Thursday, March 29, 2007

MAJOR PERSONAL COLLECTION OF OCEANIC & AFRICAN ARTIFACTS WILL CROSS THE AUCTION BLOCK AT A-1 AUCTION ON MARCH 25TH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2007

A-1 AUCTION
ORLANDO, FL
Sale March 25

A major personal collection of African musical instruments, masks, weapons, bead work, jewelry and furniture will cross the block at A-1 Auction of Orlando, FL on March 25.

ORLANDO, FL – The sixth and final sale featuring items from the estate of Mike and Betty Seflik will finally settle the estate of the Flagler County, FL couple. Mrs. Steflik died in November 2004.

The last sale will concentrate on the personal collection, consisting of 354 lots with no additions, of African and Oceanic artifacts accumulated by the Sefliks in the 1960s and 1970s with emphasis on ceremonial masks and ancestral figures. The inventory will feature tribal and ceremonial masks, beaded and ivory jewelry, carved statuary, furniture, basketry, a huge collection of Venetian Chevron trading beads from West Africa and the Congo and important staffs and scepters from eastern, southern and western Africa as well as from Sumatra. One of these items is a magician’s prestige staff from north Sumatra that is expected to sell in the low five figure range but there are rare and important examples throughout this sale that will please and excite bidders in all categories .

Doug White, owner of A-1 Auction, has had the inventory skillfully and carefully cataloged and appraised by a licensed appraiser feels this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire some of these African and Oceanic articles that are no longer being made and may soon become unavailable due to international events. Cultures represented in the sale include the Bobo, Masai, Zulu, Baule, Yoruba, Senufo, Chokwe, Dan, Luba, Ashanti, Bamana and Dogon among many others.

The sale will be conducted, without reserve, at 12:00PM March 25 at the Maitland Civic Center, 621 S. Maitland Ave. in Maitland, FL just north of Orlando. The Civic Center has seating for 275 and reserved seats can be secured by phone or email. Absentee and phone bids are welcome. The sale will also be conducted live online through the facilities of Proxibid. Details for registration for the online sale can be found at http://www.proxibid.com/asp/Catalog.asp?aid=6552.

The preview will be March 19 - 23 during business hours at the A-1 Auction offices located at 2042 N. Rio Grande Ave., Suite E, Orlando, FL or by appointment and on March 25 from 10:00AM until sale time at the Civic Center. For more information call Doug or Paula White at (407) 839-0004 or email to a-1auction@cfl.rr.com. The sale catalog and a map are available on the A-1 Auction website at http://www.a-1auction.net/.
written by:
Fred & Gail Taylor
800-387-6377

PHOTO CAPTIONS FOR A-I AUCTION
SALE MARCH 25, 2007

A complete headdress is still attached to the mask. It is the original fiber and hair headdress with a very rich patina including the ornaments that were part of the costume. $8,500/$9,000.


A finely carved Mende Society mask with an exceptional patina from Sierra Leone. A very well defined headdress with an unusual system of openings for the costume. $6,000 - $6,500.




Large Bobo masks like this were used as dance masks in groups and danced in special ceremonial occasions that were important to the tribe. This one has very fine carved incisions and finely worked markings. The size is exceptional.


Important Venetian beads from West Africa and the Congo. It is an exceptional collection that would be very difficult to put together again. $4,900/$6,500.


Some of the collection of ivory and bone necklaces and cuffs.



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