A carved limestone “varmint” by William Edmondson (Tennessee, 1874-1951), sold to a floor bidder for $46,400. Edmondson, a self taught artist, was the first African American to have a solo show at the Museum of Modern Art.Image courtesy of Case Antiques.
The estate of the late A. Welling LaGrone Jr., a well-known arts patron in Nashville and collector of patriotic memorabilia, yielded over 200 of the 743 lots, with the rest comprised of art and antiques from other Southeastern estates and fine collections
A carved limestone “varmint” figure by William Edmondson (Tennessee, 1874-1951) led the fine art offerings. Edmondson is considered one of the most important self-taught artists of the 20th century. In 1937 he became the first African American to have his own exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Animals were a frequent source of inspiration for Edmondson, and this sculpture was consigned by a North Carolina woman who was present the day her mother acquired it directly from the artist. Since this sculpture, like most of Edmondson’s work, was unsigned, that provenance helped drive it to a strong $46,400 (est. $20,000-$30,000). All prices include the buyer’s premium.
A sunset oil on canvas landscape by American tonalist John Francis Murphy (1865-1921) hammered down to the phones for $23,780, and a portrait of a woman with birds by Angel Botello (Spain/Puerto Rico, 1913-1986) brought $18,560. An Ashcan-school inspired circus scene by Kansas City artist Ruth Harris Bohan (1891-1981), from the LaGrone collection, drew the highest number of bidders on a single object in the sale and achieved a record price for the artist. Estimated at $1,000-$1,500, it soared to $15,080. There was also strong phone bidder activity for three colored woodcuts by Bror Julius Nordfeldt (American, 1878-1955), all from the estate of illustrator Arthur Hoskings (American, 1874-1970). His Japanese inspired colored woodcut titled Woman With a Fan at the Piano competed to $16,240, while Village Green at Twilight and a scene of a woman at a spinning wheel brought $8,352 and $4,640 respectively.
There was stronger than expected demand for art by living artists. A portrait of a woman by Miguel Martinez (b. New Mexico, 1951) realized $5,800 against an $800-$1,200 estimate. A welded bronze sculpture by Gordon Hammond Smith (Canadian, b. 1937) from his “Nuclear” series blasted past its $600-$800 estimate to $3,364, the same price as a hammered bronze geometric sculpture by artist/architect Edgar Tafur (Latin American/Ohio, b. 1929), estimated at $400-$600. From the LaGrone collection, a Red Grooms oil on wood portrayal of his fellow Tennessean Elvis Presley played at $4,640, and a Grooms lithographed three-dimensional New York street scene bustled to $2,900. A folk art painting of a family picnic by Georgia artist Linda Anderson (b. 1941) made $2,436. An oil on canvas painting of George Washington after Gilbert Stuart, from the LaGrone collection, sold within estimate at $3,944.
Leading the LaGrone collection was the boat flag and archive of The Red White and Blue, a lifeboat which made headlines in 1866 when it became the smallest ship to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean. The flag had been repurposed from a Union picketboat, the U.S.S. Flambeau, by its acting ensign John Hudson, who captained the Red White and Blue. It was accompanied by the ship’s log, two Currier and Ives prints of the event, and an archive of material relating to Hudson’s naval career. Buoyed by interest from flag and nautical collectors alike, the lot sailed quickly past its $10,000-$15,000 estimate to reach $35,960. A mid-19th century 16-star American national flag, also a probable boat flag but from an unknown vessel, sold for $5,800.
Another highlight from the LaGrone collection was a tin lantern from Andrew Jackson’s successful re-election campaign of 1832. The lantern featured the punched words “Andrew Jackson Forever” and rallied to $16,820 amid competition from three historical institutions. A Parian bust of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee realized $1,856 and a Senate gallery ticket to the impeachment proceedings of President Andrew Johnson hammered down for $1,392. A War of 1812 campaign chest in heavily worn condition but with most of its contents still intact won a top bid of $4,176. The chest descended in the family of Maj. Christopher Van Deventer, who later became chief clerk of the U.S. War Department under John C. Calhoun. Although not from the LaGrone collection, it was a good complement to the other historical material, as was a painting of Tennessee’s Cumberland Valley depicting the 1863 evacuation of the Cumberland Gap by the 7th Division of the Army of the Ohio. It shot past its $1,000-$2,000 estimate to earn $9,976.
