January 26, 2012 - Auction Central News

At $2.8M, Pook & Pook posts one of their most successful sales

This Philadelphia William and Mary mahogany spice or valuables box on frame has a large center drawer that conceals a secret drawer. The important cabinet sold for $112,575. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. – Pook & Pook Inc.’s first sale of the year began the season with a bang. The 1,100-lot auction showcased items from various estates, collections and educational institutions encompassing a myriad of objects that included fine art, silver, American and Continental furniture, Pennsylvania folk art, carpets, textiles and decorative accessories. With over 825 registered bidders the standing room only crowd took the Jan. 13-14 sale well over the high estimate to $2,782,662.

The sale began on Friday evening with a selection of pieces from three collections: Margaret Schiffer of West Chester, Pa.; the Studdiford family of Point Pleasant, N.J.; and a southeastern Pennsylvania collection.

Items from the collection of Margaret B. Schiffer, a well-known Chester County, Pa., author and expert in the antique field and a specialist in historical needlework, toys and Christmas ornaments, were the first to cross the block. The volume Historical Needlework of Pennsylvania, written in 1958, was a definitive reference book for the time, recording the origins and progression of the art in the 18th and 19th centuries primarily in southeastern Pennsylvania. With her husband, Herbert, and son Peter, Schiffer Publications, printed numerous books on antique furniture and accessories.

A Pennsylvania painted chest that was most likely made by Jacob Knagy sold for $15,405. With its stenciled urns, flowers and pinwheels, it encompassed many folk art designs. An unusual Soap Hollow miniature painted blanket chest dated 1868, with stencil decoration on a salmon ground came from Harry Hartman and did well at $8,295.

A Pennsylvania or Maryland low-back Windsor bench in a nice old red painted surface, pictured in Santore’s book Windsor Style in American, plate 206, sold for $21,330.

Asian art did well as expected. A low estimate did not prevent a Peking vase from reaching $15,405. Other Chinese items included a crystal censor for $4,740, a yellow Peking bowl and vase for $4,977 and a jade buckle for $5,346.

An earthenware sugar bowl was a rare Alamance County, N.C., piece originally bought by Titus Geesey from Joe Kindig Jr. in 1930. This hand-painted covered bowl brought $37,920.

A painting by John Edward Costigan, which was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 118th annual exhibition, depicted sheep and a girl in a grove of trees. It sold for $45,030.

Local Pennsylvania artist Fern Coppedge was represented by a beautiful winter landscape titled The Delaware Valley. It sold for double the high estimate for $65,175. An entrancing snow scene of a Quakertown street by Walter Emerson Baum finished within estimate at $30,810. An oil on canvas painting of the American side wheeler J.B. Schuyler by James Edward Buttersworth had the phone lines busy as it made $94,800.

An important Philadelphia Queen Anne brass face tall clock by one of the earliest and best known makers, Edward Duffield, was presented in an excellent state of preservation. A collector took it to his home for $118,500.

The surprise of the day was a Queen Anne walnut fire screen with candlestand that sold for $49,770.

For details contact Pook & Pook Inc. at 610-269-4040.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

The first lot of the sale, a Chester County, Pa., mahogany tall case clock by Benjamin Garrett of Goshen Township, went to a local collector for $45,030. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

A William and Mary armchair, circa 1735, sold for $28,440. This early Chester County or southeastern Pennsylvania example had a baluster back and old black painted surface with punched star decorations. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

This oversize Noah’s Ark set measuring 31 inches long and having 124 animals and figures sailed to $21,330. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

This Chester County walnut desk on frame attracted a lot of interest. Dating to circa 1745, this is an early and unusual form. It easily surpassed the high estimate of $8,000 to sell for $30,810. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

Magdalena Briner Eby of Perry County, Pa., made this hooked rug during the second half of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century. Measuring 45 inches by 115 inches, it is one of the largest examples of her work known. It sold for $11,850. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

The vibrant colors with red ground made the difference in this Pennsylvania tole-decorated tin coffeepot from the Keller-Keener family in Manheim. It brought $15,405. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

Having been exhibited at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center in 1968, this oil on zinc scene of the Berks County Almshouse by John Rasmussen, a Pennsylvania itinerant painter, earned $33,180. Image by Pook & Pook Inc.

