Eero Saarinen womb chair for Knoll, Kamelot Auctions image.
PHILADELPHIA – Currently under preparation at Kamelot Auctions in Philadelphia is the company’s Town & Country Estate Sale, which will take place on Saturday, June 9, 2012, starting at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide the Internet live bidding.
Comprising 800 lots, the sale will feature fine antiques, decorative art, and fine art and modern furniture suitable for both interior design schemes and a variety of porch and garden settings.
The sale opens with a sustained stretch of 20th-century furnishings comprising seating, servers, desks, dining tables, lighting and more. A host of ever-popular midcentury designers such as Eames, Bertoia, Saarinen, George Nelson, Herman Miller, Knoll and Richard Shultz are well represented. Many pieces are being sold directly from the Estate of Bob Longwell, a dearly loved vice president at Knoll who, over the decades, became close friends with these legendary designers.
Lot No. 228 is a womb chair by Eero Saarinen for Knoll from this estate valued at $1,800-$2,400. Other fine modern consignments hail from the historic John Roberts House (Gladwyne, Pa.), which, until very recently, contained an important private collection of furniture and objets d’arts spanning three centuries. Among several original designer items from this estate are four lots of early and rare circa-1952 Eames ESU200 storage units (Lots No. 246, 247, 248 & 249) with sliding doors, open shelving and sleek drawers. Estimates range from $2,000-$12,000 on these four lots.
More traditional antiques and decorative arts include a 19th-century silver-over-bronze figural group signed ‘Christofle et Cie’ (Lot No. 690: $3,000-5,000), and a signed Handel bronze table lamp with unique art glass shade (Lot No. 516: $800-$1,200). Lot No.707, is an exquisite and rare Chinese jade frame embellished with amethyst quartz, estimated at $800-$1,200.
Virtually every category in this sale is studded with unusual pieces of very high quality and notable provenance. Fine art is hardly an exception. Directly from the estate of Betty Skinner, Lot No.659 is a signed oil painting by Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma) Moses circa 1961, titled Quiet Village. It is valued at $50,000-$70,000.
Good garden furniture, statuary, ironwork, planters and other outdoor décor offered in this sale exhibit the beauty and functionality that Kamelot Auctions buyers have come to expect. The sale as a whole is certain to expand the circle of discerning collectors, interior designers and other private or professional buyers who regularly watch and participate in this Philadelphia company’s events.
For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 215-438-6990.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Top lot of the sale: Marklin circa-1900 to 1902 ‘Providence’ paddlewheel boat, $247,250. Bertoia Auctions image. VINELAND, N.J. –Bertoia Auctions’ May 12, 2012 sale of Part I of the Dick Claus Antique Nautical Toy and Boat collection was a first-class ride all the way. The 210-lot, three-hour cruise through the world-famous fleet of nautical luxury toys was an exciting adventure for collectors, many of whom had traveled from Europe specifically to attend the event. By the time the final lot was sent sailing, Bertoia’s auction total had reached $1.8 million – half a million dollars more than the overall high estimate of $1.3 million.
“The average lot price was more than $8,500. Many antiques and fine art auctions don’t even come close to achieving that amount,” said Bertoia Auctions associate Rich Bertoia. “Needless to say, we were very pleased with the results, and so was Dick Claus, who was in the audience watching the sale, and beaming. It was fun to watch his expressions as each toy was sold.”
Bertoia said European bidders had come forearmed with the knowledge that they might have to pay a steep price to acquire the rare and exceptional boats Claus had favored throughout his collecting years. “There was so much anticipation in the room. It was like a huge club had gathered, and everyone was eager to buy,” Bertoia said. “They were happy to win and, in a sportsmanlike way, they were also happy for those who had outbid them. It was all part of the magic of the day, and afterward everyone said they couldn’t wait for part II (Nov. 10).”
Well before the introduction of the first lot, more than 100 registered bidders staked a claim to their reserved seats at Bertoia’s gallery, while scores of others waited patiently either by their phones or computers to bid online through LiveAuctioneers.
“It’s not unusual at any of our auctions for bidders to ask to be seated in a particular seat or row. Not this time. Bidders said, ‘Just give me a seat – any seat.’ When that happened, we knew something was up. People were anxious,” Bertoia said.
