Gallery Report: Coin-op Pegasus ride soars to $25K

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 Gallery Report. All prices include the buyer’s premium.

Mobil Oil coin-op kids’ ride, $25,200, Michaan’s Auctions

A 1950s-era Mobil Oil coin-operated children’s Pegasus ride flew out of the room for $25,200 at a Gallery Auction held Feb. 8 by Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda, Calif. Also, a wood and paper collage by Louise Nevelson (American, 1899-1988), Untitled, 1957, gaveled for $8,400; an oil on board self-portrait by Jesus Guerrero Galvan (Mexican, 1910-1973), titled Autorretrato de Pinto, brought $7,200; and a Shreve & Co. Art Nouveau sterling silver tea service made $5,100.

Canadian ‘Fat Man’ hooked mat, $17,700, Miller & Miller Auctions

An iconic Canadian “Fat Man” hooked mat from 1916 sold for $17,700 at a Canadiana, Pottery & Folk Art auction held Feb. 8 by Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. in New Hamburg, Ontario. Also, an oil painting of a horse by J.J. Kenyon galloped off for $11,800; a figural landscape by Homer Watson brought $6,900; and a circa 1940 CBC Radio Canada sign finished at $5,750. Price results for this auction are in Canadian dollars.

Sargent charcoal drawing, $22,800, Bruneau & Co.

A figural charcoal on paper drawing by John Singer Sargent (Mass./U.K./Italian, 1856-1925) sold for $22,800 at a two-session auction held Feb. 15 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers in Cranston, R.I. Also, a porcelain blue balloon dog in the original box by Jeff Koons (American, b. 1955), #1,495 of 2,300, went for $7,500; a two-piece glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941) earned $7,500; and an oil on canvas painting by James Brade Sword (Pennsylvania, 1839-1915) brought $5,312.

Mexican Charro parade-style saddle, $4,500, Holabird Western Americana

An ornate sterling silvered Mexican Charro parade-style saddle with matching saber, sombrero and accoutrements, used in the Pasadena Rose Parade, circa 1940, sold for $2,500 at an Objects of Our Affection Auction held Feb. 14-17 by Holabird Western Americana Collections in Reno, Nev. Also, a painting by Nevada gaming artist Frank Trevors (1907-1980), titled War Party On the Move, rose to $6,250; and a collection of Gold Rush-era Alaska tokens sold as one lot for $5,375.

Bosendorfer piano, $46,250, Andrew Jones

A Bosendorfer black lacquered grand piano, Model B225, circa 1986, sold for $46,250 at the first-ever Collections Curated by Designers of Distinction auction held Feb. 23 by Andrew Jones Auctions in Los Angeles, Calif. Also, a 19th century 24-light chandelier made by Perry & Co. (England) lit up the room for $40,000; a pair of late 18th century Louis XVI gilt bronze and marble two-tier étagères brought $45,000; and a Chinese Ming Dynasty huanghuali armchair made $37,500.

Tiffany Peony Border lamp, $151,250, Fontaine’s Auction

A Tiffany Studios Peony Border floor lamp, 77 inches tall, lit up the room for $151,250 at an auction held Jan. 16 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass. Also, a Pairpoint Puffy Owl lamp brought $78,650; an Armenian bible with a silver repousse cover depicting Jesus on the cross, flanked by Mary and Joseph, with a Nativity scene on the back, hit $48,400; and an oil on canvas painting by Elliott Daingerfield titled are inclusive of the buyer’s premium.

Perham Nahl 1915 poster, $4,800, Potter & Potter

A poster titled Panama Pacific International Exposition by Perham Nahl, created to advertise the opening day of the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco and illustrated with the 13th Labor of Hercules, sold for $4,800 at a Vintage Posters auction held Jan. 25 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, The Tree of Evil, a 1912 Communist propaganda poster that depicted Karl Marx leading a laborer to cut away the roots of ignorance that give strength to “diseases and crime” rose to $2,400.

William Edmondson sculpture, $540,000, Case Antiques Auction

A William Edmondson limestone sculpture, depicting a preacher with a bible raised in his left hand, sold for $540,000 at an auction held Jan. 26 by Case Antiques Auctions in Knoxville, Tenn. Also, a painting by Carroll Cloar titled The Landlady went for $66,000; a sand art bottle by Andrew Clemens realized $66,000; an oil on board by Gilbert Gaul titled Woman Sewing knocked down for $14,400; and an oil on board by Clementine Hunter titled Picking Flowers made $8,400.

1927-D $20 Double Eagle coin, $2.16 million, Heritage Auctions

A 1927-D Double Eagle $20 U.S. gold coin, the rarest regular-issue of a 20th century American coin, graded MS65+ PCGS CAC, sold for $2.16 million at Signature Auctions held in January by Heritage Auctions during the Florida United Numismatic Convention and the New York International Numismatic Convention events. Also, an 1855 $1 coin, PR66 Ultra Cameo NGC, reached $336,000; and a 1927-S Saint-Gaudens $20 gold coin, MS66+ PCGS, hit $312,000.

