ATLANTA – It’s a long way from mainland China to Miami Circle in Atlanta, but that’s exactly how far one determined bidder traveled to vie for a Chinese porcelain hand-painted wall pocket from the late 19th or early 20th century. The 6 3/4-inch-tall urn-form piece was the top lot at Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery’s Spring Estates Auction, held March 21-22, hammering for $50,000.
The auction was packed with more than 1,000 lots, ranging from Asian objects to original works of art to fine estate jewelry to antique clocks. +All prices quoted are hammer, exclusive of a buyer’s premium.
The porcelain wall pocket, was marked to the underside with the four-character cobalt underglaze Qianlong Nian Zhi mark. It stood on a gilt red stand and was presented in a purple, velvet-hinged box.
An oil on canvas painting by Albert E. “Beanie” Backus (American, 1906-1991), one of the legendary Highwaymen artists of the 1950s and ’60s, went to a phone bidder for $20,000. The work, done circa 1960s and signed by Backus, was titled View of Florida Coastline and depicted a scene that might be of St. Lucie, on Florida’s northern coast, with the ocean, palm trees and a sandy beach.
A second pattern Confederate national flag, made during the time of the Civil War and possibly issued to the Confederate States Navy, hammered at $15,000. The flag, measuring 52 inches by 106 inches, had 13 hand-sewn, cotton stars configured in the shape of a diagonal cross, atop a blue wool bunting or tammy on a red ground. The stars were stitched around the outer edges.
A Continental, 20th century Empire-style malachite, patinated and gilt bronze center table, with the top 39 1/4 inches in diameter, changed hands for $14,000. The veneered center table had a circular top over an ormolu mounted apron, on three bronze Egyptian-style figural supports.
For more information contact Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery at 404-869-2478 or email consignments@AandOauctions.com.
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