Latin American art brings top dollar at Morton Kuehnert

Signed ‘Raphael Coronel’ lower left and inscribed ‘De Paseo No. 456,’ this large oil painting, 48 inches by 39 1/2 inches, sold for $50,400. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Signed ‘Raphael Coronel’ lower left and inscribed ‘De Paseo No. 456,’ this large oil painting, 48 inches by 39 1/2 inches, sold for $50,400. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
Signed ‘Raphael Coronel’ lower left and inscribed ‘De Paseo No. 456,’ this large oil painting, 48 inches by 39 1/2 inches, sold for $50,400. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
HOUSTON – One hundred twenty lots of Latin American art and antiques were on the block recently at Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers. Lot 6, Rafael Coronel’s De Paseo oil on canvas, was the frontrunner at the Dec. 12 auction, with a winning bid of $50,400.

The majority of the lots were the property of a private collection in South Texas. All prices listed here include the buyer’s premium.

“Morton Kuehnert is pleased with the results from our first serious Latin American art auction,” said Lindsay Davis, the auction house’s Fine Art Specialist. “The interest in the early religious art, as well as pieces from strong 20th-century artists, helps us chart a path for our Latin American art auctions scheduled for May and November 2011,” she added.

Morton Kuehnert and partner Morton Subastas in Mexico City are combining resources for the enrichment of Latin American art and artists, as Houston continues to garner national attention with the Museum of Fine Arts/Houston emphasis in that area.

Bidders’ choices included 18th- and 19th-century religious paintings in the style of the Mexican School, such as Lot 21, the Virgin of Guadalupe oil on canvas, selling for $7,200, and Lot 23, the Virgin of Guadalupe oil on burlap, selling for $3,300. Lot 28, Nino Muerto, an oil on canvas which sold for $9,000, was also of the Mexican School.

Elena Climent’s 2006 Shelf with St. Anthony and His Visions, Lot 1, sold for $6,600. Lot 38, an untitled 1948 Diego Rivera pastel and ink on paper of a young boy, sold for $36,000.

Lot 2, C. Anton Goering’s 1880 Venezuelan Scene watercolor on heavy paper sold for $7,800 and Lot 4, Guillermo Gomez’ Mayorga’s circa 1930s untitled oil on canvas of a view through a Mexico City gateway, sold for $10,800.

Lot 11, the oil on canvas of the Enthroned Madonna and Child, also from the Mexican School of religious paintings, sold for $4,800.

Lot 20, a circa 17th-18th-century religious oil on panel portrait from the Spanish Colonial School depicting Saint Nicolas de Tolentino, sold for $4,200. Lot 22, an 18th-century oil on canvas from the Peruvian School/Lima Academy titled Santa Rosa de Lima sold for $4,800.

Lot 80, a mid-century landscape of mixed media on paper entitled Patzcuro, Michoan Coast, by Alfredo Zalce, 1965, sold for $3,600. Lot 89, A. Orellana’s 1890 Pueblan Family oil painting on board sold for $3,600 as well.

Three oils on canvas by 20th-century Mexican artist Alberto Ruiz Vela were sold, including Lot 97, a cowboy herding scene, at $1,320; Lot 98, a town center scene, sold at $1,140; and Lot 99, a town scene, sold at $1,320. Lot 100, an oil on canvas by Pablo Almela, another 20th-century Mexican artist, entitled Guanajuaro, 1947, sold for $1,200.

Two oils on board by artist Sergio Bustamante sold, (Mexican, b. 1942) including Lot 65, an untitled painting Lions on a Rainbow, at $660, and Lot 66 of Lions in a Tree at $1,140.

Two Jaimes Murillo (Mexican, b. 1940) paintings sold, including Lot 69, an oil and sand on masonite entitled El Peluquero, 1983, selling at $360 and Lot 105 oil on canvas of an African Fertility Female, 1997, selling for $1,800.

Lot 53, a 19th-century hand-painted marriage cupboard, fetched $18,000 and Lot 16, a Bolivian silver censer, sold for $1,440.

Anyone interested in consigning Latin American art and antiques for Morton Kuehnert’s May 2011 auction may e-mail photos and descriptions to Lindsay Davis at ldavis@mortonkuehnert.com.

For information on Morton Kuehnert, please visit our website at www.mortonkuehnert.com or our Facebook page.

To receive announcements on Latin American consignments and auctions, please send your contact information to LatinArt@mortonkuehnert.com.

 

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


C. Anton Goering (German, 1836-1905) Venezuelan scene, 1880, watercolor on heavy paper, signed and dated ‘A. Goering 1880,’ 13 1/2 x 23 inches, $10,800. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
C. Anton Goering (German, 1836-1905) Venezuelan scene, 1880, watercolor on heavy paper, signed and dated ‘A. Goering 1880,’ 13 1/2 x 23 inches, $10,800. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
Mexican School, 18th century, ‘The Enthroned Madonna and Child,’ oil on canvas 49 1/2 x 37 1/2 inches, provenance: Christie's The House Sale, Oct. 1-3, 2007, lot 904, New York, $4,800. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
Mexican School, 18th century, ‘The Enthroned Madonna and Child,’ oil on canvas 49 1/2 x 37 1/2 inches, provenance: Christie’s The House Sale, Oct. 1-3, 2007, lot 904, New York, $4,800. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
A. Orellana (Mexican School, 19th century) Pueblan Family, 1890, oil on board, signed ‘A. Orellana 1890’ lower left, 12 x 8 inches, $3,600. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.
A. Orellana (Mexican School, 19th century) Pueblan Family, 1890, oil on board, signed ‘A. Orellana 1890’ lower left, 12 x 8 inches, $3,600. Image courtesy of Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Continental statues of Cleopatra and Judith bring $132,250 at Fontaine’s

Pair of carved early Continental alabaster and marble statues of Cleopatra and Judith, $132,250. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.

Pair of carved early Continental alabaster and marble statues of Cleopatra and Judith, $132,250. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Pair of carved early Continental alabaster and marble statues of Cleopatra and Judith, $132,250. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – A pair of carved, early Continental alabaster and marble statues of Cleopatra and Judith, each standing 23 inches tall and having exceptional detail, sold for $132,250 at a cataloged antique auction held Nov. 13 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. The statues were the top earner of the more than 500 lots sold. Overall, the sale grossed about $1.4 million.

Around 300 people packed the Fontaine’s Auction Gallery showroom, located at 1485 W. Housatonic St., for the standing room only event. In addition, there were about 800 Internet bidders who participated online via LiveAuctioneers.com and the Fontaine’s website, www.fontainesauction.net. Phone and absentee bidding was also brisk all day long.

“It’s kind of refreshing that the market seems to be picking up,” said John Fontaine of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, acknowledging that the antique business in general has ebbed and flowed over the last couple of years, ever since the financial crisis wreaked havoc on the economy. “Activity in all areas of our auction business has increased. People are bidding more freely and enthusiastically.”

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

The sale’s top lot may have been statuary artwork, but vintage lamps and antique clocks dominated the list of top earners. A Tiffany 10-light Tulip lamp with pulled feather tulip shades on a signed Tiffany base, 21 inches tall, went for $40,250, while an E. Howard #71 regulator wall clock from the 1880s, 70 inches tall, black walnut with ebony trim case, garnered $25,875.