Leighton Galleries unveils new auction facility

7-piece sterling silver coffee and tea service, $7,600. Leighton Galleries image.

ALLENDALE, N.J. – On Jan. 19, Leighton Galleries showcased over 400 lots in their new gallery located at 6 Pearl Court in Allendale.

“Long in the making but worth the wait,” said owner Evelyn Leighton. “The gallery was built to our specifications.”

The 5,000-square-foot space includes a gorgeous showroom, a nice big warehouse and a “bullpen” office area “where we make it all happen.”

“After being in business for over 20 years, it is nice to finally have our own space,” said Leighton. “Especially in an upscale commercial park with a great location in such a beautiful town. This has been a blessing to us.”

Due to zoning issues, Leighton is not yet permitted to hold the auctions at the site. Therefore, the auctions will continue to be held at their longtime venue, the Knights of Columbus hall in Washington Township. “That was the one caveat,” said Leighton. “Albeit, our Jan. 19 auction was a huge success. We had a strong turnout for our previews in our new gallery, as well as a full auction audience at the Knights hall that is less than 10 minutes away.”

The Thursday evening fine and decorative arts auction offered American artworks, silver, fine jewelry, designer couture, elegant glass, fine porcelains, formal furniture and a collection of Tiffany items including lamps, bronzes, silver, glass and jewelry. Bidding was highly competitive and at times fierce between Internet, phone and floor bidders, with many lots exceeding high estimate.

Among the surprises of the evening was a French bronze and champlevé regulator clock selling for $7,600 (est. $2,000-$3,000), a Hermes tricolor Kelly bag bringing $5,700 (est. $1,500-$2,000), a Chinese carved ivory tusk bridge reaching $4,500 (est. $1,500-$2,000), a pair of Russian Niello vodka cups bringing $3,600 (est. $200-$300), and a Charles Levier oil on canvas, Les Soeurs, went for $2,200 against a $600-$800 estimate.

American art offered included three Norman Rockwell works in progress including a watercolor study Browning Superposed selling for $5,300, a mixed media Dodge City bringing $4,900, and a baseball sketch realizing $3,300. A Keith Haring and Andy Warhol drawing Andy Mouse sold for $4,600, two Andy Warhol artworks including an offset lithograph Campbell’s Soup Box and a drawing on paper Merry Boot each realized $1,900, a Dr. Seuss ink drawing Cat in the Hat garnered $1,500, and a Hahn Vidal canvas painting Water Lilies reached $1,000. Antique portraits also fared well with three separate portraits by Paul Peel of the Myers family of the Ohio textile mill garnering a total of $6,000, and an oil on canvas portrait painting of a classical woman sold for $2,300.

A nice collection of Tiffany was also offered. A Tiffany Studios leaded glass and bronze lamp sold for $5,000, a French bronze regulator clock brought $1,900, a Tiffany Studios dore bronze candelabra garnered $1,400, a Favrile glass candle lamp realized $1,200, a Tiffany & Co. Makers sterling centerpiece bowl sold at $900, an Olympian ice-cream server and a pair of 14-karat cufflinks each reached $550.

Highlighting the jewelry was a platinum and diamond engagement ring reaching $3,100 (est. $1,000-$1,500), a Matl Matilda Poulat necklace and earring set bringing $1,500 (est. $500-$700), a diamond mechanical flower brooch selling for $1,400 (est. $1,000-$1,200), a pair of diamond stud earrings realizing $900 (est. $200-$300), and a Boucher bunny pin fetched $750 (est. $450-$550).

Bidding continued to be strong in the porcelain and glass category. A Lechenet majolica jardinière and pedestal garnered $2,100 (est. $800-$1,200), a 108-piece Wedgwood Florentine china set fetched $1,800 (est. $600-$800), a 150-piece Royal Worcester Cradley china set brought $1,200 (est. $300-$500), a Lladro figural group, “Seamaids Playing,” sold for $1,050 (est. $250-$350), a pair of Steuben Ivrene vases sold for $1,400 (est. $1,000-$1,500), a Baccarat Rubina Swirl lemonade set realized $1,200 (est. $300-$500), and a Rubina Swirl dresser set fetched $800 (est. $300-$500).

