LYNBROOK, N.Y. – A gorgeous 81-piece Tiffany & Co. china set in the Cirque Chinois pattern sold for $16,675 at an auction held June 15 by Philip Weiss Auctions. The set was the top achiever in a 550-lot sale that grossed around $350,000 and featured an eclectic mix of merchandise in many categories.
Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.com.
Offered were original illustrations and paintings by the renowned science fiction artist Chesley Bonestell (American, 1888-1986), original cover art from the legendary comic book artist Joe Kubert (American, 1926-2012), rare and highly desirable Disney production cels, ocean liner memorabilia, a collection of carved Black Forest bear hall trees, and terracotta and majolica blackamoor statues.
The Tiffany china set wowed bidders with its visual appeal and the fact that it was French private stock (Le Tallec) in fine condition. The set consisted of 11 dinner plates, 21 salad or dessert plates, 14 soup bowls, 12 bread and butter plates, 11 double-handled cream soup bowls, and a dozen 7-inch cream soup bowl saucers. The set was estimated at $12,500-$25,000.
Between 30 and 40 people attended the auction in person, while 1,400 bidders registered to participate online. Another 100 or so submitted phone or left bids.
“The Internet continues to drive the success of our auctions,” said Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions. “People enjoy the luxury of being able to bid online.”
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium of either 15 percent or 20 percent, depending on how the winning bid was placed.
Joe Kubert’s original comic book art for Battle Classics #3 (DC Comics, Jan./Feb. 1979), a series that was canceled after the first issue was published, signed by the artist and in near mint condition, brought $8,360; while Kubert’s original cover at for Mystery in Space #111 (DC Comics, Sept. 1980), also signed and in excellent condition, 17 inches by 12 inches (below), hit $6,038.
An original oil on board sci-fi painting by Chesley Bonestell, titled Rhea, Saturn & Spacecraft, with two exhibition labels on the back, measuring 14 1/2 inches by 17 inches and signed lower left, went for $7,475; and a multi-cel production setup on Courvoisier wood veneer background from the Disney classic film Pinocchio, showing Pinocchio, Gepetto and Figaro, made $5,100.
A surprise lot of the sale was a group of 10 cat prints by the Japanese artist Leonard Foujita (1886-1968), each one signed and dated in the plate and marked “Made in France.” The lot went for $11,212. Also, a 4-foot-long multifigure bronze by Richard MacDonald (American, b. 1946), titled Anatomy of a Golf Swing (below) and made for the 100th playing of the U.S. Open, rose to $9,900.
A Regina Hexaphone coin-operated phonograph machine with six-disc selective changer, housed in an oak case with a lift-up front above a wooden speaker, and with a crank mechanism, 48 1/2 inches tall, earned 5,951 despite the fact that it wasn’t working; while a Mills Play Ball 5-cent slot machine (below) in working condition, including key, fetched $4,485.
Original artwork for a 1967 head shop poster by artist Rick Griffin (Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory), depicting the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland with a hookah, plus a color first printing of the poster, breezed to $6,325. Also, a lot of four Marconigrams sent from on board the RMS Carpathia, the rescue ship for the Titanic, all dated mid-April 1912, brought $3,565.
For details contact Philip Weiss Auctions at 516-594-0731 or, send an email to Phil@WeissAuctions.com.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.