Will Seippel, CEO of WorthPoint, enjoys watching the items sold at auctions held by our WorthPoint Industry Partners. We thought it would be a great idea for him to select some of his favorite sold items and explain why those sales stood out to him. Gaining insights from Will is an excellent way to learn about buying and selling trends in our industry. We want to empower you to buy and sell with confidence. Take a look at his thoughts on a few of our partners’ recent sales.
On June 3 and 4, WorthPoint added 468,433 items to its Price Guide, totaling $28,568,603.28. That works out to an average lot value of $60.99.
Worth Every Penny
Vogt Auctions of South Texas roared to life with the sale of a stunning and fearsome 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 454 convertible, which brought in $47,200. Painted in Monza Red and showing just over 58,000 miles, this car was one of only sixty-six made that year with this configuration, making it an incredibly rare find. While the factory version was already a powerhouse, this one had been extensively modified for drag racing, with high-performance upgrades ranging from bored-over 454ci internals to a custom ignition and exhaust system. Despite the modifications, the original factory parts—including the engine block, cylinder heads, transmission, and suspension—were all preserved and included in the sale, a testament to the care and attention the car received over the years. With a custom suspension setup and a Richmond Gear six-speed transmission, this Corvette was clearly built to dominate the strip, not just cruise the streets. Though some may say the price was steep, anyone who saw it would likely agree it was worth every penny.
Also included in the Vogt sale were two paintings by French artist Edouard Cortes, a rare sight in a South Texas auction, though not entirely unprecedented—Vogt has sold a dozen Cortes works in the past six years. Four examples were featured in this auction alone, ranging in price from $17,000 to $25,000. The standout piece was Moulin de la Galette en la Neige, which brought in $25,960. This nighttime scene shares a subject with a daylight version sold by Voght in 2021, though this one nearly doubled the price of that earlier sale. It was painted around 1950–1955 and is catalogued in the Edouard Cortes Virtual Catalogue Raisonné. Interestingly, this same painting had previously sold at Bonhams in 2015 for nearly the same amount, indicating a stable market. While Cortes’s prices have come down from their peak in the early 2000s, this could signal a solid buying opportunity for collectors.
A Rare Postcard
One Source Auctions offered two notable maritime artifacts in their recent sale, led by a rare photographic postcard of the RMS Titanic being towed from port. While postcards might seem trivial to some, high-demand subjects like this can command serious prices—some have even crossed into six-figure territory. This example, in good used condition, sold for $3,540, placing it among the top ten out of over 6,800 Titanic postcards tracked. Though described as “posted” by the auction house, the card was not mailed; rather, someone had written the date of the disaster—April 14, 1912—in German on the reverse. Had it actually been postmarked on that date, its value would have likely been much higher. Also in the sale was a rare sailor’s hatband from the RMS Lusitania, a black silk ribbon bearing the ship’s name embroidered in gold, flanked by British and American flags. The Lusitania, unlike the iceberg-struck Titanic, was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1915, resulting in a comparable loss of life and making relics from the ship highly sought after.
Jackpot Find
Ewbank’s Auction had a standout offering with a CGC 3.5-graded copy of X-Men #1, which sold for $4,905.20. This issue, first published in 1963, is a cornerstone of comic book collecting, featuring the debut of Professor X, Magneto, and the original X-Men team: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Angel, and Beast. The sale also included X-Men #4, graded at 4.5, which brought $1,401—significant for its introduction of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. These books were part of a larger comic collection that looked like a jackpot find for the auction house. While comic auctions often feature modern titles and mixed-condition runs, this offering showed real depth and collector appeal. The presence of multiple key Silver Age issues suggests Ewbank’s landed a significant private collection.
A Charming Surprise
In one of the more charming surprises of the week, Gray’s Auction offered a set of hand-carved wood figures of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that sold for $9,375. Created by Robert “Bob” Wills of Bob’s Woodtricks from Coal City, Illinois, these pieces predate 1964 and were completely unknown to major databases like WorthPoint or even Google. Each character was carefully crafted from hardwood and mounted on custom oak stands, with the artist’s brand and name plaques on the reverse. The tallest figure measured nearly two feet, and the group had the feel of true American folk art, blending Disney nostalgia with finely executed craftsmanship.
Two additional lots by the same artist were also sold in the auction: a pairing of Tinker Bell and Jiminy Cricket brought just $250, while a Pinocchio figure sold for $562.50—both exceptional values given the rarity and quality of the work. These carvings clearly struck a chord with bidders who recognized their uniqueness. It’s rare to see Disney characters rendered in such an old-school American style, and the Snow White set in particular captured both whimsy and historical charm. For collectors of Disney or American folk art, this was a truly special find that will likely only grow in appreciation.
Decorative and Historical Appeal
K&B’s recent sale highlighted just how tough the market for colonial furniture remains, despite quality examples. A standout was a circa 1800 cherry lift-top sugar chest with drawers, featuring a rare sulfur floral inlay—most commonly associated with Pennsylvania German craftsmanship. Likely from the Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Kentucky region, the piece brought $1,106, a modest price considering its decorative and historical appeal. Also notable was a monumental Hepplewhite-style corner cupboard by H.C. Valentine, a mid-20th-century maker renowned for his meticulous reproductions. Standing an impressive 102 inches tall, the cabinet included handmade glass, rosehead-style nails, and carefully crafted woodwork. It sold for just $920, demonstrating both the underappreciation of fine reproductions and the waning interest in traditional American forms. Still, collectors who value quality over trend could see strong long-term value here.
Will Seippel is the founder, president, and CEO of WorthPoint. Will has been an avid collector since 1974 and dealer of just about all things antique—with an emphasis on ephemera— since 1984. He is also the creator and founder of HIP, a website devoted to recording the best of the world’s history that has been saved on film.
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