Host Elizabeth McLeod chats with Thomaston Place Auction Galleries' jewelry specialist Sylvia Li about current and upcoming jewelry trends, and where you can find these styles in our upcoming Winter Enchantment 2026 auction catalog.

Explore the jewelry featured on Day 3 of Winter Enchantment 2026

All great achievements require time, and so do great auctions! Join Elizabeth McLeod and Darrin Guitreau, Thomaston Place Auction Galleries' horological specialist, for a talk on the romance of fine wristwatches and detailed reviews of Darrin's top three timepieces in our upcoming Winter Enchantment Auction.

No need to drop in a nickel as you learn the colorful history of a 20th Century American institution! Elizabeth McLeod welcomes prominent jukebox collector and historian Ed Liss for a swinging discussion of the rise of these flashing mechanical marvels, and of the Rock-Ola company and the engineering genius behind it — with a special focus on the Rock-Ola Magic Glo Model 1422 appearing as Lot 3014 in our Winter Enchantment Auction!

Ed Liss has been a music historian and a jukebox collector/restorer for 43 years. A New York City native, Ed was drawn to all types of music as a child and in his adult years he was able to associate with famous professional musicians who played with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul McCartney, The New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Harry Connick, Jr., Nelson Riddle, and a host of others. He has restored 19 vintage jukeboxes dating from 1936 to 1979. Each machine plays the precise music of its era and is 100% authentic. Ed is a retired IT CEO who spent 46 years developing on-line systems using proprietary Artificial Intelligence software used by Fortune 100 companies. Ed has 2 MBA's from Baruch College.

Collectors wishing to participate in the auction are encouraged to make arrangements in advance, as in-person registration and phone bidding are strictly limited. To register or to place a phone or absentee bid, please telephone us at 207-354-8141, or submit a Phone/Absentee Bid Form. 

Make this American icon yours — bid on the Rock-Ola Magic Glo Model 1422!

The future isn't just coming – it's here! Join Elizabeth McLeod for a wide ranging conversation with Michael Clawson of International Artist Publishing and the American Arts Collective Podcast, as they explore art market trends for 2026, the influence of technology on the auction world, and the challenges posed by the rise of Artificial Intelligence.

Michael Clawson is dedicated to elevating artists and fostering meaningful dialogue across the global arts community. In this episode, he brings that perspective to a timely conversation with Thomaston Place Auction Galleries on the evolving dynamics of value, visibility, and innovation in the arts. For more insight and continued conversations shaping today’s cultural landscape, explore International Artist Publishing and listen to the American Arts Collective Podcast.

Megan Pinette of the Belfast Historical Society & Museum sits down with Elizabeth McLeod for a closer look at a fascinating lot featured in our upcoming Winter Enchantment Auction: an impressive scrimshawed powder horn bearing an image of the Belfast-built three-masted sailing vessel Ivanhoe, and the family record of this storied vessel's captain! 

Additional auction highlights include an exceptionally large and important assemblage of scrimshaw and other notable works within the Marine and Nautical Collection. Together, these offerings present a rare opportunity—anchored by this distinguished powder horn—and underscore Thomaston Place’s long-standing role as trusted stewards of significant Maine maritime relics, as well as its position as a national and international platform for museum-quality material newly entering the market.

The entire Nautical Collection tells a richly layered maritime story, reaffirming the gallery’s commitment to preserving, presenting, and placing important Maine material on the global stage. Read more about this outstanding maritime scrimshawed powder horn and Carving a Captain’s Life—A Unique Family Record of a Maine Seaman Comes to Auction.

About Megan S. Pinette 

Megan, who is originally from New York City, is a graduate of the Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, graduating with a B. F. A. in 1975. She moved with her husband, Dennis, to Belfast in 1983. Here they established a custom picture framing business and were both involved with the burgeoning art gallery scene in both Belfast and Rockland through the 1980s and 90s. She is currently President of the Belfast Historical Society and Museum and serves as curator of the Belfast Museum. She has been active with the historical society for the past twenty years and worked on such projects as “The Museum in the Streets” — the thirty interpretive panels set along the waterfront, downtown and residential streets, the two architectural and history walking tours, creation of exhibits at the museum, and coordinator of historical society programs held at the Belfast Free Library.

Bid on History

Don’t miss your chance to own this outstanding work, plus an extraordinary presentation of scrimshaw during our Winter Enchantment Auction on February 21st, 2026, beginning at 11:00 AM EST.