Other items in the sale far exceeded their high estimates. A Chinese carved ivory fu lion group realized $4,200 (est. $2,000-$3,000), a group of 265 assorted ivory poker chips garnered $2,000 (est. $1,000-$1,500), an antique carved gesso mirror sold for $1,600 (est. $500-$800), a grotto-style stool with dolphin base brought $1,000 (est. $400-$600), a German bronze sculpture of an amazon cast by Gladenbeck fetched $1,600 (est. $500-$700), a Sino-Tibetan silver and jade ceremonial ax sold at $1,050 (est. $300-$500), a Bucherer bracket clock went for $750 (est. $250-$350), and an Austrian cold-painted peacock brought $575 (est. $250-$350).

Prices shown in this report include a 17 percent buyer’s premium. To contact Leighton Galleries, call 201-327-8800.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

French champleve crystal Regulator clock, $7,600. Leighton Galleries image.

Hermes 'Grace Kelly' handbag, $5,700. Leighton Galleries image. — Hermes ‘Grace Kelly’ handbag, $5,700. Leighton Galleries image.

Tiffany Studios leaded-glass lamp, $5,000. Leighton Galleries image.

Norman Rockwell watercolor study $4,900. Leighton Galleries image.

Chinese ivory foo lion group, $4,200. Leighton Galleries image.

Frida Kahlo photos to be shown in US

1932 photo of Frida Kahlo and her husband, the renowned Mexican muralist and artist Diego Rivera. Estate of Carl Van Vechten.

ARLINGTON, Virginia (AP) – Hundreds of photographs by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo that were sealed away when she died will be publicly displayed for the first time in the United States next month at the Artisphere arts center in Arlington, Virginia.

Artisphere is announcing plans Wednesday for an exhibition titled “Frida Kahlo: Her Photos,” which includes more than 250 images from her personal collection. They were packed away in 1954 when Kahlo died, along with items from her husband, artist Diego Rivera, and were unsealed in 2007.

The exhibit opens Feb. 23, and Artisphere is adjusting its hours to accommodate more visitors. It will be the largest exhibit since the museum’s 2010 opening.

Artisphere landed the unique exhibit because Kahlo was a lifelong resident of Arlington’s sister city, Coyoacan, Mexico, a suburb of Mexico City.

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Online:

Artisphere: http://artisphere.com/

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Plans for new Harrisburg art museum gallery approved

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Local officials have approved plans to move the Susquehanna Art Museum to a new location in Harrisburg on condition at least some of the work is done by city residents.

Harrisburg City Council approved a $5.5 million construction project Tuesday night that will move the museum to a former bank building. The museum’s former main gallery closed in December.

The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reports council members want to ensure money spent on the project stays in the community.

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Information from: The Patriot-News, http://www.pennlive.com/patriotnews

Minn. auctioneer championship set in Minnetonka

Auctioneer's gavel with bound book of 1862 court minutes displayed at the Minnesota Judicial Center. Photo by Jonathunder, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic licenses.

MINNETONKA, Minn. (AP) – Some of the top auctioneers in Minnesota and Canada will be sounding their best at the 24th annual Minnesota State Auctioneer Championship.

The event takes place Thursday evening at the Marriott Southwest in Minnetonka and is open to the public.

Twenty-three callers will compete for the championship trophy, ring or belt buckle, and their entry fee paid to the International Auctioneers Championship in Spokane, Wash., this July.

Each contestant will sell three items. Auctioneers will be judged on presentation, chant and voice, and effective auctioneering.

The contest is part of the Minnesota Auctioneers Association Conference and Show. The conference runs through Saturday.

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Online:

http://www.minnesotaauctioneers.org

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‘No radiation fears’ in Fukushima for Louvre works

TOKYO (AFP) – A Fukushima museum official on Thursday played down concerns in France about the possible contamination of artworks soon to be loaned to the nuclear-hit region by the Louvre.

