MIDDLETOWN, NY – A 1971 Chevrolet Impala convertible that had sat, undriving, in a heated garage for 30 years sold for $31,250, and a 1972 Chevrolet Malibu roared for $6,300 despite some issues with rust at a two-session auction. May 21 by EstateOfMind, online and live in the auction gallery at 195 Derby Road in Middletown.

The 1971 Impala was a station wagon, purchased by the original owner’s son for his mother in 1970. Since 1992, it has been stored in the family garage in the basement. The car, in fact, has always been parked and only showed 33,224 miles on the odometer when it was put up for auction. The battery was new, the soft top worked perfectly and the engine ran freely.

The 1972 Malibu was a tale of two Chevys. While the car ran well and had many new parts including tires, brakes, Flowmaster exhaust and matching numbers on its 350 cubic inch engine, it had shoddy bodywork in the 90s that the new owner will probably have to settle. This, combined with the rust, prevented the vehicle from bringing more. It showed 94,132 miles.

Session 1 of the auction, which began at 11 a.m. EST, was dedicated to militaria and firearms. Session 2, immediately after, consisted of elements from Tuxedo Park and Hamptonburgh, NY; Oceanside, LI; and Warwick, NY Over 650 lots were bid on in Session 2, encompassing multiple categories. In total, the auction raised $286,575.

“This auction was an interesting mix of firearms, militaria, mid-century modern field furniture and, of course, watches, jewelry and artwork,” said Darrell Dirr , the owner of EstateOfMind. “It was a perfect mix that got a lot of attention from different venues.”

Here are some other highlights of the sale, which enjoyed a 98.4% sale (only 18 lots sold out of the 673 lots offered). About 50 people attended in person, while another 2,000 registered to bid online, via LiveAuctioneers.com. There were also 5,200 absent (or left) bids recorded. All prices include a 25% buyer’s premium.

A pair of 19th or 20th century Italian Carrara marble guardian angels, 40 inches high, finished at $6,250; a 19th-century Sarouk rug signed Sarouk with a deep blue ground, taken from an estate in Tuxedo Park, 8 feet 6 inches by 11 inches, realized $5,250; and a pair of Mid-Century Modern leather armchairs by Charles Pollack (Phila., 1930-2013) for Knoll fetched $2,000.

A 1945 oil on panel painting of a WWII US Navy/Army/Air Force seaplane (one of ten built), with clouds, signed by artist Eric Sloane ( NY/Conn., 1905-1985), 24 inches by 30 inches, changed hands for $4,625. Additionally, a rare Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904-1988) cherry and fiber table lamp, 16 inches tall, circa 1940/1950, went to a determined bidder for $2,125.

The estate’s jewelry was extensive and included a circa 1980 18 kt gold leopard brooch signed Asch Grossbardt, in gold, stone, shell and diamond, weighing 34.8 grams, costing $2,000; and plenty of vintage Rolex watches — including a superlative Oyster Perpetual “Golden Egg” chronometer (1959) and a circa 1959-1960 gold-plated Bulova wristwatch that sold for $1,750.

An exceptional 19th-century Meissen floral porcelain dinner service cost $1,875; a 19th or 20th century Shaker (Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania) children’s rocking chair with the original seat and back taped, signed, and stenciled, complete with mushroom caps, fetched $1,062; and an authentic 1807 handwritten letter requesting military leave initialed by Napoleon Bonaparte for $2,500.

Unquestionably, the surprise lot of the day was an AMPEX 351-2 reel-to-reel tape transport with amplifiers. Coming in with an estimate of $400 to $600, he ended up finding a new home for $3,250.

EstateOfMind’s next auction will be a two-session affair scheduled for Saturday, October 8, starting at 10 a.m. ET. Watch the website for more details as the auction date approaches.

EstateOfMind was officially born in 2009 after more than 20 years of providing real estate services through a former company, American Antiques & Fine Art. Owner and President Darrell Dirr, owner of art, antiques and real estate sales businesses, holds a Certificate of Recognition. Mr. Dirr was nominated by the OCDSS for being a valued PSA community partner for 20 years.

EstateOfMind is still accepting quality submissions for future auctions. To inquire about consigning an item, estate, or collection, you can call them at 845-386-4403; or, you can email [email protected] To learn more about EstateOfMind and the company’s upcoming auction schedule and other information, please visit www.EstateOfMind.biz.

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