ATLANTA – At the start of each month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from around the United States and beyond. Here’s what made headlines since last month’s report:
Marble head of Apollo, $50,400, Artemis Gallery
An important, life-size-plus Roman marble head of Apollo sold for $50,400 at an auction held Oct. 22 by Artemis Gallery in Boulder, Colo. Also, an Egyptian limestone relief of the goddess Hathor, New Kingdom (circa 1570 to 1069 B.C.), fetched $22,200; a circa-1750 Indian bronze of Ulma (Parvati), 19 1/2 inches tall, with a provenance purporting it to be a gift in 1946 from Mahatma Gandhi, went for $14,400; and an 18th century Burmese jeweled bronze seated Lotus Buddha, 24 inches tall, hit $14,400. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Emile Galle vase, $89,600, A.B. Levy’s
A rare marqueterie de verre glass vase by Emile Galle (French, 1846-1904), 17 1/2 inches tall, with no chips or cracks, sold for $89,600 at an estates auction held Oct. 29 by A.B. Levy’s in Palm Beach, Fla. Also, a patinated bronze sculpture by Lynn Chadwick (British, 1914-2003), titled Beast XXI, 1959, rose to $96,000; and a fine opalescent glass vase by Rene Lalique (French, 1860-1945), titled Terpsichore, circa 1937, fetched $36,000. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
E. Howard No. 43 clock, $254,100, Fontaine’s Auction
An E. Howard & Co. No. 43 astronomical floor regulator clock, 105 inches tall, sold for $254,100 at a clock and antique auction held Nov. 14 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass. It was a world auction record for an E. Howard No. 43 clock. Also, a Chinese triple fusee animated bracket clock with a 6-inch porcelain dial and carved teakwood bracket clock case brought $108,900 and an E. Howard No. 68 astronomical floor regulator clock, 105 inches tall, hit $84,700. Prices include a 21 percent buyer’s premium.
Sterling and copper pitcher, $26,550, Ahlers & Ogletree
An American Aesthetic Movement sterling and copper pitcher made by Bigelow, Kennard & Co., Boston, circa 1870s, sold for $26,550 at an auction held Oct. 17-18 by Ahlers & Ogletree in Atlanta, Ga. Also, an unusual French glass, gilt metal and enamel candy dish or box shaped like a sadiron, circa 1880, brought $18,880; and an unmarked Chinese palatial low porcelain center bowl with parrot decorations, 24 3/4 inches in diameter and likely made in the first half of the 20th century, went for $20,060. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Rodrigue painting, $31,200, Crescent City
An acrylic on canvas painting by George Rodrigue (American, 1944-2013), titled Springtime in Louisiana, from the artist’s “Blue Dog” series, sold for $31,200 at an estates auction held Nov. 7-8 by Crescent City Auction Gallery in New Orleans. Also, a pair of late 19th/early 20th century Russian icons – one of Christ Pantocrator, the other Virgin of Kazan, both having enameled silver oklads with silver wire overlay – brought a combined $54,120; and an Art Deco-style platinum and diamond link bracelet made $8,610. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
California Clubhouse bottle, $23,100, American Bottle
A California Clubhouse western whiskey fifth bottle sold for $23,100 at Auction #62, an Internet and catalog auction held Nov. 6-15 by American Bottle Auctions (www.americanbottle.com), based in Sacramento, Calif. Also, a Dr. R. Parker western medicine bottle (TLA-Quillaugh’s Balsam, San Francisco) also brought $23,100; an early and rare J.F. Cutter Star & Shield whiskey bottle went for $6,050; and a rare blue H & G soda bottle with a walking bear graphic went for $17,600. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
‘Superman’ by Frazetta, $35,420, Hake’s
The only depiction of Superman ever created by the legendary fantasy artist Frank Frazetta (American, 1928-2010), done in 1988 and measuring 15 1/2 inches by 17 1/2 inches, sold for $35,420 at an Americana & Collectibles Auction held Nov. 12 by Hake’s in York, Pa. Also, a framed album cover of the Beatles’ iconic record A Hard Day’s Night, autographed on verso by all four members of the band in 1964, went for $27,781; and a circa-1951 prototype Mad Hatter figural teapot by Regal China breezed to $15,307. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Dallin bronze sculpture, $54,000, John Moran
A patinated sculpture by Cyrus Edwin Dallin (Massachusetts, 1861-1944), titled On the Warpath, sold for $54,000 at a California American Fine Art Auction held Oct. 20 by John Moran Auctioneers in Pasadena, Calif. Also, a painting by Anna Katharine Skeele (California, 1896-1963), titled Pueblo Life, Taos finished at $45,000; Nocturne by Maurice Braun (California, 1877-1941) climbed to $36,000; and a 1936 work by Joane Cromwell (California, 1895-1969), titled Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts, topped out at $22,800. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Russian expedition set, $143,000, PBA Galleries
A Russian language account by Gavrilla A. Sarychev of the eight-year Russian expedition under Joseph Billings to explore Siberia, the Aleutian Islands, part of the American continent and more, with the set including an atlas of 51 maps and views, published in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1802, sold for $143,000 at an auction held Oct. 29 by PBA Galleries in San Francisco. Also, John Green’s Remarks in Support of the New Chart of North and South America, in Six Sheets (1753), hammered for $131,500. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Lynn Chadwick work, $137,000, Freeman’s