The Europeans seemed especially keen to repatriate the exquisite Marklin, Fleishmann and other Continental boats, but they faced fierce competition from the Americans. Of those who actually won items, it was a 50-50 split between European and US buyers, Bertoia said.
Seven of the auction’s top 10 lots were the handiwork of fabled German manufacturer Marklin, including the majestic 26-inch clockwork-driven Providence that took the blue ribbon at $247,250 (all prices quoted inclusive of 15% buyer’s premium). The buyer was in the room and bidding on behalf of a collector. The circa-1900 to 1902 paddlewheel boat featured finely painted accenting and many of the luxurious extras that attract high-end collectors. The Providence had been entered in the sale with an estimate of $110,000-$130,000. “But collectors had their own estimate in mind, and they called the shots,” Bertoia said.
Runners-up among boats bearing the prestigious Marklin brand included a Battleship Maryland with gun turrets, lifeboats, a 4-tiered mast and multiple observation decks, $143,750; and a Kaiserin August Victoria steam-powered ocean liner modeled after the ship once billed as the world’s largest, $138,000.
Also by Marklin, a boxed, circa-1905 first-series clockwork Battleship New York with fully appointed upper deck, multiple guns on several levels and simulated plank deck dropped anchor at $109,250. From a later (circa-1909) series, a clockwork New York cruiser battleship in a different color scheme sailed to a new harbor for $80,500.
Other Marklins included a second-series Battleship Brooklyn, $103,500; a Tip-Top yacht with canopy-covered dining section and passengers, $36,800; and a Marklin Iowa first-series cruiser, $51,750. A circa 1912-1915 second-series Battleship Baltimore impressed with a winning bid of $80,500.
The top 10 list was rounded out by a circa-1890 Radiguet (French) live-steam gunboat with brass cannons, rope railing and crow’s nest, $36,800; and a circa-1875 Rock & Graner (German) Kaiser Wilhelm steam paddlewheel boat, $46,000. A Gunthermann (German) lithographed-tin scull with uniformed eight-man team and blue-jacketed coxswain was destined for success. Rarely seen at auction and a favorite with collectors, the clockwork gem measuring 29 inches long simulates a synchronized rowing action when activated. Dick Claus’ example was in excellent condition and streaked past its $10,000-$12,000 estimate to cross the finish line at $31,625.
The bidding action was nonstop and frequently punctuated by applause. “It was a wonderful crowd,” said Bertoia Auctions’ owner, Jeanne Bertoia. “It seemed that just about everyone who’s anyone in the toy boat hobby was there. Many collectors knew of each other but had never actually met. They would ask us to introduce them. That’s the kind of camaraderie we witnessed repeatedly.”
Bertoia’s has become well known for its red-carpet welcome and bounteous American-style hospitality. This time auction guests were treated to a beautiful catered buffet that included salmon and filet mignon.
“We truly enjoy playing host to collectors who attend our sales. They think of us as more than just auctioneers – we’ve become friends with many of them,” Jeanne said. “When we travel to Europe for Toymania or other shows, our European friends in the toy hobby are very generous in reciprocating. It’s one of the most enjoyable aspects of the auction business.”
Bertoia’s will auction part II of the Dick Claus Antique Nautical Toy and Boat collection on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. To contact Bertoia Auctions, call 856-692-1881 or e-mail toys@bertoiaauctions.com.
View the fully illustrated catalog for Bertoia’s May 12 auction, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Caille Bros. ‘Globe’ Poker Hand 5-reel card machine, circa 1906, cast-iron case, sold for $85,000 not including the buyer’s premium. Image courtesy Victorian Casino Antiques.
LAS VEGAS – Not since the Sotheby Auction of the Smith Collection in September 1994 has there been a sale of such magnitude and importance in the world of coin-op. The Mel and Anne Getlan collection of over 300 lots went under the hammer the weekend of May 4 at Victorian Casino Antiques.
The Getlans are longtime New York collectors who have moved and decided to downsize their collection. Mel has other collecting interests outside of coin-op including St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904, stamps and figural napkin rings. He recently donated his collection of over 6,000 St. Louis World’s Fair items to a museum in Jefferson City, Mo.
