Butterscotch Auction

Founded in 1987 by fine art appraiser Paul D. Marinucci, Butterscotch Auction Gallery has established itself as one of the preeminent estate auction houses in the greater New York City area. It is the oldest and foremost auction of Westchester County, NY, and has developed a reputation for great serviceability and high-quality merchandise among consignors and buyers alike. Situated in the historic town of Bedford Village, NY, the gallery holds three large-scale estate auctions each year in the village’s 200-year-old “Historical Hall”— a unique setting for the presentation of antiques, fine art, and jewelry. Each auction draws large audiences of collectors, dealers, museum curators, and private individuals from around the globe, and offers myriad items across the spectrum of decorative and fine arts, with particular emphasis in American Art and jewelry. In 2012 Butterscotch Auction Gallery made headlines when it sold a monumental still-life painting by Dutch golden age artist Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750) for $2,040,000: a world record price for the artist at auction. Since then, the gallery has set several other records, including a rare Grueby low-form vase which sold for $102,000, (the highest price ever paid for the form, and one of the highest prices ever paid for a piece of Grueby at auction), and a mixed-media-construction painting by Brazilian artist Rubens Gerchman (1942-2008) which sold for $48,000, setting a new world record for the artist at auction. Mr. Marinucci, a fine art specialist with concentration in American paintings, runs the gallery with the help of his wife Ann, a GIA-certified gemologist and jewelry specialist. Brendan B. Ryan joined the firm in 2008 and serves as appraiser and auctioneer while also leading the gallery’s research team. Other members of the team include Operations Manager Alexander Fonarow, who oversees the gallery’s administrative tasks and photography, and Miguel Ortega, who manages the firm’s moving logistics.