MUSKEGON, Mich. – A beautiful 6,000 square foot plantation-style home in the Heritage District of downtown Muskegon had been the residence of Leona Hilt, wife of Dr. Raymond A. Hilt for the past 68 years. She furnished the home with antiques as well as having an extensive collection of antique jewelry. When it was time to sell at auction, the scope was so large it required four months for Tim Fitzsimmons, owner/auctioneer of Midwest Liquidators, to inventory the items and bring them to auction.

One of the finest furniture items in this auction was a carved walnut Victorian settee. Competitive bidding drove the final selling price to $1,300.

From the 1920s there was a beautiful carved mahogany bedroom suite from the Blackhawk Furniture Co. This three-piece set included a bed complete with a headboard, a footboard and side rails, a highboy with a mirror, and a vanity, and was in its original finish. This set was sold with a buyer’s option to take the piece or pieces they desired at that bid. The gavel fell at $725 and the winning bidder wisely opted to take all three pieces for a total of $2,175.

A second bedroom suite, this one a four-piece bird’s-eye maple set consisting of a bed, a five drawer dresser, a three-drawer chest and a three-drawer washstand with a towel rack was also sold with a buyer’s option and found winning bids of $110 for the bed and the five-drawer dresser and $100 for the other two pieces.

A carved walnut lion head Victorian hall tree, complete with an umbrella stand, crossed the block for $450. An early Arts and Crafts mahogany umbrella stand with a copper insert sold for $140.

A working pump melodeon with ivory keys from the 1880s and manufactured by C. Peloubet would be a very interesting addition to a music room, and it earned a final bid of $125.

Mahogany Kindel highboys from the 1930s, one with 12 drawers and the other with nine, and both having ball and claw feet and open pediment tops earned $400 and $425 respectively. A third highboy, similar to a Kindel earned $425.

A mahogany Scandia drop-leaf bookcase/secretary found a winning bid of $250; and a child’s drop-front secretary, went to a new owner for $190.

One of the most interesting, useful items in this auction was a game table made by Extensole. It had a flip-top which made it just about the right size for four people to play cards or dine. The advantage it had, however, was the ability to extend to more than 76 inches long when three additional leaves were inserted. This piece sold for $500.

Other furniture pieces included a wood-frame settee that sold for $250; a small three-drawer cabinet that had probably been used to store dental instruments, $130; and a seven-drawer mahogany lingerie chest, $260. A four-drawer walnut chest with a marble insert and hankie drawers sold for $150; and a Victorian carved walnut daybed crossed the block for $130.

A pair of floor lamps stamped Lampe Elegeoise were one of the highlights of the auction. They had brass bases and the shades were in the shape of a flame. While the pair had been electrified, they still reached $1,700.

Another interesting early lamp had an eagle on a base made of wood from the Alvin Johnson, a ship that sank in Lake Michigan near Muskegon in 1888. It earned a final bid of $135. Other lamps included a figural floor lamp that sold for $240; a floor lamp with a marble base and a fringed shade that earned $140; and a brass and crystal chandelier that also sold for $140. A caramel slag glass shade for a hanging lamp sold for $160.

Collectors of Royal Doulton figurines had several from which to choose and one collector went home with several. Among these Christmas Morn and Top ’O the Hill each earned $100; Autumn Breeze saw $190; Genevieve earned $150; and Love Letter crossed the block for $235.

Hummels included Umbrella Boy, Umbrella Girl, Stormy Weather, Blessed Event, Easter Time, Doll Bath, Doll Mother, Happy Birthday, Kiss Me, and Ride Into Winter. These were sold choice out with the winning bidder opting to take all at $90 each.

Prior to Heywood Wakefield it was the Wakefield Rattan Co. From this company there was a baby buggy with a parasol. It was in good original condition, including the parasol, and crossed the block for $150.

A bid of $110 took a folding bicycle made by the Moulton Co. in England. It was designed to be easily carried from one place to another and came complete with headlights, a bell, and taillights.

There were several beautiful older rugs, some for a large room and the others to be used as area accent rugs. A beautiful large one with a dark maroon background sold for $550; a second one, also in a deep maroon, earned $400; and a small Persian rug sold for $425.

Among the jewelry items there was a platinum ring with a basket setting. It sold for $150. A small Cartier sterling silver basket, probably to sit on your dresser, appealed to many and found a new owner for $260.

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