Toomey & Co. Auctioneers

On May 5, 2019, Toomey & Co. held a single-owner auction, The Paul & Terry Somerson Collection of 20th and 21st Century Metalwork and Jewelry. This carefully curated sale showcased the largest private collection of American Arts & Crafts metalwork and jewelry ever assembled. The Somerson Collection also featured a range of impressive works by modern and contemporary silversmiths and makers. Altogether, 500 lots were included in the auction, the sell-through rate was 93%, and the total result with premium was $650,000.

Paul Somerson was a highly successful tech journalist and author in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2001, Paul and his wife Terry began collecting American Arts & Crafts metalwork and jewelry as well as Stickley furniture, art pottery tiles, and vintage photography. Paul eventually founded ChicagoSilver.com, a guide to Chicago's renowned Kalo Shop and other Arts & Crafts makers. On May 25, 2018, Paul died unexpectedly at age 68. We were deeply saddened by his passing, but it was a distinct honor to handle The Paul & Terry Somerson Collection.

Since 2019, Toomey & Co. has offered a variety of additional material from The Somerson Collection at auction.