Press Release

Douglass, KS, USA, March 29, 2025 -- Two Wedgwood vases marked Fairyland Lustre, one in the King Dragon pattern and the other in the Ghostly Woods pattern, brought a combined $130,500 at an Antique Auction held March 22nd by Woody Auction, online (at LiveAuctioneers.com) and live in the Douglass, Kansas auction hall. In all, 366 highly collectible lots crossed the auction block.

The event showcased the outstanding collections of Eleanor Eulau of California; Maurine and the late Al Edmond of Iowa; and Paul Pellett.

"The results can be surprising, but not unexpected, when talking about the quality and variety that was offered in this particular auction,” said Jason Woody of Woody Auction, who added, “The large online participation of over one thousand registered bidders was a good indication that just the right combination of items had been brought together for an unreserved auction."

The catalog was packed with wonderful examples of French Cameo, English Cameo, cut glass, alexandrite, amberina, KPM porcelains, satin glass, Quezal, Steuben, Durand, plated amberina, pink agata, Sevres, R.S. Prussia, Duffner & Kimberly, Tiffany & Co., decorated Burmese, Loetz, Mettlach, furniture, Lalique, Royal Flemish, Napoli, Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre and more.

The Wedgwood vase marked Fairyland Lustre #Z4968 in the Dragon King pattern was designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones and boasted an exceptional cobalt blue ground with flawless gold stencil highlights. It had the same scene and shape as shown in the book Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre by Una Des Fontaines. The vase blasted through its $20,000 high estimate to gavel for $87,500.

The winning bidder of the vase began researching Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre after the death of his friend Paul Pellet, who had been the owner prior to his death in 2024. He became intrigued with it and wanted to support the estate by purchasing some items. There were four bidders vying for the vase (one in-person and three phone bidders). Bidding on the item took 4.5 minutes.

It was easily the top lot of the auction, being as it was one of the rarest and most desirable vases of its kind. The runner-up slot went to the vase marked Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre #Z4968 in the rare Ghostly Woods pattern. Also designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones and standing 13 ¾ inches tall, the vase showed exceptional colors and realized $43,000 against a high estimate of $5,000.

The winning phone bidder for that vase (a different person) was a collector of Wedgwood Fairyland and wanted to add the item to his collection. What made the vase so desirable was the highly sought after Ghostly Woods pattern, plus the fact that the scene on the vase was almost “occult-like” and likely did not appeal to the masses when it was created. Thus, fewer of them were made and sold.

An art glass toothpick holder signed Daum Nancy, 2 inches by 1 ¼ inches, having a frosted pink ground with rare penguins on ice and a French Cameo and enamel décor, came into the sale with a modest pre-sale estimate of $3,000-$5,000, but savvy bidders pushed the final price to $13,000.

An extremely rare Webb English Cameo art glass laydown perfume in the figure of a fish with a silver tail screw-off cap, beautiful blue with detailed white cameo cutback overlay, marked RD#15711, had a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000, but the final selling price was $11,000.

A Malfrey pot marked Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre, 7 ½ inches tall, with a flame lustre background and a white pagoda pattern on the lid’s interior, sold at just under estimate for $9,500. The pot, marked #Z5360, had a sycamore tree, fairy slide, feng hwang and bridge panels.

A large (17 ¾ inches) French Cameo art glass vase signed Galle having a yellow ground with an amethyst/blue clematis design and a scalloped rim, fetched $4,750 on a high estimate of $1,500.

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