Going once, going twice, sold! For more than a decade, Nest Egg Auctions has been one of Connecticut’s premiere estate and antiques auction houses. Located on Research Parkway in Meriden, the company sells antiques, arts, coins, jewelry, and other treasures. It’s owned by Meriden natives Mary Ellen Brechlin and her children, Jennifer Soderberg and Ryan Brechlin, who serves as the auctioneer.
“My parents began in the business as antique dealers,” explains Ryan. “They thought antiques were a great way to invest for the future. As they built their business, they also bought antiques to save for their retirement. It was their ‘nest egg.’”
The first auction was held in 1998 at the Grange Hall. The family started out doing just one auction a year, but now conducts more than 60 annually – including one every Monday at 6:00 p.m. inside its 12,000 square foot building.
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Nest Egg Auctions has sold thousands of unique items over the years. Some of the most valuable include an Alphonse Mucha painting that went for $50,000, a pair of Chinese vases that brought in $46,000, and the entire estate of a well-known photographer that sold for $400,000.
When Meriden Patch stopped in for a visit, a rare Civil War tintype photograph was discovered while Ryan and his crew were going through items for a future auction. And just last week, they found another great treasure.
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“A gentleman whose family fled Germany after World War II brought in a porcelain plaque his parents managed to save from the rubble in Berlin. It turned out to be a valuable piece of painted porcelain that was over 120 years old,” says Ryan. “We gave it an auction estimate of $3,000 to $5,000 and it will sell in our September 24th auction.”
Along with live auctions, Nest Egg Auctions also conducts appraisals every Thursday from noon until 5:00 p.m. A quick, verbal appraisal is free, but a complete one with a certified appraiser can range from $75 to $100 an hour.
Ryan says most people are pleasantly surprised when they come in for an appraisal, like when he tells them an “ugly vase” is really worth $15,000. But at times, he does have to break the bad news.
“Sometimes they find out the book they have was not in fact signed by George Washington, like great grandma always said.”
Born and raised in Meriden, Ryan says giving back to the community is very important to him and his family. That’s why Nest Egg Auctions donates its time and services to many area organizations. Last month it hosted an auction for the Meriden Lions Club that netted almost $10,000.
And in case you’re wondering, Ryan admits to talking fast at times when auctioning, but says he's easy to follow, and not like those cattle auctioneers out west.
All auctions are free and open to the public. For a list of upcoming auctions, visit:
