ATLANTA – On the 1st 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:
Queen Anne tea table, $299,000, Cottone Auctions
A lovely 18th century Virginia Queen Anne tray-top tea table with a scalloped skirt, pad feet and a fine old refinish sold for $299,000 at a Fine Art & Antiques Auction held Feb. 20-21 by Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, N.Y. Also, a stainless steel gyratory kinetic sculpture by George Rickey (American, 1907-2002), titled Three M’s and One W II (1987), made $115,000; a Sevres cobalt and gold enameled tureen, dated 1812, rose to $59,800; and a rose medallion punch bowl with the monogram of Ulysses S. Grant hit $12,075. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Lalique glass vase, $148,750, A. B. Levy’s
A Lalique frosted glass vase titled Nadica, circa 1930, 10 1/2 inches tall, sold for $148,750 at an estates auction held Feb. 19 by A. B. Levy’s (based in Palm Beach, Fla.) in West Palm Beach, Fla. Also, an oil on canvas painting by Jean Metzinger (French, 1883-1956), titled Paysage aver un Bosquet, realized $177,500; a patinated and gilt figural bronze statue by Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercie (French, 1845-1916), titled Gloria Victis, made $108,000; and a Louis XV-style ormolu-mounted malachite bureau plat hit $30,000. Prices include the buyer’s premium.
Circa 1900 Sioux dress, $7,475, Allard Auctions
A circa 1900 Sioux dentalium and tradecloth dress that was featured on an episode of Antiques Roadshow prior to auction, sold for $7,475 at Big Spring Phoneix, an auction event held March 7-8 by Allard Auctions Inc. (based in St. Ignatius, Mont.) in Mesa, Ariz. Also, a woman’s outfit from the Shoshone plateau tribe of Wyoming, made circa 1960s, made $5,463; and a near-room size Navajo Crystal rug, circa 1940s or ’50s, with geometric design, went for $4,025. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
1944 Palestine banknote, $12,980, Archives International
A Palestine Currency Board 5-pound note dated 1944 and with a rare “F” prefix sold for $12,980 at an auction held March 10 by Archives International Auctions, at the firm’s offices in Fort Lee, N.J. Also, two Imperial Bank of Persia specimens, for 1 Toman and 20 Toman, hit $3,304 and $7,965, respectively; a Lebanon, Banque de Syrie et du Liban specimen, 1945, for 25 livres, made $2,950; and a Reserve Bank of Australia $1 ND 1979 serial #1 note went for $737. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese wall pocket, $50,000, Ahlers & Ogletree
A late 19th or early 20th century Chinese porcelain urn form wall pocket, hand-painted and in a gilt and red stand, sold for $50,000 at a Spring Estates Auction held March 21-22 by Ahlers & Ogletree in Atlanta. Also, a circa-1960s oil on canvas painting by the legendary Highwayman artist Albert Ernest “Beanie” Backus (1906-1991), titled View of Florida Coastline, brought $20,000; and a second pattern Confederate national flag, possibly issued to the Confederate States Navy, with 13 stars, went for $15,000. Prices are hammer, exclusive of a buyer’s premium.
Remington Model 40 rifle, $26,400, Morphy Auctions
A Remington Model 40 sniper rifle, of the type used by the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam, in original unmodified condition, sold for $26,400 at a Firearms Auction held Jan. 31-Feb. 1 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a Custer-era 1875 Springfield U.S. Officers Model trap-door rifle, made under special order for commissioned officers, hit $13,200; and a Civil War-era Sharps New Model 1859 rifle, the type issued in 1862 to Hiram Berdan’s 1st and 2nd Regiment of the U.S. Sharpshooters, fetched $10,800. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Mickey and Minnie display, $29,222, Hake’s Americana
A Mickey and Minnie Mouse mechanical store display pair, made circa 1935 for Old King Cole, sold for $29,222 at an absentee and online auction (#214) held March 17 and 19 by Hake’s Americana & Collectibles in York, Pa. Also, a single panel Sunday comic page from Nov. 3, 1935, showing a brick throwing scene from Krazy Kat, signed by artist George Herriman, brought $17,014; a 1934 Two-Gun Mickey black-and-white production cel made $13,800; and a Marx Batman factory prototype bagatelle game hit $11,828. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Noguchi ‘Rudder’ group, $110,000, John Moran
A set of three Noguchi “Rudder” stools and table, offered as single lots, collectively sold for just over $110,000 at a Decorative Arts Auction held Feb. 17 by John Moran Auctioneers in Pasadena, Calif. Also, a Regence-style Vernis Martin vitrine cabinet, with gilt bronze mounts possibly by the French bronzier Paul Sormani (1817-1887), gaveled for $60,000; an artwork by Roy Lichtenstein (New York, 1923-1997), titled Best Buddies, realized $18,000; and an Italian Renaissance automaton cabinet rose to $9,600. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese fusee clock, $270,000, Clars Auction
A Chinese triple fusee and gilt bronze bracket clock with automaton sold for $270,000 at a Fine Art, Decoratives, Jewelry & Asian Antiques Auction held Feb. 21-22 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a painting by Wolf Kahn (American/Germman, b. 1927), titled Open Woods (1993) rose to $47,600; an Impressionist oil on canvas by William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916), titled Still Life With Cherries and Copper Bowl, also went for $47,600; and a 3-carat diamond and platinum ring went for $26,100. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.
