A Judy Kensley McKie bronze jaguar bench sold for $73,200 at a sale of Early 20th Century Design and Modern held April 24-25 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, a Franco Campo and Carlo Graffi Millepiedi table soared to $67,100; an Arthur Hennessey Marblehead panther bowl made $61,000; a Wharton Esherick cherry sheet music stand realized $48,800; a Phil Powell sculpted walnut credenza breezed to $45,140; and a T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbons Widdicomb Mesa coffee table hit $42,700. Prices include a 22 percent buyer’s premium.
Handel painted lamp, $16,000, Woody Auction
A marked, 25-inch Handel leaded and reverse painted lamp with an Egyptian design and large 20-inch square shade sold for $16,000 at a sale of Part 1 of the Dale Gabel Collection held April 9-10 by Woody Auction of Douglass, Kan., at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Mo. Also, a rare and unmarked Wave Crest pipe rack plaque soared to $9,750; a signed Daum Nancy Spring Season cameo pedestal vase climbed to $4,300; and an R.S. Prussia pedestal covered urn hit $2,900. Prices are hammer. There was no buyer’s premium.
Elvis Graceland contract, $28,250, Philip Weiss Auctions
The original contract to purchase Graceland in 1957, signed by Elvis Presley and both of his parents, sold for $28,250 at an estates sale held April 23-25 by Philip Weiss Auctions in Oceanside, N.Y. Several property documents signed by Presley sold for a combined $52,410. Also, a lot of five Star Wars action figures on cards brought $5,367.50; an Eric Clapton signed “Blackie” Fender guitar made $2,825; a Janis Joplin 1970 concert poster realized $2,599; and a J. & E. Stevens panorama bank hit $9,040. Prices include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.
Mallard plantation bed, $40,320, Stevens Auc.
A massive and beautiful rosewood rococo three-quarter tester plantation bed, crafted around 1850 by P. Mallard, soared to $36,000 at the on-site sale of the contents of the historic Bella Vida mansion in Aberdeen, Miss., held May 1 by Stevens Auction Co. of Aberdeen. Also, a rosewood half tester plantation bed, signed C. Lee, made circa 1860 and fully draped, commanded $19,000; and a four-piece rosewood laminated parlor suite by J. & J.W. Meeks in the Hawkins pattern, circa 1855, topped out at $44,800. Prices include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.
Yogi Berra 1956 uniform, $564,930, Grey Flannel
The pinstripe New York Yankees uniform that catcher Yogi Berra wore during the historic 1956 World Series perfect game pitched by Don Larsen sold for $564,930 at a Summer Games Auction held April 14 by Grey Flannel Auctions in Westhampton, N.Y. Also, Dennis Johnson’s 1979 Most Vaulable Player Award, World Championship Series, from NBA and Sports Magazine, was a slam-dunk for $84,422; and a Roberto Clemente 1972 game-worn Pittsburgh Pirates home jersey with team letter hit $36,716. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Tippco toy motorcycle, $65,550, Bertoia Auctions
A Tippco Mickey and Minnie Mouse motorcycle sold for $65,550 at the third sale of the Donald Kaufman Collection held April 16-17 by Bertoia Auctions in Vineland, N.J. The tin litho windup toy was in fine working order and in excellent condition. It was made in Germany around 1932 and was 9 1/4 inches long. Also, a rare Marklin four-seat tourer, Germany, circa 1903, 13 inches long, with hand-painted white body, gold striping and light orange, embossed seating went to a European collector for $55,200. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Rembrandt etching, $72,000, Swann Galleries
A scarce etching, engraving and drypoint by the Dutch master Rembrandt, titled The Flight Into Egypt: Altered From Seghers, circa 1653, sold for $72,000 at an Old Masters Through Modern Prints Sale held April 27 by Swann Galleries in New York. Also, a print engraving by Albrecht Durer, titled The Prodigal Son, circa 1496, and a woodcut by Durer, titled The Four Horsemen, circa 1498, each brought $21,600; and Camille Pissarro’s Effet de pluie, etching and aquatint on cream laid paper, 1879, hit $38,400. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Gil Elvgren pinup, $191,200, Heritage