The auction was well attended with over 400 floor bidders and 1,400 Internet bidders. It provided an opportunity for many of the veteran collectors and dealers of coin-op to gather, swapping stories and catching up on acquaintances and families. Before the Getlan collection was put up Peter Sidlow, better known to his friends as “Pedro” and owner of Victorian Casino Antiques, called for a 10-minute break so the “old timers” could gather up front for a group photo.
After the photo session, paddles flew. The star of the collection was a Caille Globe cast-iron trade stimulator of which few are known. It sold for $85,000 (prices quoted do not include buyer’s premium) and will reside in Colorado. The old cigar vending machines were the surprise of the sale.
Collector Ken Rubin bought six out of the seven pre-1916 machines for his upcoming book Silent Cigar Salesman, due out in early 2013. Rubin says the first coin-operated cigar vendor debuted in 1893. All seven machines sold for a total of $155,000 broken down as follows: Pope Cigar Vendor, 1909, $27,500; B.F. Schwab & Co., 1889, $12,500; Bank Note Cigar Vendor, 1900, $25,000; Bishop & Kline “Little Clerk,” 1895, $25,000; Doremus Automatic Vending Co., 1901, $30,000; Jackson “Honest Clerk,” 1905, $17,500 and Standard Vending Machine Co., 1915, $17,500.
Other items of interest from the Getlan Collection: Caille “Little Roulette,” $30,000; coin-operated “Bicycle Pump,” $14,000; Caille “Jockey,” $17,500; Mills “Hy-Lo,” $12,500; Mills perfume vendor, $9,000; Blinkey Eye gum machine, $25,000; The Little Duke cast-iron card machine, $27,500; Caille “New Century Detroit,” $17,500; the Auto Doctor (cover of the catalog), $12,500; and the matching cabinet, $6,000.
The steal of the collection was a 1-cent Trophy Tower Sales Corp. razor blade dispenser pictured in Bill Ennis’ book Silent Salesman and perhaps the only one known, which went begging at $1,300.
In all the Getlan collection brought over $1 million.
The entire auction spanned three days and included 1,500 lots. Some of the other highlights: Caille Centaur/Eclipse 25-cent double upright slot machine with music, $75,000; Wm. Demuth zinc cigar store Indian, 1870, $30,000; Regina upright music changer, $8,500; an oval tin lithographed advertising tray “The Cream of Kentucky” featuring an almost bare-breasted woman, $5,500; and three Kit Carson poker chips, $600.
The next Victorian Casino Antiques Auction will be held on Oct. 12-14 in Las Vegas.
For addition information, visit www.vcaauction.com.
Caille Bros. ‘Globe’ Poker Hand 5-reel card machine, circa 1906, cast-iron case, sold for $85,000 not including the buyer’s premium. Image courtesy Victorian Casino Antiques.
Marklin three-tiered castle, circa 1895, parade ground moves when connected to steam engine. Est. $14,000-$20,000. RSL Auction Co.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Keep your friends close, and your former presidents closer.
President Barack Obama welcomed his favorite foil, former President George W. Bush, back to the White House on Thursday for the official unveiling of Bush’s portrait. Given the history, the scene was quite a picture.
Obama is still bad-mouthing Bush’s time in office, and it’s not just because of the debt and the unfinished wars Obama inherited. Obama sees Bush’s economic ideas as the same as his current rival, Mitt Romney, so he lumps them together.
Which makes it a little awkward that Obama presided as Bush’s image and legacy were enshrined forever.
Never mind all that, say the Obama and Bush camps. This is a timeout for tradition.
The political reunion put aside any campaign rhetoric, as other gatherings among past and current presidents have, to honor nostalgia and the service of the former president and his wife, Laura.
In the heart of a re-election year, Obama rose above the fray for a day and play statesman.
He and his wife, Michelle, hosted generations of Bushes for a private lunch, including former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush.
Then, in the ornate East Room, Obama and George W. Bush spoke as the portraits of the former president and Laura Bush were unveiled. The audience was filled with friends and officials from Bush’s two terms in office.
No one close to the current or former president expected the least sign of animus Thursday, particularly given that their transition in 2009 was handled with grace and that they have since shared moments of help and healing.