Boston & Sandwich lamp, $18,400, Jeffrey S. Evans
A Boston & Sandwich cut overlay banquet lamp, 39 inches tall to the top of the shade and made circa 1860, sold for $18,400 at a 19th and 20th Century Glass & Lighting Auction held Jan. 31 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mt. Crawford, Va. Also, a Boston & Sandwich frosted Madonna figural night clock lamp, circa 1875, realized $9,775; a Boston & Sandwich deep fiery opalescent open-work fruit basket on a stand, circa 1850, earned $8,050; and a Tiffany Studios Favrile 4-inch cabinet vase, circa 1905, hit $2,875. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
1875 $20 gold coin, $38,940, Michaan’s
A U.S. 1875 $20 Liberty Head gold coin, graded MS64, sold for $38,940 at a sale of rare coins from the estate of Barbara Riggins held March 6 by Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda, Calif. Also, a 1909 $5 piece changed hands for $15,340; a 1914 $5 coin went for $11,210; a 1902 $20 piece, minted in San Francisco, sailed past its estimate of $5,000-$6,000 to hammer for $17,700; and a pair of multiple lots containing 1878 Morgan dollars each brought an identical price of $2,006. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Alex Diggelmann poster, $30,000, Swann Auction
A poster from 1934 by Alex Diggelmann titled Gstaad sold for $30,000 at a Vintage Posters Auction held Feb. 12 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York. Also, a poster with four decorative panels by Alphonse Mucha, done in 1898 and titled The Flowers, sold for $30,000; and a poster for Milan, Italy’s 1907 automobile and cycle show by Leopoldo Metlicovitz, titled Mostra del Ciclo e Dell’Automobile / Milano, hammered for $30,000. The Metlicovitz and Diggelmann prices were new auction records. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Louis Vuitton trunk, $6,875, Schwenke
A vintage Louis Vuitton steamer trunk with original label in the interior, having a key but no interior tray, sold for $6,875 at an Americana and Native American Decorative Arts Auction held March 8 by Schwenke Auctioneers in Woodbury, Conn. Another vintage Louis Vuitton cabin trunk with iron handles and raised on wheels, brought $2,875. Also, an early, decorated scrimshaw dolphin jaw bone, 15 1/4 inches long, made $5,312; and a carved wood ladle, possibly Northwest coast, on a wrought iron stand hit $2,500. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese snuff bottle, $48,000, Auctionata
A Chinese carved white jade snuff bottle from the 18th or 19th century sold for $48,000 at an Asian Works of Art Auction held March 15 by Auctionata in New York City. Also, a Chinese Tang Dynasty Sancai Phoenix ewer gaveled for $31,200; an 18th or 19th century Sino-Tibetan Kubera hammered for $22,800; an 18th century Sino-Tibetan Dakini also changed hands for $22,800; and an 18th or 19th century Chinese carved yellow jade abstinence plaque went for $8,400. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Mary Martin’s Tony Award,
Mary Martin’s Tony Award, $43,750, RR Auction
The 1959-60 Tony Award given to Mary Martin (far left), for her performance in The Sound of Music on Broadway, sold for $43,750 in an auction held March 19 by RR Auction in Boston. The award was originally acquired from the estate of actor Larry Hagman, Martin’s late son. Also, an extensive archive of material owned and relating to the legendary Hollywood B-movie cult figure Ed Wood realized $13,750; and an archive celebrating Jimmie Rodgers, “The Father of Country Music,” fetched $5,625. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Jim Bowie signed note, $62,500, Heritage Auctions
A rare promissory note drafted and signed by the legendary frontiersman Jim Bowie sold for $62,500 at a Texana Grand Format Auction held March 14 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. Also, one of two known copies of Sam Houston’s historic broadside, appealing to the citizens of Texas for aid on the day the state declared its independence, soared to $52,500; a hand-colored 1867 map of Texas by Charles W. Pressler made $50,000; and a letter penned and sent by Davy Crockett changed hands for $37,500. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Puiforcat flatware service, $40,625, Doyle New York
A circa 1930 flatware service by Jean Puiforcat (Paris), in the Monaco pattern, sold for $40,625 at a Belle Epoque Auction held Feb. 18 by Doyle New York. Also, a circa 1974-1978 assembled Elizabeth II silver-gilt service by C.J. Vander (London), in the Pierced Vine pattern, brought $34,375; a late 19th or early 20th century KPM painted porcelain plaque of Psyche, after Wilhelm Kray, fetched $37,500; and a Louis XVI-style gilt-bronze and champleve mantel clock retailed by Tiffany & Co. hit $25,000. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Tennessee inlaid chest, $19,470, Case Antiques
An East Tennessee Federal inlaid chest of drawers with extensive inlay sold for $19,470 at a Winter Auction held Jan. 24 by Case Antiques in Knoxville, Tenn. Also, a pair of portraits depicting the Reverend Hardy Murfree Cryer and, most likely, his wife garnered $24,780; a Confederate CSS Shenandoah diary and archive went for $19,470; an oil on canvas landscape painting by Maurice Braun rose to $24,780; and an abstract oil on fabric pillowcase painting by Beauford Delaney changed hands for $24,180. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