Keeping with lamps, a 16-inch Tiffany Studios Poinsettia shade with red flowers with blue, gold and green centers fetched $25,875; an 18-inch Handel Riverbed scenic lamp (#6752), artist signed “HB” (Henry Bedigie), and in excellent condition soared to $24,150; and a 16-inch signed Tiffany Studios Pomegranate table lamp with dichroic and mottled shade rose to $12,650.

Rounding out the category, a Handel Floral & Butterfly lamp (#6688), with an 18-inch reverse-painted shade showing apple blossoms and butterflies brought $11,500; an Anton Chotka Austrian cold-painted bronze lamp titled “The Jewelry Merchant,” 15 1/2 inches tall, hit $9,775; and a Duffner & Kimberly leaded table lamp with 21-inch fern pattern shade commanded $8,050.

A James Condliff astronomical clock with 12-inch silvered dial, inscribed on the movement dust cover (“Ino B. McFadden A.D. 1832”) coasted to $19,550 to a bidder from England, where the clock was made; a circa 1905 Waltham #14 ball regulator with quartered oak case, 74 inches tall, rose to $14,950; and a three-piece French figural gilt bronze owl clock set with 3-branch candelabra brought $10,350.

Other clocks that did well included an Elliott grandfather clock with great proportions and detailed carvings, and signed nine-tube movement ($10,350); a J.L. Ruetter perpetual Atmos desk clock featuring a nice chrome base with beveled glass ($6,325); and a Guilmet French industrial balance beam engine clock with painted silver and gilt brass base ($4,600).

Fine art included an oil on canvas portrait of a harlequin (jester) by Emilio Pettoruti (Argentine, 1892-1971), 22 inches by 28 inches ($8,625); a hand-painted 10-inch Royal Vienna 10-inch portrait plate after Bluthen, artist signed and in excellent condition ($3,737); and a pair of 19th- century carved marble angels, both shown kneeling and with long flowing robes ($7,475).

Dazzling pieces of estate jewelry were also offered. A lady’s 14K white gold platinum and diamond pendant with a main round brilliant cut diamond weighing 1.87 carats with VS-1 clarity garnered $13,800; and a lady’s 14K yellow gold handmade custom ring containing 16 square cut genuine rubies totaling 2.40 carats, with 17 brilliant round cut diamonds, hit $4,025.

Sterling silver pieces really got paddles wagging. Star lots included a figural repousse tankard by Emile Puiforcat of Paris, with a scene showing maidens dancing and playing music in a vineyard, 102.5 troy ounces ($6,612); and a circa 1910 Russian silver figural rhinoceros with diamond eyes by Julius Rappaport, a noted Faberge workmaster, weighing 6.56 ounces ($4,312).

Decorative accessories featured an exceptional American rosewood rococo chevelle dressing mirror with grape carved crest and elaborate legs with carved stretcher ($5,750); a Raoul Larche gilded bronze inkwell depicting a figural nude woman on a rock ($5,750); and a nice triform Daum Nancy cameo cut Dragonfly tray with green and yellow water lilies ($4,140).

Rounding out the day’s top lots: a fully restored 1894 popcorn and peanut wagon made by C. Cretors & Co. (Chicago) changed hands for $14,950; a matching set of 12 chairs from the Renaissance Revival period, including two armchairs, breezed to $7,762; and a set of six figural Stag Russian silver shot glasses, each one 3 inches high and marked “KL,” fetched $4,312.

For more information, or to consign an item, estate or collection, call 413- 448-8922 and ask to speak to John Fontaine. Or, you may e-mail him at info@fontaineauction.com. For more info, log on to www.fontainesauction.net.

 

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Tiffany 10-light Tulip lamp with pulled feather tulip shades on a signed Tiffany base, $40,250. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Tiffany 10-light Tulip lamp with pulled feather tulip shades on a signed Tiffany base, $40,250. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
E. Howard #71 regulator wall clock, circa 1880s, 70 inches tall, black walnut case, $25,875. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
E. Howard #71 regulator wall clock, circa 1880s, 70 inches tall, black walnut case, $25,875. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Oil on canvas portrait of a harlequin (jester) by Argentine painter Emilio Pettoruti, $8,625. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Oil on canvas portrait of a harlequin (jester) by Argentine painter Emilio Pettoruti, $8,625. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Lady's 14kt white gold platinum and diamond pendant, diamond weighing 1.87 carats, $13,800. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Lady’s 14kt white gold platinum and diamond pendant, diamond weighing 1.87 carats, $13,800. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Fully restored 1894 popcorn and peanut wagon made by C. Cretors & Co. of Chicago, $14,950. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.
Fully restored 1894 popcorn and peanut wagon made by C. Cretors & Co. of Chicago, $14,950. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.

Virginia Chippendale bureau tops $48,000 at Jeffrey S. Evans auction

Chippendale walnut bureau, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, $48,875. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Chippendale walnut bureau, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, $48,875. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Chippendale walnut bureau, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, $48,875. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.

MOUNT CRAWFORD, Va. – On Saturday, Nov. 13, Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates conducted its 20th annual Fall Americana & Fine Antiques Cataloged Auction. The 724-lot sale began at 9:30 a.m. Eastern and concluded in just over seven hours.

For the past decade the firm’s fall auction has had a special focus on material from Virginia and other Southern states, and this auction included one of the more impressive regional groupings that Jeffrey Evans and his team has assembled in recent years. Featured consignments to the auction included material from the estate of longtime Shenandoah Valley collector Dr. Jean Wine of Harrisonburg, Va.; possessions of a Loudoun Co., Va., family comprising items descended from renowned 19th-century thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder James Robert Keene (1838-1913); items deaccessioned by a Virginia institution; heirlooms descended in an early Pendleton County, (W.)Va. family; along with material from prominent Virginia, Maryland and Ohio private collections.

The broad range of fresh material offered resulted in a near capacity crowd throughout most of the day. Total in-house bidders numbered 250, another 160 absentee and phone bidders registered through the firm’s website, and more than 450 bidders participated through LiveAuctioneers, generating an additional 6,700-plus bids. Evans and his staff processed nearly 9,000 bids for the single-day auction.

The sale’s most coveted lot was an important Shenandoah Valley of Virginia Chippendale walnut three-over-three-drawer bureau attributed to the circle of Gideon Morgan (1751-1830) of Staunton, Va. The circa 1790 diminutive bureau – today commonly referred to as a chest of drawers – stood only 39 inches high x 38 inches wide x 20 1/2 inches deep. It was in virtually untouched original condition with its only replaced elements being the brasses on the lower three drawers. The bureau also retained an historical and possibly original surface, an extremely rare feature that added immensely to its remarkable state of preservation.

The Shenandoah Valley bureau had been purchased at an on-site estate auction in Rockbridge Co., Va., in 1999 by an agent for collectors John and Lil Palmer of Purcellville, Va., and had resided in one of the Palmers’ bedrooms until they consigned it with Evans. Before the auction Evans commented that not since his firm sold the now famous Johannes Spitler decorated cupboard in 2004 had he entertained so many requests for early preview of a specific lot.