“President Bush has been around politics a long time. He’s been around how presidents deal with each other for a long time,” said Tony Fratto, one of his former spokesmen at the White House. “He has an understanding for separating the necessities of political rhetoric from the job itself.”
Still, Bush has been holding his tongue for a long time. Obama has never run against Bush, although it was easy to forget that during the 2008 race between Obama and Sen. John McCain, when Bush’s tenure was so often Obama’s target.
In his inaugural address in 2009, Obama declared that “we are ready to lead once more,” seen by some as a dig at Bush, who was seated over his shoulder. Even now, hardly a day goes by when Obama’s team does not blame Bush for a mess.
It was just one week ago that Obama, revving up campaign donors, turned Bush into a punch line. Obama depicted presumptive Republican presidential nominee Romney as a peddler of bad economic ideas, helping the rich at the expense of the middle class. He then added: “That was tried, remember? The last guy did all this.”
Now the last guy was back.
Only 43 men in history, and five men alive, have held the job.
It was a rare limelight moment for Bush, who has not been back in more than two years.
Obama and Bush have a cordial and respectful relationship, but they are not close.
Both are political veterans who are able to separate political tactics from what they see as an overarching community among people who have served in the Oval Office, according to people close to them.
History has marked this moment before, with grudges put aside.
When Bill Clinton came back for his portrait unveiling, Bush lauded him for “the forward-looking spirit that Americans like in a president.” This after he ran for the presidency to “restore honor and dignity” after Clinton’s sex scandal.
And when Clinton welcomed back George H.W. Bush, whom he had defeated, he said to him and his wife: “Welcome home. We’re glad to have you here.”
“I would be surprised if there’s very much tension” this time around, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University who has long followed Bush’s career.
Obama has enlisted Bush’s help on earthquake relief for Haiti, and the two stood together in New York City last year in marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on America. They have also spoken at least three times at signature moments over the last three years, including the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Still, Obama’s bashing of Bush’s record sets a backdrop.
“This president is looking for someone to blame,” Romney said while campaigning in Colorado this week. “Of course, he started off by blaming George Bush, and that worked for a while but, you know, after three and a half years that wears kind of thin.”
The White House points out that Obama praises Bush sometimes, too, such as for taking on illegal immigration.
The visit is layered with political story lines.
Bush’s brother Jeb is a potential vice presidential candidate to Romney. Bush’s father has developed a kinship of sorts with Obama. And then there is Bush himself, who has endorsed Romney but is still viewed by many in his party as politically toxic.
More than any president in recent memory, Bush has not just intentionally faded from the public spotlight but all but disappeared from it.
Bush was last at the White House in January 2010 to help out with Haiti humanitarian relief.
Bush spokesman Freddy Ford said the former president and first lady are grateful to the Obamas and looking forward to catching up with faces from their past, including staff at the Executive Mansion.
Jenna Bush Hager, one of the George W. Bush’s daughters, told Fox & Friends the day will be a chance to “celebrate his work, ’cause he worked pretty hard, so I think he deserves at least a painting.”
As to where it will go, she said: “Probably in the very back somewhere. I’m just kidding.”
Actually, the painting will hang prominently in the formal entrance hall to the White House, the Grand Foyer.
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AP News Researcher Julie Reed Bell and Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report.
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Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Marklin three-tiered castle, circa 1895, parade ground moves when connected to steam engine. Est. $14,000-$20,000. RSL Auction Co.
An early 1900s postcard pictures miners in an iron mine in Ironwood, Mich. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
IRONWOOD, Mich. (AP) – “They think it’s going to be one of their best murals,” Jerry Taplin said last week of the artists painting the miners’ mural soon to be displayed on his building in downtown Ironwood.
Taplin, of Bentonville, Ark., said the artists, Kelly Meredith and Sue Martinsen, are making good progress on the mural, which will be affixed to his building. He estimated it would display more than 100 historical miners, making it unique among the murals on which the artists have worked.
With the unveiling slated for June 16, Taplin said Mary Waits and her Northwoods Cabin would offer booklets with biographical information for each miner. The city is also planning various downtown events to promote the mural, which it hopes will draw tourists downtown.