Portrait by Lemoine,  $387,000, Doyle

A portrait painting of Madame Leclerc (born Pauline Bonaparte), done circa 1798-99 by Marie-Victoire Lemoine (French, 1754-1820), sold for $387,000 at a sale of Old Master Paintings & Drawings held Feb. 5 by Doyle in New York City. Pauline Bonaparte was the younger sister of Napoleon I. She was married at age 17 to the French general Charles Leclerc in 1797. After he died from yellow fever in 1802, she married the Roman Prince Camillo Borghese of Italy.

Hannah Fairfield portrait, $21,250, Millea Bros.

A double oil portrait by Hannah Fairfield of Lucy Adams Tracy and Ellen Nichols Tracy, circa 1839, sold for $21,250 at an auction held Jan. 30 by Millea Bros. in Boonton, N.J. Also, a pair of English naturalistic porcelain bodkin cases, probably Chelsea, circa late 18th century, rose to $17,500; a Francis Sartorius oil on canvas of Whinigig (winner of the 1769 Jubilee Cup) and his groom fetched $13,750; and a George Lambert oil on canvas view of Dover Castle and Bay (1738) made $11,250.

Louis Fuertes watercolor, $12,400, DuMouchelles

A watercolor painting by Louis Fuertes (American, 1874-1927), titled Mallard, sold for $12,400 at live auctions held Jan. 17-19 by DuMouchelles in Detroit, Mich. Also, an early Pewabic pottery vase, 8¾ inches tall and 9 inches in diameter, achieved $8,060; blues guitarist Chuck Cole’s (b. 1942) Gibson ES-335TD semi-hollow body guitar from 1968 that he named “Willie B” brought $3,870; and an etching by Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669) gaveled for $7,440.

LeBron and Jordan card, $900,000, Goldin Auctions

A 2003-2004 Upper Deck “Exquisite Collection” #JJ Lebron James/Michael Jordan Logoman card (#1/1), graded BGS NM-MT+ 8.5, sold for $900,000 in an online auction held in February by Goldin Auctions, based in Runnemede, N.J. It was the most ever paid for a basketball card or any modern trading card, eclipsing the previous record set in 2016, when a 1969-1970 Topps #25 Lew Alcindor basketball card graded PSA GEM MT 10 changed hands for $501,900.

Henry Tanner oil painting, $365,000, Swann Auctions

An oil on canvas painting done in 1912 by Henry Owassa Tanner, titled Moonrise by Kasbah (Morocco), sold for $365,000 at an African-American Fine Art Auction held Jan. 30 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York City. Also, seven panels of framed chromogenic prints and sandblasted text on glass from 1996-1997 by Carrie Mae Weems realized $305,000; Richard Mayhew’s 2006 oil painting Departure made $233,000; and Robin Harper’s 1970 oil titled Jack Johnson hit $185,000.

Nakashima end table, $28,320, Briggs Auction

A Claro end table by George Nakashima sold for $28,320 at a Modern Design Auction held Sept. 13 by Briggs Auction in Garnet Valley, Pa. Also, a pair of Nakashima custom room-divider cabinets each brought $34,440; a unique Andrew Grima-designed emerald and diamond ring set in 18K gold slipped sold for $12,300; a set of six Finn Juhl BO 116 dining chairs with teak frames finished at $14,637; and a studio crafted sofa by Larry and Nancy Beuchley (New Mexico, 1987) hit $4,248.

Edgar Degas bronze, $567,000, Freeman’s

A bronze statue by Edgar Degas (French, 1834-1917) titled Grande Arabesque Deuxieme Temps sold for $567,000 at a European Art & Old Masters auction held Feb. 18 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Also, a painting by Berthe Morisot (French, 1841-1895) sold to France’s Musee Marmottan-Monet for $212,000; a charcoal drawing by Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890), titled Bald-Headed Orphan Man, achieved $459,000; and a print by Albrecht Durer (German, 1471-1528) hit $81,250.

Paul Evans dining set, $43,200, Fairfield Auction

A Paul Evans dining set consisting of a glass-top table (shown) and six chairs sold for a combined $43,200 at an auction held Sept. 25 by Fairfield Auction in Monroe, Conn. Also, a marble figure of a maiden by Gaetano Mercanti, 41 inches tall, achieved $8,400; a Rolex Explorer watch sold for $13,200; a lithograph by Charles Sheeler, from his Industrial Series #1, knocked down for $38,400; and a turned tulipwood bowl by Ed Moulthrop went for $1,440.

Lynda Benglis sculpture, $184,500, Clars Auction

A stainless-steel mesh and aluminum sculpture by Lynda Benglis (American, b. 1941), titled Norseman, sold for $184,500 at an auction held Feb. 22-23 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a South Coast, Papua New Guinea. shoulder shield realized $30,750; a George Nakashima for Widdicomb even-arm sofa executed in walnut earned $24,600; a canoid bench designed by Mira Nakashima brought $23,370; and a woodblock print by Gustave Baumann made $12,300.