“Everyone that inspected the bureau absolutely loved it,” Evans remarked.

The bidding quickly surpassed the $10,000-$15,000 estimate with numerous in-house bidders participating. At the $30,000 level the bidding was between an advanced Virginia collector and a representative of a prominent Virginia museum, with the collector finally prevailing at $48,875. All prices quoted here include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

After the auction Evans said that he had been trying to persuade the Palmers to let him sell the bureau since they acquired it in 1999, relating that “John, who is an advanced collector of Virginia pie safes, always said if it would bring enough to buy a great safe or two he would let it go, and well you can guess the rest of the story.” Evans added, “The bureau’s outstanding condition, the rock-solid attribution that we were able to build, and the fact that it was sold unreserved, all greatly contributed to the strong interest and final price the bureau achieved.”

Other Virginia furniture that drew abundant interest and aggressive bidding included a rare signed Presley Cordell (1779-1849), Leesburg, Va., walnut tall-case clock from the collection of Leah and the late Bill Pollard of Purcellville, Va. The stately circa 1800 timepiece, which stood 103 inches high, was in outstanding running condition and sold to a Virginia phone bidder for $25,300. A fine circa 1840 Pendleton Co., (W.)Va. cherry child’s chest of drawers featured carved and turned ornaments and was signed by cabinetmaker Adam Waggoner (1807-1885) of Pendleton County, Va. This finely constructed diminutive chest measured only 24 inches high and 18 inches wide and had survived in near pristine original condition. It quickly surpassed its $3,000-$5,000 estimate selling for $10,350. Another Virginia piece acquired by an out-of-state buyer was an exceptional walnut diminutive sideboard pie safe set with 10 finely punched tulip tins and featuring a bold cutout gallery. This little jewel was only 38 inches high x 55 1/2 inches wide and retained its original black surface and remnants of blue paint on the tins. It was made around 1860, probably in Greene or Madison counties, and sold for $8,625 to an Internet bidder from Missouri.

A large selection of Virginia country accessories crossed the block including two exceptional Valley of Virginia painted white oak splint baskets from the Pulaski/Craig/Giles Co. area. The first (lot 82) was a finely woven diminutive example retaining its original dry red wash and measuring only 3 inches high at the rim. The second larger example (lot 83) stood 6 1/2 inches high at the rim and displayed an original dry, blue painted exterior and green painted interior. Each dated to the late 19th or early 20th century and sold for $3,737.50 against an $800-$1,200 estimate.

The fine art section of the auction was also led by a Virginia-related work. A well-documented Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Memin (French/American, 1770-1852) chalk on paper portrait of Dr. Amos Newhall (1773-1835) of Essex County, Va., drew much interest. The likeness had been drawn in Richmond around 1807 or 1808 and was still housed in its original 26-inch x 19 1/2-inch gilt and gesso frame with eglomise painted glass. It was first published by Ellen G. Miles in her 1942 seminal catalogue raisonne, Saint-Memin and the Classical Profile Portrait in America, p. 361, and later on page 821 of the June 1966 issue of the periodical, Antiques. The abundance of historical information that Evans compiled for the portrait, including provenance dating back to the 1920s, undoubtedly contributed to the work tripling its low estimate to sell to a Maryland phone bidder for $14,950 (lot 281).

A number of Virginia prints and maps were highlighted by a fine hand-tinted lithograph image of Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County after Edward Beyer (1820-1865). Taken from Beyer’s renowned Album of Virginia published in 1857, the example offered by Evans was in excellent condition and displayed strong colors. A determined phone bidder and an Internet bidder battled until it sold at $6,325 (lot 259), establishing a record price for a Beyer print.

The auction also included a highly important group of silver horse racing and polo trophies won by and descended from James Robert Keene (1838-1913), a renowned 19th-century thoroughbred owner, breeder, and winner of six Belmont Stakes. The top lot of the group was a Whiting Manufacturing Co. two-handle trophy awarded in 1883 to Spendthrift, one of Keene’s Belmont Stakes winners. The handsome 11-inch-high prize weighed in at nearly 60 troy ounces and sold for $10,350 (lot 520) to an elated in-house bidder.

A collection of antique firearms assembled by Dr. Joseph E. Gardner of Harrisonburg, Va., included a Second Model Virginia Manufactory flintlock pistol marked “RICHMOND / 1813” and “VIRGINIA” on the lock plate. Despite a replaced frizzen and part of the hammer, the relic realized $6,900 (lot 483).

Other auction material of note included a complete set of 13 Royal Doulton “Soldiers of the Revolution” figures issued in 1976 and limited to only 350 sets (lot 246, $10,925); a group of Shenandoah Valley domestic earthenware, much of which had been exhibited at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, Md., including five polychrome-glazed pitchers ranging from 6 inches to 10 inches high (lots 11-15, $1,380 to $2,300); a collection of American Rockingham-glazed pottery highlighted by a signed Bennington Toby-form 4 1/4 inches high snuff jar in near mint condition (lot 590, $1,725); and a labeled “Ideal Bookcase Unit” by Globe-Wernieke Co., Grade 598, mahogany three-stack barrister bookcase with a lower drawer and original beveled glass (lot 447, $2,875).

Reaction to the auction from firm-president and auctioneer Jeffrey Evans was upbeat. “While there are still a tremendous number of fabulous bargains to be found in the current antiques market, especially in the furniture sector, we are encouraged by the large increase in the number of bidders participating in our auctions. One of the big keys to our success is that we are able to secure desirable, fresh material for each auction, 99 percent of which is unreserved, and present it with very attractive presale estimates that reflect the current market trends.” Evans added, “We choose not to fill our sales with well-traveled shop-worn merchandise protected by unrealistic reserves.”

Asked to expound on the current state of the American antiques trade, Evans offered, “It remains a buyer’s market – what something sold for five years ago or a decade-old appraisal value are no longer relevant in today’s economy. Well-cataloged, regional material in good condition continues to sell for solid prices when it carries a conservative estimate, while generic Americana is drawing very little interest at present. Today’s collectors seem to focus more on objects that display social or historical importance within a specific region or culture. The all-embracing antiquarians of years past who collected primarily by form and function are no longer driving the market. Because of this, the majority of general-line material is now selling at less than secondhand store prices. This presents a great opportunity for someone to furnish a home with nice antique furniture for pennies on the dollar compared to what it would have cost five or ten years ago.”

Contact the auction house or check the firm’s website at www.jeffreysevans.com for a detailed schedule of 2011 auctions, educational events and additional information. Updates are also posted on the firm’s Facebook page. Call 540-434-3939 for additional information or e-mail info@jeffreysevans.com.

 

 

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Presley Cordell, Leesburg, Va., walnut tall-case clock, $25,300. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Presley Cordell, Leesburg, Va., walnut tall-case clock, $25,300. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Child’s cherry chest of drawers, Pendleton County, (W.)Va., $10,350. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Child’s cherry chest of drawers, Pendleton County, (W.)Va., $10,350. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Saint-Memin portrait of Dr. Amos Newhall, Essex Co., Va., chalk on paper, $14,950. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Saint-Memin portrait of Dr. Amos Newhall, Essex Co., Va., chalk on paper, $14,950. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Whiting sterling silver thoroughbred trophy, 1883, $10,350. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Whiting sterling silver thoroughbred trophy, 1883, $10,350. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Earthenware 7-inch pitcher, polychrome-glaze, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, $2,300. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.
Earthenware 7-inch pitcher, polychrome-glaze, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, $2,300. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Inc.

