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 2, 2025, WorthPoint added 252,108 items to its database, with a total value of $15,012,667.03—averaging $59.56 per item.
Leading the day at Miller & Miller Auctions was a true showstopper: an early 1900s Erie Tobacco lithographed tin can, boldly decorated with a baseball batter in full period uniform and the “E T Co.” logo across his chest. Considered the Holy Grail of Canadian tobacco tins, this 3 Strikes flip-lid can was found during a home renovation, just 200 meters from the original Erie Tobacco Company factory in Kingsville, Ontario. The condition was nothing short of remarkable, especially for a piece that had survived over a century and remained a mystery even to seasoned collectors. It ultimately sold for an eye-popping $46,924.82—six times more than a similar example that turned heads at Morphy’s in 2023. With its striking graphics and nearly mythical scarcity, this can wasn’t just a piece of packaging; it was a museum-worthy relic of Canada’s early 20th-century tobacco industry and its unexpected brush with baseball history.
Rounding out the top five tins were vibrant examples from Sweet Caporal, Wilson’s, and the eye-catching Taxi Pocket—strong results, but none as memorable as my personal favorite: a die-cut tin sign paying tribute to Jumbo the elephant. Produced in 1935 by the St. Thomas Metal Sign Company, the sign was part of a limited run of 125 created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jumbo’s untimely demise—he was struck by a freight train in St. Thomas, Ontario, in 1885. Painted in a rich red and measuring 33.5″ x 24″, this piece stood out for its cheerful Depression-era design and melancholy backstory. Most of these signs disappeared almost immediately after being posted, likely spirited away by opportunistic collectors needing a little joy (or maybe just free décor). This surviving example sold for $4,265.89—a worthy sum for a piece of Canadian history that’s equal parts charming and, let’s face it, a little bit tragic.
A Definite Statement Piece
Over at R&R Auction in Peoria, Arizona, where just about anything can stroll through the door, a rather eccentric piece made quite the impression last week. Billed as a “lady’s bureau,” this towering Italian Renaissance-style cabinet looked far more like a high-backed desk—if your idea of a desk includes three wig cabinets, seventeen drawers, and five hidden compartments. Measuring a commanding 64″wide, 78″ high, and 24″ deep, it was richly inlaid with tortoiseshell, ivory, and ebony, and accented with ormolu—clearly more drama than utility. It sold for $3,630, which feels like a steal considering that, with some careful restoration, it could easily command $10,000 to $20,000. Granted, restoring it would require someone with not just deep pockets, but also deep reserves of patience and possibly a magnifying glass. Whether you call it a bureau, a desk, or a table of curiosities, there’s no denying it was a statement piece in search of a very bold room.
Conversation Starter
In the delightful oddity department, Lion and Unicorn Auctions featured a flock of Murano glass sculptures, the most whimsical being a vibrant toucan by renowned glass artist Licio Zanetti. This handblown beauty stood 14″ tall, showing off a dramatic backward-turned head, a bold yellow beak, and a body adorned with red and black feather-like patterns—all perched confidently on finely cast brass legs. Signed under the tail, it was a textbook example of Zanetti’s mastery of Murano glasswork, where artistry and animal forms collide in the most charming way. The toucan flew to a final bid of $3,250, a solid $1,000 more than a similar specimen that strutted through Blackwell’s in July 2024. While the piece showed some age-related wear, it didn’t ruffle any feathers among bidders who saw its collector value. Equal parts sculpture and conversation starter proved that a good bird never goes out of style.
A Painting with Power
My favorite item of the day goes to Helios Auctions and a captivating Russian oil painting attributed to Konstantin Alekseevich Korovin—or possibly his son, Aleksey. Either way, the work was striking: a portrait of a peasant girl whose face dominates the canvas with bold intensity, while a whimsical snow-covered Russian village plays backup in the distance. Measuring 28½” by 23⅛”, the composition had all the hallmarks of the elder Korovin’s theatrical brushwork and flair for expressive color. Signed in Cyrillic and housed in a fine frame, it sold for $20,480—a figure that feels modest given the painter’s legacy and the painting’s quiet power. The canvas, in very good condition with minor craquelure and subtle touchups, speaks to the enduring charm of Russian Impressionism. Frankly, it felt like a steal for a portrait that stares straight into your soul.
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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