Stefek’s Ltd., of Grosse Pointe Farms, welcomed bidders to their premier auction on April 26. The gallery is set up on two floors in a building which was completely renovated under the direction of John Stefek. The cozy interior complemented the merchandise well, with its warm and welcome setting of hardwood floors and elaborately carved woodwork. Paintings and art adorned the walls and furniture was artfully arranged to showcase the offerings. Fine glassware, jewelry and objects d’art filled the showcases along the walls. Linens and toys were secreted in the window ledges and nooks around the room, which gave the setting a homey feel.

The online catalog listed 463 lots, with many being consignments from collectors around the tri-county area. Merchandise from this sale was also available via phone bid and internet from eBay Live. Stefek’s charges a 15 percent buyer’s premium for in-house buyers, and an 18 percent premium for eBay Live winners.

Stefek’s welcomed auctioneer, Doug Dalton, to kick off their auction debut. Dalton alternated at the podium with Lori Stefek, in offering an abundance of fine antiques and collectibles.

Art took center stage this day, with a mid-1800’s oil on masonite by Edwin Lord Weeks. The 26 by 38-inch painting, entitled Grenada, rose to $42,000. Oil on canvas, Crossing the Rio Grande by Melvin Warren was finally knocked down for $16,000, after fierce bidding from both internet and floor bidders. The Douglas Arthur Teed oil, Mosque Interior, turned in $3,500. A nice Fernando Carter oil easily surpassed its estimate of $400, closing at $1,500. Flamenco dancer oil on canvas by 20th century artist, Rodriguez Saint Clemente, was ornately framed and ended at $1,100. A floor bidder kept pace, but eventually lost out to an eBay Live bidder for an unsigned aquatint attributed to Georges Rouault. The internet bidder prevailed for $850. Another eBay Live bidder picked up both available Kyoshi Saito wood block prints for $750 each. Several Edna Hibel lithographs earned between $100 and $325 each, while a Hibel oil and gold leaf painting soared to $750.

The auction offered both new and estate jewelry, with the new items consigned by a reputable local jeweler. Set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and gemstones, dozens of rings twinkled in their cases. Perhaps in anticipation of upcoming birthdays, rings featuring the May birthstone, emeralds, were the top sellers of the day. A ladies emerald and diamond ring took top honors in the jewelry department, with a floor bidder taking it home for $1,500. Another emerald ring followed closely at $1,050. An elegant ruby ring surrounded by baguette diamonds earned $800, while a similar ruby style featuring round diamonds ended at $600. An outstanding estate necklace in 10K had pearl and carved coral accents at its stations. The piece ended at $200 with both floor and internet bidders vying for the bauble.

Sparking much internet interest was the selection of vibrant and colorful dresses by psychedelic 1960’s designer, Emilio Pucci. With today’s mod fashion trends, his busy print dresses are again in style. Four silk dresses sold between $125 and $200 each, while a cotton print dress commanded $275. A geometric diamond patterned silk skirt set in greens, blues and gold dashed to $150 and an eye-popping ensemble in pinks and reds made $125.

Representing talent from around the globe, a variety of art forms and statuary were available at Stefek’s. From China were several carved ivory figurines and displays. Seven figures in a garden was the subject of one such offering. The intricate scene was mounted on a 15 by 25-inch teak wood base and ended at $2,700 despite some minor repairs. A pair of lovely Chinese carved flutists strode off for $3,500. From the very early 20th century came an ivory carved scene of two women in a garden. The sculpture sold for $1300.

In addition to the elephant ivory pieces, several Chinese stone carvings were offered. The figures all exhibited extremely fine detail and depicted a variety of subjects. A jade vase decorated with an intricately carved tree rose to $1,700 and a purple jade urn hammered to $825. A small jade vase with carvings of koi and fruit topped out at $625. Three urns detailed with carved foo dogs ran to $550. A 7-inch Quan Yin carved of amethyst made $400. Two pieces – one with eggplant and vine and the other with a flowering tree – each went home for $350. Many more jade sculptures which were carved in the form of animals and figures sold between $100 and $300.

Other sculptures selling this day were fabricated with everything from bronze to porcelain. A lovely Goldscheider 1920s ceramic dancer stood nearly 18-inch tall and waltzed off for $2,400. An impressive bronze and gold gilt dancer by Erte stepped off for $1,700, while an Albert Heinrich Hussmann bronze horse sculpture trotted to $1,100. The large Weller frog sprinkler is decorating a new garden this spring for $650. Dresden porcelain dancers adorned in lace had a bit of damage, but still made $275 for the pair.

Over a dozen Hummel figurines and lots crossed the auction block, with Apple Tree Girl edging out Apple Tree Boy, at $325 and $250, respectively. The three children on figurines Follow the Leader and School Boys each earned $275. An 8-inch Umbrella Boy stormed to $225. Three different lots of Hummel annual collector’s plates sold, with the grouping of a dozen plates from 1971-1982 earning $200. The plate assortment from years 1970-1979 made $200. The last lot contained six annual plates and one 1978 special edition plate, and ended at $150. Hummel’s Hear Ye, Hear Ye figurine stood alone for $100, while the remainder of the figurines were sold in lots for $100 to $175 per group.

Lori Stefek and company have had a long history in the area conducting estate sales and the new auction gallery on Mack Avenue offers her clients a full range of sales options. Stefek earned her auctioneer certificate and accreditation as a personal property appraiser in 2006, in a natural progression from the original estate sale and liquidation business she began in 2000. Their next auction is tentatively planned for late June, but they host estate sales much more frequently, with most being in the Grosse Pointe area. For listings or more information, log on to their website, stefeksltd.com, or check The Auction Exchange and Collectors News for details about their upcoming sales.