Brunk sells Lehman political jars to Alabama museum

This rare John Lehman stoneware political jar featured the head of Jefferson with ‘Hurrah for Jefferson’ on one side with George Washington and ‘Hurrah for Washington’ verso. In fine condition, the 20 3/4-inch jar may have been made in either Alabama or Georgia. The Birmingham Museum of Art purchased it for $74,750. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.

This rare John Lehman stoneware political jar featured the head of Jefferson with ‘Hurrah for Jefferson’ on one side with George Washington and ‘Hurrah for Washington’ verso. In fine condition, the 20 3/4-inch jar may have been made in either Alabama or Georgia. The Birmingham Museum of Art purchased it for $74,750. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
This rare John Lehman stoneware political jar featured the head of Jefferson with ‘Hurrah for Jefferson’ on one side with George Washington and ‘Hurrah for Washington’ verso. In fine condition, the 20 3/4-inch jar may have been made in either Alabama or Georgia. The Birmingham Museum of Art purchased it for $74,750. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
ASHVILLE, N.C. – Gail Andrews, director of the Birmingham Museum of Art, knew what she wanted and it didn’t take her long to get it. The two political jars she sought crossed the block during the first hour of Brunk Auctions sale on Nov. 13. Both were Alabama treasures made by one of the state’s most celebrated potters: German-born John Lehman (1825-circa 1885).

Lehman covered his stoneware jars with a Southern alkaline glaze and carefully decorated them with eagles, banners and vines. Just below the shoulder on one, he fashioned a relief head of George Washington; verso was the head of Thomas Jefferson. “I had seen the jars before in Joey Brachner’s exhibition at the museum,” said Andrews, “and I wanted to add them to our collection. But I was worried they could go very high.” With the help of the Frank and Nelle Newton Fund and the museum’s acquisition fund, Andrews bid the Washington/Jefferson jar to $74,750 (est. $40,000-$50,000). It will be added to the two other Lehman pieces in the Birmingham collection. All selling prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

A second Lehman jar with the heads of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson was taller than the 20 3/4-inch Washington/Jefferson jar by a half inch, but carried a lower estimate – $30,000-$50,000. Perhaps our third and seventh presidents had a bit less cache than presidents No. 1 and  No. 3. And the word “Hurrah” in the banner over the heads of Jefferson and Jackson was misspelled as “Hurah.” Nevertheless, the jar was an almost perfect match to the Washington/Jefferson.

The couple that traveled with Andrews to Asheville took the lead in bidding for the second Lehman jar. After winning it for $32,200, the benefactors told Andrews that they would like to live with the Lehman jar a while before gifting it to the museum. Both jars will be exhibited at the museum in January.

The jars came from the extensive collection of Mr. and Mrs. Levon C. Register of Franklin Springs, Ga. In addition to the Alabama pots, the Registers had consigned silver, clocks, etchings, painted furniture and a stunning 14K gold basket by Gorham. Of the more than 100 items they consigned, the basket tied for fourth high dollar lot after the Lehman jars and six Chippendale chairs. With flared rim, openwork scroll, engraved border and openwork bellflower handle, the gold basket sold to the phones for $12,650 (est. $10,000-$15,000). That equaled the selling price of their banjo clock by Simon Willard. The early 19th-century mahogany and gilt clock with cast eagle finial and leaf and berry decoration carried an estimate of $4,000-$6,000.

Like the Willard banjo clock, the Registers six Chippendale chairs from 1760-1770 consigned also doubled its high estimate. The mahogany chairs were exhibited at the White House and pictured in the book, The White House: An Historic Guide. A phone bidder took the chairs for $19,550 (est. $5,000-$7,000) making them the Register’s third highest selling lot.

Exceeding high estimates was taken to extremes by bidders for a 1909 Steinway grand piano. From a New York family, the professionally restored grand was cherry with ornate gilt Louis XVI-style ornamentation. It opened at $5,000, its low estimate, and finished with a crescendo at $74,750. The piano’s selling price, almost seven times its high estimate, was tied with the Washington/Jefferson jar as the sale’s top lot.

Not quite as spectacular was a doubling of the high estimate on a 16th-century Italian majolica footed bowl. The scene was the slaying of Medusa by Perseus with Pegasus emerging from the Gorgon’s spilled blood. From the Umbrio workshop, the 12 1/2-inch bowl sold for $12,650 (est. $3,000-$5,000). From the same collection as the bowl was a Tuscan majolica two-handled jug. It too more than doubled its high estimate. Dating from the mid-16th century with sea creatures for handles and decorated with fruit, flowers and pinecones, the 13 1/2-inch jug opened at $1,500 and closed at $7,475.

Among the nonpainted Southern furniture in the sale, possibly the most dramatic was a walnut and poplar sideboard attributed to the Burgner family of Greene County, Tenn., dating from the 1840s. Even from across the wide Brunk gallery one could not miss its boldly cut dovetailed splash panel. The panel resembled crashing waves or large animal ears. Its surface was original untouched varnish. A collector of Tennessee furniture in the room bought it for $33,350 (est. $20,000-$30,000).

Then there was the 100 1/2-inch-high inlaid tall-case clock from Northern Virginia or Baltimore. What made this clock so clever and attractive were the birds painted in the arched dial and a bird figure inlaid in the tympanum. In figured walnut with poplar and yellow pine secondary, it went to a phone bidder for its reserve, $16,100 (est. $20,000-$30,000).

Between 1730 and 1830, furniture makers along Virginia’s famed Eastern Shore, that strip of land on the Delmarva Peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, produced attractive raised panel furniture. A prime example surfaced at this sale: a single-case construction Chippendale sideboard from the second half of the 18th century. Its patina may best be described as “mellow.” In yellow pine with maple cornice molding and standing on its original straight bracket feet, the sideboard opened at its $10,000 reserve and sold within estimate for $13,800.

For details, call 828-254-6846 or visit www.brunkauctions.com.

