New York silversmith William Adams created this coin silver pitcher for the Kentucky State Agricultural Society in 1859. It sold at Cowan’s for $41,125. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc.
The highest selling lot in the sale was a coin silver Kentucky State Agricultural Society Award Pitcher, which realized $41,125. The pitcher, dated circa 1859, is a coin silver pitcher by William Adams (New York). Adams is well-known for the mace he made for the House of Representatives in 1841-42 as well as, a presentation urn he crafted for his friend, Henry Clay, a senator and representative from the state of Kentucky. The piece offered in the sale was a presentation pitcher bearing the inscription, “Presented by the Kentucky State agricultural Society and Spratt & Bourn Co. at their Tobacco Exhibition, May 25, 1859.” The pitcher was property of the late Caswell and Sara Lane, who were consummate Kentucky collectors, and was estimated to bring $8,000-$10,000 The Lanes specialized in silver from the Bluegrass state.
Fine art from the 19th and 20 century was also among the top-selling lots offered in the sale. A painting by well-known Cincinnati artist, Frank Duveneck, titled Venetian Interior, hammered down at $18,800. A painting by Polish artist Jan Van Chelminski, titled Polish Sleighing Party, realized $27,025. A Kentucky portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette by Asa Park sold for $21,150.
A Tonalist landscape by Antanas Zemaitis far surpassed its estimate of $500-$700 and realized $16,800 in the auction.
A number of contemporary pieces of art exceeded their original estimates and did particularly well in the sale. A painting by Robert Rauschenberg, titled Mixed Media, sold for $15,275. An abstract work by Guatemalan artist Carlos Merida realized $15,600. A lithograph by American contemporary artist Jasper Johns, signed and titled Bent Blue, hammered down at $7,200.
“The fine art portion of the sale had some very strong offerings and the response was significant in all categories of 19th and 20th century works,” Graydon Sikes, director of paintings and prints notes, “The tremendous crowd at the auction certainly played a hand in driving many of the more important pieces.”
Miniature furniture from the Caswell and Sara Lane collection also brought higher than estimated prices at the sale. A set of three American miniature blanket chests was estimated at $400-$600 and hammered down at $1,528. An Ohio miniature chest of drawers, circa 1825-1835, also estimated at $400-$600, realized $2,233. A Kentucky miniature chest of drawers from the early 19th century, with the pencil inscription “Mary Polly Howard, Spencer, Kentucky,” was estimated at $1,000-$1,500 and hammered down at $2,703.
An additional noteworthy lot in the sale was an American, early 20th century Tiffany Studios counterbalance table lamp, marked “Tiffany Studios, N.Y., No. 415” on bottom. The lamp was estimated at $5,000-$7,000 and realized $7,344.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
New York silversmith William Adams created this coin silver pitcher for the Kentucky State Agricultural Society in 1859. It sold at Cowan’s for $41,125. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc. Asa Park portrait of Lafayette realized $21,150. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc. Cincinnati painter Frank Duveneck’s ‘Venetian Interior’ made $18,800. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc. Robert Rauschenberg painting, $15,275. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc. Jan Van Chelminski, ‘Polish Sleighing Party,’ $27,025. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc. Tonalist landscape by Antanas Zemaitis, $16,800. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc. Tiffany Studios counterbalance lamp, marked, $7,344. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions Inc.