The project was “slow going at first,” Taplin said. He was interested in the mural, and working with Meredith and Martinsen, four years ago, and he brought in Waits around three years ago. What has followed has been a lot of legwork, with Waits often visiting Ironwood officials and others to sell “bricks” (or display space under the miners) to community members to finance the mural.
The project has also gotten a lot of support from other community members, Taplin said, including local historian and promoter Larry Peterson, and Ron Hoeft, of Hoeft Construction, in Hurley.
Taplin said Hoeft workers have donated their labor to setting up the framing on which the mural (painted on panels) will be affixed.
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Information from: Daily Globe, http://yourdailyglobe.com
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WF-05-31-12 1401GMT
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
An early 1900s postcard pictures miners in an iron mine in Ironwood, Mich. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Architect Frank Gehry, designer of the Eisenhower Memorial. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s family welcomed design changes by architect Frank Gehry for a memorial honoring the World War II general, but said Wednesday that any monument should be “simple, sustainable and affordable” to honor his values.
In a joint statement from Eisenhower’s son and grandchildren provided to The Associated Press, the family offered its first reaction to changes in the national memorial design that Gehry announced May 15.
The family continues to oppose the use of large metal scrims to frame a memorial park near the National Mall. Gehry has called them tapestries that would depict the landscape of Eisenhower’s boyhood home in Kansas. The scope and scale of the images woven in metal, though, remain “controversial and divisive,” the family said.
In Gehry’s design changes, images of Eisenhower carved in stone would be replaced with 9-foot-tall statues depicting Ike as World War II hero and president near the center of the park. The statues would show Gen. Eisenhower with soldiers before the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. As president, he would be shown with his hand on the globe. There is also a life-size sculpture of a young Eisenhower looking out at what his life would become.
“From our perspective, many of the changes that Gehry Partners made to the design concept are positive and welcomed,” the family said—but added that more time is needed to break an impasse over the metal scrims.
“Not only are they the most expensive element of the Gehry design, they are also the most vulnerable to urban conditions … ” the family said. “This one-of-a-kind experimental technology, which serves as the memorial’s backdrop, is impractical and unnecessary.”
The family said it won’t support a design that uses the metal scrims, doubting how long they would last. Susan Eisenhower, Ike’s granddaughter, said her family is not endorsing the design.
Still, Rocco Siciliano, chairman of the presidentially appointed Eisenhower Memorial Commission sent a letter back to the family Wednesday, saying he was delighted the family was welcoming the changes.
“Moving forward, I believe we can allay your concerns about the sustainability of the tapestries” with tests of their durability, he wrote, adding that the commission wants to build the memorial “in a timely manner so it can be enjoyed by the ‘Greatest Generation’ before passing it on to our children and our children’s children.”
Earlier in May, Gehry seemed determined to protect the tapestries as part of the overall concept. Designers from his firm were photographing Kansas landscapes to develop the final images. His firm is testing the materials against corrosive conditions.
“Eisenhower was so proud to grow up in Kansas—leaving out this imagery would mean omitting an important part of his story,” Gehry wrote to the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, which includes lawmakers from Kansas and elsewhere.
Members of the commission at a meeting May 15 all voiced approval of Gehry’s design but put off a formal vote.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who oversees national memorials through the National Park Service and has met with the Eisenhower family, said Wednesday that the design must reflect the vision of memorial organizers, the family and the American people so it can “stand the test of time.”
“Though it is important to move forward as swiftly as possible, our priority must be in getting it right,” Salazar said. “If more time is required to get it right, so be it.”
The 12-year-old memorial effort will rely on private fundraising and money from Congress. Organizers hope to complete it by 2015 at a cost of about $142 million.
The family thanked the famous architect for being responsive to objections.
In an interview, Susan Eisenhower said adding statues would draw attention to the 34th president’s accomplishments. Other elements are innovative for today—namely the woven metal—but aren’t designed for the ages, she said.
“It’s America’s memorial and our gift to future generations,” she said. “If this doesn’t get completed in my lifetime, I’m OK with that as long as we’ve got the right process in place.”
The nation’s economic downturn “ushered in a new era” for 21st century memorial projects, the family said, along with the need to reconnect with Eisenhower’s values of celebrating things that are simple, sustainable and affordable.