 

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


There are six dovetailed drawers in this sideboard that descended in the Burgner family of Greene County, Tenn. From the 1840s and with its original varnished surface, original and ornate splash panel and original drawer pulls, the  sideboard sold for $33,350 (est. $20,000-$30,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
There are six dovetailed drawers in this sideboard that descended in the Burgner family of Greene County, Tenn. From the 1840s and with its original varnished surface, original and ornate splash panel and original drawer pulls, the sideboard sold for $33,350 (est. $20,000-$30,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
A paneled Chippendale sideboard from Eastern Shore Virginia, nearly identical to this one, sold at Sotheby’s. Wrought iron H-hinges are original and its backboards were undisturbed. It sold for $13,800 (est. $12,000-$18,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
A paneled Chippendale sideboard from Eastern Shore Virginia, nearly identical to this one, sold at Sotheby’s. Wrought iron H-hinges are original and its backboards were undisturbed. It sold for $13,800 (est. $12,000-$18,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Dating to 1795-1805, this 100 1/2-inch-high case clock from Northern Virginia or Baltimore sold for $16,100 (est. $20,000-$30,000). Look carefully for the proud bird inlaid in the tympanum. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Dating to 1795-1805, this 100 1/2-inch-high case clock from Northern Virginia or Baltimore sold for $16,100 (est. $20,000-$30,000). Look carefully for the proud bird inlaid in the tympanum. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
One of five banjo clocks consigned by Mr. and Mrs. Levon Register, this one topped all. From the early 19th century by Simon Willard of Roxbury, Mass., it brought $12,650 (est. $4000-$6000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
One of five banjo clocks consigned by Mr. and Mrs. Levon Register, this one topped all. From the early 19th century by Simon Willard of Roxbury, Mass., it brought $12,650 (est. $4000-$6000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Inscribed ‘50th Anniversary/Oct. 7, 1956,’ and weighing 516 grams, this Gorham gold basket measured 11 inches x 16 1/4 inches x 8 1/4 inches. It sold for $12,650 (est. $10,000-$15,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Inscribed ‘50th Anniversary/Oct. 7, 1956,’ and weighing 516 grams, this Gorham gold basket measured 11 inches x 16 1/4 inches x 8 1/4 inches. It sold for $12,650 (est. $10,000-$15,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
A description of the scene on this 16th-century Italian tin-glazed earthenware footed bowl was on the bottom in blue under glaze. From a private New York City and Chapel Hill, N.C., collection, it brought $12,650 (est. $3,000-$5,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
A description of the scene on this 16th-century Italian tin-glazed earthenware footed bowl was on the bottom in blue under glaze. From a private New York City and Chapel Hill, N.C., collection, it brought $12,650 (est. $3,000-$5,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Each of these 18th-century Chippendale chairs was 37 1/4 inches x 24 inches x 19 inches with needlepoint embroidered slip seats. The six sold for $19,550 (est. $5,000-$7,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
Each of these 18th-century Chippendale chairs was 37 1/4 inches x 24 inches x 19 inches with needlepoint embroidered slip seats. The six sold for $19,550 (est. $5,000-$7,000). Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
The sale’s big surprise was this 1909 Steinway long model A grand piano. It rose from a humble $5,000 to $74,750. Its professional restoration was probably by Steinway. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.
The sale’s big surprise was this 1909 Steinway long model A grand piano. It rose from a humble $5,000 to $74,750. Its professional restoration was probably by Steinway. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions.

Jewelry, watches among many highlights at Jenack’s Jan. 9 sale

Very fine Regency period carved and gilt girandole mirror with eagle and candle arms by Thomas Fenthan, retaining the original label. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.

Very fine Regency period carved and gilt girandole mirror with eagle and candle arms by Thomas Fenthan, retaining the original label. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Very fine Regency period carved and gilt girandole mirror with eagle and candle arms by Thomas Fenthan, retaining the original label. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
CHESTER, N.Y. – William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers will open their early winter season with an auction on Sunday, Jan. 9, that will include a fine collection of vintage and antique watches and pocket watches including Rolex, Tudor and Le Coultre; antique and vintage fine jewelry; Chinese pottery, porcelain and artwork; fine art including works by Burliuk, Tauzin, Firado and Alken; Oriental rugs and carpets; furniture and accessories of the 19th and 20th centuries.

LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

Lots of major interest to collectors will be several 19th-century micromosaic brooches, which include a view of St. Peter’s Rome, floral an elaborate Etruscan Revival brooch with a beetle; Renaissance Revival silver, enamel and gem set necklace, circa 1880; Victorian 18K gem set and enameled brooch/pin; 18K gold dragon ring set with diamonds and lapis; 18K gold Etruscan-style ring; antique silver rose-cut diamond bow pendant pin with 33.3 carat aquamarine, circa 1880; Renaissance Revival silver enameled cross; a very rare miniature portrait painting of Bahaullah, founder of the Ba’Hai faith in Persia, signed and dated 1914; and an Egyptian Revival 800 silver plique au jour brooch/pendant set with malachite and paste stones.

For watch enthusiasts Jenack will be selling several lots of vintage watches and pocket watches including a Tudor Stainless Prince Oyster Date wristwatch; Tudor Submariner; Vintage Zenith stainless El Primero 31 jewel chronograph; Le Coultre stainless Memovox HPG wristwatch; Longines 14K white gold Admiral 1200 wristwatch with diamond chapters; Gruen 18K white gold 17-jewel precision wristwatch; and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust.

Notable artwork will be offered including a portrait by David Burliuk; Louis Tauzin, oil on canvas lakeside with figures; F. Firado, oil on panel, interior with figure; attributed to Samuel Henry Alken, oil on canvas, hunt scene; Peter Max, acrylic and silkscreen on canvas, Liberty Head, also a rare complete set of six mixed medium lithography’s commemorating the Spirit of America.

For the interior designer or the collector of furniture and decorative accessories the sale will offer a fine, probably Philadelphia Federal, swan lyre-base carved mahogany games table; a fine French figural bronze and parcel gilt shelf clock, circa 1810; Art Deco snake form standing vase; collection of Vienna Augarten blanc de chine porcelain Lipizzaner stallion figures; KPM plaque pastoral scene with figures; seated bronze figure of a young Apollo by Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse; and a pair of Victorian cranberry glass covered urns with portrait plaques.

Chinese works of art will again be sold including a monumental head of Buddha from the late Song to Yuan Dynasty; several watercolor and ink scrolls; and ceramics, jades and ivories.

Previews will be held at the William Jenack auction facility located at 62 Kings Highway Bypass, Chester NY 10918 on Wednesday-Saturday, Jan. 5-8, noon-5 p.m. and on the day of the sale, 9-10:45 a.m.

For details contact (845) 469-9095 or e-mail kevin@jenack.com.

 

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Fine Federal carved mahogany lyre base game table with swan head terminals, Philadelphia, circa 1820. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Fine Federal carved mahogany lyre base game table with swan head terminals, Philadelphia, circa 1820. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Louis Tauzin (French 1845-1914) oil on canvas, lakeside landscape with figures, signed. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Louis Tauzin (French 1845-1914) oil on canvas, lakeside landscape with figures, signed. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Chinese Ming lacquered, carved and inlaid table, of the period.  Collection of Ben Birillo; collected in London in the 1960s. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Chinese Ming lacquered, carved and inlaid table, of the period. Collection of Ben Birillo; collected in London in the 1960s. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (French 1824-1887) Bronze of the young Apollo. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (French 1824-1887) Bronze of the young Apollo. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Collection antique and vintage jewelry. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Collection antique and vintage jewelry. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Collection of fine vintage watches. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.
Collection of fine vintage watches. Image courtesy of William Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers.

Lee Harvey Oswald’s coffin sells for $87,469

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The simple wooden coffin that was supposed to be John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s final resting place will soon have a new resting place of its own after a mystery bidder bought it at auction for more than $87,469.

The coffin was put on the auction block late last month by a Texas funeral home owner who swapped it with Oswald’s family for a new one when the body was briefly exhumed in 1981.

It sold Thursday evening for $87,469, which includes a 20 percent buyers’ fee.

“Anything connected to the JFK assassination sells for really high,” said Nate D. Sanders of Nate D. Sanders Auctions in Santa Monica.

