Sussex County icon's collection up for auction this weekend

By Laurie Gordon
BRANCHVILLE — Attention antique buffs and those who like one-of-a-kind collectibles: take your mark, set, go. There are some amazing things going up for sale this weekend as items from Richard Roy's incredible collection will be up for auction Saturday and Sunday in Branchville.
Richard Roy was well known throughout Sussex County for his sense of business, community service and his incredible knowledge of antique cars and, basically, all things very old. He was president of the Roy Company in Branchville, a feed and farm machinery business that has been in the family since 1926. He served on the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Sussex County, now Lakeland Bank, and also served as chair of the Board of Directors of the Dennis Library, a branch of the Sussex County Library system located in Newton.
A true history buff, Roy is remembered as being a virtual walking encyclopedia when it came to antique cars and generally all things very old. He was a member of the Classic Car Club along with memberships in individual classic car clubs, including Lagonda, Pierce Arrow, Buick, Mercer and Chrysler to name a few. He also displayed a classic car in the Owls Head Museum in Maine.
Roy passed away in 2014 leaving behind quite a collection of all kinds of things. That collection will be up for auction this Saturday, September 17 from 10 am to 4 pm and and Sunday, September 18 from 10 am to 6 pm at 23 Broad Street in Branchvillle.
Roy's sister, Peg Ewing, of Hampton, said, “So many of the items are the pure definition of 'unique' because you truly are in a time capsule of history. Much of what is being sold is exceptional in that it is the culmination of 60 years of collecting by my brother, whose passion was collecting unique antiques. If I had to pick out the items that I thought were the most unique, I would have to mention the two Louis Larsen paintings because Mr. Larsen was a famous artist with history in the Sussex/Wantage area of Sussex County and there are many collectors of his works in the area; the 1878 Folk Art Train by Charles Vedder because of the uniqueness of the train and the fact that it had electricity incorporated into it along with a handwritten story that explains how he created the train strictly out of his fascination watching local train pass through town in southern New Jersey.” Ewing added, “There’s also a gold plated and sterling silver 60th Anniversary Caterpillar tractor that even has a diamond in the radiator cap, as well as the original “Branchville” sign that hung at the Branchville train station. The list just goes on.”
The auction has been organized by Hartzell's Auctions, and Will Raymond Hartzel will be the auctioneer.
“Ray Hartzell, along with his family and staff have handled all of the auctions for our family,” said Roy's niece and Ewing's daughter, Hilary Manser, of Stillwater. “He was also hired by my brother when he was alive to handle the auctioning of remaining Roy Company supplies. He’s been wonderful to work with because he’s so knowledgeable and professional. His son John has taken charge of this sale and has done a fantastic job, with their whole team.”
“My daughter, Hilary, was on American Pickers this past January 2016” Ewing said, “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience especially with our family being fans of the show even before my brother passed away. We were happy to have Mike and Frank come in and look at the items in his collection, as well as learning from them about just a sampling of what they were interested in 'picking.'"
Manser said, “As a child, I saw my Uncle’s collection but, I was told to 'look with my eyes and not with my hands.' I couldn’t possibly appreciate the history and the stories that went along with all of the antiques as a child, but as an adult I’m just in awe of what he had. It seems that every time I walk into his collection, I’m seeing something different.” She added, “Selling the items is bittersweet and I wish I could have him back with us to tell us more about how he acquired these pieces and the stories that went along with them. If you knew my Uncle, absolutely everything had a story it. His knowledge was amazing and his mind was so sharp.”
Ewing said, “My brother had very diverse interests, and they also varied over time. When he was a boy, he collected stamps. As a young man, he became fascinated with cars and car parts, an interest he had throughout his life. He loved bicycles and amassed a large collection that he loved showing to visitors. As he grew older, he started collecting what is now known as Americana – American furniture, signs, toys, porcelain and things like that. He particularly loved art generally and paintings specifically. His/my mother, Helen Roy, was an accomplished local artist, and he was very interested in supporting the work of local artists that he liked, many of whom were good friends. He also loved local history books and collected a lot of those, all of which are included in this sale.”
As to how he acquired these items, Ewing said, “He had a network of friends, fellow collectors and dealers who would clue him in if there was something they thought he might like. He got together often with his fellow collectors at Hershey each October. He was very particular in terms of what he would buy and what he was willing to pay. There was usually a lot of negotiating involved, and sometimes transactions would take months to finish. He was always very happy when he managed to acquire something that he found interesting, and better yet if it was at the right price.”
The family remembers The Roy Company fondly. “It was a local feed and farm machinery business,” Ewing said. “The business began in the 1920s and was started by my father, Bus Roy, and his brother Frank. My brother operated the business right up until his death.The Roy Company was a staple in Branchville as the place to go to get feed for your farm animals, as the feed was once mixed right on the property with seed and materials from local farmers. It was also a one-stop shop to get tractors and machinery repaired and serviced, as well as a dealership for farming equipment. It was also a great place to stop and have a cup of coffee with my brother to catch up on the happenings in Branchville and Sussex County generally.”