The design debate reminded Susan Eisenhower of a passage in her grandfather’s farewell speech from the White House.
“As we peer into society’s future—you and I and our government—we must avoid the impulse to live only for today,” Eisenhower said, “plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow.”
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Eisenhower Family Statement: http://susaneisenhower.com/
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Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Architect Frank Gehry, designer of the Eisenhower Memorial. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
This rare oil on canvas by Italian artist Parmeggiani Tancredi (1927-1964) was estimated at $80,000-$100,000, but sold for $225,950 to an Italian buyer. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
OAKLAND, Calif. — On May 19 and 20, Clars Auction Gallery conducted the largest fine art and antiques sale in the firm’s 40-year history. The rich and important investment quality property offered drew bidders from around the world with the sale earning just over $1.8 million.
The fine art category, which offered a strong selection of Modern and Contemporary works by renowned American and European artists, realized over $760,000 (includes buyer’s premium) with the remaining $1 million-plus was realized on important historic property, antique furnishings, Asian offerings and highly desirable special collections.
“It was phenomenal to watch the bidding come in from around the world and energy on the sale room floor,” said Deric Torres, director of decoratives and furnishings for Clars. Under the leadership of Redge Martin, who bought Clars in 1996, and his staff of experts, the firm has gained the reputation for acquiring and representing some of the finest estates in California.
Leading the impressive art offerings and topping the two-day sale overall was an important abstract by Italian artist Parmeggiani Tancredi (1927-1964). Surpassing all expectations, Tancredi’s large oil on canvas Untitled, circa 1958, came to the block with an estimate of $80,000-$120,000, but competitive international bidding on this work quickly drove the final sale price to $225,950.
Rick Unruh, director of fine art for Clars, said that he was very pleased with sale of the Tancredi painting going well over its estimate. “We had numerous bidders from all over the world on this lot with the winning bid coming from Italy. Clars has proven yet again that our global audience is second to none,” he said.
Another Italian work, Avvenimento by Edmondo Bacci (1913-1989) also came close to doubling its presale high estimate selling for $18,960.
Two bronze sculptures, Nature Revealing Herself to Science, by Louis Ernest Barrias (French, 1841-1905) and Indian on Horseback, by Alexander Phimster Proctor (American, 1860-1950) tied for second place in the sale. The two works sold solidly within their estimates going for $24,885 each. The bronze sculpture, Figure Looking Skyward, by Elizabeth Catlett (American, 1915‐2012), also performed well selling for $14,280.
Turning to works by American artists, the top sellers were a framed oil on canvas titled Boats in the Cove, by Walter Farndon (American, 1876-1964) which sold for over high estimate at $20,145 followed by the framed ink on paper, a Peanuts daily comic strip 8-13-1962 (United Feature Syndicate, 1962), by Charles Schulz (Californian, 1922-2000). Estimated to sell for $15,000 on the high side, America’s beloved Peanuts earned an impressive $16,590.
Rounding out the top sellers in the fine art offerings was a framed oil on canvas titled Antonia, by Jean‐Gabriel Domergue (French, 1889‐1962) which more that doubled its high estimate, selling for $14,280. A framed gouache on paper, Blue Nude, 1965, by Karel Appel (Dutch, 1921‐2006), sold for $15,470 and the framed gelatin silver print, Mainbocher Corset, Paris, 1939, by Horst P. Horst (German/American, 1906‐ 1999), earned $10,710.
The decoratives and furnishings category featured exceptional property both in provenance and quality. A highlight of this category was the much-anticipated Pottier & Stymus Victorian bedroom suite composed of footboard, headboard, bureau and mirror and all made of ornately carved rosewood. This bedroom suite was custom-made for 19th century San Francisco millionare James C. Flood’s Linden Towers mansion in Menlo Park. At the time, this estate was regarded as the most elaborate country manor in the country. When bidding on this suite opened, serious Victorian furniture collectors from across the country jumped in with heated bidding. In the end, though, the winning bid went to a San Francisco Bay Area couple who became captivated by its provenance as well as its incredible design. The famous Pottier & Stymus Victorian bedroom suite sold for $17, 775.
