GENESEO, N.Y. – A Kashmir sapphire and diamond ladies’ vintage ring in a platinum and gold setting sold for $103,500 at a fine art and antiques auction held Sept. 23-24 by Cottone Auctions.

The ring, which doubled its estimate, was the top lot in a sale that saw about 750 lots come up for bid in a broad range of categories. By the time it was all over, the auction had grossed a robust $2.1 million.

Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.com.

“We’ve been riding a wave of successful auctions, and our only goal for this one was to match or exceed the successful March auction that grossed $1.7 million,” said Matt Cottone of Cottone Auctions. “This auction bested that figure by about $400,000, so I’d say we hit our goal. In today’s market, we tend to be selective about what we take on, and it’s been a winning strategy.”

The Kashmir ring boasted a natural blue sapphire of 3.1 carats, plus a 2.50-carat diamond and six smaller, 0.45-carat diamonds, all old European cut. The sapphire was square antique mixed cut in shape and was a deep, but not dark, violetish-blue color. Bidders were attracted to the sapphire’s outstanding brilliance, the diamonds’ VS clarity and the ring’s overall desirability and beauty.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

A rare Tiffany Studios leaded glass Geranium lamp with a signed shade and three-arm bronze and art glass candlestick base that brought $52,325, and an early 20th century Apple Blossom lamp having a 16-inch diameter shade fetched $36,000.

Asian lots featured a two-piece Japanese painting on silk, measuring 76 inches by 51 inches and deaccessioned from a New York State museum that sold for $33,500; and a fine pair of Chinese gold leaf and painted jade carved hardwood table screens from the late 19th or early 20th century, overall 16 inches tall and with a 10 1/2 inch by 7 3/4 inch plaque, that made $29,325.

Two very different lots posted identical selling prices of $42,550. One was a pair of 19th century majolica plaques, done in the manner of Benozzo Gozzoli (Italian, 1421-1497), both 18 inches by 13 inches and showing scenes from the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, with saints, and with carved and gilt wood frames and a painted frieze (below).

The other was a 17th or 18th century gilt bronze figure of a Tibetan Sakya Lama, signed on the underside and inscribed along the base, 7 1/2 inches in height.

The auction had a little bit of everything, from banjos to banjo clocks – literally. A rare Waltham gilt front banjo girandole clock (below), with the original signed and painted dial and original reverse-painted Aurora glass and thermometer, realized $28,750; while a fine example of a Gibson PT 6 Plectrum Tenor flathead banjo, unaltered and in a plush lined case, rose to $20,300.

In the fine art category, a signed oil on canvas painting by Hans Zatzka (Austrian, 1858-1945), titled Three Women Near Pool Feeding Swans (below), 23 inches by 31 inches and housed in the original carved and gilded frame, gaveled for $28,900; and an aquatint and carborundum etching, signed by Joan Miro (Spanish, 1893-1983), done in 1969 and titled Le Chassseur de Pieuvres, hit $16,100.

A fine 19th century boulle cabinet with winged women, claw feet, acanthus mounts and a marble top, 49 inches tall by 70 inches wide and pulled from a prominent Rochester estate, breezed to $29,900. Also, a 19th century Northwest Persian Oriental rug, signed and measuring 15 feet 5 inches by 6 feet 7 inches, with some small areas of wear to be expected, climbed to $20,700.

For details contact Cottone Auctions by calling 585-243-1000 or email info@cottoneauctions.com.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.