Rago Auctions

The Rowfant Club was founded in 1892 as a private bibliophilic society for the prominent men of Cleveland, Ohio. Known for its unique traditions, members were instructed to bring a candlestick from home and use it to reserve their place at the club's weekly dinners. By 1901, the Rowfant Club had amassed an impressive collection of mismatched candlesticks, which fueled their desire for a custom candlestick. The club held their annual meeting every February 2, on Candlemas, to honor their respect for candlelight and printed books. This is also coincidentally Groundhog Day, and this serendipitous coincidence inspired them to begin calling themselves The Gopher Club. Munson Aldrich Havens, a club member, wrote a commission request to the wildlife artist and author, Ernest Thompson Seton, for a candlestick holder that included the primary symbols of the club — the book, the candle and the groundhog. After many revisions, the final design was modeled by James Lippit Clark and produced as an edition of 100 by Tiffany Studios in 1903 for the club's 10-year anniversary. The present version from 1925 was designed by Frank Wilcox. Though Wilcox was not a Cowan employee, he received the commission to design this candlestick as a member of the Rowfant Club.

Ralph (1920 - 2008) and Terry (b. 1928) Kovels' influence on the world of collecting is incalculable and their accomplishments innumerable. The couple married in 1950 and wrote their first book together, now titled Kovels' Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain, 1650-1850, in 1953. In 1986, they released a new book, Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain, 1850 to the Present. As the definitive source for collectibles and values, the Kovels are renowned for their eye for antiques, art, and design.

When the Kovels began their collecting journey they were complete neophytes. Terry remarked in an interview: "In the beginning, we were always doing it together. He was a super salesman and I was a good researcher... So it was fun for me. We found subjects that no one else was doing." They learned by looking, researching, and collecting. The success of their first book led Ralph to pitch a column on antiques and collectibles to the Cleveland Press, "Know Your Antiques," which became the longest-running syndicated column in the country. Their secret, as Terry has said, was making it approachable: "We always include definitions on the things we don't know. We make it easy for people to understand what we are writing about." For perhaps the first time, at least in the United States, antiques and collecting were made accessible to the masses.

The Kovels were also incredibly diversified in their interests, collecting everything from banana stickers and textiles to furniture and American art pottery; as Ralph used to say when asked why he only collects: “If we own it, it’s priceless.” Over the decades that followed the publication of their first book their business developed into a multi-million-dollar enterprise. They wrote over 100 books, one of which, the Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide, has sold over four million copies and is considered one of the bibles of the field. They have been consulted numerous times for their expertise in court cases and various newspapers; wrote the "Collectibles" entry for the Encyclopedia Britannica; appeared on talk shows and starred in three TV series, “Know Your Antiques” for PBS, “Flea Market Finds with the Kovels” for HGTV, and "Collector's Journal with Ralph and Terry Kovel" for the Discovery Channel; and won two Emmy Awards. Their eponymous website, Kovels.com, was created in 1998 and to this day remains a priceless resource for collectors worldwide where one can check over 1,000,000 prices.

Terry remarked recently: "Building a great collection takes a lot of time, extensive knowledge and some luck, too. I am thrilled to pass our legacy of great finds onto the next generation of passionate antiques collectors." It is with great pride that Rago and Toomey & Co. offer a selection of Ralph and Terry's impressive collection here.