Phone bidding and in-person registration are limited—secure your spot by calling 207-354-8141 or submitting a Phone/Absentee Bid Form.

For bidding information, visit our How to Bid page, or contact us with any questions or inquiries.

To gain early access and for information on other highlights, call 207-354-8141 to connect with us directly. Subscribe to stay informed on future announcements and the release of the full catalog.

In this special year-end edition Elizabeth McLeod recaps the highlights of each of the ten auctions conducted at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries over the year past, and looks ahead to the coming 2026 auction season!

From rare coins to classic cars, and fine timepieces to landmark works of fine art, historic Americana, and headline-making estates—including  Brooke Astor, Sally Jessy Raphael, and Herb Belkin—this episode revisits the standout moments from a remarkable auction year.

Highlights include record-setting results, unexpected discoveries, and memorable bidding moments—from a legendary 1895 Morgan silver dollar and a royal Ottoman pocket watch, to important works by Andrew Wyeth, Ram Kumar, Dahlov Ipcar (including Chickens in the Garden and Antelope Mandala), and  James Fitzgerald. 

The episode also explores the discovery of a previously unknown verso image on a Fitzgerald work ("Two Dories", CR# 1354, Second image verso, "Island Women" CR# 1353) and the collaborative scholarship undertaken between Thomaston Place Auction Galleries and the Mohegan Museum and Fitzgerald Legacy, offering listeners a rare view into the research and stewardship behind significant works of art. Listen to the episode and read the full story.

Inviting Collectors

Collectors take note: listeners can look forward to more important works by Dahlov Ipcar and James Fitzgerald in the coming year, as Thomaston Place Auction Galleries continues its commitment to stewarding important Maine artists. The 2026 season will also feature important works by artists with strong Maine connections, including Imero Gobbato, Everett Shinn, and William Thon, alongside nationally and internationally renowned artists.

No matter how you look at it, 2025 was a year to remember—and in this celebratory episode of Auction Waves, Elizabeth takes listeners on a richly detailed journey through an extraordinary auction season.

In addition to fine art, the year brought notable results in jewelry, furniture, memorabilia, and even a classic Mercedes roadster, underscoring the breadth and vitality of the auction program. Throughout the episode, Elizabeth places each sale in context, offering insight into collector enthusiasm, evolving market trends, and the behind-the-scenes rhythm of life at a working auction gallery.

Marking both the close of the auction year and the completion of the first full year of Auction Waves, this episode offers a moment to reflect on what has been accomplished—and to look ahead to what promises to be another compelling auction season.

Elizabeth McLeod and Thomaston Place Auction Galleries jewelry specialist Sylvia Li sit down for a fun and educational review of Sylvia's top five picks in our upcoming Jewelry Auction: The Unreserved Collection and our December 5th sale. From a field guide to spotting Tiffany in the wild to the many shades of aquamarine, it's two gals sitting around talking gems!

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries is pleased to present “Jewelry Auction: The Unreserved Collection,” an extraordinary specialty sale featuring 421 pieces of fine jewelry, timepieces, gemstones, and precious-metals—each offered entirely without reserve. As the holiday season approaches, this event provides an unparalleled opportunity for collectors and gift-givers to acquire meaningful, heirloom-quality pieces at remarkable, bidder-driven prices.

Don’t Miss Your Chance 

These rare and exceptional treasures from Maine will be offered on December 5, 2025 11:00 AM EST. Phone bidding and in-person seats are limited—secure today by calling 207-354-8141 or by submitting a Phone/Absentee Bid Form.

For questions on bidding, visit our How to Bid page, or please contact us directly. 

For all other enquiries, please contact us.

Solved! The Case Of The Mystery Plate! In this special post-auction edition of Auction Waves, Elizabeth McLeod reviews highlights of our just-completed Autumn Majestic Auction and unveils the full story of an enigmatic license plate from 1909 that fascinated our gallery team! Special Guest Expert Alan Young gives us the facts.

In this episode, we peel back the curtain on the research, speculation, and spirited debate that unfolded behind the scenes as our specialists worked to trace the origins of this unusual early-automotive artifact. Elizabeth walks listeners through the clues that first sparked curiosity, the investigative twists that followed, and the moment the puzzle finally clicked into place. Along the way, you’ll also hear about standout results from the Autumn Majestic Auction, from remarkable discoveries to unexpected bidding battles.