He declined to provide details on the winning bidder.

The auction was extended two hours because of a last-minute rush of bidding. Sanders said two bidders battled it out until the end.

Oswald was arrested in President Kennedy’s 1963 death, but was slain two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby.

Funeral home owner Allen Baumgardner had held onto the coffin since Oswald’s body was dug up in 1981 in an effort to put to rest conspiracy theories that he really wasn’t buried in his grave. After the body was identified through dental records, it was returned to Rose Hill Memorial Burial Park in Fort Worth, Texas.

Because water had gotten into a cracked burial vault and damaged the original coffin, Baumgardner swapped it with Oswald’s family for a new one.

The original shows signs of the water damage. Its metal ornamentation is rusted and parts of it, including the roof, have rotted. Its satin lining has long since disintegrated.

Still, the curator of a museum dedicated to Kennedy’s Nov. 22, 1963, assassination said when bidding opened on Nov. 30 that he expected it would generate a lot of interest.

“My experience as a curator has been, if people have room and it’s a Kennedy item, they will collect it,” said Gary Mack of the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas.

The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation has declined to comment.

Baumgardner was a 21-year-old funeral home assistant when Oswald was shot to death in a Dallas police station just two days after Kennedy was assassinated while riding through Dallas in a motorcade.

“I’ve never seen so many security police and FBI and Secret Service and news media just everywhere,” he recalled earlier this month.

Copyright 2010. Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be publishd, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-CS-12-17-10 0131EST

 

 

 

Kovels – Antiques & Collecting: Week of Dec. 20, 2010

This 10-inch-tall Santa Claus wears a blue cloth coat and carries the traditional fir tree and a basket of goodies. The blue coat suggests he dates from before 1915. The figure was made in Germany, probably to be used as a candy container. Morphy Auctions sold Santa for $4,025 in 2010.
This 10-inch-tall Santa Claus wears a blue cloth coat and carries the traditional fir tree and a basket of goodies. The blue coat suggests he dates from before 1915. The figure was made in Germany, probably to be used as a candy container. Morphy Auctions sold Santa for $4,025 in 2010.
This 10-inch-tall Santa Claus wears a blue cloth coat and carries the traditional fir tree and a basket of goodies. The blue coat suggests he dates from before 1915. The figure was made in Germany, probably to be used as a candy container. Morphy Auctions sold Santa for $4,025 in 2010.

Santa Claus hasn’t always been a fat, jolly man with a beard and a red coat. He hasn’t even always lived at the North Pole. The Santa of today often is called the “Coca-Cola Santa” because he was first drawn in the 1930s for a series of Coke ads. Before that, a similar Santa had been drawn for magazine covers by N.C. Wyeth and Norman Rockwell. Even the name “Santa” isn’t very old. The child of the 19th century called the famous Christmas figure “Santa Claus” only after 1863, when Thomas Nast’s illustrations included the name and pictured him at the North Pole. Santa’s early suits were shown in many different colors, including blue. Earlier 19th-century Christmas figures were named “St. Nick” or “St. Nicholas” because of the poem The Night Before Christmas. He was then a plump elf, small enough to fit down a chimney. Why he had become so small is a mystery, because in the 18th century he was a tall saint dressed in a bishop’s coat. He had a long white beard and a staff. Early Dutch settlers in America added a round belly and a clay pipe. And all of these versions of Santa go back to the original saintly Bishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in Greece in the third century. He was known for good deeds and for secretly putting coins into shoes left outside.

Q: You recently answered a question about a 1976 Joey Stivic doll and said it was the first anatomically correct boy doll. But I have a Mattel “Baby Brother Tenderlove” doll with a body marked “1975.” He’s also anatomically correct.

A: It’s likely that both dolls were on the market around the same time in the mid-1970s. Mattel may have introduced its 12-inch Baby Tenderlove “brother” doll a little earlier than Ideal sold the 14-inch Joey Stivic doll. Stivic is better-known because the baby was a character on the TV show “All in the Family.” Both dolls sell for about $50 today.

Q: I have a chair with the label “Stanley Furniture Co., Stanleytown, Virginia.” I would like to know the history of this company.

A: Stanley Furniture Co. was founded by Thomas Bahnson Stanley (1890-1970) in 1924. A factory and houses for workers were built on 150 acres of open land in an area that became known as Stanleytown. The company owned the houses and rented them to workers for a few dollars per month. The first Stanley furniture was a dining-room suite, produced in 1925. Your chair was made after 1929. During the Depression, the company promised that no one would be let go, and the workers and executives took pay cuts so the company could stay open. The company is still in business in Stanleytown. The founder became active in politics, and in 1953 Thomas Stanley was elected governor of Virginia.

Q: My mother left me a china plate that’s marked “Xmas 1916 with compliments from James Norris Ltd. Wine and spirit merchants, Burslem.” Can you tell me something about it?

A: James Norris Ltd. was the name of a bottling plant and brewery in Burslem, England, from at least the late 1800s into the 1930s. Its buildings were demolished in the 1950s. James Norris apparently contracted with local potteries to make Christmas gifts for his customers. Unless you can find a manufacturer’s mark on the plate, it’s impossible to tell which pottery made your plate. But at least you know that it dates from 1916.

Q: I collect Christmas dishes and glassware to use during the holidays. I have a Holly Amber cream pitcher and a Star Holly goblet on a stem. Who made them?

A: Holly Amber, also known as Golden Agate, was made for just six months by the Indiana Tumbler and Goblet Co. of Greentown, Ind. It is a shaded amber-colored pressed glass. It was reheated to create shading from amber to cream. The most popular of the patterns used on this secret recipe of amber glass was Holly Amber. It has a band of holly leaves as the decoration. The glassware was introduced in January 1903, but was discontinued when the factory burned down six months later. Star Holly is a glassware that looks like Wedgwood’s jasperware pottery. Pieces have a raised border of holly leaves, and plates also have a center medallion that looks like a star made of seven holly leaves. It was made in blue, green or rust with white leaves. The factory mark of the intertwined and raised letters “IG” is on the bottom. Star Holly was made for a short time in about 1951 by the Imperial Glass Co. of Bellaire, Ohio. A large collection of the glass was found in the 1950s by a new dealer who was told it was very old. For many years, the glass was listed as 19th-century American. That error has now been corrected in all but the old books.

Q: I have an old Christmas ornament that has been in the family for a long time. It is a glass clown with the number 500,000 printed on his chest. What does that mean?

A: You have an ornament from the days of German inflation after World War I; 500,000 was the number of marks it cost to buy a loaf of bread. There was actually a 500,000-mark bill. Why that was a Christmas message, we can’t imagine. It is a rare ornament, but be warned that reproductions have been made since 2000.

Tip: Never burn Christmas greens in a fireplace. The wood will send sparks up the chimney, and some evergreens burn so hot they could cause a fire in the flue or a buildup of creosote in the chimney.

Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or e-mail addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, Auction Central News, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.

