Mom Was Wrong: Video Games Earn Top Dollar at Auction
Remember when your mom told you video games were a waste of time? That they’d never help you pay your bills? She was wrong. We’ve seen a huge uptick in the value of vintage video games recently, with new records being set every few weeks for the cost of these games at auction. In fact, […]
The Allure of Gemstones
A 59.6-carat pink diamond, known as the “Pink Star” sold at auction for $71.2 million in 2017. While the “Pink Star” holds the record for the highest priced gemstone ever sold, it is not the highest price per carat the world has ever seen. That honor goes to the 14.6-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” diamond that sold […]
How to Sniff Out a Valuable Vintage Perfume Bottle
Before becoming an auctioneer, I had no idea the huge variety of items people collect and consider valuable. Vintage perfume bottles is a category I would never have suspected to be valuable. But we regularly sell beautiful vintage perfume bottles worth hundreds of dollars or more. In fact, we sold an Art Deco Bohemian Czech […]
Original Painting by Thomas Moran, “Father of the National Parks” to be Auctioned in Glendale Friday, June 18
Painting part of a large fine art collection, belonging to the late Edward and Frances Elliott, that will be part of the fist live auction at EJ’s Auction & Appraisal in more than a year GLENDALE, Ariz. (May 28, 2021) – An original Thomas Moran oil painting from, valued at an estimated $500,000 – $750,000, is […]
Rescuing Valuable Art from the Trash
We’ve all heard the stories about a rare piece of art that was found at a secondhand store or yard sale and sold for thousands of dollars. In fact, I’m sure we’ve all wished, at one time or another, that we could stumble across a painting or valuable art piece sure to make us rich. […]
Donate or Sell? What to do with Your Unwanted Jewelry
This Charles Loloma Hopi Kachina Sand Cast Tufa Mold Sterling Silver Pendant sold for more than $2,500 on April 10. We regularly talk to consignors who don’t realize the value of the jewelry they have collected throughout their lives or have inherited from family members. In fact, earlier this month, we sold a signed Charles […]
Were We Born to Collect?
This Marklin Germany Ho Gauge Electric Locomotive model sold for $390. The locomotive was part of a large train collection that went up for auction in December 2020. Do you remember the Beanie Babies craze of the early ‘90s? How about Cabbage Patch Dolls in the ‘80s. It seems as though we’re hard wired to […]
Hot Wheels are Hot Collector’s Items in 2021
This 1970s Hot Wheels Redline Red Killer Heavy Chevy sold at auction on Feb. 5 for $650. Is there any more quintessential childhood toy than a die cast Hot Wheels car? The feel of the cool metal against your palm as you raced them across the carpet, leaving rug burns on your knees. The sound […]
The Joseph Memoli Frank Sinatra Audio Collection to be Auctioned Friday, Oct. 30 at EJ’s Auction & Appraisal
Mr. Memoli was a Bay Area restaurateur who served as historian and president of the Frank Sinatra Music Society GLENDALE, Ariz. (October 7, 2020) – An impressive collection of Frank Sinatra reel to reel interviews, movies, signed letters, autographed photographs, art and other memorabilia honoring the iconic singer hits the auction block at 11 a.m. on […]
Collecting Space Memorabilia
When SpaceX launched NASA astronauts into space on May 30, we all seemed to forget everything bad about 2020 and watch intently with hope. It was a historic mission, not only because it marked the first time NASA astronauts blasted off from Earth since the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011, but because it was […]
Keith Haring Painting Resurfaces in Phoenix After 34 Years — June 19 Auction
Handwriting expert Bart Baggett verified that a personal note on the back of the painting is by the hand of Keith Haring GLENDALE, Ariz. (May 18, 2020) – It was nearly 34 years ago, in December 1986, that world-renowned street artist Keith Haring visited Phoenix for a well-documented, week-long visit that included a drawing workshop at […]
Antique Fishing Reels Can Be a Big Catch
Give me a day off, and you’ll likely find me fishing. Not only do I have great memories of spending lazy, sunny days with my father and grandfather fishing at secret hideaways, I cherish time with my own children at lakes and fishing holes throughout Arizona. I especially love fly fishing at Lee’s Ferry and […]
