The traditional fare will be offered by Wiederseim Associates Inc. at a Valentine's Day antiques auction beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the Ludwig's Corner firehouse in Glenmoore. Among the more than 400 lots are 19th-century antiques, Civil War memorabilia, and paintings by the turn-of-the-20th-century Chester County artist George Cope.

Most items are expected to sell for less than $1,000, though a set of 12 Chippendale ladderback chairs carries a presale estimate of $3,000 to $4,000 and a yellow-decorated York County Dutch cupboard could bring as much as $12,000. A 19th-century folk-art weather vane of a standing fox hunter blowing a horn is expected to go for $600 to $800; a "banner" weather vane with original gilding and a zinc "pointing finger," $2,000 to $2,500.

The Civil War memorabilia includes an unusual Confederate States of America musical-instrument case of black-painted wood with a mounted brass plaque inscribed with the name and military unit of its owner, and a plaque reading "Relics of Atlanta Georgia, 1864" and the letters U.S. made from Civil War bullets. The case, which Ted Wiederseim thinks was for a cello, is expected to sell for $400 to $600; the plaque, for $25 to $50.

Perhaps the most significant Civil War item is of local interest: an oil-on-canvas landscape depicting a wounded captain from the Zouaves regiment and soldiers under his command, signed "W.A.K. Martin, Phila." William A.K. Martin was an American who lived from 1817 to 1867. The Zouaves regiment was raised in Philadelphia and took its name from its soldiers' distinctive trousers, reminiscent of the Turks, according to Wiederseim, who expects the picture to bring $3,500 to $4,000.

The four Copes, three depicting Chester County scenes and the fourth a Florida scene, are expected to sell for as little as $800 for the smallest local landscape to $4,000 for the others. All are from the same Main Line consignor.

Also featured in the auction will be an unusual English silverplate roast-beef platter and dome ($200 to $300); a Gorham Versailles-pattern silver service monogrammed "ESC" ($3,000 to $5,000); at least one contemporary piece, an art nouveau lamp that probably is also Gorham ($2,000 to $3,000); and an artwork suitable for the day on which it is being sold: a gouache painting by the 19th-century illustrator Bror Thure de Thulstrup depicting a young couple in a sleigh with Cupid on its back and drawn by three horses ($2,000 to $2,500).

Previews are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 7 a.m. to sale time tomorrow at the firehouse, on Route 100 just north of Route 401. For more information, call 610-827-1910 or go to www.wiederseim.com.

Two-day contemporary sale. Rago Arts and Auction Center will present "Real Modern: Stickley to Starck" tomorrow and Sunday, devoted to 20th-century design and "full of classic, authentic property that won't break the bank," the auction house says.

Indeed, of the 1,100 items to be offered over two days, only the Mira Nakashima free-form coffee table that will open tomorrow's 20th-century modern session has a five-figure presale estimate, $10,000 to $15,000.

The other 700 lots in the session, which will begin at 10 a.m., come from such established ateliers as Phillip Lloyd Powell (five lots, including a group of custom cabinetry expected to sell for $2,000 to $4,000) and Charles and Ray Eames (chairs by the dozen), as well as new artisans, such as Kati Tuominen-Nittyla/Arabia of Finland (a pair of storybird ceramic vessels, $200 to $400) and Win Knowlton, an American (a patinated cast-iron sculpture of a baguette, $800 to $1,200).

A "Marilyn Lips" sofa with pink sateen and crimson velvet upholstery is expected to bring $1,500 to $3,500. Five lots of plaster panels done in the 1930s for a municipal building in New Jersey as part of a WPA job have a presale estimate of $2,000 to $4,000.

The 400-plus lots to be offered starting at noon Sunday are from the beginning of the 20th century and include many well-known designer names of that era. The opening 60 lots of pottery and ceramics feature Dedham, Grueby, Saturday Evening Girls and Rookwood (notably a scenic vellum plaque painted by Ed Diers, $3,000 to $4,000).

Also in the session are copper; designer rugs, including several in the William Morris style, such as a room-size carpet with celadon and brown blossoms ($700 to $1,000); a half-dozen Handel lamps, such as a desk lamp with adjustable green shade ($600 to $900); and dozens of pieces of Stickley furniture.

These are expected to bring moderate prices, according to presale estimates in the catalog at www.ragoarts.com (online bidding is offered). Only one Stickley item could be called big-ticket: a two-door china cabinet with an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.

Previews are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to sale time tomorrow and Sunday at the gallery, 333 N. Main St., Lambertville. For more information, call 609-397-9374.