Need more information about collectibles? Find it at Kovels.com, our website for collectors. Check prices there, too. More than 700,000 are listed, and viewing them is free. You can also sign up to read our weekly Kovels Komments. It includes the latest news, tips and questions and is delivered by e-mail, free, if you register. Kovels.com offers extra collector’s information and lists of publications, clubs, appraisers, auction houses, people who sell parts or repair antiques and much more. You can subscribe to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, our monthly newsletter filled with prices, facts and color photos. Kovels.com adds to the information in our newspaper column and helps you find useful sources needed by collectors.

CURRENT PRICES

  • Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
  • Canada Dry store display, die-cut, kids in pajamas holding Christmas gifts, boy holding bottle of Canada Dry and girl holding glass, 1950s, 20 x 34 inches, $85.
  • Cranberry glass water set, swirl-lobed, clear to frosted cranberry, raised leaf design, applied handle, 8 1/2-inch pitcher, 3 3/4-inch tumblers, $120.
  • Disney’s Donald and Mickey Merry Christmas comic book, Firestone promotion, story titled Three Good Little Ducks, 8 pages, 1943-49, 7 x 10 inches, $125.
  • F.A.O. Schwarz 1936 Christmas catalog, Santa in sleigh behind Christmas tree, featuring Shirley Temple & Dionne Quintuplet dolls, Gilbert erector set, 64 pages, 9 x 12 inches, $170.
  • Horse windmill weight, docked tail, black paint over red, cast iron, Dempster Mill Mfg. Co., circa 1930, 13 x 17 inches, $180.
  • Delft plaque, portrait of Rembrandt, blue and white glaze, signed on front, marked on back, metal hanger, 1920s, 17 5/8 inches, $285.
  • Mares Laig “Western Rapid Fire” toy “rifle pistol” cap gun, on card, picture of Steve McQueen as Josh Randall in Wanted Dead or Alive TV show, with roll of caps, 13 1/2 inches, $400.
  • William and Mary-style stool, ebonized, gilt highlights, cabriole legs, scroll feet, Rococo-style pierced stretchers front and back, 16 x 23 inches, $425.
  • Madame Alexander Polly Pigtails doll, hard plastic, blue sleep eyes, long lashes, blond floss pigtails, closed mouth, red knit sweater, red felt hat, skates, 1949, 17 inches, $860.
  • American National Duesenburg Racer pedal car, cream, red and green stripes, rubber pneumatic tires, green disc wheels, exhaust caps on hood, 1930s, 67 inches, $3,450.

New! Contemporary, modern and mid-century ceramics made since 1950 are among today’s hottest collectibles . Our special report, Kovels’ Buyers’ Guide to Modern Ceramics: Mid-Century to Contemporary identifies important pottery by American and European makers. Includes more than 65 factories and 70 studio artists, each with a mark and dates. You’ll find color photos of works by major makers, including Claude Conover, Guido Gambone and Lucie Rie, as well as potteries like Gustavsberg, Metlox and Sascha Brastoff. Find the “sleepers” at house sales and flea markets. Special report, 2010, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, 64 pages. Available only from Kovels. Order by phone at 800-303-1996; online at Kovels.com; or send $25 plus $4.95 postage and handling to Kovels, Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122.

© 2010 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.

Unique Astronomical Regulator strikes $539,500 at Skinner auction

With a starting bid of $300, this French Hanger Sword, 1780-83, charged to $94,800. Image courtesy of Skinner
With a starting bid of $300, this French Hanger Sword, 1780-83, charged to $94,800. Image courtesy of Skinner
With a starting bid of $300, this French Hanger Sword, 1780-83, charged to $94,800. Image courtesy of Skinner

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – Skinner’s auction of Science, Technology and Clocks on Nov. 20 brought in $1.7 million. The top item, lot 500, was the famous Bond Shop Astronomical Regulator No. 396, made by William Bond & Son, Boston, in 1866, which sold for $539,500, inclusive of the buyer’s premium.

The historic timepiece, which stands 71 inches high, is one of thee William Bond & Son produced. No. 394 was developed for the Harvard Observatory, No. 395 for an observatory in Liverpool, England, and No. 396 for the personal use of Bond in his chronometer shop in Boston. The regulator is housed in a bench-made case for use in the Bond shop window. A reverse-painted sign mounded on the front reads, “Bond’s Standard Time.” As the director of the Harvard Observatory, William Bond was one of the first to work toward establishing standard time.

The earliest American clock in the auction, a circa 1725 tall-case clock made by William Claggett in Newport, R.I., sold within estimate at $65,175. The clock featured a distinctive saecophagus top with gilded ball finials and stood 89 inches high. It had an 11 1/2-inch square brass dial with cast spandrels and a silvered name boss signed “Will Claggett, Newport.”

A major surprise was an 1780-83 French Hanger Sword, which was estimated at $600-$800, but brought an astounding $94,800. George C. Neumann’s book Battle Weapons of the American Revolution, suggests that this was the short sword obtained for the American Revolutionary Army Corps of Light Infantry by Lafayette.

Additional results from this auction are available by going to www.skinnerinc.com.

 

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


With a starting bid of $300, this French Hanger Sword, 1780-83, charged to $94,800. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.
With a starting bid of $300, this French Hanger Sword, 1780-83, charged to $94,800. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.
The earliest American clock offered in Skinner’s recent sale, this Queen Anne walnut tall clock made by William Claggett of Newport, R.I., circa 1725, sold for $65,175. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.
The earliest American clock offered in Skinner’s recent sale, this Queen Anne walnut tall clock made by William Claggett of Newport, R.I., circa 1725, sold for $65,175. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.

Artingstall & Hind Dec. 12 holiday auction features Asian arts

Richly enameled and hand-painted, this 11-inch-tall Chinese Famille Rose porcelain covered urn has a Jiaqing seal mark at the base. It carries at $1,000-$1,200 estimate. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Richly enameled and hand-painted, this 11-inch-tall Chinese Famille Rose porcelain covered urn has a Jiaqing seal mark at the base. It carries at $1,000-$1,200 estimate. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Richly enameled and hand-painted, this 11-inch-tall Chinese Famille Rose porcelain covered urn has a Jiaqing seal mark at the base. It carries at $1,000-$1,200 estimate. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Artingstall & Hind will conduct a Fine Chinese and Japanese Works of Art Holiday Auction on Sunday, Dec. 12. The 182-lot auction will begin at 1 p.m. Pacific at 9312 Civic Center Drive. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

Among the top lots in the sale is a pair of Chinese rock crystal vases from the Republic Period estimated to bring $5,000-$7,000. The 13 1/2-inch vases are carved with fishes against waves. Presale bidding has been active on these pear-shaped vases.

Bidders won’t have to wait long to get to the Chinese porcelain offerings. Lot no. 2 is a large Famille Rose porcelain covered urn having a Jiaqung seal market the base. Richly enameled in color of blue, pink, yellow and green, the baluster-shaped urn is hand-painted on both the body and lid with lotuses and scrolling tendrils, bats and fu shous. It carries a $1,000-$2,000 estimate.

Lot no. 11 is a pair of Famille Rose water vases from the Republic Period estimated at $2,000-$3,000. Each of the 10 1/2-inch vases has a long, narrow and knopped neck with bulbous tapering lower body.

A large and elegant Chinese white jadeite center bowl is expected to sell for $800 $1,000.