The Paris museum plans to send 24 pieces to Japan, including to Fukushima prefecture, home to the stricken nuclear plant, in a show of solidarity with the disaster-hit country.

The touring exhibition will run from April 27 to September 17 in Japan’s Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, a Louvre official told a joint news conference with Japanese museum officials at the French embassy in Tokyo.

The artworks — paintings, sculptures, drawings and other works from different eras and civilizations — will arrive on July 28 at the Fukushima prefectural Museum of Art some 60 kilometres (37 miles) away from the tsunami-hit nuclear power plant.

Tetsuo Sakai, head of the Fukushima museum, said radiation levels inside the exhibition room averaged 0.05 microsieverts per hour — a long way below government-mandated evacuation levels.

However, he acknowledged radiation levels outside the facility have been much higher, still hovering at around 1.0 microsievert per hour.

Museum officials are now removing a contaminated lawn as part of their efforts to reduce levels of radioactivity ahead of the exhibition, he added.

“With these efforts, radiation levels will decline further and further,” Sakai told the news conference.

The show was organised as a gesture of solidarity with the Japanese, after last year’s massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami hit the northeast of Japan, sparking the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Louvre official said.

“The proposed project is going to encourage Fukushima people, telling them, ‘You are not alone,'” the Fukushima museum chief said.

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Painting by Hitler goes to auction in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AFP) – A painting by Adolf Hitler, done before he became Nazi Germany’s dictator, has been put up for sale by a Slovak auction house, its head told AFP.

“The opening bid for the painting titled Maritime Nocturno is 10,000 euros (13,000 dollars) in a closed VIP auction that currently features four participants,” said Jaroslav Krajnak, owner of the Darte auction house .

The mixed-media painting depicts a full moon over a glittering seascape.

The top bid had risen to 10,200 euros on Thursday.

“The painting has been offered for sale by an unnamed family of a Slovak painter who probably met Hitler personally when he was struggling to become an artist in Vienna during the early 20th century,” Krajnak added.

“I look at him as an artist — in 1913, when Hitler painted this picture, he didn’t know what would become of him in the decades to come.”

The auction house already sold a painting by Hitler from the same family collection last year for 10,200 euros.

The auction, which also offers a painting by Pablo Picasso for 15 million euros, closes on Sunday.

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Roland’s Feb. 4 auction holds Valentine’s Day surprises

This statement-making antique Chinese jade pendant (lot 448) is a beautiful work of art. Image courtesy of Roland Auction.

NEW YORK – Bill Roland, of New York City’s Roland Auction, should be back from filming his new TV series in Los Angeles just in time to sell the Saturday, Feb. 4 sale. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

“It’s shaping up to be another auction filled with great investment pieces and, perhaps, an exciting discovery or two,” said co-owner Rob Roland. The dedicated staff worked through chilling temperatures and snow to process box after box of estate silver, Chinese carvings, and fine art as well as a steady stream of trend-setting modern furniture, for which Roland has become well-known.

And Roland said don’t miss the noteworthy collection of antique Chinese artifacts. There are fine silver and enamel opium boxes, jade, hard stone and ivory carvings, exceptional carved bamboo brush pots and outstanding bronzes from various periods. This follows after a museum quality ivory brush pot became the focus of a fierce bidding war during Roland Auction’s previous sale, resulting in a hammer price of nearly 15 times the high estimate.

Meanwhile, silver enthusiasts should be eager to view the beautiful Paul Storr coffeepot, as well as the other 50-plus silver lots, which include Georg Jensen, Tiffany and American coin examples.

Shelves of Waterford, Baccarat and other fine crystal compete for space with English porcelain dinner services by Minton and Royal Worcester. Customers can often be heard commenting on the old-fashioned feel at Roland, which takes pride in maintaining a casual, friendly environment.

Still, there’s nothing old-fashioned about their chic selection of 20th-century design, which includes examples by Laverne, Paul Evans, Grosfeld House, Maitland-Smith, Karl Springer, Donald Deskey and so many more sought-after designers.

