This milestone auction was led by a North Carolina paint decorated blanket chest, which sold for $80,500 (prices include the 15 percent buyer’s premium). This regional treasure will find its new home in a public collection. Another top lot was a three-piece cloisonne scholars set, which blew past its estimate with fervent bidding between phone bidders and brought $57,500. This 19th-century beauty will be returned to China.
The remainder of the 700-lot catalog auction saw strength from beginning to end, from category to category. The quality of the fine art offerings, both American and Continental, were reflected in the bidding activity on sale day. The Red Bridge, by Grandma Moses achieved $24,150. Other top lots include Edouard Cortes’ Porte St. Denis, which sold for $23,000; Carlo Grubacs’ View of Venice, which achieved $23,000; and a pair of portraits attributed to Sheldon Peck, which sold for $12,650.
This sale offered an impressive array of Silver offerings. Top lots include a Whiting sterling silver tea and coffee service, which hammered for $10,637; a set of 12 sterling dinner plates by Baldwin & Miller, which sold for $7,475; an S. Kirk & Son Repousse sterling silver service, which sold for $7,187; and a set of eight Tiffany & Co. sterling master salts, which brought $4,370.
Asian lots elicited much excitement in the sale with many lots sailing past their estimates. Strong sellers include a Chinese Famille Rose porcelain peach charger, which soared to $7,187; a pair of Chinese throne chairs, which sold for $6,900; a Chinese porcelain “chicken” bowl, which hammered for $4,830; and a watercolor on paper by Bunsai Loki, which brought $11,500. Also strong were Chinese Yixing teapots, all exceeding their estimates.
American furniture offerings brought strong bidding throughout the sale. Top sellers included an important Philadelphia, Pennsylvania armchair which achieved $20,700; a North Carolina inlaid sugar chest on stand, which brought $8,625; and a North Carolina child’s chest of drawers, which rose to $4,140.
Estate jewelry was led by a natural blue sapphire pendant, which sailed to $19,550; a platinum and Royal Asscher cut diamond ring, which sold for $6,612; a French Art Deco 14kt gold and sapphire compact, which brought $3,220; and a diamond and gold link necklace, which achieved $8,337.
The quality of the Modern offerings at this sale confirmed the impressive growth of the department. A new to market George Nakashima Minguren I table rose to $16,100. Other exciting lots include the five-piece Seaforms set by Dale Chihuly, which brought $12,075, and a Howard Thomas oil on Masonite painting entitled Festival 41, which sold for $5,290.
The decorative category was led by a bronze figural by Adrien-Etienne Gaudez which sailed to $10,062. Other strong lots include a Tiffany Favrile Fabrique glass table lamp which achieved $11,500; a Steinway “M” grand piano, which brought $4,600; a Chelsea “Hans Sloane” botanical platter, which sold for $6,612; and a 17th–18th century Continental two-light brass candelabrum, possibly German, which hammered for $3,220.
Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd.’s two-day fall catalog auction will be held on Sept. 16 and 17. To learn more about Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. please visit their new website at www.LLAUCTIONS.com or call at 919-644-1243.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