Other 19th century furniture performed also saw strong results. An American Renaissance Revival Wooton desk, circa 1874, executed in walnut earned a respectable $7,140, and a Regency inlaid breakfast table, circa 1820, almost tripled its high estimate selling for $5,355. Turning to Modern furniture, a Dan Johnson Studio Gazelle dining table, Italy, circa 1955, made $7,140.
On the decoratives side, a Blanc de chine porcelain and gilt bronze clock sold for $10,115 and an unsigned 19th century marble bust titled Portrait of a Duchess, French School, solidly surpassed its high estimate, fetching $5,355.
Sterling offerings also sold exceptionally well. A Gorham seven-piece presentation service earned $7,735 followed by a Reed & Barton sterling flatware service for 10 in the Les Cinq Fleurs pattern and an International Silver Co. service for 12 in the Trianon pattern which both earned $2,975.
A number of lots were offered which reflected the rich and robust history of San Francisco during the Gold Rush era. Two highlights of these offerings were a rare San Francisco Committee of Vigilance membership certificate dated May 1856, which sold for $4,111. The San Francisco Vigilance Movement consisted of two popular ad hoc organizations whose sole purpose was to reign in crime and government corruption. Notorious in their methods, the 1856 committee is regarded as the most successful by employing the vigilante traditions of the American West.
The second historic piece was a California gold quartz walking stick presented by Carleton E. Watkins to his father, J.M. Watkins, in 1869. Carleton Watkins arrived in San Francisco in 1849 and went on to become the foremost landscape photographer of the 19th century. His early work elevated him as an internationally recognized fine artist and, through his images, he introduced Yosemite to the world. This gold quartz walking stick sold for an impressive $6,545.
In November 2011, Clars was the first West Coast auction house to offer a special collection of high-society fashion. Having met with great success, the May sale followed up with a special collection of designer handbags from Hermes, Judith Lieber, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Once again the fashionistas came out spending over $40,000 on just 28 lots. The top seller in this special collection was the Hermes 40cm Togo leather birkin bag complete with original dust cover, box and bag, which fetched $13,090.
Bidders looking for the perfect bling to complement their designer bags were not disappointed with the jewelry category. Diamonds and Patek Phlippe dominated this category with a lady’s Patek Philippe Nautilus wristwatch in 18k gold earning $5,050 and a diamond wedding ring suite, which sported one round brilliant cut diamond and four traditional round full cut diamonds attaining $8,330.
Rounding out this record-breaking sale for Clars was the Asian category, which again saw astounding prices on several lots offered. Topping this category and placing second in the sale overall was a pair of Chinese huanghuali yoke-back chairs, Qing dynasty, which sold for $59,250. The next highest seller in the Asian offerings was a single Chinese huanghuali yokle-back armchair, also Qing dynasty, which earned $24,885.
For complete information of Clars’ May 19 and 20 antiques and fine art auction, visit www.clars.com; call 510-428-0100 or email: info@clars.com.
Clars next fine art and antiques auction will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 16-17. Contact Clars Auction Gallery for consignment information and to register to bid on this upcoming two-day event.
This rare oil on canvas by Italian artist Parmeggiani Tancredi (1927-1964) was estimated at $80,000-$100,000, but sold for $225,950 to an Italian buyer. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
The bronze sculpture ‘Nature Revealing Herself to Science’ by Louis Ernest Barrias (French, 1841-1905) sold for $24,885. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
Peanuts daily comic strip 8-13-1962 (United Feature Syndicate, 1962) Charles Schulz (Californian, 1922-2000) was estimated to sell for $15,000 on the high side but earned an impressive $16,590. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
This Victorian bedroom suite created in 1878 for James C. Flood by Pottier & Stymus of New York sold for $17,775. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
This California gold quartz walking stick presented by Carleton E. Watkins to his father, J.M. Watkins, in 1869 sold for an impressive $6,545. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
Over $40,000 was realized on the 28 designer handbags offered with an Hermes 40cm Togo leather birkin bag complete with original dust cover, box and bag fetching $13,090. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
Topping the Asian offerings was this pair of Chinese huanghuali yoke-back chairs, Qing dynasty, which sold for $59,250. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.
