Firearms with important provenance sound off at Richmond Auctions Nov. 18

Frank Pachmayr's engraved Parker Invincible Upgrade 28 gauge side by side shotgun, estimated at $15,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Frank Pachmayr’s engraved Parker Invincible side-by-side shotgun and weapons formerly owned by Patrick Wayne, son of screen legend John Wayne, are just some of the many historically important firearms to be sold Saturday, November 18 by Richmond Auctions. The complete catalog is now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Best known for rubber recoil pads and neoprene pistol grips that bear his name, Frank Pachmayr earned a reputation as “America’s gunsmith” for his prowess and inventiveness with firearms. His innovations helped turn the 1911 platform into one of the most enduring and popular designs among all handguns.

Naturally, the top lot of the sale is a Frank Pachmayr-modified firearm: a Parker Invincible Upgrade 28 gauge side by side shotgun. The circa-1937 gun was upgraded to “Invincible Grade” by Pachmayr at a later point and was a part of his personal collection. With deep relief floral engraving and the phrase “Custom by Pachmayr” in gold, this is a must-have for any Parker or Pachmayr collector. It is estimated at $15,000-$60,000.

John Wayne’s second son, Patrick, was the recipient of many commemorative firearms bearing his father’s name and likeness, custom-made by Colt and Winchester for Wayne and his family members. As such, they are virtually unique and uncirculated, making them the ultimate collector’s items for firearm and John Wayne enthusiasts alike.

This set of three Colt Army single-action revolvers are customized with John Wayne’s name and likeness and are in essentially new condition on a display plaque. They are estimated at $10,000-$60,000.

The Autry Museum of the American West was founded by film legend Gene Autry in 1988 to interpret and preserve Western American history. Beginning in 1991, the Autry commissioned legendary engraver Alvin White to embellish a series of 10 Colt SAA revolvers to be used as fundraisers at its annual event. This example is the first one sold, and is stunning and one of a kind. It too carries a $10,000-$60,000 estimate.

Frank Pachmayr's engraved Parker Invincible Upgrade 28 gauge side by side shotgun, estimated at $15,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Frank Pachmayr's engraved Parker Invincible Upgrade 28 gauge side by side shotgun, estimated at $15,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Patrick Wayne's set of three John Wayne family issue commemorative Colt single action Army revolvers, estimated at $10,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Patrick Wayne's set of three John Wayne family issue commemorative Colt single action Army revolvers, estimated at $10,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Alvin White engraved and gold-inlaid 1991 Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum Series Colt SAA Revolver, estimated at $10,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Alvin White engraved and gold-inlaid 1991 Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum Series Colt SAA Revolver, estimated at $10,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Pair of Holland & Holland SXS hammerless royal shotguns and original case made for Sir Robert Horne, estimated at $10,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Pair of Holland & Holland SXS hammerless royal shotguns and original case made for Sir Robert Horne, estimated at $10,000-$60,000 at Richmond Auctions.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Clarke’s Spooktacular Estate Auction scared up big results

LARCHMONT, N.Y. — Clarke Auction Gallery rode a Halloween-themed sale to monstrously good results, with several fine art and decorative items scaring up excellent numbers well above their estimates on October 15. Complete results are available at LiveAuctioneers.

The Spooktacular Estate Sale was headlined by a Tiffany Studios Daffodil lamp from a Danbury, Connecticut estate. With minor cracks in the original shade, the 20in lamp hammered at $42,000 ($53,760 with buyer’s premium) against an estimate of $20,000-$30,000.

Henry Koerner (1915-1991) was an Austrian American painter and graphic designer whose works ranged from fine art to illustrated covers for Time magazine and American propaganda posters for the Office of War Information. After the war, Koerner continued to work for the U.S. government, but would also embark on more personal works, such as his acclaimed Showboat, which recently sold at Heritage Auctions for $262,500 including buyer’s premium. A newly discovered study for Showboat, created by Koerner and authenticated by his son, was a featured lot in the sale, with highly competitive bidding driving the final price to $40,000 ($51,200 with buyer’s premium) against an estimate of $3,000-$5,000.