A landmark piece of pinup art painted in 1962 by Gil Elvgren and titled Bear Facts (A Modest Look; Bearback Rider) sold for $191,200 at an Illustration Art Auction held May 6 by Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. Another Elvgren work, his evocative 1961 masterpiece Jackpot, brought $131,450; a world record of $80,663 was realized for Enoch Bolles’ surreal October 1935 piece Sure to Make a Hit (Film Fun magazine cover); and Chesley Bonestell’s Saturn Viewed From Titan, circa 1952, went for $77,675. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Kashan carpet, $8,000, Carlsen Galleries
A palace-size Kashan carpet sold for $8,000 at an auction held March 28 by Carlsen Galleries Inc., in Freehold, N.Y. Also, an oil on canvas work by Smargiassi, titled Peasants in Landscape, rose to $7,500; Ralph Albert Blakelock’s Autumn Trees fetched $5,800; a pastel and graphite work by Ruth Bascom realized $5,000; a mahogany breakfront bookcase garnered $4,250; a pair of bronzes by Moreau, Pandora and Psyche, brought $4,200; and an oil on canvas landscape of Medway, N.Y., made $3,750. Prices exclude the 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Platinum and diamond ring, $304,000, Leslie Hindman
A spectacular platinum and diamond ring containing a round brilliant cut diamond weighing 7.08 carats, plus six tapered baguette cut diamonds, sold for $304,000 at a Fine Jewelry & Timepieces Auction held April 18 by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago. Also, a platinum and diamond ring containing a radiant cut diamond weighing 4.21 carats and two pear-shaped diamonds weighing 1.46 carats commanded $56,120; and a platinum and diamond pendant containing a pear-shaped diamond hit $25,620. Prices include a 22 percent buyer’s premium.
Fire pumper handtub, $99,000, Showtime Auction Services
A Hunnemann hand-drawn handtub with pumper fire apparatus, built in 1860 and beautifully restored, sold for $99,000 at an estates sale held April 9-11 by Showtime Auction Services of Woodhaven, Mich., at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor, Mich. Also, an ornate firemen’s hand pumper brass lantern, circa 1890, brought $30,800; a Mills Novelty Co. Sweet Perfume coin-operated machine went for $20,900; and a Wurlitzer jukebox, model no. 1015, soared to $8,050. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
J.J. LePaute clock, $106,650, Skinner
A 9-month duration regulator clock by J.J. LePaute, Paris, circa 1815, sailed past its high estimate of $40,000 to sell for $106,500 at a Science, Technology and Clocks Sale held May 1 by Skinner Inc. in Marlborough, Mass. Also, a mahogany outside escapement pillar and scroll clock by Eli Terry, Plymouth, Conn., circa 1818, estimated to bring no more than $12,000, realized $50,362.50; and a Rose engine from the shop of A.L. Breguet, Paris, early 19th century, changed hands for $44,437.50. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Phillips portrait, $9,775, Stair Galleries
A portrait by Ammi Phillips depicting a man seated on a red covered chair and holding a red covered book in his hand sold for $9,775 at a sale of Americana compiled by collectors George Barimo and Ben Schecter and conducted March 27 by Stair Galleries in Hudson, N.Y. Also, a portrait of a man thought to be local author Washington Irving commanded $5,750; a carved and painted ship’s figurehead of an African-American man made $2,330; and a Connecticut highboy brought $6,325. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Skin stencil work, $22,800, Waddington’s
A skin stencil work by Niviaxie (1908-1959), titled Polar Bear and Cub on Ice (1959) sold for $22,800 at an Inuit Art Auction held April 19 by Waddington’s in Toronto. Another work by the same artist titled Two Bears Hunting, stone block, 1959, rose to $18,600. Also, a stone, ivory and wooden figure done by an unidentified artist from Inukjuak around 1950, titled Woman With Child Tending Kudlik, went for $21,600; and a 1994 work by Gjoa Haven artist Judas Ullulaq (1937-1998) realized $19,200. Prices include the buyer’s premium.
Volcanic Navy pistol, $74,750, Rock Island
A magnificent factory-cased and engraved volcanic lever-action Navy pistol rang out at $74,750 in a sale of the C.W. Slagle firearms estate collection held April 30-May 2 by Rock Island Auction Co. in Moline, Ill. Also, a rare A.M. Sterling marked solid sterling silver Colt second model derringer pistol hit the mark at $69,000; and a pair of exquisite custom-built and engraved gold inlaid Winchester pre-64 model 70 bolt-action rifles owned by Prince Pahlavi of Iran, sold for $51,750. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