One particular lot is creating a great deal of attention at Roland. It is a magnificent Max Ernst bronze (lot 260), the cornerstone of an exciting collection of modern art.

Roland Auction has established itself as the place to find unique gifts and, with Valentine’s Day looming around the corner, we are offering gift-giving guidance with a touch of humor and all best wishes.

The sale will be conducted at Roland Antiques Gallery, 80 E. 11th St. in New York. For details phone 212-260-2000.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

How about a Curtis Jere “Brutalist” sculpture (lot 278) for the “brut” in your life? Image courtesy of Roland Auction.

This Murano glass vase (lot 237) will make those roses looks even better. Image courtesy of Roland Auction.

Pour your special someone morning coffee from this beautiful Georg Jensen sterling silver coffeepot (lot 509). Image courtesy of Roland Auction.

This Fontana Arte mid-century drinks cart (lot 213) is super-chic. Image courtesy of Roland Auction.

This extensive Waterford crystal stemware (lot 24) exudes classic elegance and quality, likely at a box store price. Image courtesy of Roland Auction.

Van Gogh auction in India indicates dealers targeting new money

An architectural masterpiece, The Lotus Temple in South Delhi exemplifies a newly empowered India, whose rapidly growing upper class is becoming interested in Western art. Photo licensed under the Creative commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

NEW DELHI (AFP) – The first works by Van Gogh and Picasso to be auctioned by an Indian gallery are on display at a luxury hotel in New Delhi, a sign that dealers in Western art are now chasing local money.

The 1885 Van Gogh landscape “L’Alee aux deux promeneurs” and the 1953 Picasso oil “Le Transformateur” are being previewed ahead of a sale next month when 73 lots by top Impressionist and modern artists will go under the hammer.

The auction will be the first sale of international masterpieces to target India, where a developing interest in Western art has been fueled by strong economic growth.

“Indian collectors don’t necessarily have access to this sort of work but they have grown up with these big names,” said Abha Housego, representative of Saffron Art, which is conducting the online auction.

“It is a major challenge to do something like this for the first time.”

Housego said that wealthy Indian collectors were broadening out from Indian artists such as M. F. Hussain, the celebrated painter who died last year, toward international stars.

“Indian art is strong but Van Gogh represents a gold standard for buyers,” she said. “These names bring people in.”

Timed to coincide with the fourth annual India Art Fair in the city, the auction preview also includes work by Marc Chagall and Henry Moore alongside the Van Gogh — which has an estimated auction price of close to $1 million.

“There is such a burgeoning art market here and a fantastic economic scenario,” the fair’s founder Neha Kirpal told AFP.

“For the first fair we had three foreign galleries, but this year it will be 45 foreign galleries from 20 countries.”

Kirpal said the fair, which opens on Thursday, tries to balance development of the local art scene with education of a new generation of collectors who will have an ongoing interest in top-class work.

“The seriousness of foreign galleries at the show is very obvious as European dealers are in need of new markets,” she said. “There is saturation in some markets, as well as the changing economic environment.

“In India there is optimism, looking especially at the growth in the luxury and lifestyle sectors.”

Whether the new money will invest in Indian or international art is the key dilemma for dealers, but many feel domestic art is a riskier bet.

“Prices were sky-rocketing and there were very high-value transactions taking place,” Kirpal said, remembering the dramatic bubble in Indian art prices that burst in about 2008.

“What is required for a sustainable market is more people who are quality collectors who look at art in the long-term,” she said.

At the fair, Graham Steele, director of the world-leading White Cube gallery in London, showed off work by Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Antony Gormley, and said he was eager to see the public’s response.

“The market is not yet hospitable to the international blue-chip art category but there is amazing interest which is very impressive,” he said. “We have not brought these works to sell, but to expose the artists to the Indian scene and learn ourselves about it.”

One gallery owner at the fair, Peter Femfert from Frankfurt, said he had seen collectors in other emerging markets such as South Korea move from their own home-grown art to world classics.

“It is the way collectors move,” he said, promoting a large oil painting by Andre Masson. “You can come here and buy off the wall. There are rich people in this country. Why not?”

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

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