Two Cartier Art Deco-era designs sold for more than double their top estimates. A Cartier rock crystal and diamond desk clock with its original leather-bound hard case was estimated at $10,000-$15,000 but hammered at $38,000 ($48,640 with buyer’s premium). A Cartier enamel with agate desk clock and barometer made $30,000 ($38,400 with buyer’s premium), doubling its high estimate.

A very interesting three-quarter-length portrait of an Elizabethan gentleman, attributed to the circle of the court painter George Gower (circa 1540-1596), hammered for $32,000 ($40,960 with buyer’s premium) against an estimate of $3,000-$5,000. Although in outwardly poor condition, the cracks to the panel had been cradled and several areas of paint loss were confined to the costume, where restoration could work wonders.

Equally, while the name of the subject dressed in the circa-1580 fashion was not identified, the Latin inscriptions and the heraldry (a shield of three gold escallops and two chevrons on a red ground) will give the purchaser some clues. Flanking the sitter are vignettes of cherubs and the words Quot capita, Tot sententiae (so many men, so many opinions) and the wistful lines Nemo ex omni parte beates (There is no perfection so absolute) and Eft virtus rara qua non fortuna guberuah (Rare is the virtue that’s not ruled by Fortune).

Tiffany Studios Daffodil table lamp, which sold for $42,000 ($53,760 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Tiffany Studios Daffodil table lamp, which sold for $42,000 ($53,760 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Henry Koerner, circa-1948 study for 'Showboat', which sold for $40,000 ($51,200 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Henry Koerner, circa-1948 study for 'Showboat', which sold for $40,000 ($51,200 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Cartier rock crystal and diamond desk clock, which sold for $38,000 ($48,640 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Cartier rock crystal and diamond desk clock, which sold for $38,000 ($48,640 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Cartier enamel with agate desk clock and barometer, which sold for $30,000 ($38,400 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Cartier enamel with agate desk clock and barometer, which sold for $30,000 ($38,400 with buyer’s premium) at Clarke Auction Gallery.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Fine Michigan collections bring out treasures at DuMouchelles Nov. 16-17

Pierre Alechinsky, 'L'Instinct De Conservation,' estimated at $125,000-$150,000 at DuMouchelles.

DETROIT — The opulence of the grand automotive era of Detroit resulted in some of the world’s great collections being assembled by titans of the industry. DuMouchelles specializes in helping families and estates realize the value of these collections, and its November 2023, 1051-lot sale, taking place Thursday, November 16 and Friday, November 17, is bursting with top-tier items. The catalogs are now available for bidding on LiveAuctioneers (Day 1, Day 2).

The sale’s highest-estimated lot is L’Instinct De Conservation, an original by Pierre Alechinsky (b. 1927-), the French abstract Impressionist. The work has a history of exhibitions and is estimated at $125,000-$150,000.

Topping the “rare” category is a Tiffany Studios Fancy Goods tea stand on a Grecian-inspired bronze base. DuMouchelles notes this example is “previously undocumented” and comes by descent from the home of a private Royal Oak, Michigan collector. The stand features a gold Favrile disc with concentric circles of iridescent tiles, and it is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

Built in 1860, around the time his younger brother Christian arrived in America, is this stunning Gustave Herter (1830–1898) American Renaissance carved rosewood and bronze cabinet. Originally from the collection of Pierre Berge of the Pierre Hotel in New York, the cabinet was acquired by the consignors from Sotheby’s, New York in a November 2004 sale. With only minor imperfections, this classic piece from Herter Brothers, one of America’s top furniture builders and interior design companies, is estimated at $10,000-$18,000.

French industrial designer Philippe Starck (b. 1949-) has enjoyed widespread success across numerous fields, including architecture, vehicles and maritime designs, household objects and furniture. DuMouchelles’ sale includes four items from his body of work, including this leather Prive sofa for Cassina. With some fading due to sun exposure, it is otherwise solid and is estimated at $1,000-$2,000.

Brightly colored landscapes are a hallmark of Richard Mayhew (b. 1924-). With two originals in the sale, the standout is an untitled oil on canvas measuring 36 by 48in that carries an estimate of $40,000-$60,000. Remarkably, Mayhew recently celebrated his 99th birthday and remains active from his studio near Santa Cruz, California.