One of the more unusual pieces of Japanese art is a Meiji Period bronze figure of fighting bulls on a wooden base. The bronze bulls, with horns interlocked, are 10 3/4 inches high and 30 3/4 inches long. Stamped on the underside, the figure has a $1,500-$2,000 estimate.

A 5-inch Japanese cloisonné enamel vase in a brown and green pallet with sparkling goldstone is estimated at $400-$500.

For details contact Artingstall & Hind, Auctioneers & Valuers 1874, by e-mail: info@artingstall.com or phone 310-424-5288. Their website is http://artingstall.com.

 

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Chinese white jadeite center bowl, 5 1/2 inches high x 11 3/4 inches high. Estimate: $800-$1,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Chinese white jadeite center bowl, 5 1/2 inches high x 11 3/4 inches high. Estimate: $800-$1,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Pair of Chinese Famille Rose vases, Republic Period, 10 1/2 inches tall, blue under glaze Qianlong seal mark. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Pair of Chinese Famille Rose vases, Republic Period, 10 1/2 inches tall, blue under glaze Qianlong seal mark. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Pair of Chinese rock crystal vases, Republic Period, 13 1/2 inches high, decorated with carved fishes against waves, on carved wooden stand. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Pair of Chinese rock crystal vases, Republic Period, 13 1/2 inches high, decorated with carved fishes against waves, on carved wooden stand. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Pair of Chinese vases, Hundred Deer design, 16 1/2 inches, 19th century, with deer head handles, one of which is cracked. Estimate: $2,500-$3,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.
Pair of Chinese vases, Hundred Deer design, 16 1/2 inches, 19th century, with deer head handles, one of which is cracked. Estimate: $2,500-$3,000. Image courtesy of Artingstall & Hind.

Online bidders have impact on Rago’s year-end Great Estates auction

Cataloged as ‘possibly Ming,’ this 15-inch dish estimated conservatively at $10,000-$15,000 soared to $116,850. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.

Cataloged as ‘possibly Ming,’ this 15-inch dish estimated conservatively at $10,000-$15,000 soared to  $116,850. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
Cataloged as ‘possibly Ming,’ this 15-inch dish estimated conservatively at $10,000-$15,000 soared to $116,850. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
LAMBERTVILLE, N. J. – Rago Arts and Auction Center ended the year in spectacular fashion with a two-day sale that totaled $3.27 million inclusive of buyer’s premium.

Rago’s Great Estates auction on Dec. 4, which totaled $1.12 million represented an 11 percent increase over last year’s sale. Of the 764 lots offered that day, 179 sold through LiveAuctioneers, a sell through rate of 23.42 percent. The sell through rate by value was 36.88 percent. Seven hundred forty-five bidders registered through LiveAuctioneers. Of that number 729 participated through the live bidding console. Through LiveAuctioneers there were 718 absentee bids placed and 4,408 live bids, with 178 underbids online. Nearly 7,300 people viewed the LiveAuctioneers catalog, which resulted in 86,147 page views.

True to the recent trend, Asian art, particularly Chinese items, brought the most money. A blue and white dish having an underglaze blue with scrolling lotus pattern, listed as “possibly Ming,” sold for $116,850, far surpassing its $10,000-$15,000 estimate. In excellent condition with only minor wear to interior, the 15-inch plate came in a fitted box.

Miriam Tucker, the partner in charge of the Fine Art and Estates department at Rago’s, explained the conservative estimate on the dish by saying, “We thought it was old and good, but left it to the Asian market to make up its mind. There were enough bidders and competition to drive up the price.”

Additional highlights selling to Internet bidders were a dish decorated with confronting dragons and having a six-character Kangxi (1662-1722) mark, which sold for $30,750; a Michelanglo Barberi micromosaic and scagliola center table depicting monuments of Rome, dated 1855, $46.125; an Alice in Wonderland animation cell signed Walt Disney on the mat, $8.610; and a Les Paul TV Special Gibson guitar, 1955, with its original GA 6 amplifier, $12,300.

“Collectively the Disney cells went crazy. Everything a Disney collector wanted in a cell was there. We had bidding from all over the world on them,” said Tucker.

She also noted a John S. Jameson oil on canvas landscape that sold for $64,660, a South Carolina engraved gorget that sold for $31,720 and a Plains pipe bag of Arapaho origin that made $13,420.

“Native American items sold very well. The pipe bag was a ghost dance bag,” said Tucker.

“A reporter called after the sale just to congratulate us on an Estate auction she said was far superior to those of other houses in Chicago, Boston and New York this year,” said Tucker. “Tom Martin and Sarah Churgin put together sales that were diverse, substantial and included both important and esoteric material. Then, with few exceptions, they sold the heck out of it. I truly believe that anyone with an important consignment is missing out if they don’t give Tom or Sarah the chance to pitch for it.”

More highlights of the Dec. 4 auction included lot 129, a Chinese figure of a camel and rider, $24,400; lot 274, an ivory table screen, $17,080; lot 243, a Ming Dynasty cloisonné urn, $14,640; and lot 298A, a Steinway grand piano with bench, $13,420.

Rago’s jewelry, silver and currency auction on Dec. 5 had 631 lots and totaled 2.15 million. The top lot was a magnificent peridot and diamond suite, circa 1890, which sold $158,600. The set included 23 bright peridots, octagonal, pear-shaped and coffin-shaped gems, approximately 324 carats, with diamond surrounds and knife-edged diamond arabesque links, and rose cut diamonds, approximately 44 carats total weight. The set was fully transformable for wear as collar, fringe, girandole and earrings.

To obtain more results from these auctions log on to www.ragoarts.com or call 609-397-9374.

 

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Two five-clawed dragons in pursuit of a ‘flaming pearl’ amid clouds are depicted on this 15-inch dish. Bearing a six-character Kangxi (1662-1722) mark, it sold for $30,750. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
Two five-clawed dragons in pursuit of a ‘flaming pearl’ amid clouds are depicted on this 15-inch dish. Bearing a six-character Kangxi (1662-1722) mark, it sold for $30,750. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
From the workshop of Michelangelo Barberi (Italian, 1787-1867), this  micromosaic and scagliola center table from the mid-19th century sold to an Internet bidder for $46,125. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
From the workshop of Michelangelo Barberi (Italian, 1787-1867), this micromosaic and scagliola center table from the mid-19th century sold to an Internet bidder for $46,125. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
Walt Disney signed the mat of this ‘Alice in Wonderland’ animation cell, which sold for $8,610. Disney's animated feature was released in 1951. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
Walt Disney signed the mat of this ‘Alice in Wonderland’ animation cell, which sold for $8,610. Disney’s animated feature was released in 1951. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
A Les Paul TV Special electric Gibson guitar from 1955 sold for $12,300. The lot included the original GA 6 amplifier. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
A Les Paul TV Special electric Gibson guitar from 1955 sold for $12,300. The lot included the original GA 6 amplifier. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
The largest octagonal gem in this peridot and diamond suite weighs 33 carats and transforms into a brooch. Estimated at $60,000-$80,000, the suite sold for $158,600. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.
The largest octagonal gem in this peridot and diamond suite weighs 33 carats and transforms into a brooch. Estimated at $60,000-$80,000, the suite sold for $158,600. Image courtesy of Rago Arts & Auction Center.