Rare A.J. Nellis Hayfork Display Brings $10,465 as Asprey Necklace Sells for $23,000

A six-inch A.J. Nellis & Company salesman’s sample hayfork display rose to $10,465.00 at Martin J. Donnelly, turning a small, unusual object into the standout result in WorthPoint’s October 20, 2026, market recap. The sale’s appeal appears to rest on its rarity and its close connection to a full-size agricultural tool: the display model was made to match the production version, but lacked its branding.

WorthPoint added 95,034 transactions to its Price Guide on October 20, with a combined value of $10,727,790.41 and an average lot value of $112.88. Within that broad dataset, the hayfork display, an Asprey diamond necklace and three Versace bags offer sharply different examples of the items drawing attention.

A salesman’s sample far beyond estimate

Martin J. Donnelly sold the A.J. Nellis & Company cast bronze hayfork display for $10,465.00. Its presale estimate was $800.00 to $1,600.00, so the final result substantially exceeded the anticipated range. The compact display measured about six inches wide and ten inches long.

The auction description, as recounted by Will Seippel, draws a useful distinction between this sample and a branded retail object. The model was otherwise the same as the production version, while lacking the company branding. The auctioneer’s interpretation was that such examples may have been made for dealers to use as floor displays. That possibility gives the object a specific commercial role, even though its exact history isn’t established in the account.

Seippel says he and many other observers had not seen one before, and he doubts another will turn up soon. That scarcity is a striking part of the result, but the account gives no production count or population figure. For collectors, the sale is a reminder that a familiar tool category can include unusual display pieces whose scale, construction and intended use set them apart from ordinary examples.

WorthPoint’s record for Martin J. Donnelly now contains 46,741 sold lots, with data extending back to 2021. That history provides a wider body of auction records for readers comparing results from the house, though this individual sample remains an uncommon find in Seippel’s account.

Asprey necklace tops the jewelry results

Another notable result came from Wardlow Auctions, Inc., where an Asprey eighteen-karat white gold and diamond necklace sold for $23,000.00 on October 12, 2026. The design featured what appeared to be eleven sea-star motifs, each set with six additional diamonds, separated by five round diamonds.

Seippel describes the necklace as a remarkable piece and remarks on its royal associations with Asprey. The physical details provide a clearer basis for identifying this particular example: its white gold, diamond settings, sea-star forms and spacing of round stones. The account doesn’t state a weight, dimensions, condition grade or estimate, so those details can’t be used here to compare it more closely with other jewelry results.

Three similar bags, three results

Maison de Beaubigonne LLC sold three Versace “Medusa Icon” chain flap bags in a mini auction on October 12. Each had a quilted pink-and-blue tweed pattern, pink leather details and a gold chain. The bags measured eight by six by three inches and appeared almost new, according to the account.

The three reported prices were $850.00, $737.50 and $725.00. Although the bags shared a model and general appearance, they did not sell for identical amounts. The source doesn’t explain what distinguished the individual lots, so condition details or other differences shouldn’t be assumed. For collectors following the design, the results make a useful small group of same-day comparisons, with the limits of the available descriptions kept in view.

Other October results to track

Three additional records in the roundup span jewelry, fashion and mineral collecting:

• Van Cleef & Arpels eighteen-karat gold “Alhambra” necklace—sold at Wardlow Auctions, Inc. on October 12, 2026, for $12,075.00.
• Vintage Chanel “Jumbo Double Flap” black caviar bag—sold at Tom Hall Auctions on October 6, 2026, for $1,500.00.
• Raw tourmaline with cleavelandite from Phullawai in the Neelam District of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, measuring 5.59 inches by 3.7 inches by 3.66 inches—sold at Heritage Auctions on October 17, 2026, for $40,000.00.

These records cover markedly different categories, so their prices aren’t directly comparable. The strongest practical takeaway is to keep the details attached to each result: the named auction house, sale date, item description and any available measurements. The hayfork sample stands out for its unusual display purpose and steep climb beyond estimate; the necklace and bags offer additional October reference points for their respective categories.

Collectors can search the WorthPoint Price Guide for comparable records. More than 1 billion prices are available through a WorthPoint subscription, which offers a free seven-day trial followed by the selected plan rate; cancellation is available before the trial ends. Readers who want Will Seippel’s Tangible Ledger by email can sign up through this form.

Will Seippel founded WorthPoint and is its president and CEO. He has collected since 1974 and dealt in antiques, with an emphasis on ephemera, since 1984. He also founded HIP, a site dedicated to preserving history captured on film.