Book collectors will take note of two interesting offerings in the sale. First is a 1907 copy of Stories from the Arabian Nights by Laurence Housman and illustrated by Edmund Dulac. Number 95 of an edition of 350, the book is signed by the illustrator and is estimated at $2,000-$3,000. Also of note is a reprint of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with illustrations by Arthur Rackham. It, too, is signed by the illustrator and is estimated at $800-$1,200.

Pierre Alechinsky, 'L'Instinct De Conservation,' estimated at $125,000-$150,000 at DuMouchelles.

Pierre Alechinsky, 'L'Instinct De Conservation,' estimated at $125,000-$150,000 at DuMouchelles.

Tiffany Studios favrile glass mosaic tile and bronze tea stand, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at DuMouchelles.

Tiffany Studios favrile glass mosaic tile and bronze tea stand, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at DuMouchelles.

American Renaissance carved rosewood and bronze cabinet by Gustave Herter, estimated at $10,000-$18,000 at DuMouchelles.

American Renaissance carved rosewood and bronze cabinet by Gustave Herter, estimated at $10,000-$18,000 at DuMouchelles.

Philippe Starck for Cassina leather Prive sofa, estimated at $1,000-$2,000 at DuMouchelles.

Philippe Starck for Cassina leather Prive sofa, estimated at $1,000-$2,000 at DuMouchelles.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

The unusual and eclectic headline at Rivich’s By Land Or Sea sale Nov. 19

Victorian Horn Chair, estimated at $750-$1,500 at Rivich Auction.

CHICAGO — Nearly every auction has a few lots that are so different and unique, they command attention and interest from auctioneers and bidders alike. Rivich Auction has assembled its Sunday, November 19 By Land Or Sea sale around, well, a sea of unusual items that makes it a catalog worth browsing. It is now available for bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Items taken from nature are a dominant theme in the auction. A plush chair seemingly fashioned entirely from steer horns — legs, frame and back — and cowhide encapsulates the sale perfectly. In what is described as “very nice condition for its age,” the chair is estimated at $750-$1,500.

On the more conventional side is a pair of Georgian-style red leather armchairs with nailhead trim. Structurally sound with minor wear, the set carries an estimate of $500-$1,000.

Returning to the natural realm, a zebra-skin rug measuring 128 by 76in joins the lineup. It has small tears and some typical wear, and is estimated at $500-$900.

Five lots described as “taxidermy” are featured, including mounts and full-body examples. Not quite taxidermy but incorporating moose antlers in a Black Forest design is this handsome mirror. It measures 56 by 40in and would make an impressive statement in any outdoors-themed environment. It has an estimate of $500-$1,000.

Returning to more traditional looks is a collection of Heywood-Wakefield furniture. Since 1826, the company has been furnishing American homes and offices with quality items that last for generations. All the lots have low estimates, including this bookcase, estimated at $500-$750.

Victorian Horn Chair, estimated at $750-$1,500 at Rivich Auction.

Victorian Horn Chair, estimated at $750-$1,500 at Rivich Auction.

Pair of Georgian-style wingback armchairs, estimated at $500-$1,000 at Rivich Auction.

Pair of Georgian-style wingback armchairs, estimated at $500-$1,000 at Rivich Auction.

Genuine zebra-skin rug, estimated at $500-$900 at Rivich Auction.

Genuine zebra-skin rug, estimated at $500-$900 at Rivich Auction.

Black Forest-style antler mirror, estimated at $500-$1,000 at Rivich Auction.

Black Forest-style antler mirror, estimated at $500-$1,000 at Rivich Auction.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Paul Frankl scaled the heights of 20th-century furniture design

This Paul Frankl mahogany and lacquered wood bookcase achieved $18,000 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2018. Image courtesy of Neal Auction Company and LiveAuctioneers.
This Paul Frankl mahogany and lacquered wood bookcase achieved $18,000 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2018. Image courtesy of Neal Auction Company and LiveAuctioneers.

This Paul Frankl mahogany and lacquered wood bookcase achieved $18,000 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2018. Image courtesy of Neal Auction Company and LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK — Designer Paul Theodore Frankl (1886-1958) is closely associated with the Art Deco movement and his furniture from this period, particularly his Skyscraper series, is iconic. More accessible and collectible to a broader segment of the market, however, are his post-war era pieces, from his metal furnishings of the 1930s to his cork-topped furniture of the 1940s.

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