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 April 21, 2025, WorthPoint added 417,657 items to its Price Guide, bringing the total estimated value to $63,905,556.35. That puts the average value per item at $153.
Originally at Versailles
Every once in a while, an item pops up that stops you mid-scroll and makes you say, “Well now, what on earth is that?” That’s what happened when I saw this so-called “pond sculpture” on Antikeo—and after fifty years in this trade, it takes a lot to make me pause. This was no ordinary garden gnome situation. It turned out to be a Triton—half man, half fish, entirely mythological—designed by François Girardon (yes, the very one who left this world in 1715). Originally part of the grandeur of Versailles, installed in the basin of the Pyramid on the north parterre, this fellow likely watched courtly dramas unfold and then, mysteriously, vanished into the annals of revolution and real estate reshuffling. Or perhaps someone had too much Bordeaux and thought, I’m taking him home.
This sculpture isn’t a towering Neptune; it measures a manageable 30 inches high, 56 wide, and 24 deep—just enough to cause awe without knocking over your boxwoods. His left hand, once supporting something—maybe a conch shell, perhaps a lost empire—shows evidence of a past weld. Still, otherwise, the chiseling is remarkably delicate, and the patina is delightfully velvety. Triton looks ready to sound a horn and announce your cocktail hour. He sold for $15,867, and I’m told delivery (to somewhere unknowable) cost just as much—a true mythological miracle. Antikeo didn’t stop there; the total sale hit a rather satisfying $402,993.16 across 200 treasures. Not bad for a day at the (virtual) market.
Time Capsule on Wheels
Bid Y’all hosted an auto sale recently, and among the tempting offerings was a real gem for us Jeep fans—a 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer that looked like it had just rolled off the showroom floor. With only 105,000 original miles, original forest green paint, and that gloriously oversized faux wood trim, this thing was a time capsule on wheels. As a lifelong Wrangler devotee, I even had to pause and drool a bit, especially since it reminded me of my dad’s old tan one. Only 14,120 were made in ’88, the final year for the full-size Wagoneer, making this one not just nostalgic, but genuinely collectible. Complete with the classic AMC 360 V8, fold-down tailgate, and automatic rear window, it sold via the “Buy-It-Now” option for a cool $24,200. Honestly, that’s a bargain for something that could turn every weekend into a vintage road trip fantasy. Prices are rising fast, and this one was snapped up just in time.
Also crossing the block at the Bid Y’all sale was what I jokingly call a “scrambled Jeep”—the rare and wonderful 1981 Jeep Scrambler CJ-8, which sold for a surprisingly modest $18,700. This was no trail-worn relic; it had been through a meticulous, frame-off restoration and clocked just 50 miles since its rebirth. With its original wood sideboards, vintage badging, and a straight-six engine that probably purrs like it’s 1981 all over again, this thing looked ready to win ribbons at any Concours show—or at least make your neighbors very jealous. Only around 30,000 of these hybrid Jeep-pickups were ever made, and today they feel like the spiritual ancestor to the modern Gladiator, just with more charm and fewer cup holders. And for those who prefer muscle over mud, there was also a 1978 Chevrolet Corvette 25th Anniversary Edition that changed hands for just $11,000. With just over 32,000 miles and a slick silver finish, that price is either a steal or the world’s most polite robbery. Either way, this sale had something for everyone, with good taste.
Headed for a Fire
Heritage Auctions had the rock gods smiling down this week, with the big-ticket item being none other than John Bonham’s stage-used bass drumhead from Led Zeppelin’s 1973–75 tours. As a freshly minted high school grad back then, Zeppelin (and The Velvet Underground) was my soundtrack, so seeing this relic hit the block stirred up more than just nostalgia. Photomatched to over 70 legendary concerts—including The Song Remains the Same and the epic five-night run at Earls Court—this drumhead is practically a percussive passport through the band’s golden years. Incredibly, it was rescued from a warehouse bonfire by a drummer who just wanted some spares—talk about dodging a fiery fate! It sold for $87,500, which seems like a relative steal when you recall Ringo’s Ed Sullivan skin brought in $2 million. That same day, Heritage also sold two Gretzky jerseys for a whopping $414,700—now that’s what I call a hat trick.
Chinese Pyrex
The “what-just-happened” item of the day goes to a blue and white Chinese jardinière at Lion and Unicorn that, to my eye, looked suspiciously like vintage Pyrex with ambitions. Estimated to go for somewhere between a modest $10 and $200, this 24-inch-wide, 17-inch-tall planter—with visible dirt drips and no photo of the base—didn’t exactly scream “record-setter.” Yet somehow, it thundered past all expectations and landed at a jaw-dropping $53,750 with buyer’s premium, leaving everyone in the room stunned—well, everyone except for two people who clearly knew something the rest of us didn’t. I didn’t see any imperial dragons or phoenixes, just some nice cobalt scrollwork and a general air of “that’s been in someone’s backyard.” Still, it apparently bore a Chinese character mark, which might’ve made all the difference. Let’s just say I’m scratching my head—and other regions—in utter amazement.
*Update on the Chinese Pyrex vase: Usually, when at least two people bid on a $10 estimated vase that the auction house did not clean the dirt off of, someone missed something. Thus, I dug further. Stunningly, this vase is an exact copy or one of the original vases from the funeral of Chairman Mao. Is it an original? How many did they make for the funeral? More questions arise. The linked article from the Linling News explains how the vase came about. Be sure to use the tab on their site to convert the article to English. This is an amazing story. The other question is, how did this travel from China to Florida, and where is it going next?
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.
WorthPoint—Discover. Value. Preserve.
Credit: Source link
