MARINE CITY, MICH. — Things bloom fresh in springtime and the new Water Street Antiques auction house is no exception to that rule. The auction seeds were planted by Jay and Jeannie Carrothers for a new auction facility in Marine City. Situated in an 1890s building, the former Zimmerman’s Hardware Store on Water Street is an ideal location to auction antiques. With original tin ceiling, fancy columns and old hardwood floors, antiques seem right at home.

Jay assembled an impressive and varied array of quality antiques of all genres and enlisted the services of veteran thumb area auctioneer Keith Zessin. This auction had no buyers premium and no internet bidding.

At exactly 1 p.m., Zessin made a few opening remarks and then the auction was off and running. Items flowed across the block in handy fashion to the hands of happy bidders. Bronzes, lamps, furniture and an eclectic cross section of quality smalls made for a nice first auction.

A detailed bronze of an American bison charged across the block to a $500 bid. A bronze of an American Indian chief wearing a full feathered bonnet on horseback parlayed a $450 bid. A bronze Ferdinand DeLuca titled flapper girl danced to a final bid of $225. A restrike of a famous Chiparus bronze of an Egyptian female dancer seemed a bargain at $75.

A sampling of the various pieces of furniture sold include a nice quartered oak stacking bookcase with writing desk, drawer section and two bookcase sections made $450. An unusual Yamaguchi style mid-century modern chair with tendril form iron bracing underneath grew to $300.

A large R.J. Horner style master’s armchair with a carved crown and massive paw feet was a good buy at $100. A signed Limbert medium size copper table lamp with an oak leaf motif lit up the crowd at $900.

There were many stained glass windows presented at the auction with the star being a large Victorian transom window. The window has a sunburst pattern in rich shades of reds, greens, and ambers, and sold for $550.

Leading the flock of decoys sold was a Thomas Chambers mallard in original paint that hit the $600 mark. A large Canada goose decoy with a keel attributed to Ed Tillitson made $225. A Ben Schmitt garnered a $200 price. A Jim Kelson balsa body decoy made $125.

A primitive wooden dough bowl rose to $45 while a 1956 Schwinn Corvette boys bicycle in nice condition was pedaled for a $70 bid. A quartered-oak cabinet stenciled with Whitman & Barnes Mfg. Co. Akron Ohio realized a $150 final bid. A Keystone firetruck featuring original paint, decals, and both ladders went for $100.

An unusual tabletop fan with a ball style blade system blew to a $70 bid.

Among the other smaller items was a miniature cast aluminum boat motor that trolled an $80 bid.

A miscellaneous sterling silver group of candlesticks and the like hit $125. A grouping of Meerschaum pipes and stems lit up a bid of $240. Two autographed baseballs (Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio) sold for $80 each. A beige 1960s pay phone rang up a $100 bid. A small ’Ribundo’ cast iron teapot brewed up a $110 bid. A smaller brass ship’s wheel charted a $75 bid. A nice cast iron nautical motif umbrella stand hit $200.

A double ball seltzer bottle sold for $55. Several small cast iron cars sold in the $10 to $50 range.

Carrothers said he wants to conduct two or three auctions yearly of quality antiques. He can be reached at (810) 335-9428 or email jaycarrothers@yahoo.com.