A sculpture by British artist Lynn Chadwick titled Winged Figures Version II, exhibiting the artist’s enduring interest in spatial relationships and precise geometric forms, sold for $137,000 at a Modern & Contemporary Art Auction held Nov. 1 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Also, British artist John Hoyland’s 9.1.75 brought $131,000; British artist William Scott’s Change Back hit $137,000; Mexican artist Ricardo Martinez’s Hijo Prodigo III earned $118,750; and Sam Gilliam’s Cluster went for $68,750. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Sally Mann photograph, $215,000, Swann Galleries
A silver print of a photograph taken by Sally Mann in 1989 of her daughter Jesse, titled Candy Cigarette, sold for $215,000 at an Icons & Images: Fine & Vernacular Photographs Auction held Oct. 15 by Swann Galleries in New York. Also, Ansel Adams’ 1963 Portfolio #4: What Majestic Word, in Memory of Russell Varian, including 15 silver prints, went for $68,750; and Moroccan photographer Lalla Essaydi’s oversize chromogenic print titled Converging Territories #, 2003, changed hands for $22,500. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Moonlight Dreadnought, $29,280, Morphy Auctions
A Moonlight Dreadnought bait and tackle box made in Paw Paw, Mich., sold for $29,280 at an Antique Fishing Tackle Auction held Oct. 24 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a Wiggle Tail Minnow Co., Detroit, Mich., circa 1912, hit $23,180; an E.C. Adams Jersey Expert, with box and paper, went for $19,520; a Moonlight Paw Paw Underwater Minnow with box fetched $18,300; a Philbrook & Paine marbleized salon reel made $12,200; and an HL Leonard bi-metal raised pillar salmon reel rose to $9,760. Prices include a 22 percent buyer’s premium.
Julian Onderdonk painting, $437,000, Heritage Auctions
A newly discovered oil painting by Julian Onderdonk titled Texas Landscape With Bluebonnets sold for $437,000 at a Texas Art Auction held Nov. 7 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. Also, Robert William Wood’s landscape painting Texas Spring realized $27,500; Porfirio Salinas’ landscape painting titled Morning in the Hill Country climbed to $23,115; William Lewis Lester’s Porch, 1950, topped out at $16,250; Bill Bomar’s Present Personas, 1952, made $16,250; and Billy Hassell’s Sun-Up, 1984, hit $11,250. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Michael Jordan jersey, $173,240, Goldin Auctions
Michael Jordan’s final Chicago Bulls regular season jersey, worn on April 18, 1998, sold for $173,240 at a Legends & Americana Auction that closed Nov. 15 by Goldin Auctions (www.goldinauctions.com), based in West Berlin, N.J. Also, a 1916 D329 Weil Baking Co. #151 Babe Ruth rookie baseball card finished at $89,060; a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card (graded PSA EX-MT 6) brought $81,740; and a 1933 Goudey #106 Napoleon Lajoie card made $75,640. Prices include a 21 percent buyer’s premium.
Pair of old squaw decoys, $103,400, Guyette & Deeter
A pair of old squaw decoys made circa 1925 by “Shang” Wheeler of Stratford, Conn., sold for $103,400 at an annual Fall Decoy Auction held Nov. 11-12 by Guyette & Deeter Inc., based in St. Michaels, Md. Also, a pair of mergansers, circa 1910, by George Boyd of Seabrook, N.H., rose to $92,000; a pair of teal, circa 1935, by Horace Crandall of San Francisco brought $40,250; and a redhead drake, circa 1890, by Elkanah Cobb of Cobb’s Island, Va., hit $35,650. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Edward Redfield painting, $190,400, Clars Auction Gallery
A painting by the New Hope, Pa., artist Edward Willis Redfield (1869-1965), titled Boothbay Garden, sold for $190,400 at a Fine Art, Decorative, Jewelry & Asian Art Auction held Nov. 14-15 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, an oil on canvas by Jerry Barrett (British, 1814-1906), titled Receiving the Love Note, 1877, realized $47,600; a nine-panel Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz from 1958 fetched $35,700; and a Tiffany Studios Moorish-style bronze and Favrile glass chandelier made $17,850. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.
Tiffany pendant necklace, $59,375, Doyle New York
An exquisite circa-1915 pendant necklace by Louis C. Tiffany, for Tiffany & Co., combining Montana sapphires with moonstones to yield a translucent, Favrile glass-like effect, sold for $59,375 at a jewelry auction held Nov. 16 by Doyle New York in Beverly Hills, Calif. Also, a rare “49er” gold nugget necklace, embellished with iconic gold miner’s pan, shovel and pick motifs, garnered $28,125 and a platinum ring with an emerald-cut diamond of about 6.17 carats brought $37,500. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
1776 map of New York, $23,000, Jeffrey S. Evans
A rare 1776 map of New York City by John Montresor sold for $23,000 at an Americana and antiques auction held Nov. 14 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mount Crawford, Va. Also, an 1826 needlepoint sampler by Lennah Griffey of Monogalia County., Va., in what is now West Virginia, changed hands for $21,850; a first-edition copy of Bleak House by Charles Dickens, signed and inscribed by the author, went for $16,100; and a pair of Limoges figural vases depicting characters from Uncle Tom’s Cabin made $7,475. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
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By KEN HALL
