2,000. Prices quoted are the hammer price and do not include the buyer’s premium.

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