Antique Bowling Collection

A rare antique bowling collection will be part of a huge Living Estate Auction to be held Saturday, April 30, 2016, 4411 Bledsoe St. (warehouse), Westmoreland, TN, 37186. There will be 500 lots of antiques and collectibles including many rare and highly desirable pieces of antique furniture, art, accessories, collections and more. The bowling collection will be selling at 10 to 11:30 a.m. Previews will be Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, April 29 CST and 8-10 a.m. Saturday April 30 CST. The auction will be conducted by Music City Auction (lic #4976), David Allen, auctioneer (lic #5600) www.musiccityauction.net.

The April Busy Bee will contain more information on the auction. There are over 100 lots dating back to the 1850s, and this is a 30-year effort of Walter F. Sill, Jr. collecting from New York to California. One of the highlights is the sale of a standard size wood bowling ball, 7.5” in diameter; a ladies wood bowling ball that is 7”; the youth size wood bowling ball is 6” and the child’s ball is of composition and 4.5”. This set is sold individually and it would be virtually impossible to find this set.


The premier piece of the auction is a bowling pin dating back to the 1850s. The approximate date was verified by the Nation Bowling Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a museum piece. There are 17 bowling trophies dating back to the early 1900s. There is an outstanding 12” tall china pitcher with a picture of a bowler on it, in perfect condition and was made by Thomas and Son Co. between 1915-1920. There are three early candlestick pins of wood 16.75” tall and they will be sold individually. There are several Duck pins bowling balls of various colors and several carrying bags. There is a complete set of wood Duck pins with rubber bumpers, 9.5” tall. There are 14 wood bowling pins in different styles to be sold individually. There is a Nine Pin bowling set and several complete sets of various size bowling sets. Two tin toy bowling alleys with bowler, pins and ball with one set 27” long and the second set is 29” long, circa 1940-50s. 



Also to be auctioned: Metal and wood bowling pin liquor container; Jim Beam liquor bottle pin shaped; 1944 trophy wood pin; 1949 small wood pin with ABC logo; two different lamps with shades with wooden pins body; 1950s ladies and mens bowling shoes and bags; 1950s plastic bowling ball decanter with bowler on top; 1950s smaller size plastic ball with bowler on top; lighter and cigarette holder; 1950s wood Brunswick finger sizing display, metal finger sizing pieces missing; two early bowling photographs; 1918 color drawing framed of a lady bowler; 1940s china plate of cartoon man bowling; round bowling serving tray with two bowling drink cups; 1950s complete bowling bar set in original box; two toy bowling games in original box; two complete sets of early colored toy wood pins; 1950s framed bowling picture of a ball, pin and shoes, appears to be charcoal; two Petangus steele balls, French, in leather strap carrying case; 1930s composition ashtray and cigarette box with bowler embossed; 8 bowling postcards of comic characters, earliest post card 1909; unusual wall hanging coat rack using 6 Duck pins as hangers; two toy wood bowling alleys with pins and ball, 66.5” tall and 65” tall, circa 1930s-‘40s; three boxes with wonderful variety of many small bowling items. All circa dates are estimated. For FREE auction list and information write: Bowling, 309 Log Lane, Lafayette, TN 37083.