BOULDER, Colo. – The winning streak continued for Artemis Gallery’s popular “Exceptional Auction Series,” with a May 22-23 sale of antiquities, Asian, ethnographic and tribal art that surpassed $1 million. The top lot of the sale was a Chavin (north coastal Peru) lemon carro stone vessel, circa 900-200 BCE, that was used specifically as a container for hallucinogenic drugs. It sold for $49,800. All prices quoted in this report include a 24.5% buyer’s premium.
RENO, Nev. – A wire gold specimen pulled from the Ibex Mine in Leadville, Colorado, sold for $11,250, a necklace with 25 gold nuggets and a diamond realized $9,375, an 1890 Hawaii Baseball Association stock certificate made $4,500, and an 1870 Northern Pacific Railroad land grant bond fetched $4,400 at a Don’t Lose Your Marbles Auction held May 16-20 by Holabird Western Americana Collections LLC. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
OAKLAND, Calif. – The important fine art, photography and prints presented at Clars’ May 19 sale resulted in numerous offerings soaring past their estimates with new auction records being set. Fueled by robust global bidding, the auction produced strong results across all categories on the investment level property that was offered. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.
LOS ANGELES – A rare and complete second edition of Description de l’ Egypte … , C.L.F. Panckoucke (1820-1830), including foldout maps, elephant folios and an atlas folio, sold for a world record price of $220,000 at Andrew Jones Auctions’ Design for the Home and Garden Auction held May 18-19. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.
LOS ANGELES – Julien’s Auctions, the world-record-breaking auction house, held its marquee Music Icons auction event on May 18 live in Hard Rock Café Times Square in front of a packed crowd of collectors and music fans. The mega-star lineup featured 670 historical items of music legends Prince, Madonna, Kurt Cobain, Queen, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Lady Gaga, Greg Lake, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and others. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.Continue reading
MILFORD, Conn. – Important paintings from the 19th century through the contemporary era were offered during Shannon’s semiannual Fine Art Auction on May 2. Featuring 230 lots, the auction included quality examples of International Fine Art including works by Asian, African, Latin, European and American artists. The sale totaled over $2 million dollars with 75 percent of the lots sold.
BOSTON – A remarkable assortment of 19 original negatives of President John F. Kennedy sold for $9,492 at RR Auction on May 8. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
MONROVIA, Calif. – Moran’s 20th Century Art + Design auction on May 5 was a resounding success, boasting a high sell-through rate and two auction records. Works from the well-curated collection of Mrs. Donald M. Jones were some of the top lots of the night while mainstays of mid-century design and important works of fine art performed exceptionally well. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
Works from American artists achieved some of the highest prices of the day. The market for the work of artist Doyle Lane, simmering for years, boiled over at the auction. A rare Clay Painting (above), perhaps the only large-scale work to come to auction, inspired a bidding war between two phone bidders who drove the price up from its $4,000-$6,000 estimate to sell for $53,125, a new record for the artist. All prices realized include the buyer’s premium.
A large-scale work from artist Richard Bunkall (below) also set an auction record when it climbed above its $10,000-$15,000 estimate to sell for $37,500.
Moran’s had the pleasure of handling an important collection of ceramics, prints and fine art from the estate of Mrs. Donald M. Jones. Chief among the offerings was a rare large vase from husband and wife team Gertrud and Otto Natzler. Two phone bidders battled for the piece and drove it over its $15,000-$20,000 estimate to sell for $31,250, among the highest prices realized for a Natzler work at auction.
Jones had several collages by American artist William Dole in her collection, including “Crypto” which sold over its $1,000-$1,500 estimate for $5,625. A superb Francis Picabia drawing (below) consigned from the same collection opened strongly and soared past its $15,000-$20,000 estimate to sell for $81,250.
Modernist furnishings and graphic art continue to draw collectors to Moran’s 20th Century Art + Design sale. A rocking chair from master woodworker Sam Maloof sold above its high estimate for $40,625 (estimate: $20,000-$30,000).
An immaculate Roy Lichtenstein Water Lily color screenprint sold within its $15,000-$25,000 estimate for $22,500.
Two Brutalist light fixtures sold well above their $600-$800 estimate for $2,250. A pair of beautifully designed “Z” lounge chairs by Poul Jensen for Selig achieved $3,900 at auction (estimate: $1,000-$1,500).
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LARCHMONT, N.Y. – Paintings took four out of the top five spots in Clarke Auction Gallery’s May 5 sale that was filled with strong and surprising results with many items defying their estimates. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
CRANSTON, R.I. – A bright and colorful neo-expressionist painting of butterflies by American artist Hunt Slonem (b. 1951) flew past its presale estimate of $8,000-$12,000 to finish at $15,000 in a Spring Fine Art & Antiques Auction conducted May 4 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers. It was the sale’s top lot. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.