Alan Young — a noted license plate collector, historian of early plates and registrations, and member of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (learn more at alpca.org) — joins us to explain the surprising history behind this rare 1909 plate. He breaks down why it’s such an unusual surviving example, and what it reveals about the earliest days of American motoring.

For an even deeper dive into the story behind the plate, explore our videos:

 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLDbo5Ww9pA

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1yLHYIK_qc&t=6s

Whether you followed the auction live or are just tuning in now, this episode delivers a lively, fact-packed journey through one of the most intriguing mysteries ever to pass through our gallery.

Flag expert and historian James Ferrigan of the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) joins Elizabeth McLeod for a fascinating journey through The Glory of Old Glory — America’s most iconic symbol.

Together, they explore a series of early American flags featured in Day 1 of our Autumn Majestic Auction, and Ferrigan shares his expertise in flag design, symbolism, and preservation, revealing the craftsmanship and meaning behind these historic textiles. McLeod offers insight from the auction catalog, highlighting the stories that make each flag not just a collectible, but a living piece of American history.

Whether you are a collector, historian, or simply inspired by the legacy of “Old Glory,” this conversation brings to life the art, history, and enduring pride woven into every star and stripe.

About NAVA

The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. Founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith and others, NAVA’s membership of over 1,100 includes flag scholars, enthusiasts, designers, collectors, conservators, educators, merchants, manufacturers, historians, and hobbyists from nearly every U.S. state and Canadian province — as well as more than 30 other countries worldwide.

To learn more about NAVA and their work in the study of flags, visit nava.org.
You can also find NAVA on social media — @flagstudies on Twitter (X) and Instagram, and on Facebook at facebook.com/nava.org.

Bid on History

Don’t miss your chance to own this extraordinary collection. Rare and historic flags will be offered during day 1 of our Autumn Majestic Auction on November 6, 2025, beginning at 11:00 AM EST.

Phone bidding and in-person registration are limited—secure your spot by calling 207-354-8141 or submitting a Phone/Absentee Bid Form.

For bidding information, visit our How to Bid page, or contact us directly with any questions or inquiries.

With our Autumn Majestic auction ready to go this week, we bring you a special release of Auction Waves! Elizabeth McLeod and Kaylor Bergman review the procedure and the advantages of phone bidding in this exciting four day auction, and Elizabeth follows clock expert Peter Rioux as he explains the procedure for setting up a two-century-old New England Tall Clock, available for your bids in this auction.

With our Autumn Majestic auction ready to go this week, we bring you a special release of Auction Waves! Elizabeth McLeod and Kaylor Bergman review the procedure and advantages of phone bidding in this exciting four-day auction, and Elizabeth follows clock expert Peter Rioux of Peter Rioux Clock Service in Winterport Maine, as he demonstrates how to set up a two-century-old New England Tall Clock—available for your bids in this very sale.

About Peter Rioux

Based in New England, Peter Rioux Clocks is renowned for its meticulous restoration and preservation of antique timepieces. Peter Rioux, a master horologist, brings decades of experience to every project, combining historical knowledge with precision mechanical expertise. His dedication to authenticity and fine workmanship ensures that each clock not only functions beautifully but also reflects the art and science of its original era.

Our Autumn Majestic collection features 45 exceptional clocks, ranging from JLC Atmos and E. Howard Company Railroad Regulators to ship’s clocks, antique brassworks, and fine woodworks—including Lot 3088, a Rare Maine Paint-Decorated Tall Clock by maker Riley Whiting. Watch the YouTube video here.

Other highlights include Lot 2084 Waltham Mantel Clock, an Early 20th c. Rococo Style Gilt Brass and Glass Clock, and Lot 2066 Howard Wall Clock No. 89 in fine condition—each representing exquisite craftsmanship and timeless design.

These 45 antique clocks will be offered on Day 2 and Day 3 of our Autumn Majestic Auction, headlined by the Rare Paint-Decorated Tall Clock—a remarkable piece that captures the artistry and innovation of early American horology.

It’s Time—To Bid on History

Time is ticking—don’t let these extraordinary works of horological history pass you by. The rare and exceptional woodworks clock, Lot 3088: A Rare Maine Paint-Decorated Tall Clock by maker Riley Whiting, will be offered on Day 3, during our upcoming auction on November 8, 2025, beginning at 11:00 AM EST.

Phone bidding and in-person registrations are limited—secure today by calling 207-354-8141 or by submitting a Phone/Absentee Bid Form.

For questions on bidding, visit our How to Bid page, or please contact us directly. 

For all other enquiri