The sale’s top lot was a relic of musical history: a Meet the Beatles record album signed by all four Beatles, given to the doctor who treated George Harrison so he could perform with the band on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1962. That appearance is credited with launching the British Invasion, but the album – inscribed “Thanks for the jabs,” – was a reminder of how close it came to happening without Harrison. No more than 15 albums signed by all four Beatles are known to exist today, and this was one of only two known with personal inscriptions. An East Coast collector, bidding by phone, beat out the underbidder from London to claim it for $75,400. This was the second and final signed Beatles album from Dr. Jules Gordon’s estate; a previous album, fully signed but not personally inscribed, sold at Case’s Spring 2011 auction for $63,250.
An outstanding carved American Classical mahogany sleigh bed led the furniture offerings at $9,976. It, as well as many of the American classical pieces in the sale, had been pictured in a 1999 Art & Antiques article highlighting the LaGrone home. A Classical mahogany recamier with hairy paw feet rested at $7656, while a marble topped mixing table attributed to Anthony Quervelle of Philadelphia served up $5,104 and a classical Boston two-drawer work table earned $1,508. An American Federal Pembroke table bearing the paper label for cabinetmaker Charles Christian of New York sold for $4,872. Southern furniture included a Middle Tennessee cherry sugar chest with delicate turned feet, $9,976, and a pair of Louisiana Campeche chairs, $6,032.
There were more online bidders in this auction from China than from any other country besides the United States, and even some bidders from China in the audience. Prices for Asian decorative arts flourished as a result. A Chinese silver presentation tray given as a wedding gift from a Shanghai company to one of the owners in 1897, with engraved floral, bird, and Chinese figure decoration, sold for $6,032 (est. $1,200-$1,400). A pair of 9-inch diameter Chinese silver plates with repoussé borders brought $1,392, and a carved and stained carved ivory flowering vine reached $1,972. Jade in all shades was red hot: a small carved white jade snuff bottle soared to $4,408 against a $500-$800 estimate, while a green jade one brought $1,392, and a jade buckle and bi disc, offered together with an estimate of $200-$300, surprised at $3,944. A set of miniature jade vessels including a ding, vase and bowl, made a big impression at $1,972.
Southern pottery lovers had a slimmer selection to choose from than in past Case auctions, but demand remained healthy. A 19th century redware preserving jar from the recently discovered Mort pottery of Tennessee sold for $2,436, the same price as a Kentucky pitcher marked for Isaac Thomas of Mason County. A jar made by Weaver & Brother of Knoxville, circa 1880, doubled its estimate at $1,392, and a miniature 3-inch Carlisle, Ky., whiskey jug once again proved that bigger is not always better, pulling in $493 (est. $100-$125).
Demand for silver was consistently good, and there were some hearty prices for Southern coin silver. A set of six spoons by E.B. Cayce (working Franklin, Tenn., 1852-1898) won a round of applause when they finished at $2,320 (estimate $300-$400). An agricultural presentation goblet inscribed “Jackson Fair,” presumably awarded in the mid-19th century in Jackson, Tenn., won a top bid of $1,972, a Memphis coin silver ladle marked for J. Merriman brought $1,276, and a Memphis coin silver mug by F.H. Clark & Co. made $803.
Other Southern highlights included an 1827 Tennessee needlework sampler with alphabet and floral border, $3,944, a pair of Civil War tintypes of two Union soldiers from East Tennessee, $1,392.
The company is currently accepting consignments for its Jan. 28 auction, to be held at its gallery in Knoxville. For more information, call the gallery in Knoxville at 865-558-3033 or the Nashville office at 615-812-6096.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
The boat flag, log, and related archive from The Red White & Blue, which in 1866 became the smallest ship to ever sail across the Atlantic. The lot included two Currier and Ives prints about the voyage. The ship was also exhibited at the Crystal Palace. Price for the lot was $35,960. Image courtesy of Case Antiques. An American Classical carved sleigh bed from the A. Welling LaGrone Jr. estate achieved $9,976. Image courtesy of Case Antiques. Chinese objects continued their hot streak. A Chinese silver presentation tray given as a wedding gift from a Shanghai company to one of the owners in 1897, with engraved floral, bird, and Chinese figure decoration, sold for $6,032 (est. $1,200-$1,400). Image courtesy of Case Antiques. An Ashcan-school inspired circus scene by Kansas City artist Ruth Harris Bohan (1891-1981), drew the highest number of bidders on a single object in the sale and achieved a record price for the artist. Estimated at $1,000-1,500, it soared to $15,080. Image courtesy of Case Antiques. A Meet the Beatles album, signed by all four band members and inscribed “thanks for the jabs” to the doctor who treated George Harrison for strep throat the day before their Ed Sullivan show debut, rocked at $75,400. It was the second and final signed Beatles album from the Gordon estate. Image courtesy of Case Antiques.
